Camp Ripley youth hunt

[smsmith]

Saw that MDHA reported a 4% success rate on the youth hunt in Ripley. That'll be sure to get those kids hooked on deer hunting. I'm sure the kids and/or mentors were lazy or the weather prevented success rates from being better...it couldn't possibly have anything to do with pi$$ poor deer management by Beau Liddell and the MN DNR.

Youth archers harvest 6 deer at Ripley and Lake Alexander Preserve

Cool, sunny conditions greeted youth participating in the 13th annual youth archery deer hunt at the Camp Ripley Military Reservation north of Little Falls and the 11th annual youth archery hunt at nearby Lake Alexander Preserve over the weekend.

Five deer were harvested at Camp Ripley and one at the Lake Alexander Preserve for a success rate of 4 percent for the two-day hunt. At Camp Ripley, 134 hunters participated; 15 hunters participated at the Lake Alexander Preserve.

“Youth were paired with nonhunting mentors,” said Beau Liddell, Little Falls area wildlife supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “For some, this was the first time they had taken a deer.”

Logan Lunow of Belle Plaine harvested the first deer taken during the Camp Ripley hunt, a male fawn. Brent Waytashek of Holdingford took the largest deer, a 120-pound yearling buck. Joshua Monk of Maplewood took the only deer at the Lake Alexander Preserve, a 113-pound doe.

The Minnesota State Archery Association and the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association were the primary hunt sponsors. The Department of Military Affairs, The Nature Conservancy and the DNR provided logistical and planning support for the two hunts.

The Camp Ripley youth hunt was the first of its kind in Minnesota and it laid the groundwork for similar youth hunts now offered elsewhere in the state.

[Jameson]

What are the historical success rates?

[smsmith]

What are the historical success rates?

Read the last sentence from MDHA

[Jameson]

....The Camp Ripley youth hunt was the first of its kind in Minnesota and it laid the groundwork for similar youth hunts now offered elsewhere in the state.

This one?

It has been going on at least for a few years.

[smsmith]

This one?

It has been going on at least for a few years.

Got it, the Ripley youth hunt was the first of its kind, but its the 13th youth hunt at Ripley according to the post from MDHA. No idea how it compares to the previous years

[Jameson]

I'm not so sure that the low harvest isn't normal. Nothing new this year. But could be wrong. These aren't the most experienced hunters out there, they aren't hunting with guns, and it isn't the rut yet. Maybe a few less deer than normal, but it seems to me this is always a low success hunt.

[harvey lee]

Considering it is a youth hunt and my guess would be these kids or a lot of them may not have the greatest equipment and maybe not all that much practice.

Many things can factor into the low results but we have to remember its youth with a bow.

Great for the kids that did harvest a deer.

Many times we forget about what the hunt is really all about, we should put more stress on spending time in the outdoors with the kids and not so much emphasis on the harvest.

I went out with my granddaughter this am for the youth deer slug season and we harvested a 8pt buck within 45 minutes, very happy for Taylor but, I was hoping to spend more time with her in the stand teaching her about different wildlife in nature and how they live and react to humans.

last year, we hunted for 2 days before she shot her buck and she had so many memories about all the wildlife we saw and watched and talked about each animal. Taylor talked about our outing all year and what we saw and talked more about those critters than the buck she harvested.

The harvest of the animal is only a small part of the outing, at least for us it is.

Don't get me wrong, I work hard to find a location where are chances are better for a kill but I truly enjoy our time in the stands a lot more watching everything and talking about the wildlife in the woods. I believe those memories will outlast the thrill of the kill for a long time.

We need to put more into the actual hunt and enjoying nature than the percent of the kill rate. They can and do have fun even without a kill, at least that is what we try to teach the kids.

[smsmith]

I asked MDHA how this year's success compares to previous years. Will report back here when they tell me. I find it hard to believe that a youth hunt runs at or near 4% success rates for a decade plus...but I've been wrong before.

[mntatonka]

2005: 13%

2006: 8.7%

2007: 13%

2008: 6.7%

2009: 6.7%

2010: 4.7%

2011: 3.4%

2012: 5.7%

2013: 5.7%

2014: 4.5%

The most deer taken in Ripley youth hunt was 20, in 2005 and 2007, and it looks like it's usually between 6 and 10 taken. So there's not a heck of a lot of actual difference between most of the years.

[smsmith]

2005: 13%

2006: 8.7%

2007: 13%

2008: 6.7%

2009: 6.7%

2010: 4.7%

2011: 3.4%

2012: 5.7%

2013: 5.7%

2014: 4.5%

The most deer taken in Ripley youth hunt was 20, in 2005 and 2007, and it looks like it's usually between 6 and 10 taken. So there's not a heck of a lot of actual difference between most of the years.

