2016 MN Deer – Thoughts before the opening day.

Here we go again. I know bow season has been open for a while, but here comes the firearms opener in MN.

For 33 years now, since the age of 12, I have taken the stand every year with only 2 years missed when I was not in the country. I love this time of year, even more now that I have sons of my own who have started joining me and I have my own property to hunt.

A few observations on the eve of the 2016 Minnesota firearms season opener.

– In my area (159) the deer populations are up significantly from the years after the 2012 and 2013 winter kills that dramatically reduced the deer numbers in our area. In 2014, we had only 4-5 deer that were regular visitors to my property, now we have somewhere between 12 and 15 that are on the cams almost every day. I saw a field last weekend that had over 20 deer in it and this is the first time I’ve seen anything near those numbers since the early 2000s.

I know the numbers are not up significantly everywhere, but I also have reservations about assuming that the massive deer numbers from 1990 to 2005 should be considered “normal”.

It will be interesting to see if hunter numbers start to increase again. My area is still heavily hunted, but nothing like it was 20 years ago. The last 4 seasons it’s been deadly silent on opening day with barely a shot heard every hour. The contrasts dramatically to the “war on the horizon” of years and decades past.

– The weather we now experience has changed deer hunting for me. Deer hunting used to be an early winter sport, but now it’s almost always autumn-like at the very coldest. I have to be careful what I wish for, but I do miss hunting in the snow.

– This is the first year in about a decade when I see signs that the rut is building in time for the season. The rut has been almost like a unicorn, that thing that is supposed to be real, but never is seen. It will be interesting to see if the bucks are really in pursuit come the season.

– I love how we hunt now–today. Ground blinds, metal stands, high-tech clothing, oh and a mobile phone to keep me entertained so I stay on the stand. IMO it’s just better, safer, and more comfortable out there now.

But we no longer have a “deer camp” like we did back in the day. I miss that flavor and companionship and thinking about it is also a sharp reminder that time moves on and each year fewer and fewer of the old guys return. I always hunt with them in my memory, I hope they feel my thoughts that they were there for some of the best times in my memory.

Best of luck out there in 2016.

Grouse

Good luck and have a safe hunt

Gonna be exciting again ! How come you don’t have “deer camp” you still do… ?? The old guys are replaced by new old guys… (us now) and the young are brought along as always.

Mn opener makes me sad. I used to participate but my deer camp died. Literally.

Our deer camp has dwindled over the years as well. Kids grow up, people move on to other groups, and we’re left with a small group and hardly any of the fun comradery I would hear stories about from years ago. My father-in-law and I don’t get along the best and in his elder years he seems to have created a ban on inviting any “outsiders” into the deer camp. There are barely 4 of us now when they built a shack to sleep 10+!

Someday it will just be my husband Billy and I and I tell ya, it’s a difficult task trying to build a new group as a woman. Apparently not everyone’s spouse is open-minded to being comfortable with a woman hunter in the camp and it’s truly unfortunate that I’m viewed as having ill-intentions in this regard. When I’m hunting, I’m no woman – I’m a hunter and that’s all that should matter.

Our deer camp broke up for the same reasons as others. Unfortunately, 2 of the founders died very suddenly, the land access situation changed, and the kids–of which, I was one of the 6 or 7–all grew up and went their own way with hunting or stopped entirely.

It would be nice to build a new camp, but I’ve come 180 degrees from growing up in a place where EVERYBODY hunted (or so it seemed) to a place where I’m beginning to feel a little like an endangered species. My sons have hardly any friends who have parents who hunt. My oldest son had an archery theme birthday party in October and it was THE party of the year because none of the kids that went had even held a real bow. Ever.

Things will start again when the new cabin is done at my property and the boys and I will have a place of our own. Still, I feel bad in this day and age with land access being so difficult to come by for some, and then I’ve got 2 guys hunting 80 acres and probably soon to be 120 acres.

Grouse

My thoughts are it’s going to be too warm. Seeing 60’s predicted in the Walker area for Sat. Not good for hanging a deer in a tree. Nice for sitting I guess.

Sharon wrote:

Apparently not everyone’s spouse is open-minded to being comfortable with a woman hunter in the camp and it’s truly unfortunate that I’m viewed as having ill-intentions in this regard.

Sharon, you have to understand, that for the best part of the last 20,000 or so years, the phrase, “Bringing some women into hunting camp,” had a completely different meaning.

I had a good laugh with a former co-worker who is one of the crusty old guys in what is now a completely modern deer camp. He and his brother (both 70-some years old) now preside over a deer camp of 13 people. 2 crusty old guys, their 2 sons, 1 boy, and 8 girls from age 10 to 22.

I asked him once what deer camp was like and he said it’s mainly pink with lots of stuff that smells like strawberries and coconuts. He got all the way to his stand one day and realized he had accidentally put on someone else’s jacket and there he sat wearing a camo pattern that had little pink deer heads blended in with the pattern.

About 6 years ago he lit a cigar and got chased out of his own cabin and had to smoke outside. He does grudgingly admit that the new indoor plumbing and the addition of the Girls and Boys bathrooms is kind of nice, if not exactly in keeping with the traditions of great and grungy deer camps of the past.

