Randy Johnson
JustNorth Pro
Posts:647
 |
| 10/31/2005 5:18 PM |
|
Yea Hey to everyone!
Wanted to start out the Minnesota rifle hunting season by giving folks an update on what I am hearing around the state.
Basically north of Hwy 2 the deer have started the rut season. The woods have come alive with sign of rubs and scrapes. Look for funnel area's near water and small food plots with cover.
Hwy 94 to Hwy 2 is seeing mixed rut activity. As best I can tell, the area's that have seen rain or light rain seem to be seeing the rut start and the dry area's have little to no sign. Look for area's with thick cover and trails from bedding site to food spot to be your best bet.
South of 94 - very little activity, however, the deer are on the move. As the fields are harvested look for cover area's near wooded area's.
Here in my back yard - we have seen lots of rain and fog. The deer have just started the rut and we are seeing more activity in the early morning hours.
Remember - this is still tick season! I found 6 deer ticks so far in just the past two days!
Have a safe hunting season and keep us posted on how you are doing! I look forward to seeing pictures of your deer camp and plenty of deer!
Enjoy the experience
Randy Man |
|
Randy "RandyMan" Johnson
JustNorth Outdoors Columnist
JustNorth Outdoors Pro Staff
Team JustNorth Core Team |
|
|
Nathan Kestner
JustNorth Pro
Posts:430
|
| 11/01/2005 12:28 PM |
|
The daylight savings makes it a bit more difficult in getting out after work now. The bucks are sarting to run their scrapes around the Bemidji area. We need a good cold snap to really get things going though. |
|
Nathan "HogEye" Kestner
JustNorth Outdoors Columnist
JustNorth Outdoors Pro Staff
Team JustNorth Core Team |
|
|
Garrett Grams
JustNorth Newcomer
Posts:24
|
| 11/07/2005 6:54 PM |
|
hey...
I have read couple fourms and stuff and ive seen funnel used in them, like randyman said funnel in the start of this little thing,im 14 so youll see me asking bunch of questions, soo please answer...what is a funnel
Gman |
|
Gman
JustNorth Outdoors Junior Pro Staff |
|
|
Buck Anderson
JustNorth Pro
Posts:1118
|
| 11/07/2005 7:24 PM |
|
Hey Gman,
That is a very good question. 
A funnel area is a particular piece of terrain that forces the deer to move through it. An example would be a narrow strip of woods that is bordered by a lake on one side and a swamp on the other. Deer being creatures of comfort would rather move through the woods strip (funnel) then traverse the swamp. And obviously they don't want to swim the lake. Now that's an obvious example of a funnel. When selecting stand placement, you need to look for these natural funnels and you will increase your odds of seeing deer. 
|
|
Robb "Buck" Anderson
President
JustNorth Outdoors |
|
|
Garrett Grams
JustNorth Newcomer
Posts:24
|
| 11/07/2005 7:35 PM |
|
hey...
Thanks buck for answering my question
Gman
|
|
Gman
JustNorth Outdoors Junior Pro Staff |
|
|
Marshall Grams
JustNorth Newcomer
Posts:4
|
| 11/07/2005 7:36 PM |
|
| Hey Buck do you know who Gman and I are?? MARSHALL AND GARRETT of course!! |
|
MarshMan |
|
|
Buck Anderson
JustNorth Pro
Posts:1118
|
| 11/07/2005 7:38 PM |
|
Ya Hey!
Ol' Buck might get a little wet during opener but he knew who you guys are.  |
|
Robb "Buck" Anderson
President
JustNorth Outdoors |
|
|
Randy Johnson
JustNorth Pro
Posts:647
|
| 11/07/2005 8:00 PM |
|
Yea Hey to Marsh Man and Gman
Well - opener has passend and my party took some nice deer this weekend. Got to see LOTS of deer but nothing real big. We have a couple big bucks around ( see them at night ) but they will not seem to move during the day.
Crazy weather also!! Being in Zone 2 - we have the rest of this week to hunt. Even have old Liz coming in a couple of days - maybe he can find the big boys!
