Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

This forum section is for the select few who believe in hard work and refuse to “Buy” success.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


User avatar
TN Whitetail Freak
Posts: 348
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2014 5:26 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/307728519407218/
Location: TN
Status: Offline

Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

Unread postby TN Whitetail Freak » Tue Oct 05, 2021 2:02 pm

Just dropping in to start a Journal for my first out of state hunt of 2021. Ill be traveling up to southeastern part of the Minnesota to try my hand at some public land around Redwing, MN .

If any members are from that region all tips are welcomed and follow along on my trip. I will be leaving out on October, 17 and arriving on the 18th probably midday. It is an 11 hour drive I'm going to split around halfway. Ill have 12 full days to bounce around the public land in the area in hopes to cross paths with a nice P&Y buck from the area. Its going to be way different terrain than this flatlander is used to. Stay Tuned


User avatar
Jrdeerhuntr
Posts: 270
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2019 12:09 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

Unread postby Jrdeerhuntr » Wed Oct 06, 2021 6:51 am

My one tip for you would be to save yourself a couple hours of driving and stay south of Winona, Rochester line. The closer you get to the twin cities the more pressure you will see.
User avatar
BRoth82
500 Club
Posts: 906
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2018 9:00 am
Location: Southern MN
Status: Offline

Re: Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

Unread postby BRoth82 » Wed Oct 06, 2021 6:56 am

Or drive a few more hours and hunt further North, up around that Foley, Mora, Milaca are couple be really good as well.
Chuck B
500 Club
Posts: 1842
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 6:15 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

Unread postby Chuck B » Wed Oct 06, 2021 9:43 am

I live about 20 minutes away from red wing. Great area but get ready for HILL COUNTRY! Watch for thermals. Good luck!
If you aren't green and growing, you are ripe and rotting
BigRed
Posts: 214
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:07 pm
Location: SE MN
Status: Offline

Re: Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

Unread postby BigRed » Thu Oct 14, 2021 1:28 pm

One thing to be aware of is the youth hunt and early antlerless gun hunt depending on the area is the 21-24th so bring orange. Like another said I would go further south, much more public land closer to wabasha and winona in the forms on whitewater, snake creek, McCarthy, and Kruger just to name a few of the larger areas. Feel free to dm w more questions.
User avatar
TN Whitetail Freak
Posts: 348
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2014 5:26 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/307728519407218/
Location: TN
Status: Offline

Re: Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

Unread postby TN Whitetail Freak » Sun Oct 24, 2021 9:12 am

Just an update: the first 3 days I did a lot of scouting and ground hunting and saw 3 bucks and 9 does, 2 unknowns. The sign is limited but some scrapes are popping up. Thursday the youth season opened and I seen more people than ever and got walked in on multiple times evening and morning sit, I saw 0 deer Thursday. I scouted more yesterday trying to find an over looked piece to no avail, the locals and there youth love to hunt and in big groups here. I went in yesterday evening on an observation sit and had a father son duo come in behind me clanking a rolling tripod I assume because the kid popped up in the middle of a crp noll sitting in a tripod 80 yds from me. I pulled everything down and headed to the truck around 4pm . On the hike back I came across a good looking pinch so I sat the ground. Seen 1 spike buck at 60 and heard another on the ridge above me at 6pm. This country is considered steep by me coming from the flatland of west Tennessee. This morning being Saturday I drove every piece of public within 30 miles and there were minimum 3 trucks at everyone parking except 1. I'm going to walk it tomorrow. I'm currently sitting the backside of a public piece after going up the side of the mountain trying the backdoor from main entrance. The wind is good and thermals should be sucking back the way I came in at prime time. So far my trip has been a struggle fest to say the least.
User avatar
BRoth82
500 Club
Posts: 906
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2018 9:00 am
Location: Southern MN
Status: Offline

Re: Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

Unread postby BRoth82 » Sun Oct 24, 2021 10:28 am

That sounds on par with this state, the youth season open and pheasant opener, along with small game hunting going on and that SE part of the state gets pounded. Next time head to north central MN
User avatar
TN Whitetail Freak
Posts: 348
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2014 5:26 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/307728519407218/
Location: TN
Status: Offline

Re: Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

Unread postby TN Whitetail Freak » Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:48 pm

