Any Camp Ripley reports?

[Walleyehooker]

Wondering how the first hunt is going? Youth hunt was a little slow but a lot more hunters to push the deer around on the main hunts.

[ETH310]

It's the slowest year our group has ever had. We've seen more bear then deer. We've seen a doe, a spike, and 3 bears. We were at the weigh station last night from 630-730 and not one big boy was brought in. The biggest we saw registered were 2 basket 8 pointers. One of the MPs told us a big 11pt came in earlier in the day.

[CO1978]

A buddy text me saying that the first day only 48 deer were taken yesterday.

[mrklean]

Man that's low the few years I went I thought it was about 100-150 deer each day were registered.

[sticknstring]

Yep, exceptionally low. Less hunters coupled w/ low deer numbers equates to a low harvest. Hopefully there will be calm cool weather for the 2nd hunt as the bucks should be starting to move.

[frogtosser]

It was pathetic, we were in a known deer area and never saw a single one.

[Wanderer]

Well, the reports are making the decision to party hunt easier...

Two of our four man group have already tagged bucks and will be toting their management tags in second season. They'll be happy to know they can fill my tag if Mr. Big gives them a chance.

Good luck to you all for the remainder of your time there!

[Cheetah]

Thanks all for the reports, doesn't sound good to me for the second season. Though maybe you just left them all for us to shoot.

[archerystud]

Ripley isn't what it used to be but it's still probably the cheapest trophy hunt you can do.

However after talking to the MP's they were having far too many car/deer collisions in there so you can understand why they want a lower population.

[ANYFISH2]

I am not sure that is the case.

While volunteering for the deployed soldier hunt last week, I was told by an employee that this year the Colonel asked our area wildlife manager "where are all my deer"(paraphrase of course)? The environmental dept then informed our manager that number of hunters and bag limits should be dropped. The reason was that over last x amount of years, between logging, establishing new ranges, and expansion of DUD zones, hunters have lost 3+ thousand acres. This leading to overcrowding. Potentially leading to overharvest. Said manager, had know idea this had/was happening!

I hope that with the support of our enviromental staff and colonel at camp things may turn a round, they both want the deer back!!

[ETH310]

As we were leaving tonight at 7:00p the guy told us 65 deer were registered for the weekend. I'm afraid the "good ol' days" of Ripley are over. Still had a blast, and I'll keep applying. I think the winters and the wolves have a lot more to do with the low numbers than over harvest. More dud zones means more places to hide from hunters.

[sportfish]

Do the math at about 85 sq miles of land or 55000 acres , if the population is 10 deer pre sq mile then there would only be 850 deer in there ! If there were 2000 that hunted on this hunt plus management tags they could harvest up to 4000 deer and next weekend too ! Ok if there were 20 deer per sq mile then there might be 1700 deer in there , with all the hunts that happen in there how can there be much for deer !

What is the DNR saying there is for deer in there anyways !

By the way bears and wolves and other predators don't kill many deer either that's what the DNR would say

[leech~~]

Ripley isn't what it used to be but it's still probably the cheapest trophy hunt you can do.

However after talking to the MP's they were having far too many car/deer collisions in there so you can understand why they want a lower population.

Sure it's not too many Tank/Deer collisions?

[rbs]

Just got back home. Saw 7 deer the 1st day with one being a shooter, altho I did not get a real great look at him. Saw 4 today and 2 were when we were driving back in (doe and buck). Saw about the same amount of deer that I normally do. I would definately like to see more! All I saw was does and small buck brought in. Nothing like it used to be.

Last night when we came in there was maybe 100-150 vehicles in line where in the past we would have been back by the entrance gate. It was really weird to come in at 6pm and be by the fuel depot. They said hunters were way down and I would believe it. Hope someone posts up some pics of some big ones.

[frogtosser]

They only allowed you to take 1 deer this year not 2.

[monstermoose78]

They are still allowing people to use a bonus to tag a deer so you can help reduce the herd that way people don't have to burn their buck tag.

I got my bonus tag ready just in case a doe gives me a good shot. I have been shooting about twice a week with the crossbow and am feeling good. I hope mr big decides to walk by me when I am there.

[PropsterII]

So which was it, 1 or 2 deer allowed?

[monstermoose78]

one deer but you can use a bonus tag

[ETH310]

By the way bears and wolves and other predators don't kill many deer either that's what the DNR would say

The DNR says that 80% of a wolf's diet is deer. Each wolf needs about 20 deer/year. If there is a pack of 8-10 wolves, that's 160-200 deer/year/pack. I heard there were 3 packs in ripley, so that's 500 to 600 deer a year for wolf food. Mix in 2 severe winters and your 20 deer per mile drops to nothing pretty quick without any human hunter harvest.

[leech~~]

The DNR says that 80% of a wolf's diet is deer. Each wolf needs about 20 deer/year. If there is a pack of 8-10 wolves, that's 160-200 deer/year/pack. I heard there were 3 packs in ripley, so that's 500 to 600 deer a year for wolf food. Mix in 2 severe winters and your 20 deer per mile drops to nothing pretty quick without any human hunter harvest.

When is the Ripley Wolf drawing hunt going to take place?