2009 Deer Season Results -

[Norsesmithy]

Saw 4 does on opener, they were bedded between my house and my stand. Had to cross an open pasture, and they saw me and moved on before I got within slug range.

Saw 1 doe yesterday about an hour before close, but I had my slug gun under cover to keep the rain off the glass, and she had me dead to rights, so I shot at her with my Warrior, but I rushed it and missed.

Saw a smaller 2 1/2 year old buck with a funny rack a touch before 8 this morning. I went to take a shot, and after firing, my scope flew off the gun and hit me in the left eye, broken scope ring (so who knows where POI was relative to POA). With my scope unmounted, I had no sights, but I got him in the neck anyways.

Coup de grace with the KaBar, punch it through both sides of the neck at the carotid artery and jugular, slice out through the throat, let him drain.

I have to get a tape measure on him, but he is somewhere between 4 and 7 points (points are all kinda short), and is awfully spatulate in his rack.

Dressed out somewhere above 150. Lots and lots of belly fat.

This is the fourth deer I've gutted, and this time I managed to do the job without even breaching his abdominal membrane, so all the guts came out in one big sack, much more pleasant than having to hold back handfuls of intestine while breaking the pelvis.

[DeanC]

Watched the "up north" news over the weekend. I-Falls deer registrations are down almost 40% over last year. I've seen more furry poop on the trails than I ever have. My son has seen more wolves than deer.

[Norsesmithy]

Last winter was a tough one.
We had Wild Turkeys freeze to death in our neighborhood.

It'd make sense that harvests are down, especially up north, where the cold was colder and the snow was deeper.

Mine ended up having 5 tines that counted (and the other two were both longer than 3/4ths of an inch).

[plblark]

Got the deer back. She weighed 92# after field dressing

[yukonjasper]

The healthy Timber Wolf population can be confirmed. a large pack has located in our area West of Cook. On Saturday, they spent much of the night howling not more than a half mile from our camp - sort of cool, but definitely clearing any deer out of the area.

one sighting of Bobcat tracks but no larger cats sighted.

Very dissappointing season so far. Only 2 deer hanging this year. our average is more like 4-6.

[GordyTheCook]

Just got back from the late south season and I got nothing!!!!!!

infact the bar ware every one goes only had 11 dear on Saturday

They say there is big herds this year but no one could fiend them.

oh well 2 nice days in the woods

[FJ540]

Interesting you guys weren't seeing anything. The area in 249 zone I hunt in was up this year. Lots of deer on opener - something like 230 on Sat-sun, and last year was 320 for the season.

I had a buck run out from the woods as I was walking up the road to get to our land. Had one chambered, but the safety was on and it would've been a iffy shot due to my proximity to the non-pavement. He ended up running back into our woods, so I ducked in after him. Went in 3 rows and over shot his location by one, then caught a glimpse as he doubled back and was gone...

Kept seeing the deer in the clover field across from our land at night (after shooting hours, using a flashlight), but we couldn't seem to get them to bed down in their areas on our property in the morning. So tuesday morning I decided to sleep in, then went out about 4 in the afternoon to the edge of that clover field determined to stay out there till I couldn't see well enough to safely pull the trigger. Sure enough about 5:15 5 deer come out of the thicket and cross that field to wind up about 60yds directly in front of me. I shot the biggest one in the neck and dropped her, then tried for another to fill out our tags but the muzzle flash screwed up my night vision while they all ran off.

That neck shot was great for cleaning. All the guts came out easy for me too, but I forgot my hatchet, so I just shoved the intestines that tore off out the bottom since I hadn't cut them completely free before stringing her up. The butcher was impressed: he thought I'd rinsed her out but the water up there is contaminated with fuel oil and isn't drinkable.

Then we came back up on Sat to find a yearling with a slug hole in her hind quarter that was dead about 3 rows in from that same field I shot mine in. We're guessing whoever shot her let her go because she was so small. She'd obviously been there a couple days, so it had to have happened not too long after I left. I was sitting on that end of our land every night the whole time I was up there. There's some real jackasses who hunt just up the road from us. One of them even said I should take 2 or 3 because there's plenty... I wish I'd had something to write with so I could've reported his ass.

Anyway, when we were back up there the last weekend, we didn't see any deer anywhere. None on the roads, none in the ditches, none in the fields. It was like they all vanished.

