DNR Deer Management Plan

[PostFrontal]

I haven't seen anything actually said by the DNR so I don't know for sure, but by the looks of the map it seems as though their management strategy goal is to get all zones to be Lottery. Am I right or wrong?

I hunt in an Intensive Harvest area in zone 3. I shot my buck on Monday morning, and while sitting in the stand Monday afternoon, I knew I couldn't party hunt for another buck anymore (which is fine and not what this post is about) but I started to think about the hunters in other areas of zone 3 that were in the Lottery areas.

So think about this. The way the regulations are now, if they didn't get a doe tag in the lottery, and now they can't party hunt with others buck tags. So if they shoot a buck within the 1st hour of opening day, their hunting season is OVER! How would you feel if you waited all year for the deer season, and you were done after an hour.

The hunting season for me, as I assume for most hunters isn't just about the hunting. Spending time with friends, family, traditions, making memories, and deer camp are just as important if not more so than the hunting itself.

Biologically it might make sense that the deer zones should be lottery. But shouldn't the social aspects and traditions be just as important? Isn't there a happy median? So why would they not manage the deer population so every hunter could shoot 1 buck and 1 doe. Have the goal to be get all zones to Managed. And people could see more deer again, without it being way overpopulated like the early 2000s.

How would you feel if after opening morning you were done for the season?

Hopefully I'm wrong with their what their plan is, but what I do know is if my hunting season lasted 1 hour, I would be spending more time hunting and money in Wisconsin.

[Steve Foss]

Nate, the DNR can't plan for Mother Nature. The deer herd is depleted this year in many parts of the state mostly because of some tough winters. There's no way in the world the DNR would want lotto everywhere. They manage the deer herd as best they can to give the most hunters the best opportunities.

I don't agree with everything they do, but I believe they do a good job by and large.

As far as deer camp/family/tradition goes, if your season is over because you got that buck right away, you still have a lot of fun and tradition and camaraderie ahead of you, just without a gun. Plenty of great times helping others drag out and dress deer and other things that go on around deer camp.

[jeffreyd]

i remember in 2000, I drew my second cow elk tag. Could not find anyone to go with me so i drove up on Thursday afternoon, set up a nice camp with thought of being there a few days. Friday am opening day, got to my spot, sat and waited. As the sun came up i heard this rumble coming from a ridge, thought it was someone driving in but it got louder and more intense.

Just then a small bull popped over the ridge with a herd of cows and 4 big bulls following behind. I raised my rifle, picked out the largest cow, fired, cow went down. Herd ran off about 200 yrds and started grazing. i walked up to my elk, started field dressing and wondering how am i going to load this thing alone. Finished the dirty work, packed up and started out for my truck which was parked a good clip away.

As i approached my truck, about 30 cow elk that were grazing within 20 yrds of it took off. So I load up and drive to my cow, drug it with the truck to a small berm then back the truck to it tied a rope to the front of the bed and winched the elk into the bed.

Went back to camp skinned the animal, loaded up my campsite, dropped the elk off at the processor and was home by 2 pm. The drive to and from the camp took longer than my whole hunt.

There is no party hunting here, if you draw a tag, shoot an animal, you are done for the year. Could only dream of being able to hunt for 2 deer on the same hunt or in the same year. Seems like one should be grateful you got to hunt, i have not drawn a tag since 2000. Oh well it only is going to get harder to hunt as years go on.

[bogwalker]

You do not have to shoot the first deer that comes along. I have let deer pass by because I was not ready to end my season. I do not claim to understand the D.N.R., never have. It is like the old saying "If you enjoy sausage, if you respect the law. Don't watch either of them being made." I am sure politics rears it's ugly head while season changes are being made.

[TruthWalleyes]

I grew up in a lottery zone in SW MN. Had a few seasons that I was done within the hour...Preparation pays off right!

Party hunting is, and was still legal in that area.

I know that you are talking about the friends and family end of deer hunting...but why does your season end??? Go to another zone, and shoot some does.

The guys in 347 will have to travel a few miles to 348 to put some does in their freezer.

[tracker x-2]

So think about this. The way the regulations are now, if they didn't get a doe tag in the lottery, and now they can't party hunt with others buck tags. So if they shoot a buck within the 1st hour of opening day, their hunting season is OVER! How would you feel if you waited all year for the deer season, and you were done after an hour.

I know exactly how this feels. Pg 78 of the regs say the intention is not to break up the party?? sure did a good job on my party!!!

[Jameson]

...How would you feel if after opening morning you were done for the season?...