Thanks for posting that.

[smsmith]

We need to put more into the actual hunt and enjoying nature than the percent of the kill rate. They can and do have fun even without a kill, at least that is what we try to teach the kids.

I agree...but I'd think you'd have to agree that the youngster you took out this a.m. and was successful at taking a deer is probably more likely to become even more entrenched in/devoted to the sport.

[Farmsfulltime]

Sounds like an average hunt then young hunters experiencing the outdoors and enjoying the people they are with . Its probably not all about the kill or percent killed that this hunt is gaged by . Its a good thing the DNR cares enough about youth hunters to arrange this experience for them . Of coarse there are enough deer and with some nice winters there will be plenty more as always. Thanks to the people that arranged this hunt and helped out to make it work you are an asset to deer hunting

[Monkster]

Having first hand experience with this hunt for the last 3 out of 4 years with my son, Josh, I have some personal insight. My son was one of the six that harvested a deer this year. This was his first deer with a bow. I can't tell you, in words, how much these hunts have meant to Josh (and me). Josh has said he has learned more on these hunts than with any other hunt we have gone on. The idea to set aside three days with a young hunter and spend time in the woods, scouting, setting up stands, practicing, talking, visiting with other kids (hunters!) and just being in the woods! These three days have allowed me to spend time with my son, experiencing a "hunt" in a unique way. Please don't take anything away from these kids on not having good equipment or not practicing either. These kids are there because a mentor cares about them enough to take them on this hunt, which takes planning. I watch these kids practice on Friday before the hunt and they are, for the most part, dead on! I believe, if stats could prove it, that once a kid goes to this hunt, they apply again. There are families of hunters that have had every son or daughter go on this hunt just simply for "the experience".

Now as far as deer go, most of us see deer every year I believe at the hunt! Harvesting one with only a few hours of scouting, hunting hard for about a day and half may be expecting a bit too much for a beginning hunter. Yes, most of us mentors have a lot of experience, but it all comes down to being at the right place at the right time, and if you've spent any amount of time in the woods, you have said to yourself...if I only had more time to sit on this stand...or if I didn't have to work...etc. To expect a high harvest is near sighted to say the least. Our herd may not be what everyone wants, but the DNR, MDHA, and the MSAA ar doing there part to get our 'future' into the woods.

For the record, when Josh shot his deer, at 11am on Saturday, we both said how we wished we could have spent more time on the stand! Sweet to harvest a deer, but bitter to go home so soon! We didn't go home either that night, we spent the night anyway just simply because we like the experience of the hunt!

[archerystud]

Is the youth hunt a 1 or 2 day hunt? I'm hoping to put in for my son to go next year.

[ANYFISH2]

One day for orientation, scouting, and hanging stands.

Two days for hunting.

3 days total.

[Monkster]

Ripley/Lake Alexander is a two day hunt, but you do get some of the day on the Friday, after the orientation, to scout and hang stands, which is very nice.

[Jameson]

Sounds like an average hunt then young hunters experiencing the outdoors and enjoying the people they are with . Its probably not all about the kill or percent killed that this hunt is gaged by . Its a good thing the DNR cares enough about youth hunters to arrange this experience for them . Of coarse there are enough deer and with some nice winters there will be plenty more as always. Thanks to the people that arranged this hunt and helped out to make it work you are an asset to deer hunting

[Farmsfulltime]

Sounds as though this is a very rewarding hunt for the youth and the mentors, Thanks again to Beau Liddell and all the mentors for doing this for the youth and the future of deer hunting

It sounds as if MDHA and DNR were equaly involved and supportive of the effort.

[Farmsfulltime]

It is refreshing when deer organizations do positive things for the sport As the MDHA group has , positive in the woods youth actions Thank You

[mntatonka]

We should probably give credit where credit is due on this one....to the MDHA and MSAA who arrange the hunt, not the MN DNR. And that is not a complaint of the DNR at all. We need big government to do as little as possible when private organizations can get the job done.

And it's not just the corporate office of MDHA either that puts this on, it's also multiple chapter across the state. For example, Bluff Country sends one of their members to put the meals on, and pays him for his time.

[smsmith]

We should probably give credit where credit is due on this one....to the MDHA and MSAA who arrange the hunt, not the MN DNR.

My understanding is that the MSAA deserves most of the credit. MDHA also helps out, but MSAA really "runs the show"