Deer Hunting

[fivebucks]

Was out a little bit up by LOW but had no action. Spent more time scouting out the rifle season areas. Haven't seen any tree scrapes up there yet. It is kind of fun to see the little critters come within a couple of feet of where you're at. I probably won't get out now until the weekend of the 19th. Good luck out there.

[kupcho]

Hey fivebucks. I hunt around Hines, just south of Blackduck 5 miles. I have been seeing a lot of ground scrapes and tree scrapes. I passed on an 8 and a 7 pointer 2 weekends ago. They just weren't big enough. I figure to be picky with a bow and wait for the yearlings or get a trophy.
I'll be up in that neck of the woods the 19th also. Keep me posted if your going to fish Island lake. I have had better luck on moose lake this year though. Talk to you later.

------------------
Kupcho's Guide Service
Upper Red, Winnie, Blackduck Area
http://fishingminnesota.com/blackduck/
Phone:(651) 426-1545
E-mail: [email protected]

[CorynTracySellHomes]

Another tip!

I take all of my hunting clothes and put them in a plastic bag that contains dirt, leaves, branches, and acorns from the surrounding area that I hunt! It is amazing how effective this can be! i have had numerous deer down wind of me that did not know I existed!

------------------
Visit us on the web at www.Athomeonthelake.com

[fivebucks]

Kupcho,
I doubt that I'll be on Island again until ice up, I kindof get the hunting fever and can't do anything else with my free time. I'm glad you're seeing some good sign. It seems that our forested area south of LOW doesn't usually get much deer sign until later. I am keeping my eye open cause usually if you have early sign it's more likely a mature deer (at least that's what I've read). I already took a young doe so I'm looking for a big boy also. I've got a good rifle stand that I know holds some good deer but that stand doesn't work for bow. Also I like to leave it alone as much as possible so my current bow areas are scout and hunt type deals. Talk to ya later.

As the last poster had mentioned, I also will keep my clothes in baggies with leaves and pine boughs etc. after washing them in scent free stuff but I will not hunt a stand unless the wind is right.

[CodyDawg]

I have used a scentlok breath shield the past couple of years and I was really impressed by it. I have had deer downwind of me on numerous occasions. Last year I had a 6 pter 20 yards away directly downwind think he got a whiff of me. He kept trying to smell me, and I gotta believe it was that breath shield (as well as the clothes wash/leaves in bag trick) that kept him from alerting. He hung around for over half an hour.

[Benny]

Just a note to let all the Deer hunters know that Beaverbrook rifle range is open every weekend in October and the first weekend in November for rifle/slug gun sight in.
Only legal calibers,$7.00 per gun,Ear plugs$.50
$1.00 bore sighting .
Targets,spotting scopes included and they change them for you.
Take HWY 65(central ave.)North to Klondike BLVD.go East about 1 mile maybe a mile and a half.Watch for sign on the North(Left)side of the road, go all the way to the back and right on the dirt road.
Thanks and good luck, Benny

P.S I will be out there to help the rookies on Saturday,Sunday of the first weekend in November.

[Guest]

I went out this week, but didn't get anything. I only saw the tail of one through the swamp grass a long way off.

I did however almost get a holstein cow that ran out in front of my car!

[Guest]

I went out this week, but didn't get anything. I only saw the tail of one through the swamp grass a long way off.

I did however almost get a holstein cow that ran out in front of my car!

[Guest]

Sorry had some problems and sent it twice. Ah well.

[Shorelunch]

Did anyone get out this weekend? Any luck?

[fivebucks]

I'll be out by LOW this weekend if I can keep the fishin rod out of my hands. I'll let you know how I did next week.

[Johnny B]

I spent several hours in one of my stands on Saturday morning: spotted several does, however nothing in my range. I decided to grouse hunt during the afternoon. While walking down and old logging road, an albino doe crossed the trail thirty yards ahead of me. I froze as she stopped right in the middle of the road. We had a stare-down for about twenty seconds, she let out a bleat and off she went.
It was one of the most amazing things I have seen this fall!

I have heard of albinos in the Garrison/Brainerd area, but this was the first I have ever witnessed.

