The relatively warm and mostly snow-free winter was a welcome reprieve for whitetails, especially in parts of far northern Minnesota that experienced severe winters in each of the prior two years. Most deer should have come into spring 2024 in good condition.
It’s well known that heavy rains can be tough on young pheasants and turkeys. But how does abundant precipitation affect fawn survival in the earliest stages of a whitetail’s life?
Minnesota researchers didn’t set out to answer that question exclusively, but they may have shed some light on the topic during some work this past spring. Researchers with the Minnesota DNR placed GPS collars on newborn fawns as part of a study in the south-central portion of the state for a fourth straight year in 2024.
Heavy rain has impact on 2024 fawn survival in south-central Minnesota study area Read More »
I bumped a couple of bucks off their beds during a late-summer scouting trip two years ago. The weather and habitat conditions then were similar to what we typically see during the early archery season.
It was hot, with high humidity and temperatures in the 70s by early morning. My first goal was to find exactly where the biggest of the bucks was bedded.
Sure enough, it was in a location many bucks seem to prefer. A deadfall that arched over a low spot in the terrain created the ideal area for a whitetail to safely and comfortably hunker down. It featured great shade cover above, and the air was cooler there than it was in the surrounding area.
Key ingredients to up your odds for success on early-season morning hunts Read More »
Brothers Hunter and Wyatt Krebs, of Alexandria, Minn., are crazy about duck hunting.
Their father, Dean Krebs, set them on that path as an avid hunter himself who has introduced them to hunting for big game, pheasants, and waterfowl.
At 16 years old, the Krebs brothers like it all, but there’s something about those whistling wings during a morning on the slough that has fully grasped their attention.
“They are fanatics,” Dean said. “They’re scouting today (on July 18). They (are addicted to the point where they will) walk a mile into a (wildlife management area) to see how the broods are coming.”
What’s the impact of youth hunting seasons in Minnesota, Wisconsin? Read More »
There seems to be a path taken for those who choose to go the route of being as mobile as possible in the whitetail woods.
We start out by dipping our toes in the water. You know that bulky stand that has been hanging on the same tree for years? That can be pulled down and strapped to your back. It’s loud and a pain to hang each time, but I used it, along with cumbersome sticks, for a couple of seasons. Bit by bit, I have chipped away at getting gear that makes me more efficient and comfortable. Below are some items that have stood out over years of trial and error as really making mobile hunting a more enjoyable experience.
Gear items that make mobile hunting for whitetails more enjoyable Read More »
Those who were paying attention to the weather forecast in much of central Minnesota leading up to this past Sunday heard plenty about the potential for heat and humidity.
Cloud cover kept some of that intense warmth at bay, but that warning likely had an effect on total participants at the annual Youth Outdoor Activity Day that ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Alexandria Shooting Park. This year’s event drew almost 4,300 people, including 2,112 kids. That was down from the 2,785 youth who came during a perfect weather day a year ago.
Fun in the heat at Youth Outdoor Activity Day in Alexandria, Minn. Read More »
I was a couple of hours into my first sit of the 2020 archery deer season when I noticed movement down a ridge near the creek crossing.
A big-bodied 9-pointer stopped to scan the area when he was to my left at nearly eye level. The buck lowered his head to continue down the trail before I had to stop him in order to get a shot. He was a little over 15 yards away, and slightly quartered toward me. I had always passed up this type of shot over the years, but I’d made a switch to my arrow setup before the 2020 deer season.
The early archery season for whitetail hunters is often about understanding where deer want to bed and feed, and then doing what one can to get close to those areas. It’s a time of the season when bucks are not covering the same kind of distance as they do during the rut.
In this video, Eric Morken breaks down a specific spot and why he likes it as an early-season setup — from multiple bedding locations close by, to good food sources, security cover and quality access into the tree. All of these characteristics factor into what makes for an ideal location during the first part of a bow season.
Video: Breaking down an early-season archery setup for whitetails Read More »
Late in the day of July 23, I made a spur-of-the-moment decision and headed afield. That action paid off with information that I’m confident could help me this early archery deer season.
My wife and daughters were in town that evening. Not one to sit around, I grabbed my new spotting scope and jumped in the truck. One problem: The public areas near me lack soybeans or other food plots that we consider prime deer feeding areas in ag country. What I have to work with are properties that feature good bedding cover on public land adjacent to private agriculture.
I was headed to watch one of those fields from a perch on public land, but did not make it that far. After walking less than half a mile from the truck, I peeked over the top of a hill and saw a young buck below. He was feeding heavily, but not on any kind of planted crop.
Scouting tip: Never underestimate the power of natural foods to pull in whitetails Read More »
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