Minnesota Bowhunters
 

Hey everyone. I'm just curious who in the forum is from Minnesota? I'm new to bowhunting, but have rifle hunted in Northern MN for the last 10 years. I'm just curious where everyone hunts in MN? We own some land near Leech Lake, but Icurrently live in the Twin Cities. I was just curious what kind of public land is out there in the metro area for the weekends when I can't make it upNorth, or where I could find out where the public area is. Also, any other tips/advice you'd be willing to give based on your experiences would be much appreciated. If you'd rather send me a PM with some other info, that'd be cool as well, whichever you prefer. I'd be really cool to get to know some of the MN guys (and others in the forum as well) and share experiences with each other.

I know there are quite a few MN guys (and gals I'm sure) who have a ton of knowledge, and as a newbie, I'm just trying to soak up as much as I can.

Thanks in advance!

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

I'm a Wisconsin boy and I would tell you to check out the regional area of the forum as well for findin people from MN. Welcome to the boards!

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

Thanks for the tip. I also put it in there, but I know there are quite a few MN people that frequent this board as well. Just trying to gather as much info as possible.

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

if your lookin for land I would contact the DNR directly or check out their website, as much as we may all dislike them, they generally will be pretty helpful when trying to locate tracts of land to hunt and many of theState DNR websites willhave small maps showing publicland. They can probably point in the right direction forgetting somegood maps of public land, once you find an area there are a ton of places online to get maps from (some free, some not). Another thing you can do is just start knockin on doors and trying to get permission to hunt any farms. There have been a handfull of posts relating tips on how to get permission to hunt someones land, if you look through those you're sure to find some good advice on that. The only other thing I know of is, is just drive the county roads and look for the public hunting grounds signs (we have them here in places).

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

Hey there homeslice. I live in Coon Rapids. I do quite a bit of bowhunting out in the state land in the Sand Dunes state forest and the Sherburne National Wildlife refuge. They are connected lands up by the Big Lake Orrock area. Lots of land that very fewbowhunt. You can do a search of this land on the MinnesotaDNR website.Search under "hunting land" and you will get lots of possibilities with maps of all state and federal lands in the state.
If you live metro then you may want to consider the Sand Dunes and Sherburne Wildlife refuge. There is other public lands all around the metro counties though that you can hunt as well.
Where in the metro you at?

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

Cool deal, I'll be sure to check those out. I'm just trying to find some public land to pop in a few times this fall when I can't make it up north for the weekend. I currently live in Plymouth, so not TOO far away from you. Are there any nice shooting ranges or 3D ranges in the area? Like I said, I'm just getting started with this, so any/all info that anyone has would be great.

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

As far as good shooting ranges, I shoot in my back yard, at a friends house in Big Lake and at the Deltone Range in St. Cloud when shooting firearms as well. I know that there is a nice outdoor 3D range at the Bunker Hills recreation area in Anoka county, but there are many through out the metro area that should not be too hard to find.

Below is the link the the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge if interested:

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/sherburne/

Below is the MN DNR webpage on available hunting lands in MN:

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/tips/locations.html

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

Thanks for the tips my friend, those links are very helpful.

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

I'm in central minnesota,still do some gun hunting,but bowhunting is waaaaaaaaaaaay better in my opinion.Which leech lake are you talking about?

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

Leech Lake up by Walker. We purchased 60 acres a couple years ago, and it has been great. It has a little bit of everything. A couple large clearings, there is actually a lake on the north and south end of the property with a creek that runs through our property connecting the two lakes, and then in the very middle, there is a large hill with a 250ft. incline in elevation. Needless to say, it's worked out pretty well. Where abouts in central MN? I'm originally from Hutchinson, where are you from?

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

Originally from Hutchinson, huh? My wife is from there andmy wife'smom and grandmother still live there.

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

Red Lion, I sent you a PM

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

Josh and I are about an hour away from the cities, we moved out here from the St. Cloud area, I have not been hunting but my husband does and he just got me a bow so at some point I'll probably get out. He hunts at a friends farm, and there are about 3 parcels of public land with in 15 minutes of our house. He went and talked to the guy at the baitshop who is into all that stuff and he told him were exactly it was. There are public land signs but they are small and hard to see. He usally opts for the farm though because he can put his trailcam out and it is harder to hunt public land during gun season, so you'll want to accomodate for that. And since you said you are new, and I'm sure this is a no brainer but make sure you scout the land prior to hunting it, find their trails and know where the main food sources are on the land. And if you can put your stand in a crossway of lanes to better your odds all the better. Hope your looking at those sights now you have to start soon if you want to be ready for this season. Make sure you check the regulations for food piles if you are truying to find out what lanes they are using. Hunting over a bait pile is illegal but you can put small piles to track their activity.

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

Another thing you may want to consider in the metro area is special hunts designed to reduce suburban populations, etc.

I am outside of Willmar and there are lots of WMAs but hunting on private land is hard to come by unless you own it. Most of the farmers either hunt or lease to someone else already.

BTW, while most of the WMAs where I live offer some good bowhunting prosepects, you're going to have to do it from the ground because the DNR is cutting down most of the trees and replacing them with the "original, natural" prarie grass. And you're also going to have to do it before duck seasonand/or pheasant seasonbegins to increase your chances of success.

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

Thanks for the pointers guys. If anyone else has some info, please feel free to give it. Can't ever have enough help!

RE: Minnesota Bowhunters
 

I'm about 5 minutes from Mille Lacs Lake just south of Onamia.Right across the road from me is a good size management area.If you take hwy 169 north you go right by my business(SASKER MFG INC.)about 1 mile south of Onamia.