Camp Ripley 2nd Weeknd

[Bwana]

Who's itching to get off work and go for a weekend at fort Ripley this weekend?

[Boonie5]

Friday cant come soon enough for me!

[Bwana]

Me either I'm sitting here at work and All I can do is think about ripley haven't been very productive at all. I seen a monster buck last time I was there just hoping I'll see another.

[snapcrackpop]

Cant wait!

Weather looks really good.

[SmellEsox]

I've shot a couple nice bucks in there but the last few hunts I've run into more and more guys. I used to have a spot almost to myself. Not anymore. So I'm going, but I'm a lot less excited about it than I used to be. Good luck everyone.

[Boonie5]

It sounds like the first hunt was a bit down from years past, I hope its not the case this weekend.

[Bear55]

I've shot a couple nice bucks in there but the last few hunts I've run into more and more guys. I used to have a spot almost to myself. Not anymore. So I'm going, but I'm a lot less excited about it than I used to be. Good luck everyone.

Ya not sure I'm going to go any more. Went once 7-8 years back and didn't care for it. This year was no different, I didn't have much trouble finding a place to hunt away from others but its just too much of a lotto ticket style hunt for me. I like to know the land and have everything scouted out and you just can't do that there.

[Boonie5]

Yea sometimes you just have to keep moving until you find a spot for yourself. I feel over the last few years I've been running into more people in my normal spots and have had to find new ones. With that being said I will be applying every year.

[Bwana]

I hope everyone going up see's a lot of deer this weekend. I will be pleased if the bucks are in full swing rut. Good Luck to everyone going

[Henry2]

Been a few years since I hunted Ripley & really looking forward to it this year. Good luck to you guys!

[SmellEsox]

The best rut action I ever saw in Ripley was 1998 when the hunt was 10/31-11/1 or something like that. My area was torn up w/ scrapes. Had a decent 8 pointer come by and fight with another buck that was his twin. He won and I grunted him over and shot him. Then the other buck came by me wondering what the commotion was. I had him mostly dragged out (he weighed 188) when my buddy saw me and said he shot one too. His was a gigantic 9 pointer that weighed 247! Thing was like dragging out a cow! Anyways, with the lateness of this hunt, I'm hoping to find similar rut activity this year.

[nbadger23]

For those of you who have gone consistently... do you feel like the # of hunters they allow is a good match for the amount of land? Just curious why some of you seem to be having a hard time getting away from folks?

[SmellEsox]

There is about 1 hunter for every 11 acres that is huntable. There are large impact zones that are not huntable.

[Walleyehooker]

I think there is plenty of room for the amount of hunters. But when you don't have much time to scout and only 2 days to hunt it can be a difficult place to hunt. Also after talking to guys that have hunted there for many years I don't think there are the deer that there once was there. But it is what it is and you either like it or you don't.

[Bwana]

I think there is plenty of room I only had one year where there was guys in my are and when they seen me they waived and then proceded on and never hurt my hunt I shot 2 does that year in the rain one at 60 yards and one at about 10 yards both went maybe 20 yards and dropped. Thats what I like about the bonus tags if theres no bucks around your area, you can stick a couple does.

[Boonie5]

I noticed this year they expanded the big red zone in the SW corner. I sure hope that is a temporary thing, and they don't plan on expanding anymore of them... That was a good area

[Wanderer]

One thing I've always said about Ripley: If you NEED to have total control of your hunt - Ripley's not your place.

Hunting Ripley actually helped my confidence for hunting public land. Geez, before that if there was a person or un natural noise around me I got really bummed. But after seeing how deer move through people at Ripley, it all became a new game.

More times than not at Ripley I haven't seen the BIG one but there was this one time that I took a shot at the biggest buck of my life (still) at 22 yards. The shot was deflected but I was in awe of just seeing that deer. Another year I actually heard the biggest buck of the hunt get skewered, crash and die. The thing about Ripley is it can happen anywhere and at any time.

[Bear55]

If you NEED to have total control of your hunt - Ripley's not your place.

Ya this is me. I actually hunt all public and I am use to people walking around and moving deer. I just hate not being able to scout and hunt where I want to.

[Meat-Run]

I see it as a 2,500 human deer drive

MR

[Hills]

When can folks start arriving or lining up at Ripley on Friday?

[sticknstring]

They were lined up by 1am FRI the first hunt.

[Bwana]

no they weren't Peaple got the at 530 and were 7 cars back from the front they dont even open the gates till 6 some ppl are ridiculous about this hunt

read camp ripley week one forum on here and it tells you all

[Wanderer]

When can folks start arriving or lining up at Ripley on Friday?

Check your rules. The last time I was there they were turning away early arrivals.

[Walleyehooker]

Whoever reported that on the internet was wrong because I talked to guys at the head of the line and they were there way before 5 and there were a lot of people lined up before 5 and no one got kicked out of line. I know what the rules say but apparently they don't use those much.

I didn't even get in line each day and was one of the last to drive in. The first day it was pretty light out when I got to my spot. The second day was less people and it was still dusk when I got to my spot which was about midway into Ripley.

[sticknstring]

no they weren't Peaple got the at 530 and were 7 cars back from the front they dont even open the gates till 6 some ppl are ridiculous about this hunt

read camp ripley week one forum on here and it tells you

all

A co-worker arrived at 1 and was 4th in line. Last year at 5am we were 1/2 mile back.