Thoughts on 2010 Deer Opener

[MTCOMMER]

So what is everyones thoughts on the 2010 opener.
- Did you see alot of other hunters around?
- Were you seeing alot of deer?
- Were you guys hearing alot of shots?

When I was out I was seeing alot of deer (Zone 277), not as many in range, but alot of deer moving, but I was surprised to see that there were not as many guys out as I would have thought and I didnt hear as many shots as usual.
I am not sure if it was the same everywhere else around the state, just thought it was odd.  Saw alot of bucks, both deer taken were bucks (my Bow buck and my uncle shot an 8 pointer), so all the does are still running around.

-- I figured maybe because the weather was so hot, people may have decided to just hunt next weekend when it will be colder?!   

[Go Big Red!]

We're in 159 near Hinckley/Cloverdale area.

Not much for shooting this past weekend.  Temps were pleasant, yet could have been a bit cooler.  Saw 5 deer and shot one.  My other partner saw two and his dad saw 6 so the numbers have greatly improved over the last two seasons.  Not really sure why but we cannot complain.

Bucks were cruising trails looking for does to say the least.  We saw two bucks (we assume that based on the size of the bodies we saw) and they were on the move.

[FireRanger]

Hunted the 184 zone by Bemidji. Quite a few deer around but not too many running around me. About half the shooting as last year (permit area) and less hunters too. Saw a lot of bucks of all sizes being taken. We took a spike and an 8 point but the guys who have set out cams said that they have 1 12 point, 2 10's, 3 8's and numerous other goofy little one's around. A good mumber of does and since there were no does shot in our area by us the numbers will hopefully go up for next year. LOTS of standing water around which definetly changed the usuall travel corridors of the deer. The bucks are on the does up there......the 8 was chasing two of them and was shot at 2 in the afternoon out in the open. The spike was shot 4 hours earlier at the same stand.

[ShakestheClown]

We saw a lot of buck movement in 178 (south of hibbing). I do think the higher water levels in our area narrowed their range corridor considerably. We hunt a fairly large stretch of land and we are seeing deer in most locations.

[Realtree]

We hunt 230/232 in south central MN and we saw considerably more deer opening weekend than last year and probably more than the previous 3-4 years as well. The big difference for us is that all of the crops in our area have been harvested for a couple of weeks minimum this year whereas last year the farmers were not able to get into the fields til during or after deer opener due to wet weather the previous week.

Everyone in our party of 5 saw at least 9-10 deer, mostly doe and a few still running with yearlings. We harvested a nice 11 pt buck Sat am after seeing a very thick bodied 4-6 pt with an extremely wide rack just before legal shooting, that spooked when neighbors to the south shot at something multiple times :-(

There was quite a bit of shooting in our area early in the morning Sat but as the day went on there were only a few shots heard total. Sunday was very quiet in the woods but we did hear some shooting out along the field edges, fencelines and railroad tracks. Usually it takes a few days after opener for the deer to work back into our woods comfortably so we will be hitting it hard for the next couple of days in anticipation.

Good luck everyone and be safe on the hunt this week!

[BiggA]

I saw 1 deer in 4 days hunting. For my party (my 10 yr old,my dad and I) opener sucked. I saw over 20 deer hunting this parcel lasty year on opening weekend. Probably didnt help that there was well over 300 acres of standing corn right next us.

[deadeye]

Hunted in area 221.  In shot it was great.  Lots of big, medium and small bucks running does.  I saw 18 deer six of which were bucks.  I let three nice 8 points go looking for mister big.  I'm still looking.  Our party of 7 shot 4 bucks and one doe.  We could have taken a lot more but some got a buck and were looking for does while others got a doe and were looking for a buck.  You guessed it.  The doe hunters continued to see bucks and the buck hunters continued to see does or lesser bucks.  Lots of shooting around.
I will post pictures in another thread.

[MTCOMMER]

That was exactly what we were seeing too.  We were looking for does and ended up missing a buck and getting an 8 pointer.  We did see a HUGE buck off on our property before shooting hours as we were driving in, lets hope he makes it through the year and I get a chance at him next year.
It seems like more does will be around for next year and the population will rise next year.  It will be interesting to see the numbers for this season.   

Sounds like its have been a pretty decent year for most hunters -- BiggA, I hope you get to see some deer, those guys should cut down that corn!
Good luck to those who are still hunting and will be hunting into the weekend!   

[Cody Gruchow]

i was in 241 and the shooting was nonstop (some while still dark out) i seen a decent number of deer. i whacked my first one of the season on sunday morning around 9:30am, i sit longer because i know the neighbor doesnt and always kicks something up, 4 came out and past and could only get the one to stop. helped track my cousins first deer, happened to stumble upon it. nice 5 pointer her first. 4 deer fell. i took 2 does. one sunday morning and one monday evening.  was a good time

[beeker]

156 had allot of shooting all around.. seemed like their paterns were totally different this year.. not as many acorns in the woods so I think they were hanging close to the edges of the woods so they could feed in the fields at night.. opener there were 8 does in the field across from us with no sign that they were concerned at all. not a buck in site. until the next day when my nephew smoked his first deer which was a 9 pointer with about a 10 inch spread