300 Zones - Dead Bucks Found

[TruthWalleyes]

I hunted 347-348 the last two weekends (APR Zones), and one thing i am quite disappointed of is the amount of reports of people finding dead deer, specifically bucks that don't qualify under APR rules.

Locals in the woods last winter, and already this year have found numerous shot deer. Left to lay because the shooter didn't count points before the shot. I haven't found any, but i know we are the only hunters on the land we've been hunting. (BTW, Of the 6 of us hunters, only 2 small 8 pointers were seen and were let walk to grow for next year)

Anyone else hearing similar reports of finding deer left to lay because it didn't have 4 points on 1 side?...This Chaps my hide!

[muskiemanAD]

Didn't hear of this where we were hunting. We were in Whitewater. Sure it happens but I don't think its as much as the anti APR's would like you to think. BTW talked to everyone I could along with the 6 in our hunting party and not one person saw or heard of this happening.

[Hench]

I'll be down in 342 and 344 this weekend for the second season. Will let you know what I see.

[mntatonka]

Might as well just grab the things and butcher them instead of leaving them to lay, legal or not.

But there were plenty of reports last year, and I certainly don't expect there to be less this year or next year.

[Musky Buck]

It shows some what (some) people hunt like in MN decent sized deer bang, we're more into whether we get shooting, that is successful hunting for many. The state of deer hunting today is very different than what it was like years ago when our fathers hunted, the clientele has changed, that kind of shooting is why buck hunting my area in the last decade has become so poor, any decent sized deer and a yearling to me isn't decent sized but bang, killed wounded or whatever bang, find a tag keep bangin so the neighbors don't get em, bang, I'll justify it didn't have 4 on a side after the shot, got to get that hurried shot out of the barrel now ! OOps not a legal buck, daing APR rule see it stinks. Yes I took a weird angle at it lol.

[hockeybc69]

Love APR.

Keeps people more honest by requiring the majority of hunters ensure what it is they are shooting at.

You are gonna have bad apples no matter what rules or laws you put in place. Dont blame APR.

[96trigger]

I have not seen any of that and I hunt 342 and 344. I'm sure it goes on sometimes. I don't think its nearly as bad as what people make it out to be. I have not heard from anybody this year or last, first hand, that had found a dead buck in the woods that did not meet the requirements. Funny though, I did have two students bring in a 140 inch buck and a 160 inch buck they found dead on their property. All the reports I ever hear about are from someones friends uncle's brother's cousin who heard from his sister that lots of little bucks were left to rot. I just don't see it. I think there are more people that are shooting and butchering at night than leaving lay.

[Musky Buck]

If finding these left lay call the CO and get that word out in your local paper. I'm not sure I could continue hunting if I failed our deer season laws, it's about how tough your conscience is on you.

[Farmboy1]

My group found a small fork horn left to lay. We talked to Scott Fritz (game warden in the area). He stopped by to talk with us and had another small buck in the back of his truck that he took after a hunter mistakenly shot it and called it in. In the hunters (use the term loosely) defense it was a 3" spike that could easily get missed, but that does not make it right.

Stupid things happen, people make mistakes, but we should all do what we can to know our target and make responsible shots.

For the record, I hate the APRs. I do it on my own, but don't need someone to mandate stupid laws for me. If they want people to shoot bigger bucks, make a draw for a buck tag and get away from all the drama the APS's have started. Let people do it on their own because a buck tag is hard to get.

[Getanet]

I hope this is the case of second hand reports more than first person accounts. Leaving any deer to rot is a shame.

However, if this is indeed happening in significant numbers I don't think think we have enough info to know the intentions of the person that pulled the trigger (for or against APRs).

Actually, in some ways it would seem logical that someone against APRs would keep the buck and say "screw you" to the regulation. Whereas someone who might have been for the regulation found out that when push came to shove they didn't have as much discipline as they thought.

Either way, let's hope these are simply cases of rumors snowballing and not actually happening in any significant form.

[zepman]

Truth...

I will be hunting near Peterson (348) this weekend...what areas do you hunt over there and how were the deer numbers?

