Trying To Pick My Spot

[CAB]

Just moved to MN and I'm super excited to get back into Whitetail. Growing up in Maine you had a good season hunting if you saw a deer let alone killed one. Now that I'm here, I see where the highest harvest numbers are in the state and part of me wants to go there as it would be closer to where I live. This is where the orange army and most people hunt as well, as these GMUs are no secret. I would prefer to avoid the crowds so I can camp out and solo hunt. My question is this:

Would you:
Option 1: Try to get cleaver and hunt closer to where you live, scout it a lot, but deal with loads of other hunters

Option 2: Go more remote and rely on the fact the state is heavily populated with deer but get few scouting sessions in.

I love remote hunting but I also really enjoy deer meat. Just wanted to see what other think.

 

[30338]

I'd only consider archery hunting in about any midwestern state. So that said, I'd hunt closer and use a bow.

 

[CAB]

I'd only consider archery hunting in about any midwestern state. So that said, I'd hunt closer and use a bow.

Definitely will be doing that. I guess for rifle I should go more remote and closer for archery.

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[aaronmn]

Don't overlook the small stuff - not a ton of bow pressure compared to other states.

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[CAB]

Don't overlook the small stuff - not a ton of bow pressure compared to other states.

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Roughly 92k archers in the state so I'm hoping not All of them will be in that area. I won't really know till I try

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[wind gypsy]

I moved to Monticello last year and thought I might have some neat public close by. The stuff I’ve checked is crawling with people during archery season so I’d probably get a little further out.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Just got my 2020 MN swamp buck back from the taxidermy when I was there earlier this month. PM me more details about where you’re at and I’ll see if I can help.

 

[Actual_Cryptid]

Growing up we had a shared lease, about 10 dudes and their kids and tagalongs. All 10 paid up, did upkeep. Only, one of the ten, a guy I'll call Cookie, hadn't shot a deer in a decade. He did maintenance, paid his share, he'd come out to the camp with us, bring a stack of books, cook for everybody, played guitar by the fire. During the day he'd take Hercule Poirot or Ms. Marple to a stand on a back corner and just read and look around at the outside. Sometimes he didn't even take a rifle.

If you like the remote hunt, I say that's your ticket. Me, I like a hunt where the only folks I see are on the roads to and from. That way if I see nothing, oh well just a bad day. If I'm packed to the gills with 9 other trucks parked up, then I'm liable to feel pretty salty if I don't see anything.

 

[CAB]

I moved to Monticello last year and thought I might have some neat public close by. The stuff I’ve checked is crawling with people during archery season so I’d probably get a little further out.

I'm guessing you might have been looking a bit north of where you are near that Millie Lac area which is what I've been looking at. Lots of deer get pulled out of that general area but there is around 13 hunters per sq miles.

 

[CAB]

Just got my 2020 MN swamp buck back from the taxidermy when I was there earlier this month. PM me more details about where you’re at and I’ll see if I can help.

View attachment 351604

Beautiful buck btw!

 

[hh76]

I'm in the same boat in WI. I do both.

My fun trips are a few hours north, where I can get away from the crowds, and really get in deep. I don't get a lot of scouting in, but I like the idea of sitting on fresh sign, rather than picking a spot ahead of time. The deer population isn't great, and my odds are long, but it's what I enjoy. After a few years in the same area, you'll know it well enough to get a rough idea where to look each time.

My quick hunts near home are in some local public, and I typically have a few trees picked out to sit in. I usually avoid the weekends near the rut, but sometimes you get lucky and no one is there.

I also have a few friends that would let me shoot a doe on their property, but I'm not a huge fan of sitting in a spot that someone else did all the work to scout. It does work, though if just looking for venison.

 

[CAB]

I'm in the same boat in WI. I do both.

My fun trips are a few hours north, where I can get away from the crowds, and really get in deep. I don't get a lot of scouting in, but I like the idea of sitting on fresh sign, rather than picking a spot ahead of time. The deer population isn't great, and my odds are long, but it's what I enjoy. After a few years in the same area, you'll know it well enough to get a rough idea where to look each time.

My quick hunts near home are in some local public, and I typically have a few trees picked out to sit in. I usually avoid the weekends near the rut, but sometimes you get lucky and no one is there.

I also have a few friends that would let me shoot a doe on their property, but I'm not a huge fan of sitting in a spot that someone else did all the work to scout. It does work, though if just looking for venison.

This is very much the mindset I think I should have. Great insight! One reason I picked up bow hunting was to have a longer season and to get in the woods before gun season. Also I find doing some turkey hunting in some spots can be a great way to get the lay of the land and it tell you a lot about how the locals treat an area. I'm certainly going to start scouting now, do some small game hunting just to get out and about but also to get a better understanding of some areas.

 

[WCB]

I'm guessing you might have been looking a bit north of where you are near that Millie Lac area which is what I've been looking at. Lots of deer get pulled out of that general area but there is around 13 hunters per sq miles.

There is more land than a guy could ever hunt in that area...besides forest lands and WPAs etc...there is a TON of tax forfeited land you can hunt. Any where in the state Opening day and the first Sunday morning in loaded with gun hunters...After that you will have A LOT of popular places to your self.

Also, get a muzzle loader...almost no one does it because the lakes are "making ice" for ice fishing.

 

[hh76]

BTW, don't get too scared about midwestern public land being overcrowded during rifle season. Find a nice, remote area, get off the road, and you'll be fine. I haven't seen another hunter during rifle season in years.

 

[CAB]

There is more land than a guy could ever hunt in that area...besides forest lands and WPAs etc...there is a TON of tax forfeited land you can hunt. Any where in the state Opening day and the first Sunday morning in loaded with gun hunters...After that you will have A LOT of popular places to your self.

Also, get a muzzle loader...almost no one does it because the lakes are "making ice" for ice fishing.

I have been eyeing getting into black powder for this exact reason!

 

[CAB]

BTW, don't get too scared about midwestern public land being overcrowded during rifle season. Find a nice, remote area, get off the road, and you'll be fine. I haven't seen another hunter during rifle season in years.

If it's like Maine at all, most guys don't want to go to far from the truck. I'm hoping to start making a collection of spots that could be go to areas that way I can always have back up spots. If I can find a few small chunks I would be happy.

 

[wind gypsy]

I'm guessing you might have been looking a bit north of where you are near that Millie Lac area which is what I've been looking at. Lots of deer get pulled out of that general area but there is around 13 hunters per sq miles.

I was referring to a WPA and a NWR closer to Home.

Actually bought a 40 in kanabec county this year near the state forest and WMA there but haven't looked at any of the public. Since it has the highest hunter density stats in the state I don't know if I'll do much looking at the public but I'm sure with enough work you can do fine. Even on my property i just recently started seeing the first mature looking (3+) buck since i closed in mid August. Lots of deer though, might be some work to find a mature one.