Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Mn zone 422-427 and 431


JASONY

Recommended Posts

I am hoping there is a misprint on the number of doe tags that are available for these areas. Just got the pamphlet and see that there are only 15 doe tags available for each area. If its real, what are they thinking because there are lots of deer out there. This also will greatly reduce the potential of a decent buck the next couple years because of the fact that everybody will fill their tag with any size legal buck. Alot of year and a half olds will be taken without a chance to mature. I think its another example of the dnr not quite thinking of the real results of not shooting does. Just my 2 pennies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i live and hunt area 431. alot of deer in this area i dont think so.it is the first step in the right direction.all of the 1 1/2 year old bucks got shot any way. it wont be any different. now i dont know about any of the other areas but for 431 this is the best thing that could have happened

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hunt in 424. Lots of does. Not alot of bucks. So I see it that i probably have a 0% of getting a doe tag cause i had one last year. So i guess i will go deerless along with about 40% of mn hunters although i think there are plenty of deer in our area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

in area 431 the buck harvest is always higher than the doe harvest. 1 1/2 year old bucks make up the majority of this harvest.so by limiting the doe harvest i understand that mother nature will let more buck fawns be born.the only way we will see bigger bucks in 431 is if the dnr would limit the buck harvest.and i dont think this will happen.most people are just happy to shoot a buck they dont care how big it is just that it has horns.the best thing for 431 would be to have a lottery for a liscense but then you may not be able to hunt the area you want for a year or 2.south dakota has been doing it for years.and it seems to work.i know i would love to see it happen.we hunt the early bow season,slug season and the muzzloader season for big horns. if we not fill our tags after muzzloader season we will take a doe with the bow so this could be an option for you go bow hunting.i let a lot of little bucks go to only be shoot on the next land over.last year slug hunting i let a nice buck that would have been great go and the people that hunt my uncles land shot him.so if the dnr would limit the bucks taken it would help

Link to comment
Share on other sites

jason, you are right, without a doe permit a lot of hunters in those zones will shoot the first deer they see, whether its a fork horn or a 10 point. But in a way I don't blame them, if you like to have venison in the freezer, you have to shoot the first buck you see, you might not get a chance at another one in a short two day season.

I know that I've hunted some years in a group of 4 without a doe permit - it gets to be a long 2 or 4 days!!@! You can't shoot a doe and bucks get real scarce!!!

The good news is that deer are very prolific, if more adult does survive because of less permits, most will have twins and even triplets, and in a few years the population should be back up again.

I know that if I had the choice in the past, I'd always pick out the big doe, more meat in the freezer. The past few years, with deer numbers dwindling, if I have a choice I shoot one of the smaller deer or does without fawns, let the big, smart prolific does walk to produce more deer next year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lots of deer in 424??? You must be mistaken......Maybe you didn't catch the stats that were posted here for the deer harvest earlier this year. In 1995 (give or take a year or two) the harvest in 424 was about 2300 I believe. That was before muzzleloading caught fire, and before people could take extra deer. Last year (or maybe it was 2005) the harvest was about 500 I believe. And I surely would believe there were more man hours spent afield in 2005 or 06 than there were in 1995. Muzzleloading is wildly popular now.

I guess if you consider a 75% decrease in harvest a plentiful state for a deer herd, you have a little different perspective than most.

Good day now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have found the post that included the numbers and here they are:

(By the way, Grizzald is the one who did the research and posted this, good job griz)

I finally received deer harvest information for zone 424 from the DNR a few days ago. I knew the numbers were gonna be down but not this bad. The harvest chart went back 13 years with 1996 being the best year with 2,257 deer taken in 424. Here's the kicker, in 2006, there was a total of 495 deer taken in 424. It's been a stedy decline since '96. Now this includes all three choices of wepons combined. Now granted we had that bad winter in '96 killing a lot of fawns in our area, but we havent had a bad winter since and numbers SHOULD be on the rise. I feel the main factor is way to much hunting pressure. One hunter does not need to take 3 three deer in a season. Thats just over doing it, especially in a area that doesnt have any deer left. What got me was in a email I received from the DNR they stated that "we no the numbers are low in 424, and we may take action in future years". Why not take action now! It's only gonna get worse from here on out until something is done.

I was just talking to people last weekend about this issue, and people are happy the DNR is trying to do something, however there were a couple concerns, one major and one minor:

1. If they are only giving out 15 doe tags, why give out any?

2. Why are muzzleloader hunters allowed to shoot either sex still? There have been DNR officials on the radio quoted as saying that muzzleloading has had an adverse affect on the deer herd in the greater Lac qui Parle area, yet they allow them to shoot does while nobody else can? I understand and totally agree with cutting down or eliminating doe permits but don't understand why muzzleloaders should be special? don't give me any reasons about how its a primitive weapon either. Tight patterns at 150 yards is primitive?

