Zone 156

[Zone156hunter]

We just bought some land last year in Zone 156 just east of McGrath.

We had sold our land over by Frazee Mn and had decent success but it was just to far to drive.

This year for 4 of us we sat 3 days all day sits and didn't see one deer.  Trail cameras are showing deer at night as well as a few wolves.

How did everyone else do in this area and what should we expect moving forward?

We put 5 acres of food plots, clover and brassicas in and the deer don't seem to even be touching them.

 

Thanks,
156Man

[NWKR]

I hunt around 30 miles NE of you in 156. How close is the closest farming areas and what do they have planted? I am guessing mostly grass hay with red clover and possibly some alfalfa? The deer will get concentrated closer to the food, the wolves seem to roam large wooded and swamp areas moving from food source to food source. Which usually means cattle and deer. IME deer can be pushed 1/2+ miles by wolves. If you have <160 acres the deer might be hanging out at the neighbor's place for days or even a week or two when wolves move through. And 156 only had 10 adult DPSM estimated by the DNR in 2014, I haven't seen 2015 DPSM but I am guessing DNR estimates probably at least 12 DPSM. So that is 12 adult deer per 640 acres, on average in a 800+ square mile permit area. They get concentrated around food and other prime habitat areas that they prefer, so if that isn't your immediate area, you are probably closer 6-8 adult DPSM. Not pretty when there are that many hunters per sq mile as well. You need something special to see a decent amount of deer in wolf country. 

5 acres is a lot of food, should be pulling  a decent amount of deer, but only if they are around. It can take deer a couple years to get start eating brassicas if they haven't seen them before. I have talked to some other hunters near McGrath and things have been scarce for a 4+ years. 10 years ago there were a lot of deer.

How is bedding, hard mast, browse, young growth forest, thermal cover, etc/ overall habitat around you? Figure out the lowest holes and start making habitat improvements, I find that much more enjoyable than just hunting the land that I own.  

FWIW - we had 3 hunters hunting Saturday and Sunday. 25 "deer sightings" which I estimate at around 12 unique deer, only 2 young 1.5 year old bucks. The 3 hunters stayed in a approx 100 acre area. We estimated there have been 6, 2.5+ year old bucks based on trail cameras but no sightings while hunting. Have not talked to all of the neighbors yet about how they did.