First Camp Ripley bow hunt shows good results

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First Camp Ripley bow hunt shows good results
(Released October 28, 2010)


Archery hunters took 287 deer during the first two-day hunt held Oct. 21-22 at Camp Ripley Military Reservation near Little Falls. It was the third highest recorded harvest for the first two days of the hunt.
The harvest represents a 67 percent increase from last year’s harvest of 172 deer, when hunters experienced poor hunting conditions, and it is 64 percent above the long-term average harvest of 175 deer for the first hunt.

For the seventh year in a row hunters were allowed to take up to two deer and to use bonus permits to increase harvest of antlerless deer. Fawns and does comprised 64 percent of the harvest. Nineteen adult bucks tipped the scales at or more than 200 pounds. The largest buck weighed 253 pounds, taken by Dan Neimen of Brainerd, Minn. Of adult does weighed, the largest was 134 pounds, taken by Benjamin Sehr of New Ulm, Minn.

There were 2,500 permits issued for the first hunt, with 2,132 hunters participating, for a participation rate of 85 percent (up from 81 percent last year). Hunter success was about 13 percent (3 percent higher than the long-term average), and eight hunters took their bag limit of two deer.

“With twelve consecutive mild winters and strong harvests since 2000, Camp Ripley’s deer herd is in good condition,” said Beau Liddell, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Little Falls Area Wildlife manager. “If weather cooperates, the total take for all four days could easily rival the record 516 deer taken for both hunts in 2008.”

The second two-day hunt is scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 30-31. DNR coordinates the hunts with the Department of Military Affairs, which manages the 53,000-acre military reservation.

[BiggA]

2100 hunters and only 287 deer taken.  A 13% success rate that is enough reason for me to not want to go there.

[JECAMERON]

2100 hunters and only 287 deer taken.  A 13% success rate that is enough reason for me to not want to go there.

From what I've heard every deer you see there is running.

[22lex]

I feel the same as both of you. Walking into the woods in the dark and trying to find a place to sit all day with the chance of a herd of people walking by you is not my cup of tea either.

I saw a few "huge" buck pictures, but realistically your chances are as good anywhere else hunting all year for the 5/6 140"-180" deer that were taken this year (judging just by the pictures). So to further the percentages....it's a .29 percent chance at shooting one similar to the trophy pictures.

[BuckdownBen]

no doubt,  There's big deer everywhere, and with the early spring(veggy) there will be a state record harvest of big deer killed, U put 2500 hunters in a confined area you will push deer around, (might be science behind that), and a percentage of hunters will see racks.   As a whole if you could concentrate that many hunters in an area, you probably will produce some pretty good numbers.  I would even  say if you took 2500 hunters and hunted some urban areas, of the Twins Cities the state record would be broke.  BTW I will be hunting in the camp at dawns break. %%%%%!