Monday I decided with pressure I had to find something different. Went to yet again another new piece of public. The public around here are small deals unlike what I'm use to so I had to turn and burn quite a few pieces. On Monday I found my best sign yet 8 days in. I found a huge scrape on a mini draw with a track that was wider than my hand made for sure that morning. I look up from the scrape and see giant rubs on the n facing noll. I then realized the wind and setup along with the increased cover on that side, I anticipated I was in in bedroom. More scouting revealed the rubs were right next 2 big beds with hair. I mapped the area and found that same fresh track on the exit route. Along the exit route I found multiple rubs I knew was his and the plan was set. I ran to my 8th different piece that evening and seen a 89-100 inch 8pt I elected to pass at 25yds. Tuesday didn't give me a good wind to hunt the bed so I hunted a hub scrape I found on day 1. Had my 9th yearling buck encounter since the trip started. He checked the scrape and was definitely cruising for does. I found heavy evidence to the weekends orange army just 30 yards from the doe bedding on a bench and just below the buck bedding i found up top. Though it plays out nice terrain wise I just don't think the quality of deer I want would call this ridge home with the recent activity, maybe later on in the season. Tuesday evening I went to a piece I felt was overlooked based on certain aspects. I scout hunted back that evening along a transition and spotted a giant run from 90 yds out. With the east winds I tried to stay on the west side of the transition so it was still huntable if I ran into good sign. With my binos I looked down the transition and located another good rub along the better cover. Being off to the good side of that lane I decided to run an observation sit with no deer seen. I ended up walking the transition line back to the truck locating more big runs and scrapes. I am going to push deeper on that transition tomorrow evening. Fast forward to today. I glassed that transition line this morning catching 4 does working their way back to bed confirming the deer are really staying tight to that line. This evening I went in to complete my bump and dump on the buck I pushed off the noll. I got access to trespass private I and confirmed was part of his route. As I got to public I anticipated there would be scrapes marking the trail he entered thus private cut cornfield. Sure enough I found 2 and one had the very same big track as I found in the scrape 30 yds from his bed. The track looked to be fresh. I followed the trails back toward his bed finding a dozen more of his rubs and couple more scrapes in the drainage. I got within 100 yds and made a set. Unfortunately nothing showed on the trail. With the same wind I'm going to attempt to catch him coming back to bed in the morning and if nothing shows I'm moving off this deer and focusing the next few days on the sign I found on the other piece with the habitat transition and big buck sign. It took 8 days to finally get on good sign while avoiding pressure but I feel I'm in the right direction now.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
TN Whitetail Freak
Posts: 348
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2014 5:26 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/307728519407218/
Location: TN
Status: Offline

Re: Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

Unread postby TN Whitetail Freak » Wed Oct 27, 2021 2:01 pm

These are pics from the scout hunt and habitat transition I focused on amd will move to if the morning hunt isn't successful. These rubs indicate he's a thrasher/angry deer. Some of these logs are bigger than my wrist and he's snapped em.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Jackson Marsh
Moderator
Posts: 19547
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:11 am
Location: SE WI
Status: Offline

Re: Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Wed Oct 27, 2021 2:09 pm

Good luck!
User avatar
Jrdeerhuntr
Posts: 270
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2019 12:09 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

Unread postby Jrdeerhuntr » Tue Apr 12, 2022 3:37 am

TN Whitetail Freak wrote:These are pics from the scout hunt and habitat transition I focused on amd will move to if the morning hunt isn't successful. These rubs indicate he's a thrasher/angry deer. Some of these logs are bigger than my wrist and he's snapped em.


I am curious how did this trip end up for you and what take aways did you leave with?
User avatar
TN Whitetail Freak
Posts: 348
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2014 5:26 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/307728519407218/
Location: TN
Status: Offline

Re: Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

Unread postby TN Whitetail Freak » Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:56 pm

Jrdeerhuntr wrote:I am curious how did this trip end up for you and what take aways did you leave with?


To be honest, it was not a good trip for me. I picked the wrong dates to go up, I found out the juvenile gun hunt fell week I went up there and also Minnesota began an adult gun hunt for does. There were people everywhere on public. I found there was a heavy presents of asians in that part of the country and the ones i ran into found out real quick guns or not a Tennessean don't give a damn how many people you got in your group, you aint running me off. Bought a bike while I was up there and gained some permission on private. Hunted hard but the biggest deer I saw was a 7 pt. I was on some really good sign, just didnt work out. Heard my first Elk Bugle that was cool. Would I do it again, absolutely not, better hunting closer to home.
User avatar
Jrdeerhuntr
Posts: 270
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2019 12:09 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Minnesota 2021 Out-of State DIY Hunt

Unread postby Jrdeerhuntr » Tue Feb 07, 2023 6:58 am

TN Whitetail Freak wrote:
Jrdeerhuntr wrote:I am curious how did this trip end up for you and what take aways did you leave with?


To be honest, it was not a good trip for me. I picked the wrong dates to go up, I found out the juvenile gun hunt fell week I went up there and also Minnesota began an adult gun hunt for does. There were people everywhere on public. I found there was a heavy presents of asians in that part of the country and the ones i ran into found out real quick guns or not a Tennessean don't give a damn how many people you got in your group, you aint running me off. Bought a bike while I was up there and gained some permission on private. Hunted hard but the biggest deer I saw was a 7 pt. I was on some really good sign, just didnt work out. Heard my first Elk Bugle that was cool. Would I do it again, absolutely not, better hunting closer to home.



Thanks for the update - I have not hunted deer outside of MN so I need to do that this year.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Public Land Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 22 guests