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Published in the Duluth News Tribune
September 1, 2009
A new “shining” law has gone into effect in Minnesota, aimed at reducing poaching opportunities and minimizing the disturbance of rural residents.
Deer shining is “freezing” deer in bright lights to temporarily immobilize them. Recreational shining is legal at times for viewing wildlife. However, previous statutes made it too easy for people to poach wildlife while posing as recreational shiners, according to Department of Natural Resources officials.
The DNR met with stakeholder groups to determine how to curb abuse.
“Their collective opinion is that deer shining is a statewide problem,” Capt. Rod Smith, a DNR regional enforcement manager, said. “It’s also one of the most common complaints to law enforcement officers.”
by John Myers
published in the Duluth News Tribune, August 19, 2009
Minnesota wildlife managers should keep deer numbers to a minimum in Northeastern Minnesota but probably can continue holding a limited moose hunting season for the near future, the state’s moose advisory committee reported Tuesday.
The 18-member committee, which for nine months has studied the state’s declining moose population, presented its findings to Minnesota Department of Natural resources officials Tuesday in Duluth.
The state’s Northwestern moose herd collapsed from thousands of animals to just a few dozen in the 1990s, and now mortality rates in Northeastern Minnesota’s moose herd have biologists worried the state may lose the big animal altogether. More moose are dying, and often for reasons not clear to biologists, than is considered safe to continue the population.
By Sam Cook
Published in the Duluth News Tribune, August 2, 2009
Last fall’s decreased deer harvest in Northeastern Minnesota and a harsher than normal winter have prompted wildlife officials to lower the number of over-the-counter either-sex deer permits in Northeastern Minnesota this fall.
Those permits have been issued liberally in recent years to bring the deer population down to goals set after broad public input meetings, said Jeff Lightfoot, Department of Natural Resources regional wildlife manager at Grand Rapids.
This fall, 10 deer permit areas across Northeastern Minnesota have been designated “lottery” units, up from just one last fall. In those units, hunters will have to apply by Sept. 10 in a lottery for permits to harvest antlerless deer.
by Moultrie Feeders
-By Brandon Wikman
Summer is a time when hunters hone their archery skills and try to outdo their shooting performance from last year. It is an ideal time to tweak, tick, and twiddle with new gear or accessories. The summer drags most archers into their front yard or local shooting range to plunk away on bag, block, or 3D targets. I’ve learned that it is crucial to your practice regimen that you invest efforts into piercing arrows in the correct target at the correct time.
by Moultrie Feeders
-By Brandon Wikman
Whitetail deer have a wide assortment of both verbal and nonverbal means of communication. They’re language and lingo has been carefully studied by animal biologists since the early years of the late 1800’s. Deer have a very unique style of engaging in conversation. Many of us have already heard of the basic converse from deer to deer. A whitetail’s vocabulary ranges from bleats, grunt, bellows, and bawls. The list below details the most popular whitetail dialect. You will generate a fresh idea of deer verbalization and a typical time frame of season they communicate.
by Moultrie Feeders
-By Brandon Wikman
Summer seems to strike a golden chord with savvy archers awaiting the opener. It is a time when we prep ourselves mentally and physically for the dawning of a new season that lies only weeks ahead. Our goals are set, anticipation is high, and now we sit tight, holding on to last year’s cherished memories. These recollections will soon evolve into this year’s fresh moments of enlightenment as we move into the later stages of summer.
Deadline is Aug. 14 for the 2009 regular archery deer hunts at Camp Ripley near Little Falls, Minn. Hunters may choose from only one of two hunting seasons, Oct. 15-16 (code 668 on the application) or Oct. 31-Nov. 1 (code 669). A total of 5,000 permits (2,500 per two-day hunt) are available.
Hunters may choose from three application options:
- In person at any DNR license agent.
- By telephone toll-free at (888) 665-4236
- Online at https://www4.wildlifelicense.com/mn
The fee is $8 per applicant. Those who apply by phone or Internet will be charged an additional convenience fee of $3.50 per transaction.
After reviewing hundreds of entries each week to choose our weekly winners, a panel of judges at Moultrie selected the 2008 Monster Buck Contest winners.
The Grand Prize Winner is this huge Wisconsin buck.
Congratulations Kevin for capturing a true monster. The Grand Prize package includes a Moultrie I-60 infrared game camera, Camera Security Box, PowerPanel, and two 4-GB SD Cards.
Our 1st Runner Up is this awesome North Carolina buck that was sent in by Jeff.
And 2nd Runner Up was awarded to this great Louisiana buck captured by Tyler.
Congratulations to all of our winners and thanks to everyone who participated by sending in so many impressive photos.
The price of butchering a deer ranges from $75-150. I don’t know about you, but that is a little much when you can butcher your own for free in about 4 hours. If you are content with paying someone so that you don’t have to worry about it then you have more money than me.
When I lived in Wisconsin I routinely harvested about 10 deer per year. I donated 5 to a family in less fortunate circumstances than me and butchered the rest myself. In those days, I would help my friends and they would help me. We could get 2-3 deer done in a matter of a few hours. The cost savings for me were between $370-750.
 I guess this should have been written ealier in the year seeing how many States deer hunting season’s are already under way.
But better late than never!
I receive quite a bit of email about Deer hunting on public land. Having just came back from a Controlled Hunt on Public Land myself, here are some tips for you that are heading out to hunt Public Land Deer.
- Get a map. Preferably a topo map and an aireal photo of the area where you’ll be hunting. You can find good topo maps on the Internet at several areas or contact the USGS for an index. A good map will show you many things. Some of the things you’ll be wanting to look for are: where are other hunters parking, areas that will funnel deer into a tight area such as saddles in ridges, potential feeding and beddeing areas, waterways, old roads, etc.
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