That would totally be my choice and I would o.k. with it if it was my choice. If I was with a party I would now become the official gutter, camp cook, dragger, scout, etc. They outlawed the cross-tagging of bucks, not the party hunting altogether. I think I could even still be a one man unarmed deer driving machine if my party wanted me to.

[Coach1310]

First off.... I think the DNR does a good job for the most part. It is a delicate process managing the most popular and one of the few big game animals in MN. Lots of different terrain, densities, concerns, etc...

#1. I think the DNR made a few mis-steps regarding the management in the last few years. Way too many areas went to intensive harvest and that has caused the backlash we see with Lottery zones. Other than the NE, I don't think any other area can blame winters and even in the NE, lottery will almost always be part of the game.

#2. If you tag out in the lottery zone, don't you have the option to hunt an intensive zone elsewhere in the state to further your hunting for an anterless deer with a bonus tag? I know, it won't be the same as far as camp is concerned and without public land, a place to hunt can be difficult, but the opportunity is there.

#3. With some of the new regs, you are forced into making a decision. Is prolonging your camp experience, more important than filling your tag?? That is a decision each hunter has to make. I know our group of 8 only had 1 doe permit in an area that was managed only 3 years ago, so it has been a change for us, but we were lucky enough to shoot 3 bucks and a doe so we can't complain.

I was able to sit and watch deer all weekend last weekend because of the lack of doe permits and I can't tell you how rewarding it was. My heart was still thumping like crazy, but I was able to just observe deer in their natural habitat for long periods of time and that was as rewarding as any deer hunting/camp experience I have ever had. Bottom line.... the entire hunting/camp experience is what you make of it.

[schmoe147]

I think they dont want kids to hunt. If a kid goes out and doesnt see any deer because there are none they are going to just stay inside where its warm and play video games.

[Cheetah]

If you shoot your one deer in the zone you hunt, you can still hunt other parts of the state. You can also hunt other states, other game animals, and heck, even go fishing. Personally I don't have enough time to do all of what I'd like no matter if I kill a deer opening day or not.

[Jameson]

...So why would they not manage the deer population so every hunter could shoot 1 buck and 1 doe. Have the goal to be get all zones to Managed....

Most areas the goal is managed, or so I've read from the DNR a number of times. If I could remember exactly where I have read it I would link it for you. Other areas they admit will not support that much harvest. I first hunted where I am hunting about 8 years ago. The area was managed that year. Pretty much all the deer died via hunter. In the farmland region the hunters are just too effective with the small woodlots, and limited refuge areas (unless the corn is standing.) I think in any area where the DNR admits cannot ever support a 'managed' harvest they should be putting in a lot more effort to improve the habitat. I as a land manager am trying to do the best I can, and maybe it's not something the DNR is capable of, and the landowners need to take charge of the situation and create more, better wildlife habitat. The problem is, it normally comes at the cost of taking land out of production of corn and beans.

[BobT]

Quote:

So think about this. The way the regulations are now, if they didn't get a doe tag in the lottery, and now they can't party hunt with others buck tags. So if they shoot a buck within the 1st hour of opening day, their hunting season is OVER! How would you feel if you waited all year for the deer season, and you were done after an hour.

The hunting season for me, as I assume for most hunters isn't just about the hunting. Spending time with friends, family, traditions, making memories, and deer camp are just as important if not more so than the hunting itself.

I don't support the decision to outlaw party hunting but I've got to tell ya, that's quite the contradiction you made there. On the one hand your hunt is over if you take a deer but then you turn 180 degress and claim the season isn't just about the hunting. If it really is about the other things you mentioned, then why is it over when you make the kill? Grab your camera and go sit in the stand and pretend that every deer you photograph was another filled tag.

[psepuncher]

I don't support the decision to outlaw party hunting but I've got to tell ya, that's quite the contradiction you made there.

clear to me he was talking about two seperate parties.

The first paragraph is about what do they think ....as in what other people think

The second paragraph is about what he thinks about it.

Anyway lots of stuff to do in MN.

I grabbed a DNR recreational compass link to show a map of

other recreational opportunities.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/compass.html

Pretty cool huh?

And if you're not happy with yur hunting experience, well I'd say put a little bit of thought into it before hand. Like start planning now for next season.

What do we have? 9 and a half months before next archery season opens?

I've seen it happen before where the guy just show up at deer camp didn't plan anything and tags out the first hour.

Only to go home and start hanging christmas lights....just sad

good luck

[BobT]

I guess I misunderstood what he was saying.

