Camp Ripley 2016

[ANYFISH2]

FYI, All applicants who properly apply for both hunts are successful again this year due to both hunts being under subcribed.

Hope all us have good luck.

[leech~~]

Wow, that may really tell how the hunt has dropped off in there from years ago.  Good luck though.

[ANYFISH2]

I think it does!

[Wanderer]

I guess I better put in for a couple days of PTO!  Went for the first season due to other scheduled events for October.

It'll be a new experience hunting camp and sleeping in my own bed. 

I'll have to admit it took a little convincing to get the rest of the party to apply but we're looking at it as a rebuilding year.  I don't plan on spending all my time in the stand.  There's a lot of the camp I haven't seen yet.

[nofishfisherman]

Hopefully it can get back to what it once was.  In the meantime its a good time to get in there and use it as a scouting trip where you can really get in and explore a little more in hopes of bettering your odds when and if things ever get better.

 

[Bear55]

Can you get a tag over the counter if there are extras?

[ANYFISH2]

The surplus tags are going over the counter, I just haven't heard the date yet.

[Bear55]

Cool, not even sure I am going to get one but you never know. I'd love to see them totally restructure the hunt but it will probably never happen. Give people a week to hunt and lower the numbers, I'd rather hunt 1 full week with 500 hunters every 5 years than get in every year or every other year with 2500 hunters. Of course this is from a hunting perspective only so probably not ideal if you are running a military base.

[ANYFISH2]

I like that idea!

But I am sure the guard dosent want to shut down training for a whole week for hunters, probably major money loss.

But on a side note, the leaders of the base are the ones whom got the bag limits back to 1, with no bonus permits.  So they saw a issue and are going to bat to fix it.  I couldn't be happier.

Edited September 2, 2016 by ANYFISH2

[rkhinrichs]

I wish I could of hunted Ripley in its hay day! Not worth wasting a weekend!

[Wanderer]

I guess that depends on what your definition of "waste" is.

 

Y'all can wait until us die yards start getting big bucks again before you come back, but by then we'll have the best spots fine tuned! 

 

To each their own. 

[monstermoose78]

I have hunted Ripley from the time I was 12 and that was 26 years ago my dad hunted in the first hunt at Ripley. I can say I saw plenty of deer last year. Not the 20+ a day but had 18 with killing range no big bucks but I took a doe. This year it will need a big rack for me to shoot. Best of luck.

[Wanderer]

Surplus permits go on sale tomorrow, the 16th.

257 permits available for the second hunt.

1,081 for the first! . Wow!

Anyone who ever complained about being covered up in other hunters in the past shouldn't have an issue during the first hunt this year.  The old game plans can about go out the window.

I'd like to see them include the offer to buy surplus permits to those that DID apply.  It would give the die hards more time to play.

[hockeybc69]

Beau Liddell is not in charge of the hunt any more.... So there could be a glimmer of hope that it might turn around.....

[monstermoose78]

I do not understand why people think Ripley is a Dead Sea or woods.  Populations go up and down winter controls deer numbers more than hunters.    I like this new Ripley I have shot a deer the last 3  years there. The best part is not as many other hunters!! But the does not help get the deer moving.

[mnguy152]

well way our party looks at it few days of something new look at plus a cheap trip

[Wanderer]

I saw one of those stout Ripley Bucks over the weekend.  Nice deep body, heavy chocolate brown rack.  Pretty sure it was a 10 but I didn't get the time I needed to examine it close enough to tell for sure.

i just thought I hoped to see him again. 

[SmellEsox]

On 9/19/2016 at 6:36 AM, monstermoose78 said:

I do not understand why people think Ripley is a Dead Sea or woods.  Populations go up and down winter controls deer numbers more than hunters.    I like this new Ripley I have shot a deer the last 3  years there. The best part is not as many other hunters!! But the does not help get the deer moving.

Maybe, but the total kill and the kill of big bucks had been declining significantly before the tough winters hit.  Look at the kill stats from the early 2000s on.  Massive increase in doe harvest when bonus tags were allowed.  That, combined with wolf predation and winter drove the herd down extremely low.  IMVHO, you can't keep whacking the heck out of does when you have other very significant mortality factors at play.

On a positive note, talking to one of the environmental staff this past June, he said they had been seeing more big bucks this year.  Hopefully one walks past me.

 

Good luck everyone!

Edited September 30, 2016 by SmellEsox

[monstermoose78]

seeing I will not have a bonus tag the does are safe at Ripley but a buck will need to be wall hanger before I shoot 

[SmellEsox]

On 9/30/2016 at 8:06 PM, monstermoose78 said:

seeing I will not have a bonus tag the does are safe at Ripley but a buck will need to be wall hanger before I shoot 

Will be going in with the same strategy monstermoose.  Good luck.

[ANYFISH2]

I will be going in with the first decent buck, I do have low standards now, mentality.  Yet to harvest a buck with my bow, after 18 seasons.

I will be spending the evenings with the deployed soldiers this week, I will report back on how Thier hunt went.

[ANYFISH2]

Yesterday, 1 doe was shot by the deployed soldiers and 1 fork buck by the Disabled Veterans.

 It sounded very slow in the morning, the evening seemed better for deer sightings but few opportunities.

[Wanderer]

Darn it!  Hoped they'd have more opportunity.  Thanks for posting the results.  

Before people see this as a negative, the harvest across the state is also down.

[ANYFISH2]

Thursdays results weren't much different.  

The deployed soldiers ended their hunt with harvesting 3 deer, a 3pt, and 2 does.

The DAV hunt ended with 2, a 4pt and doe.

There were a number deer seen Thursday morning, resulting in a couple missed and 2 killed.  The evening for all intents and purpose was slow, a lot of hunters blanked. I believe the weather played a big role in this year's hunt.

Next up is the youth hunters this weekend.  Hope they find success and fun.

[certified jumbo]

Thanks for posting the results.  Hope the youth can give some a dirt nap next weekend!