[HandGunner]

one of my rants about APR exactly mentioned this about spikes being found dead, simply put my area CERTAINLY has trophy bucks and yes ppl do get them but for the majority they have become too smart throughout their life to kno when its ok to hide and when to come out, some just happen to fall into their rut and forget the basicks of their survival therfore a lucky hunter bags a nice buck, other than that the younger spikes have not learned this yet and some of the middle age bucks have yet to learn, even some nice 8 and 10 pointers have not learned about the environment and when its safe to come out and play thats why they get bagged, My father bagged a nice 8 point, nice tines nice decent length and very symetrical and I would guess he was only 2-3 years old judging by his teeth, so I told my father yes we have big bucks down here look at yours and look at his teeth so judge his age and think of how big he is now and how much even bigger he would be next year or the following years, thats why his body is like mine young tight and athletic slim not matured like you and starting to sag down at the belly like a mature wise buck, older bucks are bulky younger bucks are still slim tight bodies

my point is with public land for a nice trophy mature buck be at the right place at the right time with some good old dumb luck, or find a spot that is secluded and hard to get to were any hunter would just pass it up since its too much work, I can sure say the big bad bucks are hiding out in the private land and they know when hunters are not out in their stands

unless every year the only bucks shot were spikes and never yet a decent 8 then I would get the APR other than that I think its somewhat useless since the majority that hunts my area are just meat hunters, the trophy is an added bonus if your lucky otherwise the past few years I myself have shot a nice 8 a spike and a nubby everyone else usualy shoot decent 8 or 7 some 10's the racks are just plain normal no real size but still big enough to keep and enjoy and ofcourse doe's and spikes its an equal amount of all types shot 1 2 or 3 hunters in how ever many groups of hunter there is will have the added nice rack bonus not real trophy size but it makes it up to the personal best for most, just last year a relatives party member shot a very nice large 16 pointer, never seen it but from my understanding it was big probobly in the 150 range and up to me thats the best you can get out of public land

[Wanderer]

Zepman,

The deer are still around but there are fewer than in the past. Turks and deer have both seemed down this year around there. Tough winter/late spring from what I hear. As you know, they changed the area from intensive harvest to managed this year.

I'll be between Peterson and Whalen this weekend myself. Good luck.

[HandGunner]

Zepman,

The deer are still around but there are fewer than in the past. Turks and deer have both seemed down this year around there. Tough winter/late spring from what I hear. As you know, they changed the area from intensive harvest to managed this year.

I'll be between Peterson and Whalen this weekend myself. Good luck.

goodluck u guys I also did notice the past couple years its been intensive til now even further back it use to be lottery from what my father told me, we all have our own opinions here and they can all be heard, lets see in the next 2 more years? when APR is removed and how the heards changed

[96trigger]

I really would like to see the areas dropped from intensive harvest to Managed, or I'd like to see intensive harvest go from 5 deer to 3. It seems like a big jump to go from 2 deer in managed areas to 5. The deer numbers seen in the woods were down for me. It seemed like I struggled to see does where as the little bucks were common to see. In the past it was usually 2 does to one buck, this year it was way more like 2 bucks to 1 doe per sighting.

Those big bucks are extremely hard to get, I have one on camera that I have been trying to get for two years and he absolutely will not come out during the day. The only good picture I have of him during the day is in August. Everything else is all at night. However, during the deer season and rut, they get kicked around and can move at odd times. Your best bet at bagging any trophy animal, is to be out there as much as possible and even then, you have to be a little lucky.

[TruthWalleyes]

Truth...

I will be hunting near Peterson (348) this weekend...what areas do you hunt over there and how were the deer numbers?

Preston, Lanesboro, Forestville, Harmony, greenleafton, Fountain.

From previous years of hunting i found the numbers to be down. I think hunting pressure is also down. Sunday I heard 5 shots other than our group's 30 (They need to work on their aim!!)

We did no drives up until this last sunday. We saw deer, but very few. I have yet to pull the trigger with the exception of finishing off someone's button buck last sunday. IMO, if you want to see deer, you have to kick them up. We'll be trying a bunch more drives during muzzle season.

[schmoe147]

Wow if this is true thats very scary. I remember gun safety class many many years ago and they preached if you aren't sure of your target don't shoot. This is one of the most basic rules of hunting. Hunting is not brown its down people. If you arent shure of your target DONT SHOOT !!! just my opinion.

