Hunting Land

[JonnyD]

So I relocated up to the cities 3 years ago, and still travel back to SD to my good hunting land for big bucks. However with a son at 1.5 years, it is hard to get back and hunt during the prime time. I'm mostly a trophy hunter, and look to shoot something over 120+, or a doe at the end of the year. I live in the N metro and just wonder what everyone thinks I should do to get some land to hunt here in MN. Do I have a chance riding around on some gravel roads and ask for permission or is this a waste of my time, and what part of the state do I have to go to in order to have a better chance of a bigger deer? Second is there any good chance of me sitting on some public land some here with in 2 hours of the N metro and have a decent shot at a 120+buck. Just looking to see what I should do, and if its worth my time hunting in MN or just hunt back in SD 3-4 weekends...

[DonBo]

I hunt right in the metro area. You might be surprised at the places you can hunt in the big city. Many owners of smaller properties are happy to have someone help them keep deer out of their gardens. You may need to do a lot of knocking on doors, but the opportunities are there.

You should also look into the Metro Bowhunters Resource Base. This is a group that gains access to several city, county or regional parks to help with overpopulation. Some mega bucks are shot in these hunts.

Sadly your chances of taking a mature buck on public land within a couple hours of the cities are poor.

[BLACKJACK]

If you are an archery hunter you would have a good chance of getting permission to hunt, land owners seem to have a better perception of them.

[sticknstring]

Unless you get lucky and gain permission on some quality ground with unpressured deer, your odds at a PY buck are probably much better in SD. In the limited time I've bowhunted SD, I've seen nice bucks every time in the few days I had to hunt. I could hunt the hard the whole season in MN for the same results. But it's all where you hunt. We have plenty of trophy whitetails here in MN but they're fewer and farther in between. If certainly won't hurt to knock on a few doors, maybe you'll get lucky and find find a honey-hole.

[Meat-Run]

SNS,

by the looks of your post you have a new addition to your family, if so congrats!? boy or girl???

mr