Charlie, I picked up a surplus tag today for season G. May 14-20 I think it is. Gonna hunt about an hour south of Minneapolis. I'll let you know how I do. I've been out scouting several times in the last month and the turkey's are still gone. I'm confident they will be back though because the cow pasture I hunt in and around is a huge magnet for those birds.
Thanks Charlie, I remember those spots and am aware of the government land here in MN. I just need to find some more time in the day to increase my hunting opportunities. Saw a real estate posting recently for Saint Louis County that will be the largest ever privately sold chunk of land in MN. 7,000 acres for $8.5 Mill. Pretty common to see that out west but not here in MN. Bet you could do a lot of tracking on that land. Hmmm.....time to go buy a lottery ticket.
Wish I was able to pick up the art of tracking. Suppose I will in the future because I love the adrenaline rush of stalking and the challenge. But for now I'm stuck in a deer stand because if I walk off the small chunk of land I hunt I'm either in someone's backyard or will be written up for trespassing. I've never hunted outside of Minnesota except for a short quail hunt just outside of Albuquerque. Sounds like I gotta get out West.
After going several years without a subscription to the magazine I was drawn back by this forum and I gotta admit their $10/12 issue deal they had before the new year. Now if I only I didn't fill out my address incorrectly I would have my first copy by now, lol.
Just thought I would add that we do allow people to hunt our land, for the most part, when they call and ask for permission. I am aware of the fact that this is important as far as the future of hunting is concerned. Fewer places to hunt will result in fewer people getting into hunting, which as we all know is exactly the opposite of what we need right now.
jacy1515, I feel your pain. I have thought about putting out trail camera's to catch photo's of them but I know that if they find the camera's, which is likely they will, those will be gone too. Or in your case just destroyed. AArrrgghhh...It's really frustrating. In a perfect world I would like to have no no trespassing signs and allow people to hike/ enjoy nature without the need to call and ask. But for liability reasons and not getting things stolen I feel the need to post signs all over, even on ag land that doesn't legally require posting. It seems that people have the mentality that if there is no sign than that means they are welcome on the land. Or at least they will have a good excuse when caught. I just wish these few bozos didn't have to ruin it for everyone else.
Bring a set of spikes to wear around your neck in case you break through, unlikely yes, but you can never be too careful. They sell them cheap at just about any retail store. If you can get your hands on a vexilar bring it. They are great for locating fish.
thieves, sorry
How do you all go about preventing unwanted visitors on your land? I recently came back from my hunting land and found the cattle panels that had been put together to make an enclosed feeding area for pheasants gone as well as the posts they were tied to. On top of that I have had a wood burner for a small shack taken as well as one time someone even attempted to steal the shack, which is a converted old hog shed.
MEANGENE1984, I agree with you that it has similarities. The real question that needs to be addressed in my opinion is how large of a food plot. A pile of dumped corn, a 2 acre food plot, and a 100 acre field are all very different. I'm not saying I'm for banning any of them but in my opinion I wouldn't feel any satisfaction harvesting an animal over a dumped pile of corn or a 2 acre food plot. A large field is different, well at least for me it is because I hunt with a shotgun and don't take a shot further than forty yards. I need a little challenge with my hunts or else I wouldn't be out in the field in the first place. Unless, of course it was my only means of food.
