Lodging suggestions for deer hunting

[csbeaver]

I am thinking about doing a long weekend bow hunt away from home this year and was wondering if anybody had any suggestions of a place to stay (motel, resort, rental by owner, etc.) that is near some decent sized public land. I don't need anything fancy just a roof over my head, preferably a place that caters to hunters. I am open to pretty much anywhere in Minnesota. I am familiar with most of the Chippewa National Forest so that is at the top of my list. Thanks for any suggestions!

[eyesonly]

Whitewater State Park with out a doubt !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1000ks of acres of land and you can really get away from people if your willing to put the work in. A few years into APR and The deer have really responded !

[1eyeReD]

Whitewater State Park with out a doubt !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1000ks of acres of land and you can really get away from people if your willing to put the work in. A few years into APR and The deer have really responded !

When I first moved to MN a friend took me to Whitewater for opening weekend of archery deer. We stayed at the big campsite down there and boy, what a show it was. Full camp!! Children playing about, men getting their smallgame gear ready, their women cooking... And the aroma of fresh BBQ and even delicious soups filled the air.

I thought, "Man, hunting's going to suck with all these people."

That next morning, we drove to my friend's spot no more than 3 or 4 miles away from the campground, walked in about a mile and he took me to one of his climing-stand trees. I went up and watched his headlamp disappear into the darkness. 5 hrs and several non-shooters later, we met up and walked back to the truck. Not a hunter in sight. Though we heard the shots of smallgame hunters in the hills, we did not even see any smallgame hunters while in the woods. That whole weekend we did not run into one other bowhunter and we hunted different morning/evening locations. Saw plenty at camp and even heard big buck stories, but everyone had their own "secret" spot it seems. That place is loaded with deer. I just haven't gone back because of it being in a "no-bonus permit" zone and I personally like taking a doe or two during early season. I passed on so many deer that weekend I just couldn't handle going back to do that again LOL!! Maybe during the rut after I got the monkey off my shoulders with a few does from managed or intensive zones 1st.

[nwhunter]

I'm not sure of the rules about posting links, but if you were to do a google search with the following phrase "bowstring lake resorts" and clicked on the first hit, you would find a resort that I have recommended to a number of folks over the years.

[Triple_D]

We've hunted the Blackduck area for several years, if you are interested in that area there are 2 motels in town and a few resorts that cater to hunters through deer season. Lots of places to hunt near there, just don't shoot my deer before rifle season, LOL