<)))><

[Big Dave2]

Hi all,
just wondering if any one has any advise on where to go and practice shoot in the south metro. I am new to hunting and I just bought a remington 870 and wanted to give her a practice run before I take her out in the field. I have never been to a hunt club before, are they expensive to shoot skeet or whatever? Do you have to be a member or can any one pay thier way and shoot a few clay pigeons? Thanks for the info.
Dave

[hunt4food]

Dave, I just replied to your slug barrel question too. I usually sight my guns in at the Oakdale Gun club. They have trap shooting and it runs $7.00 for 25 clays. I included their web address below. One word of advice...go during the week. that place is a zoo on the weekends from now until mid Novemeber. www.oakdalegunclub.org

[Guest]

hey whats good slugs for a rem. 870? i will not invest in those platinum tips the clerk threw at me(not litterally!) and whats a good scope for this gun?
thanks a heap

[hunt4food]

I use 3" magnum Hydra-Shok Sabot slugs. They kick like a mule, but they kill. If you don't get a clean kill shot, they will usually leave a blood trail a blind man could follow. I am thinking of going to those new Winchester Partition gold slugs. they cost about $3.00 more per box of 5, but what's another few bucks when you when you compare it to all the other hunting supplies I usually buy.(my wife calls me a gadget freak but what does she know) I have read amazing statistics on those slugs with accuracy out to 150 yards. I think they come out of the barrel around 1900FPS. I also have a super recommendation for a scope. I have tried seveal in the past 10 years and finally settled on a Tasco pro-point 4. this is a red dot scope with a 40MM tube. No power magnification on it, but you can really get on them quick. Most scopes are tougher to use on a moving object. This one works better for that in case it is the best shot you have. It also works nice if you hunt in dense woods. At 1/2 hr. before sunrise, it is still pretty dark in the woods and the red dot obviously shows up better than unlit crosshairs. Good luck!

[Benny]

BigDave, Beaverbrook gun club is open ever weekend till the opener for rifle and slug gun sight in.They change targets and have spotting scopes to use as well as helpfull volinteeres who ,for the most part, know their stuff about gun sightin.They charge $7.00 a gun and $1.00 bore sight, all you need is ear protection(they have that as well for $.50).
Take Central(HWY 65)ave north to Klondike Blvd.Go east(right) about one and a half miles watch for sign on the North(left)side of road, go all the way to the gate and go to the right when you see the club house.
The best time would be early, be at the gate by 8:30AM or come in at noon or 1PM .
It will be very busy from here on out though.
Good luck, Benny

[Havin' Fun]

Anyone seeing anything that might suggest the bucks are moving more readily yet? In other words, bucks fighting, checking scrapes ect? I wondering if I can start rattling and grunting yet?

[metrojoe]

fishgun,
I'd suggest you buy a box of each type of slug available and head for the range. How much would you pay for a slug that doesn't shoot worth a darn out of your gun?

hunt4food,
I usually go to Oakdale Gun Club myself. I was kind of ticked this year when I found out they doubled the fee to sight in a gun. It's not too busy on the weekends if you go in June or July. I made the mistake of going in October once. How'd the sale go?

joe

[Iceman77]

I've been bowhunting a quality buck out by where I live. I have seen a few deer "skirmishing" a little but just to get ready for the rut. I made two mock scrapes and rubs by my treestand and used doe in heat and buck urine. Just to let the dominant buck in the area think he's going to lose his does and get him a little aggressive. I've found in the past that bucks are opportunistic maters(from my experience). I've put doe in heat along with mock scrapes out well ahead of the rut and had bucks become aggressive and start to work an area real hard with scrapes and rubs because of it. I've picked up some real nice bucks this way. Many of the big bucks are more nocturnal and I will make sure I freshen up the scrape with doe in heat at the times I'm hunting there. I've found he will check back at different times of the day if he knows the deer are coming by at a different time than he is. So far the cold weather is helping the pre-rut though.

[bluebill97]

ICEMANN_77. Can you tell me how to make a moch scrape, I have heard of doing this and never really knew how to do this. I know how to make the scrape and stuff but what do you put on it or by it. do you put the buck urine on it or by it? and do you put doe urine on it or by it? do you put buck gland sent on the branch above it? I would like to try this so let me know how its done! I would like to get something bigger then 4 points this year!

