Ripley

[kevfish1]

When do the ripley lottery results come out online?

[mitch]

I called the DNR and asked.  They said that everyone that applied was drawn.

[frogtosser]

Must be a lot lower numbers that applied.  I am sitting it out this year, after hunting it last year its not worth my time.

[ozzie]

my father in law and his brother have done this hunt for years and years and they both opted not to apply this year because they just don't see deer like they used to and basically not at all!

[monstermoose78]

I can't wait to hunt there again it would be awesome if I could get in every year.

[ANYFISH2]

Yeah, I know of 11 people that used to apply every year, that said no more this.

Just not enough deer to put up with the number of people in there for them.

I will Continue to apply, close to home and I still remember what it could be like, hope to hit it right once again .

[SmellEsox]

In 2005, hunters killed 19 bucks over 200 pounds.  In 2014 they shot 3.  What do you think your odds are of shooting a big boy in there?  Here's the breakdown.

2005 - 19, biggest 245

2006 - 16, biggest 244

2008 - 15, biggest 234

2009 - 12, biggest 265

2011 - 8, biggest 210

2014 - 3, biggest 207

To me it is obvious that the population has been hunted down hard.  Not even close to what it was in the past.  And the weights are way down.  We are hunting a much younger population than we were in the past.

[kevfish1]

I look forward to this hunt each and every year. I enjoy the hunt  if I see no deer or 100 deer. If hunters walk under me I ask them how it is going sith s smile on my face. For me it has nothing to do about the points or the weight. To each his own I guess

[SmellEsox]

The problem is, I can go anywhere and hunt and see young or no deer, or enjoy being with buddies.  I apply for Ripley for the chance at a big buck.  That was the draw for me, the chance to see a deer of a lifetime.  Don't feel that so much anymore.

[MUSKY18]

I believe that there are still some monsters in that place, just like everywhere else, just fewer of them.  So just for that alone I'll be sitting up a tree and waiting!

[ANYFISH2]

Something like 656 left over permits for first weekend and 123 leftover permits for second weekend.  

What a change, from only getting drawn every other year!

I wonder if they got them memo that the hunt needs/needed to be changed!

[DonBo]

 

 

Surplus permits available for Camp Ripley archery hunts

(Released September 10, 2015)

Hunters who missed the lottery deadline for the Camp Ripley archery hunt can purchase surplus permits on a first-come first-served basis beginning 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18. 

A total of 656 permits remain for the first hunt which runs Thursday, Oct. 15 and Friday, Oct. 16, while 123 permits remain for the second hunt which runs Saturday, Oct. 31 and Sunday, Nov. 1.

A person may only purchase a permit for one of the hunts. Hunters can purchase a surplus permit at any DNR license agent or online. Permits will remain on-sale as long as they are available, or until Friday, Oct. 2. Individuals who purchase a surplus permit will retain their accumulated preference for future Camp Ripley hunts.

The cost of the permit is $12. Hunters will need to use code 677 and then choose from one of the two hunt dates: Oct. 15-16 (Thursday and Friday, code 668) or Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 (Saturday and Sunday, code 669). Successful applicants will receive a hunt packet in the mail, which includes a notice that is required to enter the gates at Camp Ripley. The bag limit for this year’s hunt is one deer, and bonus permits may be used to take antlerless deer.

Additional rules and instructions are available at Minnesota Department of Natural Resources deer hunting Web page. The archery hunt at Camp Ripley is an annual event. The DNR coordinates the hunt with the Department of Military Affairs, which manages the 53,000-acre military reservation.

[nofishfisherman]

Well its a good chance for new hunters to get in there and scope things out in case the glory days return.

[ANYFISH2]

Thank you Donbo!

I still haven't figured out the link/copy paste thing.

[Ohboytimmy]

Thinking about getting a surplus for Mid Oct. You will never get that monster ripley buck if you sit at home and count up all your negative odds! And dude, you will be away from the wife!

Edited September 11, 2015 by Ohboytimmy
Typo

[SmellEsox]

Ohboytimmy, you'll have a better chance of hitting one on the highway with the truck on the way up there than shooting one in there.  Ha!  Good luck.

[DonBo]

Camp Ripley Fans have left the Building…

 

For the first time since 1954, the DNR does not have enough applicants to fill the Camp Ripley bow hunts.  The Ripley experience used to be a dream opportunity for the bowhunters of MN, but those days may be gone forever.  The Area Wildlife Manager rationalizes there are still too many deer in Camp, but the deer are gone and so are the hunters.

