MN_Bowhunter4
Well-known member
I appreciate it, and am looking forward to getting up there.
Minnesota 2019 Season
- Thread starter MN_Bowhunter4
- Start date
MN_Bowhunter4
Well-known member
I got back out on Saturday morning and headed for the tree that's come to be known as old faithful. I got in early and was set up well before first light, ready for the morning ahead. As I sat in the darkness I could hear a deer crunching through the clearing in front of me, a good sign. Once dawn broke I found myself surrounded by squirrels, but the crunching creature had vacated the area. I sat patiently until about 9 am with no action, other than a chickadee that landed on my arrow. That was pretty dang cool to see.
With the action being as slow as it's been I decided to climb down and go for a bit of a walk/scout. I'm pretty familiar with this property but there's an area that parallels the road boundary that I've never really explored. As soon as I dropped off the road I picked up a faint trail braiding through the cover. Picking my way down the trail I came across some old scat and tracks. I continued, eventually coming to a large white oak ridge that was littered with trails. The ridge itself is in a weird spot, overlooking an overflow pond next to the road. I made a mental note of this and will need to figure out how to access this spot for a potential future hunt.
With the action being as slow as it's been I decided to climb down and go for a bit of a walk/scout. I'm pretty familiar with this property but there's an area that parallels the road boundary that I've never really explored. As soon as I dropped off the road I picked up a faint trail braiding through the cover. Picking my way down the trail I came across some old scat and tracks. I continued, eventually coming to a large white oak ridge that was littered with trails. The ridge itself is in a weird spot, overlooking an overflow pond next to the road. I made a mental note of this and will need to figure out how to access this spot for a potential future hunt.
MN_Bowhunter4
Well-known member
Feeling somewhat re-energized by my scouting on Saturday morning, I set out for a new property that I'd never set foot upon on Sunday afternoon. I arrived at the parking area located in the middle of a subdivision and got my first look at the piece. It looked to be dominated by grass and scrub brush. The property had two groups of pine stands that I had marked ahead of time as potential spots. I grabbed my pack and headed in. Not far into the property I started finding beds, scat and tracks everywhere. Based on the size and clustered nature of the beds, I concluded they were doe bedding. As I made my way to the pine stand, I quickly found that they were nearly impenetrable - my plan to hunt the edge looking out was foiled by the extreme thickness.
Shifting gears, I found a climbable tree on the edge of the thickness and made my way up. I sat from about 3:30 until dark, glassing into the brush for my quarry. To say that it was a little weird sitting there and listening to the sounds of the subdivision would be an understatement. Darkness came again without any sightings. I'm not sure how I'd get into this area without disturbing that bedding that was literally 50 yards from the lot. I need to scout this area a little more this winter, as I think it does have some potential if I can figure it out.
Next weekend is our muzzleloader season and we've got a big snow storm forecasted mid-week, continuing through the weekend. I'm excited to hang up my bow for a few weeks and visit some new properties. I've been spending most my time on archery only properties this season and I'm looking forward to trying some other locations out.
Shifting gears, I found a climbable tree on the edge of the thickness and made my way up. I sat from about 3:30 until dark, glassing into the brush for my quarry. To say that it was a little weird sitting there and listening to the sounds of the subdivision would be an understatement. Darkness came again without any sightings. I'm not sure how I'd get into this area without disturbing that bedding that was literally 50 yards from the lot. I need to scout this area a little more this winter, as I think it does have some potential if I can figure it out.
Next weekend is our muzzleloader season and we've got a big snow storm forecasted mid-week, continuing through the weekend. I'm excited to hang up my bow for a few weeks and visit some new properties. I've been spending most my time on archery only properties this season and I'm looking forward to trying some other locations out.
MN_Bowhunter4
Well-known member
Happy Thanksgiving! Hope everyone is enjoying some good food with good friends and family.
I’ll be taking today and tomorrow for family time, then plan to get back at it this weekend with the muzzleloader opener. Just need to take the next two days to organize by ML gear and get sorted!
I’ll be taking today and tomorrow for family time, then plan to get back at it this weekend with the muzzleloader opener. Just need to take the next two days to organize by ML gear and get sorted!
MN_Bowhunter4
Well-known member
I haven't muzzle loaded in quite some time, so I took the Black Friday afternoon to organize my gear and swap out archery for black powder. Saturday morning I awoke to a wintery mix of rain and snow. We had received about 9 inches during the week, and this mixture added a bit more. Most of my normal hunting areas are archery only, so I'd be heading for an area a little further out for the morning hunt. The wind was steady from the east, which is somewhat an anomaly for me. The entrance to this property is on the western edge, so it's rare to be able to hunt it.
I arrived at the parking lot a little after 5 am, ready for a long walk to my area. I'd hunted this particular spot some years ago and I knew where I was headed, but it had been a while. I enjoyed the 3/4 mile walk in the dark, especially the fact that a flashlight wasn't even needed. I took my time, careful not to break a sweat as I made my way to the back of the property. I slowed way down as I approached the spot and immediately recognized where I was. I found a tree that would work and up I went.
