frustrated

[Z7EXTERME]

This is one of the worst deer hunting seasons I have ever had I just can't stand some of these people that come out for a few days for gun season and think they own every thing and are never wrong..... I unsterstand every one has an opportunity to hunt but do it legally and and have some respect for other hunters. I am almost thinking of quitting deer hunting for as much time and effort I have put In the woods and expenses. Its all about the experience and its hard to enjoy it anymore.

[eyeguy 54]

bummer. call tip if not doing stuff correct. hunt for a new spot to hunt. lottsa good people out there that share the land with bowunters.

[sportfish]

I hear ya ! I gun hunt but only to hunt with family and friend ! It 9 days of insanity

[Z7EXTERME]

Ya idk it sucks all deer went noctural as soon as he came and put up ladder stands out his stands are 40 yards away from my ground blind on both sides I do gun hunt with the girlfriend and my sister's wasn t able to make it out this morning go out this afternoon ther is a blood trail and a gut pile 45 yards from my stand so I am thinking he is done for the year sitting out in my ground blind with the girlfriend since 1pm he comes out at 3:45 making noise just really irritated I could understand on public land but private land... am currently talking to land owner who lives in southern mn about this guy whi says he has permission. Wanted to make sure brfore calling dnr just can't wait for gun season to be over time to move on find some new land.

[Rippinlip]

Feel bad for you.

Good luck on a hopefully good resolution.

Being a bow hunter and watching SOME gun hunters is like being a fisherman that fishes all the time and watching guys that only fish the opener.

I know everyone has the right to do what is lawful, but ethics are hard to come by for some.

[hugonian1]

+1

[harvey lee]

Yes, there are rude an unlawful gun hunters. There are more it seem's simply due to the fact there are more gun hunters than bow hunters. My guess is the % is the same, just the % of gun hunters give you a higher hunter count.

I am always done archery hunting in Mn so I do not khave to deal with gun hunters in the woods while I am trying to bow hunt. I also try to hunt all private property so I can enjoy the hunt more since there are less people in the woods.

I would not quit hunting, just try hard to find some public land you can hunt on the cut down on the traffic in the woods while the gun season is going on.

With all that said, there are rude and unlawful archery hunters also.

[1eyeReD]

Yea, don't quit. Like others have said above, may be a good time to write down a reminder to find some alternative spots for next year.

I had access to a pretty decent piece of private up north that got hammered by the landowner and his friends during gun season. He told me I was welcomed to hunt it while they were out, but I usually got the heck out of there before they started. I get the heck out of the woods period during gun season unless I'm toting a gun and some blaze orange myself.

Try stomping around some public. If you stay persistent, burn some gas and miles, you'll find some honeyholes that don't quite get used by the public. It's amazing how many places get overlooked and are barely touched throughout the season. One of my spots, I hunted all season up until gun opener. I saw other hunters during the smallgame/archery opening weekend and that was pretty much it since then with the exception of waterfowl hunters blowin up the ponds on the neighboring private land in the mornings from time to time and that was just a few times.

[Musky Buck]

No doubt I've had to adapt to MN deer hunting 2013, I have 3 counties and 9 stands, when I was younger I never dreamt I'd ever hunt a different stand than my main main one but you have to get away from people to consistently have good hunts and better odds and that is hard to do, but I've done it and you bet my fresh stand came through for me big time with 9 buck sightings and 1 of them being processed as I type. Have had 4 stands become obsolete because of pressure so I added 4 more in different counties and love having a fresh area to slide into and it's easy to play the wind with 9 stands and now in 6 years 6 different bucks shot from 6 of the 9 stands, it's working.

[BuckSutherland]

Buy your own land and quit female dogging about it and do whatever you want. Problem solved.

[harvey lee]

Buying land for hunting would be a great option but for the average guy with a family,really not an option esp what the price of wooded acre's sell for.

Keep pounding on the door's and u will find something. There is land to hunt but it can be a tough one for sure.

I do not like to lease land but for years while I hunted in Mn for archery and gun, I would lease a nice wooded area and had it all to myself and that is much less than buying land at today's prices.

