Deer numbers your zone(up-down)-2010-season type are you satisfied

[End of the Line]

I hunt 156 zone most of the time (SW of Cloquet). Pretty much spent everyday in the woods during the entire season and most spent in that zone this year. The only buck I saw was a spike I passed on, and someone else shot it 5 min later. I know quite a few guys and gals in the public land that I hunt and I didn't see any bucks more than a fork for horns shot. Fewer deer this year than last but probably not a lot fewer; but certainly smaller for both males and females. This was the most time I've spent in the woods in 4 years and the first time I didn't get my buck. The last 2 years I shot a 8pt and a 9pt. Seriously trying to talk the wife into letting me buy land in zone 181(Floodwood/Alborn area) for next year. More deer and less pressure and I've seen many friends seeing more mature bucks. I'd like to see a no less than a fork shot as a rule in any zone.

[JimmyJames]

171 , deer population is way down in our area. I hunt hard hard for the first 8 days, saw 5 deer. Very unhappy with the dnr's managment of the deer herd. So I guess I'd say unsatisfied.

[MrCrappie]

I bowhunt with a friend on 40 acres of private land (26 open field no crops and 14 wooded oak and poplar). The property borders approx another 20 acres of wooded private land in zone 225. There is an 80 acre cut soybean field a quarter mile away with the nearest HSO corn field of greater acreage a half mile away.

Oct 2, on a morning hunt we saw 3 spike bucks in bachelor group and got busted by two does. No shot.

Oct 9, on a morning and evening hunt. Nothing seen.

Oct 16, on a morning hunt. Nothing.

October 23 and 24, on a morning hunts. Nothing but saw the first rub.

October 30, on a morning hunt. Nothing.

Nov 4, on a morning and evening hunt, we saw 9 (2, six pointers and 7 does). The bucks were paired with does and a fresh larger rub was seen. The larger six point was shot but we were unable to recover him.

Nov 5, one doe was seen. Missed the shot.

Nov 6, on morning and evening hunts, passed on 3 does missed and missed a 4 pointer. Heard a good number of gunshots.

Between the two of us in 9 days and 3 evening hunts we saw a total of 17. It's really been hit or miss. Last year I would see at least one doe 4 of 5 mornings. Compared to the previous year, I think the population is the same however they've been less active during the morning. Plus is, I've never seen more young bucks or better looking scrapes. Hopefully they survived the gun season. I'd be excited to see them next year.

[surewood]

179 A little down from previous years. Seemed like more mature bucks were taken. Maybe due to the doe tags from previous years. I think alot of people shot the first deer for many years so some of the Bucks slipped through the cracks after the doe they were following was shot. That's my theory anyway

[hunter322]

i hunted 236 and we saw less deer. although i was lucky enough to take a nice big 10. its wierd though my buddy hunts the other side of 236 and his deer sightings were up. mainly the younger bucks.

[Stratosman]

As previously stated, waaay to many firearm hunting days in some zones, that with being able to purchase a rifle and a muzzleloader tag puts too much pressure on the deer. I would LOVE to see it be that either you can buy a rifle tag OR a muzzleloader tag.....not both. That's simply my opinion.

As far as our season, I bowhunted during the gun season in zone 3, our group of 4 shot 1 doe, I passed on a great 8 pointer cause I tagged a buck Halloween morning, but I am fine with that. We saw a bunch of deer and smaller bucks just didn't have many opportunies, I think the deer herd where we hunt is fine, alot of unhuntable terrain and a huge state park surrounding us.

I still would like to see one choice available for gun, alse would be in favor of moving muzzy season back another week or two to ease the pressure a bit more.

[motley man]

Hunted 249 and numbers seem to be up a little, 214 was as said less deer and a lot of nighttime movement.

[tracker x-2]

I would say zone 338 is down in numbers. Four hunters only seen one shooter buck and about 5 does in the nine day season.

[Crow Hunter]

Hunted all 9 days in 241. Passed on a spike and a six point opening morning, jumped a deer Sunday evening; never saw another deer until the last Sunday evening, I took it (a doe). Lots of nighttime movement, maybe due to the fact that my land was being logged for a week and a half before season and into Tuesday during the season. It will be interesting to see what happens during muzzy season. I think a neighbor has a food plot going, probably a lot of deer were over that way; he who has the food has the deer. Hopefully the logging improves my hunting. The two of us have taken four deer in the five years I have owned my land, but we have passed on a fair amount.

[gurkster]

I hunt 225 and 236 and think the deer numbers are down, both are intensive harvest.

[jerkin'm]

In the area we hunt (240) numbers seemed up quite a bit-We saw many deer in large groups including bucks-It is an area where large herds winter and our theory was they moved in early due to the big storm that hit the area before rifle season-We took 5 bucks opening weekend for 8 hunters and 3 are headed for the wall-I will be headed back for ML season for another shot-We were more than satisfied-

[fr0sty]

I saw 14 deer during firearms season. There were 4 young bucks and the rest does and fawns. Another person in our group, hunting a different section of the same property, didn't see any deer during the days he hunted.

This year I saw the most deer I have ever seen. The reason is because I passed on young bucks, and didn't want to take a doe until later in the hunt, just in case one lured in a big guy. I have had taken three deer up until this year, so I shot the first deer I saw the other years. Doe, buck and then a doe.

[ItsaCrappieLife]

291 - one of the worst seasons ever for me. Saw one small doe. One guy in our party did not see anything. My Son is getting almost old enough to go deer hunting but I'm kind of afraid to take him for fear he will not see anything.

[reinhard1]

area 180 for me. we got 3 out of 4 of us, one of our better years. 2 8 point bucks and one nice doe. to me it seemed there was a lot less shooting this year. good luck.

[archerystud]

MuskyBuck,

Yeah I figured single season would impact everyone differently. From my perspective there are probably 10-15 less tags hunting on the lands close to me. So obviously I approve.

Also, I think this is a bit of a hard topic to judge. We've had some much tougher winters the last few years after a string of whimpy ones. Overall that needs to be taken into account here.

[bigbucks]

I would say they're up a little, but even within an area it depends on where you are. Parts of 213 that I hunt in I saw more deer than last year, other parts less. Same with 214 where I do a lot of my bowhunting.

[winterwalleye]

Hunted areas 184 and Itasca state park definitely down. Too many years of intensive harvest I believe .The park management also wants a relatively low number of deer so numbers are low and will remain that way.

[buckx37x]

zone 338 fewer deer, one buck we could shot,was shot big 12pt.passed some of the under 4 per side deer. im i satisfied yea always great to be out there.Really not overly happy about the no party hunting after the first morn. when my son got the 12 he was all done, he had no plans to shot another just wanted to be with us in the woods and couldn't be.

[certified jumbo]

area 183. lots of deer. averaged 20 plus deer per evening hunt. but we are lucky to hunt a huge agricultural area in a mostly wooded zone.

during the week hunted 227. average deer numbers, but don't see a lot of 2year old bucks or bigger. But filled some doe tags.

[laker1]

interesting comment. With heated deer stands, better clothing, trail camera's etc. we probably are cropping are older deer off faster. It's amazing with all the seasons types there is any older deer left.

[Bear55]

108 was up slightly from low deer numbers in 2009. We are back to lotto for the past two seasons and the herd is slowly coming back. Only 100 doe permits for our area this year so that should help.

[honker23]

hunted 349b, fewest shots I've heard in 15 years. I think the deer are not in the numbers they once were, also the amount of pressure they have drives them into sanctuaries that don't get hunted which makes it seem worse for those out.