Ripley Youth Hunt

[Grayfox]

Mitch and I got up here around 8 A.M. and sat around until 9:30 A.M. for the mandatory orientation. There was only 1 camper in the staging area when we got here. Nothing like the regular hunt zoo. We sat through the orientation for about 1 hour where they went over hunt rules, base rules as well as emphasising the 30 MPH on the tar road,25 on the range roads and 15 MPH near the base building just West of the camping area. The first speaker, I believe from the MDHA ended up getting a ticket for 31 in a 15 just before the class started. Ouch!

After the class everyone was allowed to go scout and put up stands. The area open to the hunt was North of Cassino Road. Mitch and I had been looking at a few spots on the East side and headed up there. After we got geared up we headed out for a long walk and found a pretty decent oak ridge with a lot of trails across it but being that it was so dry it was hard to tell how often they were being used. We set up two stands in a tree on the North side of this long ridge and I'll post up some pictures tomorrow after we get back in. Hopefully, with a picture of Mitch with a deer as well. Looks like a pretty good spot and with a SW wind. Should be interesting. Saw 3 grouse and a couple flocks of turkeys but no deer.

The wind was gusting 30 to 40 MPH though so I'm sure they were hunkered down pretty tight.

After we got done with that set we headed West to do some more scouting and ended up running into a fellow HSO member, MONKSTER(John) and his son. They had just set up as well and were heading back out to look around. Real nice guy.

We ended up finding another good looking spot that had about a dozen rubs. We got a couple of spots located for possibly Saturday night or Sunday morning depending on how the hunt goes tomorrow. I got to hit the hay so I'll post up tomorrow with some pics and story.

Good luck to all the kids tomorrow.

Hey and thanks also to MUSKY18(Bret) for giving out some tips yesterday from his hunt this week.

Rob

[snapcrackpop]

Good luck!

Can't wait for the reports! Take lots of pictures!

[DHost21]

Good luck!

[MUSKY18]

Good luck to all you guys up there. Least the weather has cooled off, and it the rain stays away hopin the deer move for ya. STick a big one!!!

[Grayfox]

Well it been pretty quiet up here. I heard there was only 2 does shot by noon and possibly 2 small bucks taken tonight.

We had a doe and two fawns work into 50 yards around 8 A.M. and fed on acorns. They were working there way in when a small 6 pointer started toward them. He stopped to shred some saplings and then ran one of the fawns off. He worked right past Mitch at 10 yards and stopped right in front of the tree in the middle of the picture. He stopped and milled around for about 5 minutes then headed off to the North.

I was hopeing that the others would follow but the big doe led the fawns down the other funnel about 45 yards out and headed North as well.

They went to the left in this picture just above the green swamp grass.

We didn't see anything until 10:30 when I saw another doe come from the SW and head down the same trail the other doe went down. I tried a couple fawn bleets but she wasn't having any of it and ran off to the SE. We stuck around until 5 P.M. but didn't see anything else. I took the stands down around noon and moved them over where he can get a shot if they come by in the morning. Heres a couple more pics from the stand. The one with Mitch is facing the North and the other is facing South. Kind of a neat spot but thought there would be a little more movement.

Wish him luck. We're going to hunt until around 10 then head for home so he can get out for the last night of the youth deer hunt.

Rob

[certified jumbo]

very cool. good luck. keep us posted!!

[snapcrackpop]

How did the second day go?

And great pictures, looks like a scenic place to spend an afternoon.

[Monkster]

My son Josh and I also had a great time! Rob, nice to meet you and Mitch! Thanks for the info Sat. night! We sat for a while Sunday then moved into that area, looks promising. I think it was too nice for deer to move Sunday! Thanks also to Musky18 for the good info.

This being our first year there, it really was a "learning" year as everyone said it would be! I can't imagine what it is like with 2500 out there! Wow! Camp Ripley is a neat place to be and I can see why some monsters come out of there every year! Looking forward to next year!

I am not sure if any of the volunteers are on HSO members, but they really do a wonderful job putting on this hunt! Thanks to the MN DNR, MSAA, MDHA and of course the staff at Ripley! I am sure I missed someone, my apologies! Thank you!

[22x]

Sounds like you all had a great time (except for shooting a deer ) & that it is well run.

hopefully my son will get drawn next year so we can share in the experience.

[Rippinlip]

Great pictures and story, too bad no deer cooperated.

Sounds like just the experience was very nice.

[Grayfox]

Sorry I didn't get the last day posted up. We came home Sunday and I was beat! Matter of fact, I'm still beat. I can barely keep my eyes open and I'm going to try to get out coyote hunting tonight. I must be nuts.

I got Mitch ready and he headed behind the house for a night sit. He passed on a lone doe and fawn that came into the water. That was all he saw besides the 50 squirrels he keeps complaining about. The kid is picky.

We got into our stands early but unfortunately,the wind had switched and was coming out of the NE and was blowing our scent back into the area the deer had come from the day before. Mitch tells me he see's a couple deer runnig towards us around 8 and I pick them up sneaking through some thick trees. It's a big doe with two fawns. They come out our side and start our way. Directly at our tree. She led them right at us and Mitch got handcuffed. Mitch was facing East and I, South. She walked directly under me and headed NW. By the time Mitch got turned around the other way she was at 25 yards. I didn't even think to drop something on her until after she went by. I'm sure she'd of ran 10 yards and turned around and looked back. I got her to stop but it was a real steep 1/4ing away and I was glad Mitch didn't even draw back on her. They ended up going right past the tree we were in the day before. Unbelievable! We stuck around until 10 and picked up and left. I was dredding the drag if he shot one anyway. We were way in there. We had a lot of fun and the people at the check were great. Maybe he'll get another shot next year.

Rob

[nubbin]

Does anybody know how many deer were shot during the youth hunt?

My oldest got her first deer with a bow.

[Archerysniper]

Does anybody know how many deer were shot during the youth hunt?

My oldest got her first deer with a bow.

Congrat's and it didn't happen till we see the pic's so where are they.