Keep it safe
Randy Man |
|
Randy "RandyMan" Johnson
JustNorth Outdoors Columnist
JustNorth Outdoors Pro Staff
Team JustNorth Core Team |
|
|
Iceman
JustNorth All-Star
Posts:145
|
| 11/07/2005 9:06 PM |
|
Randyman, just where you hunting in zone 2
i'm huning zone 2 area 243.. |
|
Jon Chapman
Ice Team Power Stick
|
|
|
Randy Johnson
JustNorth Pro
Posts:647
|
| 11/08/2005 11:54 AM |
|
 Iceman!
Good to hear from you! How did you and scumfrog do ??
I am hunting area 247 - we have been seeing ALOT of deer but nothing real big - maybe now that the weekend is over the big deer will begin to move? I have some folks coming this week to check it out - I would love to go out - but my bosss keeps me running pretty hard during the week!! I may be able to get out Friday night?
Hey - let me know how you are doing!
Enjoy the Experience!
Randy Man |
|
Randy "RandyMan" Johnson
JustNorth Outdoors Columnist
JustNorth Outdoors Pro Staff
Team JustNorth Core Team |
|
|
Iceman
JustNorth All-Star
Posts:145
|
| 11/08/2005 5:41 PM |
|
Randy, well scumfrog from never got out on stand even had to head back to the citys friday night some thing about his heat not working in the house..
i did get one fawn buck/doe on sat.night never seen any thing till tonight on the way home from work maybe tomarrow night i'll try for another deer.. |
|
Jon Chapman
Ice Team Power Stick
|
|
|
Randy Johnson
JustNorth Pro
Posts:647
|
| 11/13/2005 8:49 PM |
|
Well - overall we did very well - 2 very nice buck and 3 big doe.
The weather was wild on Saterday - so we took that time to process as much of the meat as possible. I had so much help that this year - we have all the meat done.
Sunday started pretty bad and the weather got beautiful by days end. OK - so it was a little cold and damp - but hey - its deer hunting!
Anyway - I had 3 small doe come past me but nothing big. I stayed out till it was pretty darn dark and had a big animal run past me. That was a rush!
How are you doing this season?
Randy Man |
|
Randy "RandyMan" Johnson
JustNorth Outdoors Columnist
JustNorth Outdoors Pro Staff
Team JustNorth Core Team |
|
|
wade morris
JustNorth Veteran
Posts:51
|
| 11/17/2005 4:38 PM |
|
| The hunt went well this year, nothing during the early hunt, but two does and a buck during the regular season... Anyone know what the statewide results are yet? wadem |
|
|
|
|
Buck Anderson
JustNorth Pro
Posts:1118
|
| 11/17/2005 5:55 PM |
|
Hi Wadem,
Welcome to JustNorth.
Glad to see you in the forums.
I am assuming you are asking about the Minnesota deer stats.
As of last weekend, the reports have been mixed. For many hunters, the opening weekend didn't go as planned. Registration totals revealed a lower take than planned.
According to Jeff Lightfoot, regional wildlife manager in Grand Rapids, fewer than 100,000 deer have been tallied by last Tuesday afternoon. He said the DNR officials were hoping for an opening weekend harvest somewhere in the vicinity of 130,000 to 140,000 deer.
On a side note, Ryan Lamberg of St. Cloud, MN bagged a 25-point buck near Bemidji. It dressed out at 200 pounds.
Brandon Kozak, 16, of St. Cloud shot a 22-point non-typical in Haven Township. It weighed 290 pounds.
I would expect some great hunting coming up this weekend. The weather has turned and the deer should  be moving.
|
|
Robb "Buck" Anderson
President
JustNorth Outdoors |
|
|
wade morris
JustNorth Veteran
Posts:51
|
| 11/17/2005 7:30 PM |
|
| Hey, thanks for the info. I have been looking all over for that. It's too bad more were not taken, we have way too many deer in the north woods. It's nice to hear some BIG deer were taken, but I was so cold sun. morning, that the forkhorn with the big body was all I wanted, to finish my season, and get to cutting up my deer. I hope that everyone had a safe and enjoyable hunt---I'll see ya out there next year. Gonna get da tirtee pointer!!! |
|
|
|
|
Randy Johnson
JustNorth Pro
Posts:647
|
| 11/19/2005 12:05 PM |
|
We did not see any big deer the first weekend - now its the weekend after zone 2 closed and the woods behind my house here is FULL of big bucks and doe's - last night I heard to bucks going at it just behind the garage!