As far as everyone shooting small bucks, what would you rather have a severely depleted and vulnerable deer herd, or a good population where it might take a few years to build up the quality buck numbers again? And IMO, there will always be a certain percentage of bucks who will wise up quickly and vanish once season rolls around.

Just my opinion and that of peeps I talked to this weekend.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:

1. If they are only giving out 15 doe tags, why give out any?


Because if there were none, youth would be restricted to bucks only. DNR has made an effort to recruit kids into hunting. In order to do that, they need to be successful. So, the decision was made to offer a few gun tags so everyone wasn't stuck bucks only.

Quote:

2. Why are muzzleloader hunters allowed to shoot either sex still? There have been DNR officials on the radio quoted as saying that muzzleloading has had an adverse affect on the deer herd in the greater Lac qui Parle area, yet they allow them to shoot does while nobody else can? I understand and totally agree with cutting down or eliminating doe permits but don't understand why muzzleloaders should be special? don't give me any reasons about how its a primitive weapon either. Tight patterns at 150 yards is primitive?


Simple answer. Regular muzzleloader hunters aren't the problem. It's all-season hunters during the muzzleloader season that's the problem. For example, in lottery areas during 2006, regular muzzleloader hunters killed 300 antlerless deer. All-season hunters in the same areas killed 3,100. Regulated the guy who buys the $26 muzzleloader license (there are less than 10K of them statewide) would have no effect and isn't necessary. Regulating the guy with 3 tags in areas where deer populations are declining could be viewed as necessary.

I hope that answers the questions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see. Thanks for the answers. Makes a little more sense now, although I'd rather see the muzzleloaders have to draw a doe tag just like everyone else, but that's just my opinion. What they are doing is a huge step in the right direction. You need does to make bucks.

As far as the kids thing I agree with giving them the tags.

I usually am not impressed with the MN DNR but I must say I am impressed with many of their new actions this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:

I usually am not impressed with the MN DNR but I must say I am impressed with many of their new actions this year.


Thats kind of a back handed compliment!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It wasn't intended to be so I apologize if you took it that way. In the past I haven't agreed with some things, but this year I really think the DNR took a large step in the right direction on several fronts. Nice job.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:

It wasn't intended to be so I apologize if you took it that way. In the past I haven't agreed with some things, but this year I really think the DNR took a large step in the right direction on several fronts. Nice job.


Bigten - I did take it as a compliment so please don't retract it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big basin, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  Zippel Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  Everything is shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. With the walleye / sauger season currently closed, most anglers are targeting sturgeon and pike.  Some sturgeon anglers are fishing at the mouth of the Rainy River, but most sturgeon are targeted in Four Mile Bay or the Rainy River.  Hence, pike are the targeted species on the south shore and various bays currently.   Pike fishing this time of year is a unique opportunity, as LOW is border water with Canada, the pike season is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. Back bays hold pike as they go through the various stages of the spawn.  Deadbait under a bobber, spinners, spoons and shallow diving crankbaits are all viable options.   Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay and Zippel Bay are all small water and boats of various sizes work well. On the Rainy River...  Great news this week as we learned sturgeon will not be placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.     The organization had to make a decision by June 30 and listing sturgeon could have ended sturgeon fishing.  Thankfully, after looking at the many success stories across the nation, including LOW and the Rainy River, sturgeon fishing and successful sturgeon management continues.   A good week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  Speaking to some sturgeon aficionados, fishing will actually get even better as water temps rise.     Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River near the Wheeler's Point Boat Ramp is still producing good numbers of fish, as are various holes along the 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  A few spots with rotten ice, but as a rule, most of the Angle is showing off open water.  In these parts, most are looking ahead to the MN Fishing Opener.  Based on late ice fishing success, it should be a good one.  
    • leech~~
      Nice fish. I moved to the Sartell area last summer and just thought it was windy like this everyday up here? 🤭
    • Rick G
      Crazy windy again today.... This is has been the norm this spring. Between the wind and the cold fronts, fishing has been more challenging for me than most years.  Panfish have been moving in and out of the shallows quite a bit. One day they are up in the slop, the next they are out relating to cabbage or the newly sprouting lilly pads.  Today eye guy and I found them in 4-5 ft of water, hanging close to any tree branches that happened to be laying in the water.  Bigger fish were liking a 1/32 head and a Bobby Garland baby shad.   Highlight of the day way this healthy 15incher
    • monstermoose78
    • monstermoose78
      As I typed that here came a hen.  IMG_7032.mov   IMG_7032.mov
    • monstermoose78
      So far this morning nothing but non turkeys. 
    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
    • monstermoose78
      How is everyone doing? Holy moly it’s chilly this morning I stayed in bed and will hunt later today when it warms up.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.