The wind really picked up with the sunrise, and it was directly in my face. I sat until about 9 am without seeing so much as a squirrel. I decided to climb down and do some scouting for the afternoon hunt. I ended up cutting some tracks on the southern half of the property and I made a mental note for later.
I arrived at the parking lot a little after 5 am, ready for a long walk to my area. I'd hunted this particular spot some years ago and I knew where I was headed, but it had been a while. I enjoyed the 3/4 mile walk in the dark, especially the fact that a flashlight wasn't even needed. I took my time, careful not to break a sweat as I made my way to the back of the property. I slowed way down as I approached the spot and immediately recognized where I was. I found a tree that would work and up I went.
The wind really picked up with the sunrise, and it was directly in my face. I sat until about 9 am without seeing so much as a squirrel. I decided to climb down and do some scouting for the afternoon hunt. I ended up cutting some tracks on the southern half of the property and I made a mental note for later.
MN_Bowhunter4
Well-known member
Using the intel from the morning, I returned to the same property about 1:30 pm. The precip had really picked up and it was a wet mess. I made my way to the south east side of the property and climbed a tree. This area looked much more promising, as it was littered with tracks in the snow that were lacking during my morning sit. I ascended a tree and was all ready by 2:30 pm.
Between the rain, snow and wind the afternoon sit was somewhat miserable. I sat until dark without seeing much of anything again. The weather must have played a bigger factor than I anticipated it would. Squirrels, birds and obviously deer were hunkered down like the rest of the Metro.
On the way out I ran into another hunter and his young son. We chatted a bit as we walked out, and he recognized me from talking on opening day in the limited entry WMA. He had the same idea as me, that the weather would keep hunters at home. His night was also very uneventful. We ended up shooting the bull for a while in the parking lot. His season has been slow also, and we swapped some ideas, frustrations and plans for the last bit of the season.
The snow is somewhat constricting where I can hunt, as I can't get into a few spots with my car. I plan to take this coming week to figure out a few more areas that I can access for the coming weekend. We have 4 more weekends in the season, and I'll likely be able to hunt 3 of them with the holidays. With any luck we will get some of this snow melted soon!
Between the rain, snow and wind the afternoon sit was somewhat miserable. I sat until dark without seeing much of anything again. The weather must have played a bigger factor than I anticipated it would. Squirrels, birds and obviously deer were hunkered down like the rest of the Metro.
On the way out I ran into another hunter and his young son. We chatted a bit as we walked out, and he recognized me from talking on opening day in the limited entry WMA. He had the same idea as me, that the weather would keep hunters at home. His night was also very uneventful. We ended up shooting the bull for a while in the parking lot. His season has been slow also, and we swapped some ideas, frustrations and plans for the last bit of the season.
The snow is somewhat constricting where I can hunt, as I can't get into a few spots with my car. I plan to take this coming week to figure out a few more areas that I can access for the coming weekend. We have 4 more weekends in the season, and I'll likely be able to hunt 3 of them with the holidays. With any luck we will get some of this snow melted soon!
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
fun times! I passed though Apple valley a couple times over the holiday weekend visiting family.
MN_Bowhunter4
Well-known member
We’re getting down to the wire now. I’m planning to take Friday off to make a good push this weekend with the muzzleloader. It’s looking like I’ll have one more weekend after to bow hunt, then likely done. I’m just hoping the bitter cold holds off for a little longer!
thusby
Well-known member
How many hours do you figure you have logged in the tree stand this year?
MN_Bowhunter4
Well-known member
I've actually made a point to keep a detailed log of each hunt this year, so just had to add things up. Apparently I've spent just shy of 84 hours on stand so far. Definitely a little higher than I would have guessed.
thusby
Well-known member
You're an animal. Good luck this weekend. Hope you get one.
MN_Bowhunter4
Well-known member
I took Friday off to take advantage of the last weekend of muzzleloader season. I had planned to hunt the back side of a marsh and intended to arrive after first light in order to survey the parking area, checking to see if I could get in without getting stuck. Upon arriving at the property I determined that the snow was too deep, and rather than risk getting stuck, decided to hunt somewhere else. I wasn't too far from another area, so headed over and found the road to be open enough to access.
Not being too familiar with the area my plan was to take a hike and set up if I found something enticing. 4 miles later, I had yet to find anything exciting and ended up checking out a few more areas on the way back to my car. Although I didn't see much sign, I did gain some valuable intel from a fat tire bike rider that stopped to chat. He mentioned that he hadn't seen anyone out hunting in about a month! I chalked it up as a good hike and scouting day and headed home.
I'll be travelling next weekend for the holidays and hope to get one more weekend of archery hunting in after Christmas. After that, our season is closed and it'll be on to post season scouting. It's been a fun year, though it's not quite over yet!
Not being too familiar with the area my plan was to take a hike and set up if I found something enticing. 4 miles later, I had yet to find anything exciting and ended up checking out a few more areas on the way back to my car. Although I didn't see much sign, I did gain some valuable intel from a fat tire bike rider that stopped to chat. He mentioned that he hadn't seen anyone out hunting in about a month! I chalked it up as a good hike and scouting day and headed home.
