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.

Recommended Posts

Posted

Feel free to report in afterwards, deer or otherwise. I'd love to hear some response like we had last year. I'll be out from Saturday through Tuesday.

Also, any wolf sign, sightings, or stories would be welcome, too. Good Luck and Be Safe out there!

Posted

Walked public land today. No deer and very few hunters. Not much for deer sign either. Will try again tomorrow.

Posted

Hardly any sign by Vining. Went 3 for 9. One 8 pt and 2 button bucks. Not many does seen.

Posted

Me and my two boys got three bucks! two small ones and my oldest with a very nice 8 pointer. Another party shot 12 bucks and no does in a day and half.

Posted

And people wonder why we don't have any big bucks around any more. One party alone shoots 12 buck no does and I am willing to bet 9-10 of those bucks where small bucks. What is wrong with passing on a small buck and shooting a doe!!!!!

Posted

Another Vining area report here.

0 for 5. We decided this year that no does would be taken, as the last handful of years has really gone sour for deer sightings. 3 antlerless deer were passed as well as one 6 pt.

Had my daughter with for her first deer hunt and we saw the outline of one deer in the brush for the weekend.

Neighbors to east didnt see a single deer(2 guys).

Neighbors to the west shot 2 for 7, including a dandy 9 I had on camera. They claimed they only saw 2 deer for the group for the weekend.

Another group north of us a couple miles that I know, they went 3 for 8.

Posted

Granddaughter and I didnt see anything Saturday (excpet when we "Helped" friend vaccinate some cattle, then we did see doe and two fans). A buddy shot a nice buck Sat morn, and told us to use his stand Sunday morning in a slightly different area. A doe and fawn came in perfect, but her shot at doe was a clean miss at about 70-80 yards. We will practice more with shooting without a rest this summer.

We had a great trip though and she did great, not complaining once despite staring into the NW wind the whole time.

Posted

We saw more deer in 240 than we have seen in a long time - we were 6 for 7 after Sunday morning- 3 nice bucks- 3 small bucks- nobody shot any does. We had kids with and that's generally why small bucks will go down in our group, not that I need an excuse to shoot what I want anyway....

Posted

Good opening day in 239 for my nephew and I. He missed a big 10 at 7am the first day. Found where the bullet plugged a 5 inch tree right in front of where he was standing. He got an 8 pt a half hour later. I got a doe in the afternoon. It was sighting #12 when I pulled the trigger. Were hunting 65 acres of oak woods, pines and a smallish plowed corn stubble field. Does were not standing, and at least three bucks were pushing all day long. I saw more deer in a few hours than I had in the last several seasons combined. That said, a crew of 7 just across the road took two does for the weekend, and they saw very little movement. Local reports have been very spotty as far as success.

Posted

And people wonder why we don't have any big bucks around any more. One party alone shoots 12 buck no does and I am willing to bet 9-10 of those bucks where small bucks. What is wrong with passing on a small buck and shooting a doe!!!!!

No big bucks vs. no deer at all, I guess.

small herd= shoot a buck

large herd= shoot a doe/antlerless

Posted

small herd= shoot a buck

large herd= shoot a doe/antlerless

That the way I see it too. I would have no problem passing on a smaller buck if I know that there is a chance of a big doe is going to come by, but with the deer sightings down and deer numbers down I have no problem shooting a small buck.

Posted

I was hunting with my 14 year old and 17 year old. I shot a spike which I thought was a doe. My oldest shot the big 8 and the 4 pointer. I will not limit my kids a shot a deer. Buck or doe I don't care.

Posted

I sorry I should have clarified myself. I do agree with you kids should shoot what they like. we need to keep kids involved in hunting and telling them to shoot is not the way too do that.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

New lease up near Butler. Son and I saw a ton of fawns on opening day! He saw a dozen deer of which he took the only big doe he saw and he caught just a glimpse of a big deer out in the swamp so 10 little ones left for next year. (He wore chest waders out to his stand!)I saw eight total on opening day of which I also caught a glimpse just on the neighbors property of a big deer, and I saw the big doe he took and one other big doe that I apparently missed right at the end of shooting hours Saturday evening. (pretty sure that we saw four of the same deer in our counts) Sunday morning I took a very big doe at 7:05AM and our season was done.

Let a buddy hunt the lease after that and his small group took a big bodied spike and another doe. All in all a very successful season with abunch of fawns we hope make it through the winter for next year.

Posted

yeah hopefully not as hard of winter on the deer...it'll be real tough on fawns along with the coyotes and wolves

Posted

No doubt on doe harvest Hockey, my tcams in area 240, 3 different farms, not that I catch em all but 1 cam had 0 fawns, 1 doe, and 12 different bucks. Cam #2 had 2 does and 4 fawns and 9 bucks. Cam # 3. had 5 bucks, 4 does and 3 fawns to the best I could tell the does and fawns apart. I put them out October 16th that MEA Thursday and I collect them after I sit the stand(s) closest to them once rifle is underway so the tally was 26 bucks, 7 does and 7 fawns. No wonder there was so little to none buck chasing does in my areas, there weren't many to breed where I'm at and how many were bred b4 rifle opened ? Must not have been much to sniff in the dark fields where the bucks connect with estrous does, few were available and they had to have been bedded down or someone woulda saw some chasing someplace, in our truck lights late we saw some bucks running around on our gravel etc. but by legal light forget it I guess, saw maybe some wolf tracks too idk, are the deer used to wolves in 240 or how or does it change things some idk.