Most the folks I talked to took small doe's for eating with few reporting getting anything real big. If this winter is good to the deer - we will have even a bigger population of deer.
Randy Man |
|
Randy "RandyMan" Johnson
JustNorth Outdoors Columnist
JustNorth Outdoors Pro Staff
Team JustNorth Core Team |
|
|
Garrett Grams
JustNorth Newcomer
Posts:24
|
| 11/20/2005 8:54 PM |
|
hey...
I havent seen to many deer while on the road or in the stand and I havent heard of too many being shot. I dont know if you guys are haveing the same exprince this hunting season but I am soo if you guys would answer this...Wheres all the deer and Why is it soo different this year
We still got some nice dear tho
Gman |
|
Gman
JustNorth Outdoors Junior Pro Staff |
|
|
wade morris
JustNorth Veteran
Posts:51
|
| 11/23/2005 5:24 PM |
|
| Randyman, Thanks for taking the time to give me a call last night, it's always nice to talk to people "back home" in Gods country. This exile in ND is (hopefully) only temporary. I want to get back to my own little spot in the woods near Clearbrook in June/July when our lease runs out. But, I have to make the little lady happy, too. I will try to set up time for any fishing trip you guys set up. If anyone wants to fish some nice cats on the Red in the spring, let me know, Just bring a couple of musky or heavy pike rods, some good line (I like 40 pound powerpro, but some guys go with 20 and do ok. Looking on the net today I found more on the hunt stats for this past weekend. According to the Star/Tribune: There are an estimated 1.2 million deer in the state, last year about 260,000 were taken. This year it is expected to be down about 10%. Thief River area- down about 12%. Brainerd area- down 18%. Grand Rapids down 28%. Don't know where they all hide during season!!!! Speaking of venison, my lovely bride to be has some tenderloin about to come out of the oven, so I'm heading for the table. wadem |
|
|
|
|
Randy Johnson
JustNorth Pro
Posts:647
|
| 11/25/2005 8:50 AM |
|
Gman to answer your question - They hide! the weather has been pretty nice overall during this season - deer are alot like Walleye in that when the sun is out - temps are warm, ect. the Walleye tend to go deep and feed mainly at night - well - deer follow this same pattern. I have a trail in the woods behind my house here and over this last season I wanted to see how many deer moved in the evening. Not having a trail camera - I decided to go low tech - I just raked the ground clear on the trail. I did this for 4 evenings in a row - 3 of these days we had nice weather. I found that on those days, the raked area had lots of deer prints in the morning. The 4th evening ( after a full day of nasty weather) I raked the area as I had in the past only to find two deer prints in the morning. That day my hunting party and I had a blast! The deer moved until almost noon - thats when the weather got nice again. Also, with the last 3 years being warm during the rifle season - the deer have not hit full rut. Here in the Brainerd lakes area - we saw most bucks hitting rut at the end of the zone 1 season.
Wadem - Hey - was real nice to talk with you also! Plan on me coming this spring for some cat fishing!!!
I am hearing alot of %'s for this year and they are all a little different - the only real common theme is - rifle hunters did not take near enough deer to get the population in check.
My guess is that for next year - we will again see lots of area's having intensive harvest plans.
Hope everyne had a wonderful Turkey day!
Randy Man
|
|
Randy "RandyMan" Johnson
JustNorth Outdoors Columnist
JustNorth Outdoors Pro Staff
Team JustNorth Core Team |
|
|
Garrett Grams
JustNorth Newcomer
Posts:24
|
| 11/25/2005 11:47 AM |
|
hey...
Thanks Randyman
Gman |
|
Gman
JustNorth Outdoors Junior Pro Staff |
|
|