I'll be travelling next weekend for the holidays and hope to get one more weekend of archery hunting in after Christmas. After that, our season is closed and it'll be on to post season scouting. It's been a fun year, though it's not quite over yet!
dirtclod Az.
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2018
- Messages
- 2,776
Best wishes for Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!
Javelina and Otc Archery Deer start Jan. 1st so a new season is about to
start in Az,!
MN_Bowhunter4
Well-known member
Merry Christmas and happy holidays! Got to spend some wonderful time with my family this weekend which is always fun. Shot some guns, scouted a piece of property with my dad, and took down a stand with him.
Ended up swapping muzzleloaders with him and I came home with a .50 cal Thompson Center Hawken. Fun gun to shoot!
Ended up swapping muzzleloaders with him and I came home with a .50 cal Thompson Center Hawken. Fun gun to shoot!
MN_Bowhunter4
Well-known member
Happy New Year!
The close of 2019 also brought with it the close of my hunting season. I ended up logging just under 90 hours in the woods this year and I'd be lying if I told you I expected to get anywhere near that. All in all it was an extremely fun, difficult but rewarding season. Although I was not fortunate to harvest, I still count the season as a success on a variety of fronts.
- Although never explicitly stated, safety is always my first goal and is paramount whenever I enter the woods and climb trees. Coming into the season with some new equipment and plenty of practice under my belt, I am extremely satisfied with how things unfolded in this department. Using a saddle had a bit of a learning curve, but I never felt less safe in it than using a traditional treestand.
- My top stated goal coming into the season was to become proficient enough with a recurve to hunt with it. I practiced as much as I could this summer but never got to a point where I felt totally comfortable that I could make the shot every time. I never did end up entering the deer woods with it, and this will continue to be a rollover goal for 2020. I believe that having the entire spring and summer to practice will allow me to hone my skill in time for next fall.
- Finally, I enter every season hoping to learn something new. This year it almost happened by default as a result of drawing a new WMA. I spent plenty of time in there this season and have a number of waypoints marked for the next time I draw (fingers crossed). Beyond that, I made it a point to hunt as many different spots as possible, and only ended up hunting the same tree a handful of times. This was the first year I've tried that strategy and I found it quite enjoyable to do most of my hunting in this style.
I've already started thinking about next year and am excited to see what 2020 brings. My offseason goals are to scout a few new properties and hunt a little differently than I have in years past. Once the snow melts I'll be in the woods getting to know a few areas I have marked but have never hunted. I've purchased a new compound bow that I picked up recently that should be a significant upgrade from my current model. I'm excited to set it up and start shooting again.
I also plan to participate in the spring turkey season for the first time in MN. I'm a novice turkey hunter, so that should be interesting to say the least! I'm looking to start next year's thread during turkey season and continue updating again throughout the summer.
Thanks to all who followed along, offered their thoughts, suggestions and encouragement. This is a wonderful community and I truly enjoy reading every one else's stories and successes! Good luck out there!
The close of 2019 also brought with it the close of my hunting season. I ended up logging just under 90 hours in the woods this year and I'd be lying if I told you I expected to get anywhere near that. All in all it was an extremely fun, difficult but rewarding season. Although I was not fortunate to harvest, I still count the season as a success on a variety of fronts.
- Although never explicitly stated, safety is always my first goal and is paramount whenever I enter the woods and climb trees. Coming into the season with some new equipment and plenty of practice under my belt, I am extremely satisfied with how things unfolded in this department. Using a saddle had a bit of a learning curve, but I never felt less safe in it than using a traditional treestand.
- My top stated goal coming into the season was to become proficient enough with a recurve to hunt with it. I practiced as much as I could this summer but never got to a point where I felt totally comfortable that I could make the shot every time. I never did end up entering the deer woods with it, and this will continue to be a rollover goal for 2020. I believe that having the entire spring and summer to practice will allow me to hone my skill in time for next fall.
- Finally, I enter every season hoping to learn something new. This year it almost happened by default as a result of drawing a new WMA. I spent plenty of time in there this season and have a number of waypoints marked for the next time I draw (fingers crossed). Beyond that, I made it a point to hunt as many different spots as possible, and only ended up hunting the same tree a handful of times. This was the first year I've tried that strategy and I found it quite enjoyable to do most of my hunting in this style.
I've already started thinking about next year and am excited to see what 2020 brings. My offseason goals are to scout a few new properties and hunt a little differently than I have in years past. Once the snow melts I'll be in the woods getting to know a few areas I have marked but have never hunted. I've purchased a new compound bow that I picked up recently that should be a significant upgrade from my current model. I'm excited to set it up and start shooting again.
I also plan to participate in the spring turkey season for the first time in MN. I'm a novice turkey hunter, so that should be interesting to say the least! I'm looking to start next year's thread during turkey season and continue updating again throughout the summer.
Thanks to all who followed along, offered their thoughts, suggestions and encouragement. This is a wonderful community and I truly enjoy reading every one else's stories and successes! Good luck out there!
TheBenHoyle
Well-known member
Thanks for sharing your adventures. good luck with the recurve practice and the turkey hunting. Nothing better than chasing turkeys in the spring.
