Opening weekend!

[Glenn_S]

Good luck to all hunters! Y'all be safe out there, no falling out of your stand, get shot or imbib too much.

Go get bambi! 

We are heading up tomorrow morning to set up the camper, get everything ready and go for the gold!

[GrandpaTom]

GpaT will be heading up after Gpa Jr. get out of school to sit with him in the stand opening morning.  According to one of my brothers, not much out there right now.  He thinks because it was so dry, they are in the swamps, but who knows, 2 bambies in 17 years is my luck and of course if we see one, I will let the youngster have the first shot.  Stay safe out there this weekend and good luck to all heading out.

[mike89]

safe travels and good luck to all!!   

get that turdy point buck!!! 

[Outdoors Junkie]

Good luck and be safe!

[deadeye]

That's the one drawback if you hunt bear and bow hunt. Not too much in the way of Opening day as you may have already been out hunting many times. But, I wouldn't change it.   

[gophergunner]

We moved up to the Brtainerd Lakes area two years ago, and I still miss the annual pilgrimmage north to deer camp. Now deer camp's in our living room!  The lasagna's ready to go in the oven, the card table's all set up. Just waiting for the Minnesota Miscreants to show up!

[Boar]

Well i think the farmers finnaly got their cows in the barn now, thers just a steady line of city hunters making their way up here, all tje fanciest of gear wheeler and stands, just to 40 lbs of meat.

[Yellowstone]

We are fortunate that our main hunting grounds is the woods behind our house so it's a short walk to stand in morning and home at night. But deer camp would be fun too! Still, I look forward to it. We buy snacks and have a good time sitting in the blind. Last year, my son was 16 and I was actually the one falling asleep at legal shooting light when I felt a hard elbow from him and the words "here comes a buck!" We hunt together because we enjoy it and our property is pretty small. Plus, I am going to try filming this year while he hunts and then if he gets one, I will then hunt.

[Boar]

Right on! I enjoy it to. Its all fun. Its just funny to watch a few things unfold. Specially the ones that hit the hardware stor  friday evening.

[Yellowstone]

I'm with you Boar. I'm from the Willmar area and live in the woods outside town. I go up to Pequot Lakes one week each in the Spring and Fall to fish with a bunch of friends from the cities. When we hit the local restaurants or go to S&W in Nisswa, I tell them "You 612ers stick out like sore thumbs." : )

[Yellowstone]

Boar, true story. One fishing trip it was pouring rain midday so we decided to head to town for lunch. Crosslake. We go to the American Legion there and the regulars were playing bingo. We walk in and everything stopped. Coud have heard a pin drop. You boys wanna play bingo, the bartender asks. Me, very slowly, we'd just like some burgers and beer ma'am. I really think they wanted us to play bingo too.  I told my buddies to just act natural, like you're local. 

[mike89]

that's great!!!   good memory!!   

[markn]

I was told this picture was taken just north of Grand Rapids.

[mike89]

good one!!   

[gophergunner]

Well, we had 4 of us in for the opener. No deer were harmed, man it's nice to see the guys. I'm getting burnt out on public land hunting. No real horror stories. We see the same guys every year, and they're good folks, but it'd sure be nice to have some acreage to out selves. My bad back cut the day way short for me. We hunt up between Emily and Outing. Very little shooting. I hope you guys did well, or at least had fun. Of course the 200 lbs. grey squirrel snuck up on me and about gave me a heart attack. Little bastids really know how to get your blood pressure up!

[Boar]

I ate a bunch of cookies.

[Dotch]

Not a deer hunter but keep an eye on the orange army. Slug zone so lots of guys dressed in pumpkin suits driving around in loud pickups. Not a lot of gunfire over the weekend. Farmers doing a major amount of primary tillage. Breezy today so guessing you'd practically have to step on the deer to make them move. 

[Leech~~]

Not a deer hunter but keep an eye on the orange army. Slug zone so lots of guys dressed in pumpkin suits driving around in loud pickups. Not a lot of gunfire over the weekend. Farmers doing a major amount of primary tillage. Breezy today so guessing you'd practically have to step on the deer to make them move. 

Since your not a Deer hunter the only thing I would take issue with is the "Driving around in loud pickups" 
Their maybe a few young guys that have loud trucks but most of us don't want to announce our presents when we pull into the woods.  I must have went by or past by 30 trucks in the woods this past weekend and not one rumbled! 

[Leech~~]

Well, we had 4 of us in for the opener. No deer were harmed, man it's nice to see the guys. I'm getting burnt out on public land hunting. No real horror stories. We see the same guys every year, and they're good folks, but it'd sure be nice to have some acreage to out selves. My bad back cut the day way short for me. We hunt up between Emily and Outing. Very little shooting. I hope you guys did well, or at least had fun. Of course the 200 lbs. grey squirrel snuck up on me and about gave me a heart attack. Little bastids really know how to get your blood pressure up!