[Getanet]

Wow if this is true thats very scary. I remember gun safety class many many years ago and they preached if you aren't sure of your target don't shoot. This is one of the most basic rules of hunting. Hunting is not brown its down people. If you arent shure of your target DONT SHOOT !!! just my opinion.

I'm not sure I'm following the your sentiment that it's scary. Certainly sad, unfortunate, unethical and illegal - but not scary. If true and many dead deer have been found, the folks that pulled the trigger were sure of their target (there is a dead deer after all), but apparently miscounted or didn't care to count points.

[John478]

I hear a lot of people preaching to know your target; well up to a year ago all a person had to know is that in fact it was a deer and then maybe whether or not it was a buck or a doe. Now you throw in counting points, that adds a whole other level of complexity.

This has been my biggest problem with APRs. After two season of hunting with APRs in my area I have found that it is next to impossible to acutely count points from the stand. Maybe inside 25 yards or so but beyond that is pretty tough.

I’ve been passing on young bucks for a number of years now, but I’ve never went by the number of points. I’ve always went by the overall size of the rack, but that doesn’t guarantee it has at least 4 points on one antler. I’ve seen some fairly good size six pointers too. On the flip side you can have some 8, 10 and even 12 point basket rack 1 ½ year old bucks too.

Now shooting a buck that doesn’t meet the APRs and then leaving it lay does [PoorWordUsage] me off. You can turn yourself in and let the CO take your deer and give to a food self, where they will probably find a microscopic piece of lead in it and throw the whole thing in the garbage. Personally if it happens to me (which I hope it don’t but if it does) it will end up in my freezer.

[MNpurple]

My group found a small fork horn left to lay. We talked to Scott Fritz (game warden in the area). He stopped by to talk with us and had another small buck in the back of his truck that he took after a hunter mistakenly shot it and called it in.

Last year I know most people who made the mistake got warnings, has this changed this year and are tickets being written out?

[96trigger]

Still sounds like warnings, but I haven't heard of anyone this year making the mistake. I work with the wife of the local game warden. She hasn't said much about it.

[muskiemanAD]

I think there are a few cases each year. However I believe most of the rumors people hear are from a friend, who has a cousin that hunts near people, that know of a 6 pointer that was left to lay!

[GFNER]

I totally believe it! I hunt a private farm that borders state land near Whitewater and knock on wood because we haven't found any yet this year but almost every year we find deer either A)decapitated shot and left to rot. These aren't deer lost by hunters these are poached. I'm assuming by the same people each year as they are found in the same basic area each year. I used to party hunt for a couple of years down there until I saw how it worked with the particular group I "hunted" with. 20 people all shooting what ever they could but nobody wanting to burn their tags. If APR just reduces party "hunting" I say keep it forever.

[Farmboy1]

We were told the same theory rings true. If you call the CO, they issue a warning and take the deer. I can't say the same is true in other areas, but that was what Fritz told us.

[analyzer]

2nd Saturday, at the base of a bluff a few hundred yards SE of Elba, I found a dead buck. I have pictures on my phone, and showed it to a DNR guy checking for CWD. He took notes, and forwarded it to the CO.

The buck had it's belly slit open, it's hind leg gashed, like someone chopped it with a machete, and it was scalped. I'm not sure if they took his small set as a trophy or for some rattlers. I assume it was a 6 pt or smaller. It had the tight body of a large doe.

Opening weekend I heard a shot in that area, 20 minutes before shooting light. I wonder weather it was that deer. Some over anxious hunter probably couldn't see well enough to count points.

I know a group there that cleans their deer with a machete. I'm pretty certain I know who it was. Not much the CO can do though. But they all sit in permanent stands made in a WMA, so they'll try to nail em for that next year.

I tried to cut them a break in the past, because they've been hunting there for years, and maybe those stands were made before the rules were in effect, but when I saw what they did to that buck, and the mess of garbage they leave under every stand, I'm not going to look the other way. Empty water bottles, empty jerky packages, gutting gloves, toilet paper, sweet rice packages, empty beer cans. It's disgusting.

I'm pretty certain I'm talking to the wrong folks. If you're on this forum, you're probably decent hunters, with ethics, and clean up after yourselves. Just venting I guess. It's a shame, that 6 pointer would've probably been a nice shooter in few years.