Grouse

For the first time in a good number of years, I’m going to miss the whole first week of the season, only the second time I can remember.
I am “that guy”, the one that got married during deer season. In my defense I was living in Colorado when I got hitched, and elk/deer started in September.
I guess a week at an all-inclusive resort isnt a bad thing, but……

That said, I will be out with my 14 year old at o’dark hundred the second sunday. Never hunted with more than my father-in-law or my son, grew up in a non-hunting family. We hunt public on the northern edge of 156. Numbers appear to be up some, but I’m not even buying a gun license this year, just going to bow hunt thru-out. I’ll put Junior in a ground stand and hope he gets a chance for his first deer. The last 3 years have been pretty dang tough up here for deer numbers.

Grouse, regarding the rut, I can say in the Cloquet area it has definitely started. Got a pic on my camera from Saturday night, of an up to this time, never before seen 9 pointer that’ll go over 200#. Right above his head in the pic was a scentstick of Tink’s 69
I also found 3 scrapes when I was clearing a wheeler/sled trail near my place last Thursday.

Good luck to all of those out this weekend, we’ll join ya in the stand next weekend!

SpoonbillSlayer wrote:

Seeing 60’s predicted in the Walker area for Sat.

Jeeze that is warm for deer season! It’s tough to lollygag and hang around camp when you’ve got deer needing to get butchered and in the fridge. I haven’t been deer hunting long (almost ten years) and have not had to endure -10 below while sitting in the stand. Good for the hanging deer, but I’d freeze my toes off!

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

He does grudgingly admit that the new indoor plumbing and the addition of the Girls and Boys bathrooms is kind of nice, if not exactly in keeping with the traditions of great and grungy deer camps of the past.

Can you call it deer camp if you have indoor plumbing? Lol, sounds ritzy!

Sharon wrote:

Grouse, regarding the rut, I can say in the Cloquet area it has definitely started. Got a pic on my camera from Saturday night, of an up to this time, never before seen 9 pointer that’ll go over 200#. Right above his head in the pic was a scentstick of Tink’s 69

In the last week, 2 new bucks showed up on my cams. They are both strutting around stiff-legged with that nose out position. It’s pretty clear what they are up to.

I have strongly suspected in the past 4-5 years that the rut had not even started until late in the deer season (100 zone). This is the first time in years that I’ve see the chase getting started before the season opened.

Grouse

Yup, even with the mild fall it seems they are moving pretty heavy this year. Another new buck was on my cam a week ago Sunday, a smaller 6 point that my wife and son saw on our road just a day before. Since I have feed or minerals out at the house year round, and run a cam there off and on, seeing these two for the first time was a real suprise to me. I’m bow hunting in/around a cedar swamp that is less than 5 minutes from the house, and apart from seeing one small 3 pointer, its been all does/yearlings/fawns.
Nice to see those horns around even if I havn’t been in the right place at the right time (yet )

And that means that there are some good genes being passed around for the future around the area.

My “deer camp” is nothing like what some of you have experienced. I didn’t get into deer hunting until my 20’s and it was only my dad and I that hunted. Now, my dad no longer hunts, but I have 3 boys. 2 of which will be able to carry firearms this year. One is 15 and he shot his first solo deer last year, I nice (for us) 8 pt buck. My middle man is 10 and is able to carry a firearm and shoot one if the chance arises. BTW, I am really thankful the DNR has this type of thing for the younger kids. Its more fun for them at that age to be able to shoot at something than to just sit in the stand.
So, the 10 year old will sit with me and my 15 YO will be in his own stand about 200 yards away. We have fun watching “big brother” in his stand with the binoculars and taking bets on whether or not he is sleeping.
I have some of the most hilarious stories from hunting with my kids. It brings a smile to my face and total utter embarrassment to them when I recant the stories. I don’t have the “deer camp” stories with a bunch of guys playing cards, but in all honesty, I don’t think I would want it any different.
Here’s to hoping each of you have a safe hunt and may a “monster swamp buck” (my oldest’s description of a big buck that he was about to shoot last year, but a red squirrel scared it by chattering LOL) walk by your stand broadside at 50 yards.

My deer hunting experience has completely changed from my informative years. Back when I started we were a large full fledged drive hunting crew. Over the years older members have dropped out of the group. I only have one uncle at age 75 that still participates. Land access and logistics have changed from those youthful years. New competition has increased. Our available area has shrunk. A move to WI puts me into a non-resident tag. I only buy one MN deer license these days and it’s an archery one. Opening day has become a 6 week window starting in Sept when the woods are quiet and no one is hunting. The only deer hunting activity is the neighboring crew checking firearms stand locations on a weekend or two. A couple cousins and myself basically have the woods to ourselves. I’ve basically traded the nostalgia of the old time deer crew for time and space. The game is different but no less rewarding. New ideas and new opportunities. We’re more likely to take advantage of the opportunities available. I’ve approached things with a lot more flexibility these days. That might mean a waterfowl blind in the morning and bow stand in the evening. A morning bow stand and afternoon devoted to grouse.

I still enjoy visiting some of the old deer hunting haunts but it’s usually with a grouse gun in hand.