[fivebucks]

Was out by LOW and have been seeing a few tree rubs. I had a forkhorn walk right in front of me. Good thing I told myself before hunting that I was holding out for 8 pt. or better cause that forkie teased me with several high quality shots. I watched him for a bit and when he started down the trail I grunted at him. It was sure fun watching him trying to find that other buck. He stood 20 yards away for at least 3-5 min. looking around, ears twitching, and getting nervous. He finally backtracked a bit and left the area faster than he came. It was fun to watch. I had been rattling and grunting every 45 min. or so but I don't think that brought him in cause he came from upwind of me. Waiting for the big boy (at least bigger than a fork).

[hunt4food]

Metrojoe, the sale went ok despite the rain. I managed to get my invisible fence in at the same time so as not to waste a good vacatin day setting there i the garage. I too was a little surprised last fall when I found out they were charging $15.00 for the first gun and $10.00 for every other after that. I guess I understand though. This day and age it costs a lot of money just to keep the lawyers busy so we don't lose that club altogether. I wish people would find something better to do than try to close gun clubs. would they rather I sight my guns in a farmers field with a plywood backstop or some other inadequate place? I will continue to pay the $15.00 knowing that it will help the cause. We need to stick together or some day those anti hunting, anti gun, anti ammo, anti hunting etc..euphorians are going to sneak up on us and rob us of our 2nd. amendment rights!

[Iceman77]

I will always put the rub and scrape on the side of the tree that the deer are walking towards at the time. If the deer travel north on the trail I will put the scrape and rub on the south side of the sapling. I will start out with a rub on the sapling with a little twig 3-4 feet overhead and break the little twig that overhangs the scrape. I have an old set of antlers that I use for rattling that works well for making a rub. I will pour a little buck and doe in heat urine directly into the center of the rub and a little bit on the base of the sapling. In the past I have used tarsal glands from does that were in heat from the previous year. I used to have friends cut them out and give them to me. It worked but I didn't go deer hunting last year so no tarsal glands for this boy. Hope this helps.

[TUMBLEWEED]

Anyone have a place to look up B/C
and P/Y data on Minnesota bucks??
Mostly interested in P/Y as I don't
have access to one of their books
Thanks......

[Born2Fish]

Hello all. Got a question. Has anyone heard of a .50 caliber 3" magnum 12 gauge shell?? I just read on them and read good things. I think they were winchester? Dont remember.

[hunt4food]

I have been researching those slugs. they are called Winchester Partition gold. They advertise 1900FPS. on the box. that's pretty fast. I noticed gander had them on sale this week for less than $10.00. I talked myself out of them since my shots are almost always under 100 yards and the Federal 3" Hydra-shok sabots work real good for me. I hope to hear good reports on those slugs followint this years deer season.

[Grabs]

The DNR is running a TV presentation on CWD in approx a week. To check local listing view the link from the DNR:

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/news/releases/index.html?id=1035312028

[red bricks]

Does any one have a reccomendation on a deer decoy? I am thinking of picking one up for bow hunting. Also is there any tips I should try when using it. Should I use the doe or throw some horns on it? I an generally hunting in thick woods with no fields near. Thanks.

[CodyDawg]

red bricks,
You (and everybody) should read Gary Clancy's book on grunting, rattling and decoying whitetails. A great read with some really good insights.

As far as slugs go, I have put a lot of time, energy and $ into finding a good combination. I second whoever said buy one box of each and see what shoots the best, I gauruntee there will be a difference. I tried the Winchester Partition Golds last year and they seemed to arc a little too much for my liking. I sighted in at 50 yards, at 100 they were like 12 inches high and at 150 they were 2+ feet high. I am gonna try them again, but my initial reaction was they weren't as accurate as I would like out of my gun. Out of other guns, they may be better. I use a Hastings rifled barrel with Federal Classic Sabots and have awesome groups off of a gun vise. I would really stress that you buy a high quality scope as the bark of a slug gun will tear inferior scopes apart (I have a $100 Bushnell I would sell really cheap....). I have a Burris Signature Series with PosiLok and it holds up great due to the locking mechanism. I also would really recommend a cantilever scope mount. Saddle mounts are attached to the receiver...just put your stock on the ground and try and move your barrel independently from the receiver and you will see how much slop there is in a typical shotgun. As a reminder to the new sluggers out there, sabots thru a rifled barrel; rifled (Foster-style) slugs through a smoothbore. I have seen a lot of guys who think their shotguns shoot great only to struggle mightily when at the range--it pays to put your time in.