How do you hunt NE Minnesota?
10-29-2009, 02:09 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Canby, Minnesota USA
Posts: 174
How do you hunt NE Minnesota?
Last deer season myself and two buddies went to Big Falls, MN for the last weekend of the rifle season in MN. When we got there we set up camp and started hunting the next day, but we didn't see any deer. We hunted forthe last 4 days of the season and didn't see a single deer. Kinda depressing for a few guys who usually shoot deer every year, sometimes more than one.
Anyhow my question is... How do you know where to hunt up there?
I'm from SW Minnesota where we have fields and cricks bottoms... its fairly flat and we push deer with walkers... during bow season we bowhunt like everyone else i assume... either posting or still hunting...although not many still hunt anymore...
We realized we weren't in the best area in that part of the state, but we were still extremely suprised not to see any deer. what we learned was to hunt the clearings, but it seems like there has to be a better way to do it. we were mostly in poplar forests, with lots of underbrush... what we think is good back home.
Is it better to hunt the big pine woods or the poplars? or should we be shooting for the breaks or mixes of both?
we plan on trying to make it an annual trip, and we know there is lots to learn, but we won't be going this year on account i'm in Kuwait. any advice would be greatly appreciated.
thank you much!
Anyhow my question is... How do you know where to hunt up there?
I'm from SW Minnesota where we have fields and cricks bottoms... its fairly flat and we push deer with walkers... during bow season we bowhunt like everyone else i assume... either posting or still hunting...although not many still hunt anymore...
We realized we weren't in the best area in that part of the state, but we were still extremely suprised not to see any deer. what we learned was to hunt the clearings, but it seems like there has to be a better way to do it. we were mostly in poplar forests, with lots of underbrush... what we think is good back home.
Is it better to hunt the big pine woods or the poplars? or should we be shooting for the breaks or mixes of both?
we plan on trying to make it an annual trip, and we know there is lots to learn, but we won't be going this year on account i'm in Kuwait. any advice would be greatly appreciated.
thank you much!
Last edited by outdoorsman09; 10-29-2009 at 02:25 AM.
10-29-2009, 09:34 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,304
When you said NE Minnesota, I was thinking the arrowhead area or the iron ore region. Big Falls is north central.
Anyway, I'm straight south a few hours and can't really help personally with that area. I can recommend you to call the MN DNR wildlife office in International Falls, just north of where you will be hunting:
218-286-5434
I talked to Frank there and asked a few questions for you. He said the "deer numbers are not exceptional" in that area. He talked about how the winters have been tough on deer there as well as the timber wolves. Together they have kept the deer numbers down a bit. In fact, he said it's been since 1998 in that area that the state had to limit to only antlerless or antlered tags.(forgot what he said)
Looking at my map, the wildlife management in that area was out of International Falls, so I gave it a shot. Frank said he and another gentleman cover Big Falls. Sounds to me he's the guy you should be talking to. He also said you could eMail him or the other guy from that office as well. Their eMails are below:
[email protected]
[email protected]
He also talked about the area to the west, the Pine Island area is not too good on populations. He talked about a general place to start is along the Big Fork river. Frank mentioned the best thing for you to do is contact him and tell him exactly you will be hunting and he can give you the info for that area. I also urge you to ask him where "he" thinks the best area for you guys to hunt at is.
Hope that helps. Be careful over there; be safe!
iSnipe
Anyway, I'm straight south a few hours and can't really help personally with that area. I can recommend you to call the MN DNR wildlife office in International Falls, just north of where you will be hunting:
218-286-5434
I talked to Frank there and asked a few questions for you. He said the "deer numbers are not exceptional" in that area. He talked about how the winters have been tough on deer there as well as the timber wolves. Together they have kept the deer numbers down a bit. In fact, he said it's been since 1998 in that area that the state had to limit to only antlerless or antlered tags.(forgot what he said)
Looking at my map, the wildlife management in that area was out of International Falls, so I gave it a shot. Frank said he and another gentleman cover Big Falls. Sounds to me he's the guy you should be talking to. He also said you could eMail him or the other guy from that office as well. Their eMails are below:
[email protected]
[email protected]
He also talked about the area to the west, the Pine Island area is not too good on populations. He talked about a general place to start is along the Big Fork river. Frank mentioned the best thing for you to do is contact him and tell him exactly you will be hunting and he can give you the info for that area. I also urge you to ask him where "he" thinks the best area for you guys to hunt at is.
Hope that helps. Be careful over there; be safe!
iSnipe
10-29-2009, 10:47 AM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 116
Your best chance would be to take a look at the satellite pictures of the land you hunt (via google earth or google maps) and look for some natural funnels/food sources. In the big woods of northern MN a big draw is fresh logging/clearcuts. Any of those around? What about rivers/streams? They can provide you with the funnels you are looking for. It's a LOT tougher hunting up there vs. agricultural land since they can basically go anywhere and have cover, but you'll find them if you put in the time.
