Youth Deer hunt in Itasca State Park

[Fishfanatic]

Im my effort to have my son shoot his first deer, we applied for the youth hunt in Itasca State Park...

He drew his tag and we have a mandatory meeting to attend before the hunt.

Question: Have any of you hunted the park and if so, any recommendations on where to start? We are not looking for a monster, just a chance to shoot a deer.

Thank you for any input!

[schmoe147]

There are very few deer left in the park do to there management plan. I would talk to a park ranger as they are always in there and will lead you in the right direction. Good luck !! Hopefully your boy can connect on one !!

[wdgold]

Good luck to your son! I was on a youth hunt 5 years ago in St. Croix state park with my oldest and had a blast. Didn't know for sure where we were going to hunt so we picked a spot along the road the day before the hunt walked in a few hundred yards found a tree close to some deer trails. First day he shot a nice buck 2 hrs into the hunt.

[summit090706]

Fishfanatic, give me your email and I can help you out with some ideas. I have hunted the park for about 25 years. There are not a lot of deer as many think (since during gun season it is a intensive harvest zone). But would be more then happy to help your son get his first deer...there are two spots we almost always see deer...

[schmoe147]

Just got back from the area. I would focus on the south west side of the west arm of Lake itasca if that makes since. Otherwise south entrance of park and take the first trail on left fair amount of sign and always seem to be decent spots.

[Fishfanatic]

Hi Summit

I'm not exactly sure how to respond to just you, but my email address

is [email protected]. Thank you for responding to my post. My son is

13 and has missed more than I care to admit. Not because he cant shoot, but that he get so darn excited that his breathing sounds like something from a Sci-Fi movie. It reminds me of my first years hunting. It's way cool to see his excitement. He cant stop talking about it for weeks.

Fishfanatic

[eyesonly]

Good luck fishfanatic. We just got done with the Youth Ripley Archey hunt this weekend and now get to do the Savanah State Park hunt in two weeks with his Rifle- Those hunts are a great time

[huntnfish]

How did the hunt go? My buddy took his 13 year old daughter and she shot her first deer, a doe on Saturday. It dropped on the spot. Talked to him today and he said she was still smiling. He said he was shaking more than she was after she shot. Sounded like a good time and the weather couldn't have been much better.

[Itasca0217]

Hello there! I am a MN Deer hunter also, and I plan on trying to get up to Itasca State Park this year or next and would very much appreciate some hints / pointers as far as getting on some deer in the park. Any information regarding the parks good spots, obviously you have a spot you wont want to share but that is alright. I see you have hunted there for 25 plus years and I really respect that. I understand that it is a different and usually more difficult way to hunt. Well than you for your time! Any information is great!

Thanks