The deer are gone and so is the hunter interest in Camp Ripley.

Little Falls DNR Area Manager predicted a harvest of 150 deer for the 2014 Camp Ripley archery hunt.  Hitting that number meant we were managing for a 70% reduction from the 10 year average.  Hitting that number meant our DNR planned what happened in Camp Ripley.  Hitting that number should be of concern to those who hunt deer in MN.  We hit that number.  The Ripley experience has been eliminated by design.  These are the herd reductions are DNR was aiming for.

 

I predicted the decline for Camp Ripley applications in August of 2014, and I received this response from Area Manager Beau Liddel when I received the numbers that confirmed my fears in November:

 

‘Your cherry-picking.  The numbers and a 1 year trend are meaningless.  I need to get to other things, discussion over.’   (yes that is a direct quote)

 

Boots on the ground saw the decline coming.  For the first time in 60+ years they can’t fill the tags.  The trend is disturbing and not so meaningless.

We killed too many adult does, and it is killing the Ripley experience.

When Ripley was a big attraction, my company kept an entire resort open for 1 more week to house bowhunters from all over the United States.  When Ripley was a big attraction, hunters waited for the mailman to bring news of the drawing.  When Ripley was a big attraction, local merchants felt the effect.  Now you can’t get enough hunters to apply for total tags issued.  The local economic benefits are leaving with the hunters.

 

The unprecedented decline in applications sent a message to the MN DNR that the Ripley herd has been taken back too far.  The DNR response was to announce where and when the extra tags will go on sale.

 

Apparently the pending audit did not raise enough flags that our DNR may have taken the herd back too far.  Area manager Beau Liddel has once again shown his desire for low deer numbers.  Hunter satisfaction in the areas he oversees is abysmal.  Lazy hunters are not the issue, and the aggressive harvest of adult does that brought us here needs to be reigned in at Camp Ripley.

 

What will it take to garnish some change?  Its maddening.

 

Brooks Johnson

President MNBowhunters Inc

[Ohboytimmy]

Ohboytimmy, you'll have a better chance of hitting one on the highway with the truck on the way up there than shooting one in there.  Ha!  Good luck

Trying to keep positive.....

[Cheetah]

I have no plans to go back to Ripley for the foreseeable future, especially if they intend to drive the numbers down even further... 

[rkhinrichs]

sounds like a bunch of packer fans... living in the past!!! lol JK

[Ohboytimmy]

 The community around camp Ripley wants economy such as donbo wants, Ripley gets its cut of budgeting as well as MNDNR do. I don't understand how the organizations involved into "keeping the herd down at Ripley", would think its beneficial to steer away hunters from low deer harvest reports. Another prime example would be Mile Lacs and there walleyes!

 

As I am 6 years deep into self taught hunting ethics and donate my time and money into many organizations like .......nwtf, trcp, ducks unlimited, pheasants forever, and nation grouse society. The politics confuse me the worse.I try my best to learn both sides of governing officials with biologists and the public.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Ohboytimmy

[SmellEsox]

 The community around camp Ripley wants economy such as donbo wants, Ripley gets its cut of budgeting as well as MNDNR do. I don't understand how the organizations involved into "keeping the herd down at Ripley", would think its beneficial to steer away hunters from low deer harvest reports. Another prime example would be Mile Lacs and there walleyes!

 

As I am 6 years deep into self taught hunting ethics and donate my time and money into many organizations like .......nwtf, trcp, ducks unlimited, pheasants forever, and nation grouse society. The politics confuse me the worse.I try my best to learn both sides of governing officials with biologists and the public.

Their priority is to limit deer impacts on forest ecology and training interference.  They could not care less about the hunting experience/hunter satisfaction or the area economy.

[hockeybc69]

I hope that all the hunters that are fed up with the management at Ripley and have left hoping things return to the glory days; are sending a note to Beau Liddell and the Deer management teams in St Paul to voice their disappointment.

Too many people gripe on forums and dont take any personal action to ensure their voices are heard by the people that NEED to hear them.

[ozzie]

I would say the application numbers show pretty much the displeasure in the hunt....

[mnguy152]

Well ill still go for one it a cheap and fun trip. plus it chance to look at some diffent country. I go to get away I dontr feel the need to fill my tag there. been close a few times but never know unless you go. Plus it chance to do some people watching and meeting some new friends.