Info on Public Bowhunting Land Near Fargo

[Gforce]

Hi im goin to college at NDSU and looking for hunting land to try to get out on during the week after classes a couple of times. I probly go back home on the weekend to hunt in big stone county in minnesota but i wanted try to hunt around Fargo some. I read on a previous post that the sheyenne national grassland has the river bottoms and is popular bowhunting spot. i was wondering if there is any other public spot closer to fargo or any other good spots within a short driving distance so i dont have to stay over night in that area. I would take a weekend or two to hunt around here if i found a good spot. Im looking for a nice whitetail but i would love to bowhunt mulies if anyone has info on some public mulies i know its hard to give up good public spots to any one but any spot that you will give up will help thanks

[harvey lee]

You will have to head west a ways to find some mulies in North Dakota. The only places I am aware of are 1 hour away by the grasslands.

[Scoot]

Yep, what harvey said. Access on private land near Fargo is REALLY tough. Basically, all of the land owners are sick of guys knocking on their doors asking for permission to hunt. Many of them have been treated poorly by past hunters, but many more have been screwed over by poachers and others who don't seem to care about the law.

As for public land- what harvey said.

Mulies- you'll have to head almost 300 miles West to start seeing many of them. There's enough public land out there to hunt, but it's a hike for sure.

[Gforce]

How but some good public whitetails is there any spots close. like within 100 miles or less. if theres other good public land thats farther i would still like to go i would just spend a weekend there thanks.

[harvey lee]

If your in Fargo, south of the town of Leonard by the grasslands there is alot of public land. Early season there isnt to much for hunters so you can have your pick of places. Time wise to Leonard you are looking at approx at 45 minute drive. I will be up there for the next four days and if you would like more specific data on locations, I will reply on tuesday or you can call me this weekend at 701-645-9058.

Scoot might also know of some public hunting ground in thast area.

[Scoot]

Sorry, I don't know of much. Not much close that's public and no easy access to the private stuff. The closest good sized chunks that I know of are the ones harvey is referring to. Sorry... I'm no help on this one.

[brittman]

You could also watch the WPA and GMAs around Cass County. Generally small areas and more cattails than woodlots, but...

Pattern the deer the last hour each evening.

A ground blind would work better here. Take one when they are moving along their routes before dusk.

[brittman]

Wait a minute ... really good deer country on the Clay county side. If you have a resident MN bow license ... Head EAST of Fargo. I used to photgraph huge deer in velvet in August ... Ag country, heavy forests... all within 60 minutes of Fargo.

[Scoot]

I agree with brittman, but access is also really tough over there too. If you don't have a connection of some sort, it's getting tougher and tougher each year. Never hurts to ask though. There are definitely some nice people out there who will generously allow you to hunt on their property. ..

[gonefishin11]

Pick up a PLOTS guide and it shows all the public land. Some good land on the Sheyenne River and I had good luck getting permission from landowners there last year.

Use Google Earth or another internet satellite site and check out those WPAs and WMAs from the PLOTS guide to see if any have woods. This way you don't waste your time driving to every one only to find they are just grass and water.

[Crowing]

My vote goes to the sandhills(Sheyenne Grasslands). It's a great place to hunt. Unfortunately, I'm over at Duluth for college this year and I'm definitely missing hunting that area. Even if you don't get anything, it's definitely a beautiful area, especially the northern part.

The great thing about the northern part is that you can either sit and wait for deer or you can do some spot and stalk. They have both open, grassy plains and thick woods. And they do have mule deer there(very few, though). I saw one hunting last year...at first I thought it looked like a mulie, but didn't think it was since I didn't know they had them there, but I searched online and I guess they do have some.

Plus, they have a lot of trails in that area so if you're into off-roading, it's a fun time to get to your spot.

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