camp ripley

[polaris boy]

i have a few questions, this will be my first time goin i got in the first weekend. I heard head to the thick stuff. Can anyone tell me is it thick along the river and also where would you head for the first time there. Also should i stay south or head north. How long does it take to get up north. thanks dan

[monstermoose78]

seeing its your first time i would just find a spot where it does not look like people are and get in the woods. Along the river well just remember you might be swimming for your deer once you stick it. The north end is hilly with oaks and piles of people but people are every where. Worse come to worse walk around and look for a spot so sunday you have a an idea where you want to head. Watch you deer close i lost a nice buck to someone else i only let it have a half hour and i found a gut pile. it was not even a true monster just a nice buck hope that guy likes my deer on his wall.

[ANYFISH]

I would agree to find a piece of woods that looks unhunted when you pass. I often hunt the river bottoms and will be there this year, most of it is wide open (no understory)have to get high up in the tree. With the very little rain we have gotten this year any pothole with water left maybe the key. Also I live less than 10 miles away, if the oaks are producing as little in Camp as they are on my land the oaks will not draw feeding doe groups.

Hope this helps some, maybe see you out there, good luck.

[polaris boy]

do u think hunting within a few miles of the gate would be a waste a see a few spots close to the gate. thanks danny also can anyone tell me where the thicker brush is. im not lookin for a exact spot just a direction

[maros91]

The south part of camp is mainly brush/swamp and fields. North is hills. When you find a spot, make yourself sit all day. People will push deer to you.

[archerystud]

For any first timer, I'd recommend getting in the woods and see if someone chases you something for the first morning until noon. Then maybe drive around and find or scout out a spot if you don't have any luck.

[jerk bait]

Like everybody else said find a spot and stay put. The deer will be on the move all day long. I look for bottlenecks or any small cover connecting big cover like an island of trees in a field between larger woods. There will be main trails and the deer use them all day long. I had my best luck at mid-day when everybody else is finding new spots.

[polaris boy]

thanks guys for the repleys keep them coming, also how long does it take to get up north, also where do the majority of hunters go. im asking to stay away from this. thanks to all

[jerk bait]

I think the camp is 20 miles from north to south. There is a speed limit in camp I think it's 30 mph. There are MPs patroling and they will give you a ticket. The road gets pretty dusty in the morning which limits the visability. You will probably only be able to drive 15-20 mph. There are hunters everywhere. The only thing like I said before is to use them to your advantage. I would also stay away from the dud zones. The deer know they are refuges and when they're hit they head right to them and are gone. If you go north I would find the tree islands that I mentioned before. They don't look like the best deer hunting spots but you will be suprised what you see. I hunted at camp many times and I saw the most deer from 10 - 2. Good Luck report back on your trip.

[DRH1175]

Stay put. Find a good escape route and stay put!!! Midday is the best time to hunt. I have a couple spots that I found last year that I scouted The second afternoon email me and I will send you the Coordinates. I actually have about 3 good looking spots that I will share. Get in or close to the thick stuff.

[polaris boy]

thanks that would be great drh. How can i get a hold of you for the coordinates?

[bigbucks]

I need a clarification on Ripley. The info says you can take a second antlerless deer with a bonus tag. Would this count as a managed area meaning you can only take the additional doe if you haven't already taken deer in another managed area? I'm kind of assuming that it doesn't matter, but can't really tell from the info.

This may be a question for lcornice.

[DRH1175]

polaris boy. [email protected] and I will send them to ya.

[polaris boy]

drh it wont let me email to you can you please try to me? thanks danny

[polaris boy]

[email protected] thanks drh

[ANYFISH]

Bigbucks,

Camp Ripley is considered part of deer area 248 which is an intensive harvest area (5 deer), camp downs the limit to 2 to try to control harvest in that installation. So as to your question, if you hunt in managed area's during your season you would still be allowed to harvest 2 deer (total) in those areas. I hope this answers your question.

[bigbucks]

It does very well thank you. I was basically wondering if say I'm very fortunate next weekend or sometime before Ripley to have a buck walk in that's big enough that I'm not willing to pass on it, assuming I see a doe in Ripley I could still shoot it.

[ANYFISH]

bIGBUCKS.

Absolutely, you can could still shoot two does in camp and still be able to shoot another doe in your managed area. I would encourage it as you living in Long Prairie have probably driven along the west end of camp on hwy 1 and know that the deer are like pests crossing that road. They could use some thinning on that side of camp. I will be in on the second weekend, doing my best to manage herd. good luck!