MEA weekend deer hunt

[lichen fox]

Let's see....in the area's I hunt, the "human traffic" begins about mid June-July with hoards of berry pickers. Then about the middle of August there are the bear hunters, (myself included), placing baits, checking baits every day or every few days, it's alot of traffic...Then on Sept. 1 they start hunting & shooting at bears...the middle of September the traffic increases by about 150% or more with the opening of small game...there are grouse hunters everywhere and oh yea, quite a few archery deer hunters as well...Then, as we have had for the past ten years or so, the youth firearms season opens for a few days, and then a week later we have the regular early season for adults and kids, and two to four weeks after that the firearms season opens...There is "traffic" and some sort of "pressure" on the whitetails range & habitat from June - December...And you know what? It has never impacted the quality of my bowhunting or firearms hunting experience. We always harvest plenty of deer for the freezer and on most years we end up with at least two 130 or better bucks in our group. I really think, as has been stated...all those against the revisions in the youth hunt are just plain selfish and only concerned about thier own opening day. Whatever, you're going to have to find a way to deal with it...see what happens...you "may" have to adjust your strategy come the November firearms season...but that could be something you have to do for a number of reasons besides any early seasons or not. Like I said, we've had at least one, and/or two early anterless season's up here for about 10 years and our regular firearms harvest has not been effected! Get a grip!

[heat checker]

I suspect the reason you see no reduction in deer movement is because those deer have become conditioned to the presense(spelling) of humans. In fact, THAT much activity probably helps you fill your tags, as they are used to the sounds, smells that only a human offers. An area with no activity however, will see a dramatic change in deer activity.

[lichen fox]

That could very well be true...if there are no houses, no farms or fields, no highways, and everyone stays out of the area until the fishing or hunting seasons open. But I would think it would have to be quite a large parcel....(1500 - 10,000 acre's, or more, in one chunk) to have all the afformentioned qualities...and if that is the case, you may have to adjust your stand location to a spot deeper in...if they're spooked to come out into an opening to feed when there's shooting light, get back off the feed area's 3/4 to 1&1/2 miles...When I scout a new area, the first thing I do is look at an arial photo and I'll use a compass to draw circles, representing a given distance...(3/4 to 1 mile)....I draw a circle to represent the road or access location I plan on using and every other location that could possibly be accessed by a car or pick-up...I usually like to find an area, right in the middle, where none of the lines of the circles reach, and that's the area I concentrate on hunting as the majority of hunters seldom venture more than a half mile from thier vehicles....

[leech~~]

Let's see....in the area's I hunt, the "human traffic" begins about mid June-July with hoards of berry pickers. Then about the middle of August there are the bear hunters, (myself included), placing baits, checking baits every day or every few days, it's alot of traffic...Then on Sept. 1 they start hunting & shooting at bears...the middle of September the traffic increases by about 150% or more with the opening of small game...there are grouse hunters everywhere and oh yea, quite a few archery deer hunters as well...Then, as we have had for the past ten years or so, the youth firearms season opens for a few days, and then a week later we have the regular early season for adults and kids, and two to four weeks after that the firearms season opens...There is "traffic" and some sort of "pressure" on the whitetails range & habitat from June - December...And you know what? It has never impacted the quality of my bowhunting or firearms hunting experience. We always harvest plenty of deer for the freezer and on most years we end up with at least two 130 or better bucks in our group. I really think, as has been stated...all those against the revisions in the youth hunt are just plain selfish and only concerned about thier own opening day. Whatever, you're going to have to find a way to deal with it...see what happens...you "may" have to adjust your strategy come the November firearms season...but that could be something you have to do for a number of reasons besides any early seasons or not. Like I said, we've had at least one, and/or two early anterless season's up here for about 10 years and our regular firearms harvest has not been effected! Get a grip!

Berry pickers! What about all those SOB 4wheelers and dirt bikes running all over the place!! which I am one of!

[lichen fox]

I've got a couple of buckets of berry's in the fridge at home right now! I picked them while I was riding around the trails on my wheeler...saw quite a few deer while I was at it too! Thank goodness they don't eat alot of the berries I like...there's enough competition with those pesky bears!

[jtoast]

[quote=bottom-bouncer) yes the youth hunts do affect deer movement drastically. I think the intent of the hunt is to affect youth movement drastically. How deer behave after this is just something we bowhunters will have to deal with. And for the record, I'll happily do so.

[Archerysniper]

+1 on this I don't care what happens with the deer movement I'll find them again all that matters to me is getting the youth or lady's into the woods. If you thought harvesting your first deer was exciting wait till you help someone else harvest their first it's 100 times better.

[Jameson]

Sure, using safety for a reason not to want the hunt is garbage, but...

...If you want to be selfish, fine, but call it what it is.

I am against any deer hunt that takes place before our regular firearms deer season. Our regular firearms deer season is open to everyone. I do not see how it can be selfish if I am against deer hunts that do not include all deer hunters, but are meant only for a portion of deer hunters.

It is much fairer to reason that if someone is wanting a special hunt that does not include everyone, that they are the ones being selfish.

[heat checker]

I've got to agree with how Jameson is looking at it.

[CANOPY SAM]

Aren't there age restrictions on buying a regular firearms deer season tag? I was under the impression that someone without a firearms safety certificate could not purchase a regular firearm deer season tag, and one cannot take a firearms safety course until the age of 12.

As to the issue of safety....If you feel comfortable taking your children out during the regular firearms season, then that's your decision. Calling other people "wrong", or saying our thoughts or feelings on this issue are "garbage" is pretty flippant.

Whoever is right or wrong on the issue of safety doesn't really matter. The level of "safety" during the regular firearms deer hunt literally changes from mile marker to mile marker, from party to party, and landowner to landowner across the entire state.

If I'm uncomfortable taking my kids out during the regular season it's because I'm concerned not only for there safety, but also for the overall quality of the experience. During the Regular Firearms Deer Season I've experienced countless situations with errant shots, arguments over land borders, who shot what, intoxicated hunters, littering, rampant road hunting, over-harvesting, wild and reckless discharging of rifles, and simple bone-head ethics, just to name a few.

Some of the points made here, in response to the original question, are clearly motivated by selfishness. Some responses are based on fact, history, and experience. All likely have a ring of truth.

Either way, we're all entitled to our thoughts, and the opportunity to express them.

I choose to teach my kids how to hunt deer in an environment where there are far fewer guns going off, and far fewer hunters afield. I feel it's safer, and it offers a richer opportunity for me to spend quality, uninterrupted time with my kids doing something we enjoy.

I'm glad MN offers a youth hunt for deer, waterfowl, etc. I feel safer and more at ease teaching my children under these conditions, and I know my kids feel the same way. My now 15 yr. old son's introduction to the regular season last year was not pleasant. I can only wish I could bring him back to the youth season.