That 140# doe sure does make good sausage and burgers though. Haven't broken out any of the steaks or chops yet.

[DeanC]

TIP reporting by cell phone

Cell phone companies have joined with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Minnesota Turn In Poachers, Inc. (TIP) in calling a halt to natural resources violations in Minnesota.

Customers can report natural resources violations 24 hours a day by keying #TIP.

The current TIP hotline number, 1-800-652-9093, is still accessible by cell or landline callers who want to report natural resources violations. Cell callers now have the advantage of an easy-to-remember shortcut in #TIP.

The TIP Hotline is a system to report violations and is not intended to be used as a general DNR information line. Callers using the hotline are able to remain anonymous and provide information on violations. Callers inquiring about general DNR information should call the DNR information Center at (651) 296-6157, toll free at 1-888-MINNDNR (646-6367) or a local DNR office.

[FJ540]

Cell phones are iffy up there. I'm lucky if I'll even get updated as to having messages waiting or not.

[diamondsj]

Well, we got a buck over the weekend...I should say I got a buck over the weekend . He was "lop-sided". Rack on only one side -- the other side was either shot off, broke off, or got broke off in a fight at some point. He was a 3 pointer on the one side plus the brow tine. Daughter insisted on taking pictures but the they didn't turn out so good.

After gutting him and gettin him hauled into the back of the pickup, we started looking at him and kinda thought he was a younger buck. BUT we (I think) are wrong. Looked at his teeth and saw he had no upper front teeth anymore. I think that means they are an older buck. Anyone help me out here?

Anyhow, we got him skinned and were going to heft him further up on the rafter in the shop. I don't know what he weighs, but when hubby let go of him to hoist him more, the weight of the buck on the end of the rope started pulling me up to the rafter!! lol...

We'll be processing him either tomorrow night or Wednesday night. Fresh backstraps!!!

[westberg]

Deer don't have upper teeth.

http://www.huntingnet.com/staticpages/s ... aspx?id=45

A deer's mouth has two sections. The front section, which contains canine and incisor teeth, is used for grabbing and breaking food. Teeth are located only in the bottom of the mouth. There is only a bony pad on top. Although the pad makes it hard to break plants, it provides protection from the rough edges of food. There is a gap between the front and back sections. The back of the mouth contains molars. These teeth are larger than the canines and incisors, and a deer uses them to chew its cud.

[1911fan]

Sounds like you did well. In the last four days I have seen four bucks at least ten points each. All in Mounds View or Arden Hills. One was by North Heights Lutheran that looked more like an elk than deer in size. He was bedded down under some spruce just looking out over the parking lot. He was there Friday and Sunday night late. I am going to try to get some pics of him or hang a game camera one of these nights.

[FJ540]

I wish they'd let us Bow hunt the metro with a little less restriction.

I live just off the river over by where 610 crosses it - there's LOTS of deer over there, but nothing can be done about it (misdemeanor discharge even for a bow).

There's even a buck occasionally living next to my parents shed in Roseville. There's lilac bushes on the neighbors property with just a nook of essentially bare earth beside the shed and my Mom has seen that thing in there many mornings. She hates that it eats her garden - I keep telling her to stop planting a salad bar if she doesn't like the patrons.

[diamondsj]

Deer don't have upper teeth.

http://www.huntingnet.com/staticpages/s ... aspx?id=45

Shows ya how much I look in a deer's mouth!! The only reason we even looked in his mouth was because our daughter wanted to see his teeth -- go figure...lol.

Wow, guess I've obviously never studied up on deer teeth...show's ya my ignorance. Thanks for the information westberg! Much appreciated. Think I'll go slink away in embarassment now........

[westberg]

Deer don't have upper teeth.

http://www.huntingnet.com/staticpages/s ... aspx?id=45

Shows ya how much I look in a deer's mouth!! The only reason we even looked in his mouth was because our daughter wanted to see his teeth -- go figure...lol.

Wow, guess I've obviously never studied up on deer teeth...show's ya my ignorance. Thanks for the information westberg! Much appreciated. Think I'll go slink away in embarassment now........

Truth be told, I didn't think they had any when I first read your post, but looked it up to confirm and was then able to provide you the link. On some of the deer we have shot we cut out a tooth and sent it in to age the deer, that's why I had the idea there was no top ones.