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Reports: Deer hunting slow
Published 12:00 p.m., November 9, 2009
Standing corn and warm temperatures caused a slower-than-normal opening weekend to the deer hunting season.
Hunting in the eastern part of Otter Tail County faired better than in the western part, according to Fergus Falls Conservation Officer Troy Richards. But for most of the area, hunting was poor and slow due to a combination of the warm temperatures and standing corn fields, he said.
Richards noted that there were no major problems with hunters during the opening weekend.
Staff at deer registration stations echoed Richards’ opinion on the slow weekend.
Tim King, at the Holiday Station in Fergus Falls, said their numbers were down for deer registration. He opined it was due to the corn crop and the wet weather on Sunday.
At Ben’s Bait and Tackle in Battle Lake, a total of 165 deer were registered during opening weekend, down from a total of 178 during the same weekend last year, according to staff Nicole Stewart.
Of those 165, 84 were bucks. Last year, they registered 99 bucks, she said.
Many people who stopped by the store said they hadn’t seen much in the way of deer, she said. Some passed up opportunities to get does and fawns because they want to keep their tag open for bucks, she added. She said she expects the second weekend to be more busy because hunters will want to fill their tag, she said.
She suspected that the standing corn was causing the lower numbers.
Nicole Graff, at Main Street Gas and Goods in Dalton, said she also believed the lower numbers were due to the standing corn.
A total of 35 deer were registered at Main Street Gas and Goods during opening weekend, according to Graff.
Some people who stopped by the store were coming in to register their deer and were done because they had filled their quota, she said. Others came in to pick up food on their way home because they didn’t see any deer.
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The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post. To post a comment you will need to register. Or, if you're already registered but have not included your true, verifiable identity with your registration, you will need to update your account to include your identity. Effective Dec. 1, 2009, all posts appear with the commenter's true identity, which must be verified by site staff. Those who registered prior to Dec. 1, 2009, should be aware that once you update your information with your true identity, all prior posts under your user name will also indicate your true identity. If you do not wish to link yourself to prior comments, you should register again with a different user name.Posted by sassica (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 4:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm pretty sure there was standing corn during opener last year too!?
Posted by Lillylivered (anonymous) on November 9, 2009 at 6:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What is with you guys and standing corn and warm temps? The deer numbers are down and that is the problem. The numbers are very low in the western part of the state and may take years to recover. Just look at areas that have low anterless permits and areas that have just 25 permits. Some areas are back to lotto. The deer are gone in these areas. If we had deer like pre 1997 winter and the days of five deer per person, hunters would have seen and shot deer, while enjoying the sun. Just a fact.
Posted by alum03 (anonymous) on November 11, 2009 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Another FACT: Hunters killed too many deer in the 1960's and 1970's. The DNR spent the 1980's and 1990's rebuilding the herd, which is why in part of the 90's almost everywhere had a lottery. The plan worked. Then they realized that they were bordering on an overpopulation, as evidenced by crop or feedlot damage. At this point in time they started reducing the herd (5 deer per hunter...). Now they are very near their goal and are managing it....which is why we had lottery.... I know that winters kill deer and etc...
Bottom line: when we could shoot 5 deer, it meant there were too many and they wanted the heard reduced...just like how we can hunt canada geese from Sept until Dec now days. When they think that the herd is healthy, they will try and manage it's level...when it gets too low, they will keep taking away permits. In the end, the population will rebound again....jsut the way it goes.
Posted by peanutbutter (anonymous) on November 11, 2009 at 3:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's a shame that Minnesota is all about money when it comes to licenses. Lets let everyone shoot a fork, or spike buck. We had the perfect oportunity to change to apply for a buck tag. Not only would this increase the size of the bucks shot in MN but it would also manage the herd a lot better. Since the MN DNR doesn't have a clue on how to manage a deer herd maybe they could get some pointers from ND, SD, WI or any other state in the midwest.
Posted by alum03 (anonymous) on November 11, 2009 at 3:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
In North Dakota, hunters apply for a tag and write down their 1st, 2nd, maybe even 3rd choices for doe/buck preference, unit, or species(white tail, mule)....they gain preference points if they do not recieve what they want, and may not hunt in their home neighborhood much less on the home farm. They also have very much less people and very much less hunters making micro management possible. They have open access as well, not posted you can hunt... making it very possible to enjoy a hunt outside of your home range. Minnesota has both vastly more hunters and strict no trespassing laws...
One sign of overpopulation is disease. This is a very big reason we hunt. This is also a very big argument for hunting rights. Wisconsin has a big CWD problem in their deer herd.... Minnesota has CWD only in a remote area in the NW portion of the state.
Quality deer management is a good idea, but hardly possible when you look at the logistics. I believe the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association doesn't or didn't even support the DNR getting involved in this.
Posted by waxwing069 (anonymous) on November 11, 2009 at 3:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the main reason numbers are so low and getting lower is because of the fact that in order to stop and identify diseases, the DNR issues special permits out of season, in the early spring to shoot hundreds of deer for testing, regardless if they are pregnate. Many of the does shot for testing are carrying 2 or more fawns inside them. So not only is the adult deer killed, so are the babies they are carrying. Blame the DNR... Such a waste.
Posted by lakesbison (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 8:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I got 3 out by ottertail, done by 8am. all bucks, pump it up!
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