2019 Traditional Archery BWCAW Hunt
Minnesota
Contributors to this thread:
If you shoot a recurve, longbow or hybrid (or can get ready to do so with deadly effect by the end of next September), read on. I'm organizing a hunt with traditional bows for the BWCAW next year. Rough dates are Sept. 29 to Oct. 5. In addition to the MN archery deer season, the bear and small game seasons will be open then. Entry points under consideration are Baker Lake (39) and Homer Lake (40), but those are just rough concepts at this point. This is strictly a DIY trip, in case you're wondering. If this is something you'd like to participate in or merely discuss at this point, either send an email message to cxtranslationsATme.com (substitute @ for AT), or reply here. You can read a bit of my bio here (ignore the NH address; I currently live in Duluth, where I was born): http://www.cxtranslations.com/About_Me.html Oh, and I have a membership card in my wallet from the Duluth Archery Club - No. 8, issued to my father in 1944. :-)
There are two prime objectives for this endeavor: 1. Have fun. 2. Have some more fun. Killing a deer or bear will be icing on the cake and will grant the person attaching the tag lifetime bragging rights among the cognoscenti. No one should sign up who will spend any time on the trip or afterward thinking about "what might have been" in a cornfield/beanfield/metro park hunt. :-)
You do realize there are next to NO deer in that area, don't you? I'm not against your idea, but you need a change of venue...like closer to the Big Lake, or the far Western portion of the BWCA. That central area is nearly void of deer anymore.
That would be the hunting part. :-)
(Gonna be scouting in the months ahead.)
Well, you can "hunt" deer on the moon, too, but if they ain't there it's nothing more than a camping trip with a bow in your hand. Just friendly advice from someone who's hunted there since 1989, but you do what you want...and if you get one PLEASE post a picture of it so we can see what the last remaining deer in that area looks like;)
I'm confused. Are you saying that you've hunted near the two EPs in question since 1989? If so, please elaborate on your reason for continuing to do that for some thirty years. ;-)
eidsvolling, the problem we have a generation that was brought up in a large deer herd capacity and when the herd is knock down that it would take time to sight or find signs a good majority will not put effort in it. I can understand that view point, live in Wi. N.C.Forrest zone where there once was a large deer herd on public and then the T-Zone hunt came along and slaughter the deer herd down along with several brutal winters and increase of wolves it didn't leave much, spent 21 yrs living in the area. The WTA use to have their Oct. bow hunt there and stopped do to no deer to hunt. When I was a kid in Iowa it was something special to even see a deer track, there was about 10K deer in the state at that time but had a lot of pheasants to hunt and now no pheasants and a large number of deer. I do hunt around the Upper Red Lake area and moderate deer herd but tough for being in the bog land area, wish I knew how to post a pic of a deep wood buck that a friend took this fall, impressive. Personally I think it would be interesting for a weekend to explore with the recurve in hand, never know until one is in it.
eidsvolling, in an effort to stifle your "confusion"....Yes, I've hunted the area between South Farm Lake and Sawbill Lake since 1989...I hunted deer there up until 5 years ago as the numbers became so low it wasn't worth hunting there anymore, and I still currently hunt bear there...along with numerous forays ice-fishing, and moose shed hunting. I spend A LOT of time in and around area clearcuts and I will tell you without a doubt there are VERY FEW deer in that neck of the woods. It's sad because once upon a time it was awesome big buck country, and there's maybe still a bruiser out there somewhere, but probably harder to find than the proverbial needle in a haystack.
So, what's your experience there? Would love to hear about any deer hunting success you've found in that area recently. I think in your effort to try and get guys to hop on this adventure with you the very least you owe them is a realistic picture of what they can expect. I gave you friendly advice on this area in an effort to help you hunt an area better suited to success...it isn't your idea that needs resurrection it's your venue. Take it for what it's worth.
South Farm, I do appreciate these insights from you. I'm trying to balance the likelihood of success against the desire to show some out-of-towners the beauty of the Boundary Waters, including the benefits of solitude. I realize the EPs in question are not even close to ideal for the first cvonsideration. I'm pretty sure I was realistic when I said above: "Killing a deer or bear will be icing on the cake and will grant the person attaching the tag lifetime bragging rights among the cognoscenti. No one should sign up who will spend any time on the trip or afterward thinking about 'what might have been' in a cornfield/beanfield/metro park hunt. :-)"
And in other communications, I have told possible participants that the likelihood of seeing a deer is slim.
Fair enough; have a good hunt. It IS still a beautiful area!
South Farm, watch them now all get 200+ pounders. LOL! Hope they do!
I hear about plans like this all the time. Its a romantic notion that rarely gets carried out. My hat is off to anyone that carries this one out successfully yet I question the sanity of anyone attempting it period. I understand that its the journey not the destination but that journey is going to be a lot more enjoyable if the destination is a fish fry in my opinion. Good luck!
Me too, 12 yards! I got no problem eating crow, and I'll be the first to offer congrats if it happens.
That sounds fun. Paddle along fly fishing and maybe get a shot at a deer. I have seen quite a few just paddling along the shore. They really aren't too alert when you slip quietly along the edge.