Bowhunting the Superior national forest?

[Eskimoman]

Any advice for somebody trying to bowhunt there. I know it is big but what types of areas should I look for other than the obvious funnels. Thanks for the help

[Steve Foss]

Eskimoman:

Check with the forest service to find recent logging cuts in aspen forests. Cuts from one to three years old.

Forest deer key on aspen leaves, which make up a large part of their diet. You can find them in recent cuts from spring through fall, because those young aspen saplings sprouting a year to three years after the cuts provide LOTS of tender green leaves within easy reach of deer. The older the cut, the less of a magnet it is.

If you can find a cut that's got water bordering it on one side and a timbered ridge on another side, you've really got a deer haven, and you should find scrape/rub lines this time of year at or not far inside the timbered edge of where the cut and the forest meet. A new cut with no other cuts nearby within the last five years or so will mean your cut will get all the deer's attention because there won't be other cuts close by to spread out the deer.

The forest service permits all logging operations in SNF, so they will know which are recent and their locations for your map. The farther off the road the better, because few hunters want to walk a mile into the national forest in the dark and walk back out in the dark, and those a bit farther out don't get much attention during bow season.

Not sure which part of the SNF you're hunting, but you can call any SNF office and they'll let you know who to get in touch with in the closest office to where you'll be hunting.

One note of caution. This is wilderness, or near wilderness, hunting, so make sure you let someone know when you're leaving, where you'll be and when you expect to be back. Also, if you haven't hunted cuts before, walking can be pretty tough going, as can dragging out a deer, because of all the junk timber and branches (called slash) left laying on the ground by the loggers. Even if there's no snow on the ground, when I'm hunting logging cuts I've always got a plastic deer sled/tub in the pickup and strap the deer in that to drag it out. It makes the going over the slash much better.

Hope this helps. Have a great hunt!

[Eskimoman]

Wow Thanks for the info! I drove around some areas this spring and its just soo big I felt like I had no idea where to start. I know of some cut areas like you mentioned. Thanks again.

[AngelicFatum]

Hey Eskimo are you in Duluth? If so I've got a spot or two that you could check out. Let me know.

[caseymcq]

There are a fair number of real recent cuts east, south east and south-south east of Babbitt on both federal and state lands. Also some on land that was owned by Potlatch until last spring.

There are also a few recent cuts east of Ely off the Fernberg Road.

[Sorgy]

Eskimoman,

Hunt the clearcuts. Ground blind would be my way to approach it.

When using the ground blind make sure to brush it in, Tuck it under a larger balsam and break up the entire outline of the blind, Roof, sides and Leave the screens up.

Set up close to funnel areas / heavy trails and be very scent free.

We moose hunted up there 2 years ago and I could not belive the deer I saw. One morning I counted 22 deer and 7 were bucks with 3 mature deer. Over the course of the moose hunt I saw deer every day.

Good Luck

Steve

[Eskimoman]

Thanks for the responses guys. Family friends have a place up near lutsen so that would be the area I would plan to hunt. Sorgy- How did your moose hunt go?

[caseymcq]

Check out the DNR's Landview Program available online.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/landview.html

On the left-hand menu near the bottom under "Background Layers" put a check next to "Color Aerial Photos" and zoom into some of the area you are considering. The photos were taken in 2003. You could locate some potential areas (clear cuts).

[Sorgy]

We saw over 28 moose including 2 very large bulls. Most of the moose were the same group that we saw off and on. There were 3 or 4 bulls in that group-2 that were bigger than the one I ended up taking. I hunted until Thursday the first week and had to go home because the wife had car problems. Got them fixed and back up I think on Monday.

There were 3 of us. I saw one big bull in the same area twice. Fist time he was in a swamp heading (250 yards)for a larger swamp and held my fire. Later on I figured out that the area he was heading did have some dry land access for getting him out.

My dad held off mid week on the first week. Absolutely pouring rain(worst downpour I have been in a long/long time that ended 2 hours after dark). He had a huge bull come down a ridge and stopped only 70 yards away. He held off on a neck shot as that is all he could see. The huge bull stayed in the same spot for a little while trying to figure out what to do. I believe he busted his scent.

I ended up taking a nice bull 36" wide on Wednesday morning of the second week. I listend to my dad say how much better a young bull would taste over holding off for the big boy. I should have held off for the big boy.

It was snowing and 28 degrees out. He was in a location we could drive the 4 wheeler up to and had all day to work on skinning / quartering / and cooling off the meat.

It was the best hunt I have ever been on. I got to hunt with my dad and his/my longtime hunting buddy. We were in the Zone around Babbitt.

I learned a ton after the first hunt. If I could only go on another-- Once in a Lifetime.

Steve

[Steve Foss]

That's a great hunting report, Steve. Thanks for sharing. Made me feel like I was right there.