Where are the deer in this state!

[Beeber]

I probably shouldn't say this but I have seen more deer this season than almost any in my 20+ years of hunting in our area. It is amazing what 8 or 9 back to back years of relatively easy winters has done to the deer population. Even the greater presence of wolves has not had a major impact.

[james_walleye]

First of all, unfortunately, if your used too hunting some good land in IA than about anything you find in MN will be disappointing, especially if your looking for "trophys". As far as not seeing a deer during the firearms season, i believe the full moon killed alot of the action. I know alot of guys who were up north, all who normally do well, no problem filling tags. For the most part none of these guys even saw deer opening weekend much less harvested any. The late rut? Opening weekend for me here in SE MN was nuts, for the first hour of each day that is. Its the only time i saw any deer. Every buck that i had in range was grunting like a pig, it was pretty cool. The day before opener my uncle watched a dandy buck mount a doe 3 times in the middle of a picked cornfield bordering the land we had permission too hunt.

[Eyehawk]

I am from the Foley area, and I saw plenty of deer, more than I usually do for rifle season. You must be hunting the wrong places or need to put more time in scouting, because my buddy's dad shot a 12 point buck with a 24 inch inside spread just south of St. Cloud near the Bauerly's pit. Plus you have to realize your in a well populated area, with alot of people who deer hunt, mainly rifle or slug season. So with many hunters out for gun season means the deer get smart fast and know where to go and hide, which is usually CRP or private land that doesn't get hunted and those people dislike deer hunters anyways. Also with the high # of hunters in area, most bucks get shot at a young age. I know the land that I hunt and the area around won't see a buck 3 1/2 years old or over that age because most bucks get shot before that in our neighborhood.

Farmers chisel plow most fields after they harvest them, they really could careless about the deer, because they need to get their crops in and land plowed before freeze up. I really wouldn't say the St. Cloud area is a waste of your time, you should try getting into the city hunt there, because I'm sure you would see deer, especially south of the college. With all the hardwoods and river bottom deer and fields in that area, the deer are around, just need to put time into scouting and ask permission to hunt the land if it is private, because in the St. Cloud area there is virutially no public or state land at all. Which sucks as being in the northern part of the state for the last 5 years and having all the state land a guy could ever want to bow hunt to yourself in some areas.

[Shoot2Kill]

Quote:

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I am from the Foley area, and I saw plenty of deer, more than I usually do for rifle season. You must be hunting the wrong places or need to put more time in scouting, because my buddy's dad shot a 12 point buck with a 24 inch inside spread just south of St. Cloud near the Bauerly's pit. Plus you have to realize your in a well populated area, with alot of people who deer hunt, mainly rifle or slug season. So with many hunters out for gun season means the deer get smart fast and know where to go and hide, which is usually CRP or private land that doesn't get hunted and those people dislike deer hunters anyways. Also with the high # of hunters in area, most bucks get shot at a young age. I know the land that I hunt and the area around won't see a buck 3 1/2 years old or over that age because most bucks get shot before that in our neighborhood.

Farmers chisel plow most fields after they harvest them, they really could careless about the deer, because they need to get their crops in and land plowed before freeze up. I really wouldn't say the St. Cloud area is a waste of your time, you should try getting into the city hunt there, because I'm sure you would see deer, especially south of the college. With all the hardwoods and river bottom deer and fields in that area, the deer are around, just need to put time into scouting and ask permission to hunt the land if it is private, because in the St. Cloud area there is virutially no public or state land at all. Which sucks as being in the northern part of the state for the last 5 years and having all the state land a guy could ever want to bow hunt to yourself in some areas.

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I appreciate your comments but I am no rookie when it comes to this. I have put in more hours scouting this fall than I ever have, put over 500 miles on my truck spot lighting in August to find an actual deer population, and got permission to hunt over 1000 acres of private ground. Belive me..I've put in the time to warrant a question as to where the deer are. Is it the wrong 1000 acres, maybe. Next year I'll get permission for 1000 more and go from there.

For those of you thinking I'm "not hunting" believe me I am obsessed with scent, wind direction, bedding areas, etc. It's just been a poor year. I did actually see 4 does yesterday while I was bowhunting. Had one of the does at about 60 yards working my way until she bolted like a rocket and I wondered "what the heck!". About 5 minutes later I figured it out....a tresspassing muzzleloader hunter comes walking through the timber and proceeded to walk directly under my stand and had no idea I was even there. I could have killed all 4 of those does with a smokepole....do people have something against actually sitting in a stand? Seems like I see and hear about lots of people out "walking" around.

Thanks for the comments everyone...the season ain't over yet and as soon as it is I'll be starting to scout for next year.

[Swill]

Shoot2kill...

nice photos on web site!

If you would ever like to tag team all the scouting, and or hunting stand preparations, i am always game... i live in Sherburne County, and my place is roughly 35 minutes from downtown saint cloud.

my e-mail is below....

[email protected]

Swill

[Shoot2Kill]

Swill, thanks man...I'll definetely take you up on that since my wife and I really don't know anybody around here. Did you read the first part of this thread? Wanna shoot some yotes this winter? I'm a big shed hunter too once the time rolls around...it's always easier to keep walking for sheds if you've got a partner so if you're game for that you're more than welcome to join me. I just sent you an email.

[chris63]

Mama nature states"where there are lots of wolves there are lots of deer"seems to make sense anyway.c63

[Borch]

Shoot2kill,

Shoot me an email.

It's not looking like I'll ge tto go scouting but I can narrow your search a bit.

[Shoot2Kill]

Borch...thank you very much for your offer. I don't have your email and can't figure out how to send you a PM on here (can we do that?). Here is my email - [email protected] Thanks man.