Best Area in Minnesota

[matchset]

it'll be interesting to see how APR goes this fall in SE Minnesota... this might be something to keep in mind in the long run....a couple years down the road, APR could make a big difference in P&Y entries!

[vister]

it'll be interesting to see how APR goes this fall in SE Minnesota... this might be something to keep in mind in the long run....a couple years down the road, APR could make a big difference in P&Y entries!

Many of us think this and have for years. only bad part, is too many people yee and haw about being told what they can shoot. I'm for it, but its a sour subject with a lot of people. I dream of the day where people listen to me!!

[walleye365]

i agree with vister these bucks are here. were im at pillsbury state land gets pounded with hunters,But its alot of land id bet theres a state record or even world record in there proably more then one. Them deer get seen maybe once or twice if ever in there life time. thats just one example

[nonteepical]

it can't be denied minnesota has as much potential as any other state. we won't see the APR results for a couple three years.

[Jameson]

it'll be interesting to see how APR goes this fall in SE Minnesota... this might be something to keep in mind in the long run....a couple years down the road, APR could make a big difference in P&Y entries!

Get there in the next 10 years or so though. The results of high grading may start to show down there in some time.

[klecker]

it can't be denied minnesota has as much potential as any other state. we won't see the APR results for a couple three years.

Potential has a long list. If you need Ar its even longer.

[RumRiverRat]

Northern Anoka and southern Isanti.

[Wanderer]

it'll be interesting to see how APR goes this fall in SE Minnesota... this might be something to keep in mind in the long run....a couple years down the road, APR could make a big difference in P&Y entries!

I think I understand Jameson's comment to this quote, but ?

I'm really neutral on APR. I would like to see better average size deer and maybe it takes a law to make it so, but many folks out there chasing "our" deer don't really care if they're big or not.

With that being said, I'm not a fan of limiting the APR's to SE MN simply for the fact that antler chasers bring money to the subject of land access.

From my point of view, I currently have some special places to hunt down there now and have been on good, simple friendly terms with the landowners for many years. Some others have access also. The landowners are aging though and the kids will be the stewards of the property in the near future. Different generations have different priorities.

When I think of APR's in the SE corner of our state, I think of Buffalo County across the river in WI. From what I hear about the area, you better bring $$$ if you want to hunt there. I see that corner of MN going that way very soon.

This is the simple reason I say all or nothing with the APR's. Sorry to veer, so now I'll get off my soap box.

Any of the 7 Metro counties are a good bet with that area extending through east central MN. Access to that quality 5% of the property can be an issue though. And, yeah, I've seen plenty of deer in Lake county - and they are huge!

[Bear55]

So before "high grading" were a lot of hunters "low grading" by shooting every legal buck they saw before it had a chance to shed a set of antlers?

[Wanderer]

In a word, yes. Or at least mostly.

It's a deer shoot down southeast during the gun season - same as anywhere. Some people who have a lot of property under their control pick and choose but most hunters on public and private land open to the public still shoot whatever they see.

One year my buddy bow shot a nice 9 that went on his wall, the next time he was down there with a group for gun season they ran into several others on the same property AND every buck that was shot was 6 points or less. Even by the group he was in.

Maybe a longer season will get people settled down also. More time to be choosy.

[mozy]

Not that this is gospel, but it gives an idication of where the hot spots are.

http://www.huntbuffalocounty.com/files/2002_0502_01lg.jpg

I've hunted both Chippewa and Swift, and while there is potential for big deer, we suffer from the same "it's brown, it's down" mentality by the majority of hunters. I really hope that the AR becomes state wide, or at least the southern half of the state.

As a side note, Wisconsin is doing something right.

[BLACKJACK]

There would be a lot of unhappy deer hunters if APR went statewide, sometimes in the SW and central lottery zones the only deer you see in 3 days of hunting is a small buck. You'd lose hunters if you went APR statewide, people aren't going to buy a license if they think they don't have an opportunity to shoot a deer, the DNR doesn't want that. APR's are fine where you have an excess of does to see and shoot.

[matchset]

.... APR's are fine where you have an excess of does to see and shoot.

APR= Antler Point Restrictions. APR protects bucks, and has no direct effect on "does".

i believe APR should be instituted where the age structure of deer is unbalanced.

a lot of people say they are "meat hunters". those same people will pass up shots at does on opening morning; and end up tagging a 1 1/2 year old buck.

[rkhinrichs]

i agree just west of long prairie!!!!

[lungdeflator]

Duluth city hunt. Ive heard and seen some big deer come from within the city limits of Duluth.

