hunt/fish battle lake area

[ccarlson]

My folks just purchased a hobby farm near Battle Lake. It has lots of woods (mostly oak and some popple), some open field land and some tillable land. I'm looking forward to visiting them in the summer for fishing around the area but was wondering about hunting in the area as well. It's only about a 2 hour drive from Nisswa where I live.

I would imagine it has good quality deer hunting in the area correct?

Are there any pheasants that far north?

How about Turkeys?

Grouse?

Ducks and Geese I suspect are good?

I've heard of Battle and Ottertail for walleye fishing. Any others I should try for walleye? Any good Muskie lakes in the area?

What a beautiful area it is with rolling hills and such. Looking forward to it.

Thanks,
ccarlson

[Mark Christianson]

CC
It is the best of EVERY world.

Deer is awesome.
Turkeys are on a major climb(I have drawn and shot a bird 2 years in a row)
Grouse are low for the most part
Pheasants are non-existent

Fishing is AWESOME all over the area.

Now my analysis is strictly speaking from the area we hunt and fish east of Battle Lake. You may have slightly different results depending where you are for the grouse and pheasants.

The rest is all golden!!!!

Where abouts did they get the land?

[Mark Christianson]

Ooops
I forgot about ducks because its been poor this year.

In the past though, it has been splendid for divers and puddle ducks in the area.

[GRAND DAD]

I second that about turkeys the last 2 years i have been seeing a lot of them I don't hunt them but I was socked to see the poping up all over the place,Deer there are some big ones around there I have only deer hunted up there once If i remimber right the thing I didn't like about deer hunting up there is in that zone they only give you one week end Pleasnts few and far between!!

[ChuckN]

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up...

But I would add, pheasants are not necessarily non-existant. There are some, but far and few between. You don't want to target them unless you head south about 15-20 miles, south of the Inspiration hills. I have a nice population of pheasants I hunt not far from home.

Duck hunting can be good, but mother nature needs to cooperate!! We haven't had a typical fall in years it seems...

[Mark Christianson]

Agreed Chuck.
I was just referencing the area around where we hunt. (Vining area)
I have not seen a pheasant in years.

Now if you head down towards Millerville/Brandon, I have seen birds down there while commuting to the cabin.

Is it the weekend yet????

[ccarlson]

Thanks for all the information guys.

I hadn't looked at a map yet but I suspected it was in that deer zone where you had to choose a weekend. That would be different for us as we usually hunt zone one where you have 16 full days. But then I thought it would be a good place to maybe get started in black powder hunting if the one weekend of rifle did not work out.

Good to hear about the turkeys. This land looks prime for turkeys so I may have to apply for the licence. Do they do a spring and fall hunt in that area?

I also suspected the the pheasants would be a slim chance but I'm glad to hear we can find them in a short drive south.

I think the best part will be the opportunity for a truly big buck. Other areas I hunt are not that good for trophy potential and if you do shoot a monster from the woods, you can hardly eat it. I have eaten venison from bigger deer in farm country and it is wonderful. A great reason to use a quality deer management plan on the property.

Sounds great about the fishing. What about Muskies?

Thanks again,
ccarlson

[WAL~LEE]

Muskies-
West Battle lake has a decent population of muskies. I have seen pics of 50" + fish that have come from there. Check out the one on the wall at the Vinning gas station it was taken from Battle (Good luck.) There's a few lakes south by Alexandria and North in Maplewood state park that contain skis also.

[This message has been edited by WAL~LEE (edited 10-08-2004).]