New to MN.....where to hunt?

[ekim22]

First, apologies if this is in the wrong place, I reviewed all of the forums and tried to determine the best place to post this topic.

My wife & I just moved up to MN (Elk River) from Georgia in October.  We were only in GA for 2.5 years - we were both born & raised in Virginia.

We bought a home on the Mississippi River and I'm thrilled to get some fishing done this spring & summer.  But one thing I've committed myself to doing is getting some hunting done in 2013.  I didn't get any done in GA due to work and not being able to find anywhere to hunt, so I miss it immensely.

I am using the DNR website for information regarding rules & regs.  My questions are around finding somewhere to hunt.


I'm hoping to find some private land via folks at work but I know that's a tough road to go down.  Getting into a family's private club is difficult due to trust issues. 

Down south we have hunt clubs that lease land and can have anywhere from 5 to 50 members. These clubs tend to be really informal though - up here when I google hunt clubs or leases it seems like everything is a formal, organized club with landscaped clubhouses and stuff like planned pheasant hunts and skeet shooting. I envision a lot of wealthy folks there with pristine benelli shotguns driving new Tahoes & Suburbans :). Nothing against it, just not my thing. I'm looking for the pickup truck, scratched shotgun crew

Do those types of clubs exist up here?  If so, is there a place on the web to find clubs that are looking for prospective members?

Also, regarding public land (WMAs'). Down south if you hunt a publc WMA you're taking your life in your hands......over crowded, "if it's brown it's down" crowd.  Are they like that here too?

Appreciate any info and again, if this is in the wrong place, mods please feel free to move it.  Looking forward to getting to know folks and learning a lot.

[dakids]

Hunting around metro area on public land can get very crouded on opening days and weekends.  The farther you get from the metro the fewer people you will have to deal with.  I do most of my hunting near grand rapids so there is a lot less compatition.  midweek is always a great option.

 

[ekim22]

Yes, that's what I'm always concerned with in regards to public land.  Just too much of a safety issue and you can't really walk around and get to know the land a little better during a hunt out of respect for walking up on another hunter and ruining their hunt.

[cookie]

 I have been looking for a small group of hunters every fall, Lots of public land up here but its also big woods. The grouse hunting seems to be good even in the down years. The deer hunting is hunting. te 2 square mile we hunt may hold 6 deer, The greek thinks more like a dozen ,but I think 6 to 8

[D2wing]

Groups of neighbors or families hunt like that but are tough to get into. I don't know of any cheap commercial clubs. Private landowners don't like sharing to much.