Posted

Welcome OTC! Nice writeup, and I too think the scrapes dried up in our woods before opener.

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

One final report, the more I play it in my mind, certain wolf sighting south of NYM thankfully a tall loner Friday AM at 5:38AM. My uncles in the leaf river bottom reported wolves on trailcams but that's normal now, not unusual. The run is from Bluffton to Deer Creek to Henning, that's wolf territory now I guess. The first certain wolf track I ever saw in that river bottom was in 2008. I know I wish the NW quota wouldn't have been met so quickly. Will get a full report over x-mas from likely the best source of wolf information in that area.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • monstermoose78
      Ok the ice was 15-16 inches and less than 2 inches of snow. It’s was -15 this morning and the weekend looks to be cold again. The fish were there but not biting with change in weather. 
    • Dash 1
      I guess the vikings are a lot like fishing.  Very entertaining but frustrating at times. I've probably been cheering the vikings for 50 plus years  that i can remember and once again it's all about (there's always next year).  
    • Dash 1
      I remember Jeno's boxed pizza years ago.  Mom made it every Saturday night while dad and I watched All Star Wrestling.  
    • smurfy
      Chef boyardee box pizza. Good stuff 
    • smurfy
    • leech~~
      Smurf, still trying to get his lure jigging down when using the camera!  🤭   https://www.facebook.com/reel/517510734635573
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore... Ice fishing is going great on the south shore of Lake of the Woods, with resorts and outfitters reporting thickening ice conditions with two feet of ice in some areas.  Many ice roads are now open to 1 ton vehicles pulling a wheelhouse.  Every road has different weight limits, check with each resort for details before traveling up and out on the ice.      Some good fishing this past week.  As a rule, fishing activity is happening in 28 - 32 feet of water.  Resorts do just about everything they can to get customers on fish and this past week, some resorts made some long runs, resetting fish houses in new areas miles off shore.  Most are reporting good fishing as a rule.     It is common to sort through some small walleyes and saugers to get your keepers on LOW.  Naturally, some big fish are showing up, especially in deeper water.  In addition, this has been a very good year for jumbo perch with good numbers being caught.  Other fish in the mix are eelpout (burbot), pike, tullibees and an occasional sturgeon.      Anglers are using the one-two punch of jigging in one hole and deadsticking the second hole. In the jigging hole, a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head or tail in gold / pink, gold / glow red, glow white / pink, or Wonder Bread have worked well.     Especially in the deeper water, some anglers are finding success on rippin raps or using jigging spoons with a rattle as well.     On the deadstick, a small jig with a live minnow hooked behind the dorsal fin set 6 inches - a foot off of the bottom is working well.  One day the jigging line catches most of the fish, the other day a deadstick is hot.     Electronics are very helpful to see suspended fish, know when fish are coming through and adjust your presentation to the mood of each fish.  Most resorts, outfitters and bait shops in the area rent electronics by the day.   On the Rainy River... The Rainy River is still producing some nice walleyes and saugers, primarily in the mornings and evenings.  A jig and minnow working well.   Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing continues to be good for those targeting them.  An oversized hole, or three holes drilled together, with nightcrawlers or frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig fished on the bottom are what anglers are using.     Ice conditions on the river can vary significantly due to the current. To stay safe and maximize success, always work with a local resort or outfitter familiar with river conditions.    Up at the NW Angle... Ice fishing continues to be very good up at the Northwest Angle. Resorts have fish houses set up on various pieces of structure as well as adjacent to structure in deep mud.  A consistent mix of walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike and tullibees in the mix.     Shallow structure is best right away in the morning and as the sun starts going down in the late afternoon.  Mud is more of a slower bite but all day.   The ice road from Jerry's on the mainland (Angle Inlet, MN) to island resorts (as of this past week) was open to 1 ton vehicles.  Guests drive right to their island resort after picking up a road pass at Jerry's or Point North Services.  Venmo is also available at all resorts.  Work through your resort for specifics.   Ice fishing is in full swing across Lake of the Woods and there are openings for lodging, fish house rentals, sleeper fish house rentals and meal plans across the area.  Ice fishing is extended on LOW with fish houses allowed on the ice through March 31st, walleye / sauger season open through April 14th and a pike season that never closes.  
    • Brianf.
      From your fingertips to God's ears...  Finally got some snow!   Several inches of new snow fell before and during the weekend.  Sunday eve when we left, the high winds had already begun to create some drifting on the lake.  It was fun riding for sure.  Lots of folks on the lake this past weekend too.  We fueled up the sleds at Shamrock and saw as many people fishing in that area as I've ever seen in the Winter on Lake Vermilion.     Our weekend results were decent.  Jeff and I and a buddy caught probably 50 walleyes between the three of us, mostly fishing a jig/plastics with our three biggest being 24", 25", and 25.5".  We also got one large pike of unknown length.  During the midday on Sunday, we targeted whitefish and Jeff managed one big one.  We released all of our fish, except for three small walleyes that our buddy wanted to bring home for a meal.  Definitely a fun weekend on Lake V!   
    • leech~~
      The Vikings are the Vikings so it's nothing new.  It is kind of sad that Darnold's off season stock is now going to drop like a rock after these last two games. It kind of shows he's not a big game guy.  🤔
    • smurfy
      I'm blaming leech... his food selection has been lacking game days recently  🤣
×
×
  • 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.