Itasca state park

[polaris boy]

I'm thinking of trying the park for rifle and was wonder who else hunts the park? What's your take on the deer numbers and what part do you hunt. Thanks

[schmoe147]

I have been hunting the park for yrs, don't be fooled by the 5 deer limit. There are deer just not what you would expect from a intensive area. The park wants minimal deer to avoid damage to new growth of pines hence (5deer limit). I would scout hard as there are pockets where you can find a deer or two. I know of 2 big groups of hunters that have given up on the park after many good years,they just watched the numbers deflate and decided it was time to move on. Stats show alot of deer are takin in the park but many locals around the park that are in hunters choice or lottery just clam to shoot'em in the park. Good Luck !!

[polaris boy]

Thanks for the response.

[BuckSutherland]

I used to hunt right next to the park. Then I found a much better spot. When I was around you could shoot 5 deer. Since I have been there the wolves and the overharvest have really pounded the area from what my old friends tell me. I would maybe try it and if it sucks find something else instead of wasting your whole season there.

[huntnfish]

A friend of mine hunted the park for the youth season and saw more wolves (2) than deer (0). Last year they saw a lot of deer and got one. This year nothing. When they left Sunday afternoon he said there were only 2 deer registered to the weekend. Sounds like pretty slim pickens.

[polaris boy]

Ya I think I'm still going to try it out. Guess I don't know unless I go

[iland99]

I live next to Itasca State Park. I moved there a few years ago and I've had almost as many wolves in my yard as deer (3 deer in 3 years, one wolf). I've had a garden the past two summers and haven't even had a deer track in the garden (not complaining about that!). There are VERY few deer in the park. North of the park the numbers are a lot better.

[winterwalleye]

Don't buy DNR'S statement about the park, fewer deer in park than outside the park and areas 184 north of park and 298 west of park are lotteries.

[Jameson]

Quite a few folks in this thread stating that they don't think there are many deer in the park, and this comment:

...Stats show alot of deer are takin in the park but many locals around the park that are in hunters choice or lottery just clam to shoot'em in the park. Good Luck !!

Then from the StarTribune:

Here are the top 10 Minnesota deer permit areas, ranked by deer harvest per square mile in 2012:

Rank Zone Per square mile

1 602 9.09

2 287 8.09

3 182 8.02

4 346 7.25

5 214 6.64

6 157 6.35

7 222 6.35

8 259 6.33

9 247 6.12

10 241 6.03

*No. 1 is a CWD zone where unlimited number of deer could be killed. No. 2 is Itasca State Park.

Kinda makes a guy wonder if they should only have in person registration for the Park.

[schmoe147]

X2. Couldnt agree more, I think the best thing the park could do is make registration in person inside of the park !!

[Jameson]

X2. Couldnt agree more, I think the best thing the park could do is make registration in person inside of the park !!

Only way it's going to happen is if the people outside the park complain about it, and they are the ones doing it. Not sure how this is going to work.

[schmoe147]

I myself have contacted Dnr and the park itself about this. They claim they are looking at a way to fix this problem. The park is still a great place to hunt I like the scenery, Unfortunately it's Getting really hard to find a deer in there with limited numbers running around. Hopefully there will be a fix.

Jameson I take it you your self hunt the park, Have you also noticed a decline in the deer numbers ?

[Jameson]

Jameson I take it you your self hunt the park, Have you also noticed a decline in the deer numbers ?

Never been there.

[iland99]

Then from the StarTribune:

Here are the top 10 Minnesota deer permit areas, ranked by deer harvest per square mile in 2012:

Rank Zone Per square mile

1 602 9.09

2 287 8.09

Itasca Park is about 51 square miles. The math works out to there being 413 deer registered as being taken from area 287. I bet there aren't even that many deer left in the entire park! Something is definitely up.....

[tritonman]

This topic comes up every year. Every year I give my > We own land that adjoins the park. 10 years ago we had amazing hunting up there. You would see deer on every sit. There was antler restrictions in the park so seeing racked bucks was common. In a matter of just a few short years the park managed to kill off basically the entire population of deer. I feel sorry for the wolves if they are relying on deer to survive. They will starve to death. Long story short, I haven't hunted our land for the last few years now. A few guys still do but haven't seen squat. Give it a shot if you want a challenge but if you have kids you are taking out please go else where as they will lose interest completely in the sport.

[iland99]

Deer numbers are low in the park but the hunters don't seem to mind. My coworker said he counted 53 vehicles parked off of Hwy 113 on the southern border of Itasca on Saturday!!

[schmoe147]

Wow that is a lot of hunters. I'd imagine the few deer left got pushed around pretty good with that many people hunting. One of the few areas you can shoot more than 1 deer must play a big part in the hunters still trying there luck in the park.lets hear from the ones that hunted it, how did you do ?

[Powder]

I know of a group of 13 that hunt the south side of the Park. They are 1 for 13 as of Monday night. The one they shot was a fawn. This is a group that has hunted that area for over 30 years.

[iland99]

I borrowed my jumper cables to a group that was hunting across the road from my house on Monday night. I'm not sure how many they had in their group but they said they had seen one deer while hunting. They said the group next to them shot a buck.