[sticknstring]

Go out with the video camera & capture a buddy's hunt on film. All the areas I hunt are lottery this year too and I shot my deer the first week of the archery season. It hasn't kept me out of the woods. I take my wife & friends out and still go out solo with the video camera. Just because you can't shoot a deer doesn't mean you have to sit in the cabin or drive home opening day. Make the best of it!

[archerystud]

I've done out of state hunts and ended them very early. When I've done this I'm ecstatic to have actually gotten one.

In cases where I end my season early I will drive around and scout for deer or help others look for deer (even other parties). It's just another way to enjoy the deer season.

I love helping others find their deer and in some cases I've helped find deer that others had given up on. I've gotten a lot of satisfaction helping others in those cases.

[psepuncher]

First deer harvest figures show improvement over 2009Posted on November 10, 2010 by Sam Cook

The Northeastern Minnesota deer harvest appears to be up substantially from last year according to registrations in a few permit areas. I talked to Rich Staffon, the Department of Natural Resources area wildlife manager in Cloquet, today about registrations, and most stations were up substantially.

This year is somewhat different in that hunters could, for the first time, register deer by phone or online.

But here are the figures for the DNR’s deer permit areas for the first three days of the season (Nov. 6-8) in Staffon’s work area near Cloquet:

Permit area 180 — Last year, 978; this year, 1,147.

Permit area 181 — Last year, 1,411; this year, 2,082

Permit area 182 — Last year, 466; this year, 455

Permit area 183 — Last year, 1,153; this year, 1,265

[hockeybc69]

Ended my hunt in Montana in less than an hour 4 years ago.

Spent the next few days running the hills scouting for my friend and had an absolute blast. No remorse on tagging out early whatsoever.

It is what you make of it. Be pleased you tag out early, because I would bet a lot of people complaining about tagging too early will also complain next year when the season is over and they didnt tag a deer.

[psepuncher]

I think the harvest numbers show some significance to how many

hunters are still in the woods.

499,000..?

[CaptainMusky]

The way the regulations are now, if they didn't get a doe tag in the lottery, and now they can't party hunt with others buck tags. So if they shoot a buck within the 1st hour of opening day, their hunting season is OVER!

I read the regulations now several times, and I do not see where it says you cannot shoot a buck for another party. I see it clearly state that you can only TAG one deer, but you can shoot a deer for others in your party provided they have an open tag.

Where are you guys seeing that you cannot shoot a buck for another party?

[hockeybc69]

Zone 3 you cannot party hunt for bucks.

Thats the only zone with that rule. Page 77 or 78 in the reg book.

[Musky Buck]

If you don't want your season to be over in the first hour don't fill your tag. DNR MNG Plan, could care less in a way. The things I can control, 9 day license, blaze orange waist up, legal firearm, how and when I should get to my hunting location, allowable deer to shoot on my properties, dad and I combined to see and some were repeats I'm sure but 51 deer through the first 5 days, 4 bucks and none were shootable, 1 was a decent 8 pointer but like the original post not 1 we'd want to end our season over. I know it's a different feel when you connect opening morning, enjoy your success and party hunt or feel fortunate, remember about 250,000 or a quarter million of us or more won't be successful.

[BobT]

Talk about a management plan.

I began hunting in 1971 at the age of 12. Atually began earlier if you count going along for the fun of it. I didn't take my first deer until 1982 and I can count on one hand the total number of deer, flags, our sounds of deer that I encountered during that entire 11 year period.

Yesterday I talked to my brother. He's been hunting the same area since the opener 5 days ago. On Saturday and Sunday, there were 6 people in the party hunting. My brother, his 2 sons, his daughter, a friend, and his son. The next three days he's been hunting by himself. So far, they've taken a fork, 6pt, 7pt, and 10pt. But here's the real significance of my story. When I talked to him yesterday, he told me that all total they have had over 30 deer sightings! In a normal year if we see one or two deer a day we think it was a super day. I won't complain about how the deer are managed.

[PostFrontal]

Thanks for the responses and ideas.

I still feel strongly that the DNR should manage the population so we would get a buck tag and a doe tag.

Taking the video camera down tomorrow afternoon and going to video tape the buddies hunting. Looking forward to it.

Good luck!

[PostFrontal]

BobT- i hunt sometimes in your area as well around Villard even though different zone. I remember about 5-6 years ago counting 50-55 deer I saw over opening weekend. Since then the number of deer sightings went drastically down with only seeing a couple over opening weekends. This year we have seen the same thing with numbers back up which is good.

I definitely agree with you, it sure is alot more fun when you get to see that many versus a couple.