[InTheNorthwoods]

Buy your own land and quit female dogging about it and do whatever you want. Problem solved.

Wow you are problem solver! I bet you could solve the government debt crisis - you'd just pay it off today!!!

To the original poster, I feel your pain. I suffer the same emotions on what seems like an annual basis (and I gun hunt too). The good news is that the late season offers a lot of opportunity for bow hunters and one can find easier access to private land now that gun hunters are done. It can make it easy to get over the gun season blues. Key in on the food sources and you could have the best hunting of the season.

Another suggestion is to find areas that are archery only. I know there are a few places like that around the state with a good deal of public land. Areas like that should see more natural deer behavior during the rut.

I'd imagine this is a temporary downer, and you'll be excited again with the passage of seasons and next fall rolls around.

[96trigger]

The private land I bow hunt on gets trespassed on quite frequently. last Tuesday I went and sat in a stand I was hoping was going to be secluded for later in the season. There were hunter tracks going right by it. I didn't get mad about it, I just casually asked the landowner if it was him. He wasn't very happy because they were not his tracks and the neighbors don't like it when anyone goes on their property. I've had a hunch this has been going on for awhile but didn't have proof until we got that snow.

It sucks, but it is what it is. I hit it hard during bow season and try to seal the deal before firearms or I know that chunk of land will be toast.

[Trev]

I've been playing this bowhunting game for 30 plus years and not much has changed. You can still have good hunting through the season but you might try a different approach, first scout hard year around, anytime you get a chance. Always be looking more for land. The more the better. After a while you will replace not so good spots with better spots. Spend any extra money you have for the sport on tree stands and ground blinds. Fresh hunting spots and land is the name of the game.

Hunt hard opening weekend and anytime you can leading up to rifle deer season. Keep moving and trying new stands. Hopefully you have a good plan for the week before gun season because this usually this is a great time to be in woods.

Now time for the different approach, hunt the gun season by not hunting deer movement but hunter movement. Set up like you would if the gun hunters are driving deer for you. Escape routes are the deal. I want a lot of hunters in woods during gun season. Stay all day in stand, or as long as you can then go back to truck have a sandwich and go back in stand.

Late season is also great but you need to regroup and probably set new stands. This is also one of the best times of the year to get permission. Landowners that normally don't let people on sometimes will after there family got their deer. Hope for snow and have fun.

Finally always treat the landowners with respect. If you take this approach you will make a name for yourself in your hunting area. Make sure it's a good name.

[Wanderer]

\

Finally always treat the landowners with respect. If you take this approach you will make a name for yourself in your hunting area. Make sure it's a good name.

Everything you typed was on point but this comment is #1.

[bowhunternw]

I am a bowhunter to and can't say that I enjoy when gun season rolls around. However I realize that it is a resource for everyone and have to be happy that we have plenty of season to work around it. They do get the best part of the season though, trade offs.

[Big Country]

I personally enjoy the challenge of beating that animal after rifle season. Two to three hours max in the stand. It's cold, runny nose numb limbs. All of the issues associated with a tough hunt. Sticking a deer after they have been chased by rifle hunters makes it real tough too. If the man up stairs blesses me with the perfect shot during these conditions and I am successful there is no sweeter victory in my opinion. Make it fun. Be the ultimate predator! BC

[Musky Buck]

I think Saturday it may be a bit cool with rifle in hand. Check the stats, deer kill down would tell me if I bow hunted get out there, wind etc. rifle was no walk in the park and tons of good deer are out there still chasing does and the season is over in zone 2, don't give up because the orange army was in the woods, get scouting now again, lots of empty stands this year for once, 1 guy would be sad to know what was right out in front at 4:00PM Sunday the last day of zone 2. I'm seeing more deer since rifle than I ever had in shooting light, this is the year to target late season with a low rifle harvest, good luck, get that thanksgiving buck.

[Z7EXTERME]

Thanks everyone I happen to get some new land for muzle loading srason and proabaly archery hunt in the metro for the remiander of thr season. Pulled memory cards today not a single animal on camera since first weekend of firearms. One good thing suposr to meet with lsnd owner after thanksgiving.