Chippewa National Forest Hunting Pressure

[mnwild14]

With the requirement to only use Portable stands over the last few years, what is the hunting pressure like in the Chippewa National Forest. Mostly I am looking at north of Grand Rapids area? There is a lot of land but is it still heavily hunted, or is there much open land where a person could get away from people even if you had to walk say a mile. Looking at a map I couldn't find somewhere i could walk a mile and get away from all roads and trails but i might not of looked enough yet.

Also how would the hunting pressure compare to say Suomi Hills and Sugar Hills areas? Anybody have experience in these areas?

I don't mind walking in over a mile if I can get away from people to hunt. Would that be possible in any of these three areas or other similar areas that you would recommend?

[Musky Buck]

My only update might be how long have GPS's been around ? You can bet people are walking into wherever they please nowaday. If I were in your shoes I think I'd do a ton of scouting opening weekend and bring a GPS and head in deep and mark potential areas with few if any hunters and mark them by what looks best or where a good looking stand sight might be, it sure might mess up hunting opening weekend but the following year you might have a good area to head into. My friend tried this but didn't know what opening weekend might turn into, he woke up opening day to blaze orange all around him, might have to forego a couple days to get the hopeful comforting hunt you want the following years. AT least that's what I'd do because trying to pre-scout you might end up surrounded on the opener, just when you think you have an area here you are among the masses.

[sticknstring]

I've bowhunted around the Marcell area pry a half-dozen times or so and of those, twice during gun season. This was east of Hwy 38. Plenty of hunters but lots of land to hunt. I think you'd be able to find an area to yourselves if you get up there early enough Friday or during the week for sure. Just like anywhere else, spot loyalty can be an issue. A buddy of mine were bowhunting a spot the week before gun opener, we scouted and hung up some stands and came back for the afternoon hunt and found handwritten notes all over the trail and on our stands how this was "their" spot and how they'd be back next weekend and 4-wheelers parked there, yada yada yada. Public land is well... public. Get there early and you'll be fine.

[HeviShot]

Just got back from the marcell area, off highway 49. Everyone in my hunting party had a hunter walk by them in there stand. One guy had 9 guys go right under him Sunday morning. I never saw the pressure so bad for this area. Needless to say we saw very few deer and only got one buck.

[Lunker]

There were a lot of hunters in the Chippewa in our area.

And just because the law is portable only, that doesn't mean people follow it. Grouse hunting the chippewa this fall I found a lot of permanents. Old ways die hard.

[mnwild14]

I have always thought about giving up opening weekend to see where people are, but never wanted too.

Definitely with GPSs people go farther. My hope was that most people were staying within the first 1/2 - 3/4 mile of a road or trail. Which may be true but it is actually hard to find places where there isn't a road for atleast a mile or more.

Thanks for the input.

[rangerforme]

I've bowhunted around the Marcell area pry a half-dozen times or so and of those, twice during gun season. This was east of Hwy 38. Plenty of hunters but lots of land to hunt. I think you'd be able to find an area to yourselves if you get up there early enough Friday or during the week for sure. Just like anywhere else, spot loyalty can be an issue. A buddy of mine were bowhunting a spot the week before gun opener, we scouted and hung up some stands and came back for the afternoon hunt and found handwritten notes all over the trail and on our stands how this was "their" spot and how they'd be back next weekend and 4-wheelers parked there, yada yada yada. Public land is well... public. Get there early and you'll be fine.

You guys should have got there about Wed before opener and setup your camp where their spot was, they'd been lost.

[bogwalker]

More hunters every year. It is getting tough to find a place to hunt where you do not run into other hunters in the Chippewa, at least this has been my experience.

[njpierz]

try a canoe and the Bigfork River

[HeviShot]

we used a boat and headed up river and still ran in to hunters! I dont even know how they got there since it is a all non-motorized part of the forest.