Poor weather at Camp Ripley doesn’t deter bow hunters

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Poor weather at Camp Ripley doesn’t deter bow hunters
(Released October 27, 2009)


Archers took a two-day total of 171 deer during the first two-day bow hunt (Oct. 15-16) at Camp Ripley Military Reservation north of Little Falls.

Most deer were not weighed. But seven of the adult bucks weighed tipped the scales near or above 200 pounds. The largest buck weighed 239 pounds. And a 192-pound,  32-point buck has subsequently generated considerable public attention.

The largest adult doe placed on the scales weighed in at 125 pounds.

“Cooler than normal, extremely wet weather, and terrible road conditions greeted hunters during the first hunt,” said Beau Liddell, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Little Falls Area wildlife manager. “Weather was the real story for the first hunt this year, particularly on the second day, making it a challenge for hunters to maximize their time in the field, and consequently, affected the harvest.”

For the sixth year in a row, hunters were allowed to take up to two deer and to use bonus permits to increase harvest on antlerless deer. Although the harvest for the first hunt fell this year, it was still well above the long-term average, Liddell said. Fawns and does comprised 71 percent of the harvest.

Harvest from the first hunt represents a 47 percent decline from last year but remains 36 percent above the long-term average harvest of 126 deer.

“If weather cooperates next weekend, the total take for all four days should easily exceed the long-term average of 280 for both hunts combined,” Liddell said.

There were 2,501 permits issued for the first hunt with 2,032 hunters participating for a participation rate of 81 percent, drop from 2008’s 85 percent participation rate. Hunter success was about 8 percent, which is equal to the long-term average. Three hunters took their bag limit of two deer.

“With 12 consecutive mild winters and strong harvests since 2000, Camp Ripley’s deer herd is in good condition,” Liddell said. “Many hunters who provided comments indicated they saw numerous deer but couldn’t remain in their stands as long as they planned due to the cold, wet conditions.”

The second two-day hunt is scheduled for the weekend of Saturday, Oct. 31, through Sunday, Nov. 1. DNR coordinates the hunts with the Department of Military Affairs, which manages the 53,000-acre military reservation.

PHOTO:

Scott Okonek of South Haven, Minn. bagged a 192-pound, 32-point buck at the Camp Ripley Archery Hunt on Oct.15. The deer was aged to between 4.5 and 5.5 years old.  Click here to see photo.