[mrklean]

if your gonna talk about different hunts dont forget ripley

[matchset]

Ripley is "HANDS DOWN" the ABSOLUTE best hunting public opportunity in Minnesota.

state record non-typ! what was it...227+ and change.....? can't argue with that! i've seen dozens upon dozens of HUGE bucks come out of Ripley EVERY YEAR!

that place is crazy good!

[Hoyt4]

All the state has a chance at a P/Y deeer. Some might be a little better then others. The river bottoms or agricultral areas. Houston , Washington county. The metro areas I hunt I see a lot of deer but sometimes they are too late at night. If you can get on one good buck and catch him during day light hours you can get some great bucks in the metro areas. Ripley is an awesome hunt if you have the chance to do this you should. It's a different style of hunting but if you can sit all day you are going to see deer and maybe have a chance at a good buck.

APR should not be state wide. I know on the QDM forum a few states are going away from it. Hunting should not be about status. If you want to let deer walk and try and shoot a bigger deer that is great. If one wants to take a 4pt or 6 you will never hear me say anything is wrong about that. If the hunter is happy that is all that matters and is keeping the tradition going.I hunt 3 different states bowhunting and move around MN during the bow season trying to take a decent buck. I let a few go here and there. I do not even have to shoot one but if one day I wake up and feel like bringing one home and cut up I'm not going to hold back. Venison taste great to me doe or buck , 4pt or 12pt.

[Musky Buck]

Anywhere where they have the chance of dying of old age, I know we compare states etc. remember I believe this is accurate that compared to Iowa or Wisc. we have 25,000 or is it million more square miles here in MN ? Ottertail county but I think Morrison is taking over. Todd is sandwiched inbetween and king of the non-typical I think. But, any county where they can die of old age potentially is what you need and you need many property owners or large acreage owners to practice go grow to enhance that P and Y chance.

[Bear55]

Ripley is "HANDS DOWN" the ABSOLUTE best hunting public opportunity in Minnesota.

state record non-typ! what was it...227+ and change.....? can't argue with that! i've seen dozens upon dozens of HUGE bucks come out of Ripley EVERY YEAR!

that place is crazy good!

Ripley probably does have the single highest concentration of mature bucks in the state but it's more like playing the lotto then hunting. I have been there a few times and it's fun but I honestly like my odds a little better outside of Ripley where I can really scout out an area and setup on a buck that isn't under crazy pressure.

[Scoot]

...along that same line of thinking, the "best area in Minnesota" for me definitely does not havea bajillion other hunters in it. I've never hunted Ripley- I know there are very big bucks there and I know some people enjoy it. It is exactly the opposite of what I'm looking for in a hunting adventure. For those who do and enjoy it, good for you! I hope you all have fun and get a crack at a big one. I'll stick to places that don't force me to constantly worry about other hunters. I like to get away from the rat race when I hunt, not join in a differnt one...

[walleyeking19]

I hunt wright county. I've seen plenty of bruisers come from there. My dad got a 155" 9 pointer last year

[JTL17]

2006

Top 10 counties for Pope & Young Minnesota

1 Morrison

2 Washington

3 Anoka

4 Dakota

5 Winona

6 Houston

7 Olmsted

8 Goodhue

9 Fillmore

10 Hennepin

[matchset]

2006

Top 10 counties for Pope & Young Minnesota

1 Morrison

2 Washington

3 Anoka

4 Dakota

5 Winona

6 Houston

7 Olmsted

8 Goodhue

9 Fillmore

10 Hennepin

Welcome to the Forum JTL! thanks for the post! i'm sure you'll enjoy this site a lot!

[hockeybc69]

Very surprised Ottertail County isnt in that list.

Pretty tough to argue this data.

Here are the top 5 counties in Minnesota that have produced the most Boone and Crockett typical whitetail bucks over the last decade. (1999-2009)

1.Houston County- 10 entries for typical whitetail. Also, ranks 10th in the state with 3 non-typical entries. Largest scoring whitetail ever is a 230 inch monster shot in 1973.

2.Otter Tail County- 9 entries for typical whitetail, and ranks 14th in the state with 2 non-typical entries. Largest scoring buck ever is a 226 5/8 giant shot in 2005.

3.Fillmore County- 8 entries for typical whitetails, and ranks 13th in the state with 2 non-typical entries. Largest scoring buck all time is a 249 2/8 inch nightmare harvested in 1961.

4.Wabasha County- Also has 8 entries for typical whitetails, and ranks 6th in the state with 4 non-typical entries. Largest scoring buck of all time is a 232 5/8 inch mammoth taken back in 1948.

5.Chisago County- 7 entries for typical whitetail, but ranks 20th with just 1 non-typical entry in the last ten years. Largest buck ever harvested was a 224 3/8 inch behemoth shot in 2001.