Metro bow hunters in Oakdale Nature Center

[analyzer]

Just thought I'd give some feedback. Took the dogs for a walk Saturday in the Oakdale Nature Center. Ran into a few guys from the Metro Bow Hunters. They had shot 3 does, and a really big buck. Said it might go 160 inches. They had jumped him twice, and were going to wait until Sunday morning to go find him. Apparently they shot him a little low and back.

The does looked like real clean shots, and quick kills. (thank you.)

I would have really liked to have seen them get a few of the cripples and diseased deer out of the park, but to-date, I'm not seeing it. I know there's a maternal doe with a broken front leg, a buck with a hunch back, a buck with a large growth on the top of its nose about the size of half a nurf football, and another doe with a large virus growing on the side of her abdomen. Some kind of papaloma virus that will spread through the hurd I guess.

I spoke with some guy from Elk River a few weeks ago when he was scouting, and he said ONC is one of the worst parks he's seen for cripples and diseased deer and it was his intention to try to clean out a few of them. But that's not what I'm witnessing. I hope they're not just in there for Mr. Big.

I really enjoy watching trophy bucks walk around, when I'm walking the dog, but understand the need to whittle the herd down occasionally. I would just like to see them have a priority for the lame and ill.

I might go see if they need help finding that 10 pointer tomorrow morning. I like to search/track, and enjoy seeing monster bucks up close.

[nonteepical]

remember it's bow hunting and it's for population control they shoot what gives them the shot. it's hard to expect the cripples to come into range, they eventually will but the hunt could take 6 months. being there for mr. big is part of why people are part of the metro bowhunters, they are the ones who cities and municipalities call for thinning deer herds that don't get hunted, meaning balanced deer herd with big buck opportunities. ever hear of the Deb Ludzinski buck? that deer was a metro bowhunt.

[Powerstroke]

As a member of MBRB I can tell you that no matter how many deer you see walking the dog, those deer don't stand there when you're up in a tree.

Unless you've got all those deer tied to a tree somewhere, its all about luck. It is still hunting afterall, even though its in the metro, they are still wild deer and I can't tell you how many times I've been busted by metro deer. They will stand and watch you if you're walking on the trail, but take a step off the trail or climb a tree and those deer don't wait to find out what you're doing.

[analyzer]

I stopped by the ONC, 3 times today 730 am, 830 am, and 11 am, and saw their vehicles, but didn't enter the park because I didn't want to disturb the bow hunters. I'm very curious if they were able to find that nice 10 pointer they apparently shot. I would've loved to have been there to see him.

I did see a really nice big buck off tamarac and 694 about 8 am though. Sat and watched him for about 10 minutes. He was walking the edge of a cut field/wood line. Must have been smelling for does. Fun2watch.