We're north of Outing zone 172 and sounds about the same. 5 guys, not one deer seen.  It was the must dead I have ever seen it. My "living thing" count from my stand was all weekend was.  1 gray squirrel, 1 mouse, 1 Raven, 2 black caps, about 15 swans flew over.  On another forum someone in 172 posted a video or 8 Wolves chasing Turkeys out of a stubble field.  In there lays the problem in that area! This will be my last year in 172!   

[Dotch]

Not a deer hunter but keep an eye on the orange army. Slug zone so lots of guys dressed in pumpkin suits driving around in loud pickups. Not a lot of gunfire over the weekend. Farmers doing a major amount of primary tillage. Breezy today so guessing you'd practically have to step on the deer to make them move. 

Since your not a Deer hunter the only thing I would take issue with is the "Driving around in loud pickups" 
Their maybe a few young guys that have loud trucks but most of us don't want to announce our presents when we pull into the woods.  I must have went by or past by 30 trucks in the woods this past weekend and not one rumbled! 

I've lived out here going on 40 years now. I drive the country roads virtually every day. It's laid out in mile squares. It's primarily open country, farm land not woodland. These are local talent, some I know, some I don't. It's a younger crowd, driving gravel roads, looking at the quarter and section lines, sloughs and CRP. See deer, you ask permission to hunt. A lot of walking. Tonite when I did chores at the neighbors, two pickups were parked down the hill across from our place. They were scoping out the quarter line the deer frequent that time of nite 1/2 mile to the east. When I came back & went in the house, they lit 'em up and rapped 'em out heading back the other direction. Unless you're one of the few lucky enough to have access to the very limited wooded areas, most of which is locked up tight, that scene repeats itself every day of the season here and has for years.   

[snow1]

Stopped at my local butcher shop yesterday afternoon,he had a traffic jam of hunters dropping off critters,his shop was a sea of clean/brand new orange,nary a drop of blood on anyone but they had stacks of deer being checked in.So some had goodluck.

[Pulleye16]

Man, our area has been rough the last 3-4 years. 10 guys saw nothing opening day. Sunday a total of 3 deer seen. Ouch

Going to move a few miles away in uncharted territory. Hopefully I can find some deer sign and save the season.

[MN RACK ATTACK]

I seen nothing but a turkey on Saturday. I only sit mornings and evenings usually.  When I checked trail cam cards Saturday night, I had a fork horn chasing a doe at 12:36.
On Sunday I had a fox come through and about a half hour later I got spotted by a doe while glassing in a different direction . She turn her head back and sure enough she was getting chase by the buck I got. Only 2 deer I seen.
On Saturday morning, about a half mile west of me it sounded like a war zone between 8 and 10. Didn't know if there were going to be any deer left

[roony]

1 shot=deer
2 shots=maybe deer
3+ shots= no deer

[GrandpaTom]

Nothing in our area.  A few shots now and then, but nothing like the years past.  The locals were saying the wolf population is very high.  This is near McGregor.  Chatting with some others, they didn't have much luck either.  I am done for the year.  I only do opening weekend and didn't even go out Sunday morning. 

[snow1]

So,success stories of filled tags in my area came from st croix park area...anyone know if the park is open to deer hunting? years ago buddy mentored the youth hunt (bow) in the park,not sure what the regs are today,guyz claimed alot of hunting pressure in the area and success rate was high.

[Dotch]

Guys in the office hunting over by Waldorf had success but nothing Boone and Crockett worthy. Out our direction, quiet. Nothing hanging from the bucket on the tractor at the neighbors. Pheasants and fat fox squirrels cruising our backyard. Betting our CREP wetland acreage is full of deer beds. Usually is this time of year, especially if there's water in it. 

[Steve-o]

Well, we had 4 of us in for the opener. No deer were harmed, man it's nice to see the guys. I'm getting burnt out on public land hunting. No real horror stories. We see the same guys every year, and they're good folks, but it'd sure be nice to have some acreage to out selves. My bad back cut the day way short for me. We hunt up between Emily and Outing. Very little shooting. I hope you guys did well, or at least had fun. Of course the 200 lbs. grey squirrel snuck up on me and about gave me a heart attack. Little bastids really know how to get your blood pressure up!

We're north of Outing zone 172 and sounds about the same. 5 guys, not one deer seen.  It was the must dead I have ever seen it. My "living thing" count from my stand was all weekend was.  1 gray squirrel, 1 mouse, 1 Raven, 2 black caps, about 15 swans flew over.  On another forum someone in 172 posted a video or 8 Wolves chasing Turkeys out of a stubble field.  In there lays the problem in that area! This will be my last year in 172!   

Yes, I think the wolf population is vastly undercounted in our state.  There was barely any deer sign at all in 172 - not much poop at all, very few scrapes.

This is a picture that shows how radio collared wolf packs divide up territory along the Canadian boarder.  I think if every pack had collared wolves, we'd learn that they pretty much have the whole northern half of the state divided up into their own deer hunting zones. 

[savage270]

Sat 7 hours in my stand on opening day before shooting a nice, fat doe.  After dragging her out of the woods I wished I would have shot the yearling that was with her instead.  Quite a bit of shooting in my area north of Park Rapids compared to past years.

[mike89]

congrats!!   

you'll have some good eats now!!