Northern Forest Deer Gun Hunt
Wisconsin
The total 9 day harvest results are now posted on the WDNR website. I noted the Bayfield County Buck harvest was up a meager 49 animals over 2020 (3.4%). This is nothing to celebrate. The past winter was very easy compared to the winter of 2019-20 where the WSI reached over 100 in many parts of the county. I fear the long tradition of the Northwoods deer gun hunt and the old camps are dieing before my very eyes. I hunted for seven days and on public land in the Delta area. I saw a sum total of one deer, a small spike which I shot. I almost couldn’t pull the trigger. I still have mixed emotions over my harvest but what is a hunter supposed to do ? The hunting pressure was scattered and light in the area I hunted. Most areas in the National Forest we’re vacant of virtually any deer sign. Everything seemed lifeless. How were the conditions in your area of the Northwoods?
Forest County….. Alvin area. 5 hunters in camp through Monday morning. One doe and fawn seen.
Wink501, I had about the same only no deer seen. I could not even find an area that held enough deer sign to hunt decently. No rubs found larger than 3/4" saplings except one spot found on the last day that held some rubs on 3" trees, but did not get to hunt because it was the last day I was there. Still love the big forest hunting. It is more than just the taking of an animal when your out there. But, after seeing the beating the woods took this year and last the couple weeks prior to the rifle hunt, it's hard to stay enthused and told others in camp I would actually feel bad taking a buck out of the woods how depleted they are. Pretty sad what deer hunting has become in WI, It was so good at one time. Sad, gun deer camps of the north are legend, glad I was part of that culture. It will be a very sad day when ours is done for sure. 8 in camp, 4 deer seen on public, 12 on private, 0 deer taken.
Vilas County public land.... saw two does together on the opener and then nothing after that. There are deer, though (granted mostly does). I can see the tracks in the snow. If I don't see a buck on the opener, then my chances of filling the firearm tag usually plummet. Granted, I'm usually pretty burned out from rut hunting by the time gun rolls around.
I have not been able to fill my firearms tag this year (obviously as I just saw two does), but am planning on scouting really hard Thursday and Friday afternoon (tons of snow) and sitting morning and nights Saturday and Sunday with my bow, I'll report back if I see any daytime movement. After that, late season archery in the UP, hoping the bait piles have dried up.
You mentioned scattered pressure, by me it was pretty heavy pressure opening weekend. Thought I found a secluded spot, but ended up shoulder to shoulder with other hunters. Even got chastised Saturday before sunrise unknowingly trampling past someones stand loudly (oops thick saplings + climber is not a good combo, the man had a point) on my way to a spot. I was too lazy and burnt out from heavy rut hunting to change areas and hunt away from home after the opener, so I'm sure that contributed to my lack of any deer sightings after the opener.
I know of a two folks who took some decent bucks (well decent for up here, small racked 6 or 8pt 2.5 or 3.5 year old), but the majority of people I know went home empty handed. Granted, most people hunted lazily like me - pick a general area for the opener and not straying far after that. Although it sounds like Live2Hunt put the work in but still didn't see much deer.
I have a handful of pics of hunters (all crossbow) on camera starting that Saturday October 30 this year when in years past I have not caught a pic of a single other non-bird hunter before rifle season. These are just random cameras in the woods, not off a trail (I'm not TRYING to get pics of people). So I think Live2Hunt is spot on that there is increased pressure starting around November. Granted, I heard gunshots on the opener from first light until 9:30am, so it's not like that early pressure totally moved the deer or anything. At least in my one isolated pocket of the county.
Although, I'm sure plenty of those hunters I have on camera (and that many that I don't have on camera), tagged a buck in November, lessening the amount come rifle season.
I listened to that radio show I posted about quite a few of the nights of gun season. Some camps had little to no action, some had ok action and a couple on the pole, and then some had a great hunt. Not sure what contributed to the success or lack there of but most camps sounded like they were having fun and making the best of it.
Drop Tine, I think that goes to show that there are obvious deer, but they are scattered. Often scattered off of public and onto more enticing and less pressured/better managed private land =).
Last year there were only 500 bucks killed on public land in Vilas County. And there are a lot more than 500 hunters trampling around the public land! I tag out of archery every year, but it takes a lot more than 9 days of hunting and certainly takes not being choosy on which buck to shoot.
After a lifetime spent hunting the North I’m not sure what I’m going to do next year. I have some real soul searching to do.
Washburn and sawyer county numbers seemed the vest in last 10 years by us. Couple mature bucks taken in our camp and a couple antler less. This was private bordered by public and the few guys hunting the public got deer as well based on shots heard and sign left at parking areas. We all saw multiple deer every sit of opening weekend.
Maybe Western Sawyer, sure as hell wasn't that way in NE Sawyer and SW Ashland county's. There were more shots heard when I was up there 3 weeks prior to gun.
Every year this comes up at our deer camp. Obviously I'd like to see a lot of deer, but I love that there are a lot less hunters now that the population is down. There's also a lot to be said about the challenge, hunting shouldn't be easy.
Just spoke with friend. Bayfield county. 9 hunters 9 days. Grand total 3 doe. 1 spike seen no kills They hunted hard. Did pushes even drove some cedar swamps. Saw many wolves or wolves many times. They may or may not have reduced the Wolf population wink wink
Seen, saw we already covered that
"From: Trickle rut 30-Nov-21 Private Reply Just spoke with friend. Bayfield county. 9 hunters 9 days. Grand total 3 doe. 1 spike seen no kills They hunted hard. Did pushes even drove some cedar swamps. Saw many wolves or wolves many times. They may or may not have reduced the Wolf population wink wink "
Good post.
I saw 2 Bucks opening weekend in very hard to reach places . The 2 stands I took grandkids to for 3 days sucked .
Interesting comment about Wolves . I ran into a Bowhunter last month that I never saw before . We had a nice chat & I noticed he had 4 matching arrows & 1 oddball , like Myself .
I asked him if that was his small game arrow like mine . He said ," it's my Wolf arrow , nothing matches my other arrows & it's wiped clean . " I changed the subject .
Think the Deer herd is going down . It's going to get worse . Had a customer call today asking if I had a crossbow in stock to give to his son for Xmas . He said he can't find one for under 600 bucks & all the Walmarts he called are sold out .
Dunham's has had an introductory model ready to hunt. Scope, quiver, bolts and broadheads for around 250 bucks. They've marketed it for 3 years, and it's always on their "hot Deals" ad they send out via email if you're a rewards member. Bear brand sold out as well, they now carry crossbows. I suppose chasing the demand makes sense? Yep, it got worse!
Wink, I also hunt the Delta area. We pulled out of camp on Friday. We saw a fair number of deer. A lot of doe & fawns. I took a decent 8 with the flint lock. Others passed on small bucks. 3 coyotes were taken. The land we hunt had the popple logged 4 yrs ago which seemed to help. It is land locked by NF, which nobody seems to hunt anymore. Very few shots in the distance on opening weekend.
The devastation of the deer herd in northern Bayfield County is heartbreaking to me to say the least. It was always a tough hunt with low deer densities but there were some big bucks and decent buck sign and there was hope. The fact that it will most likely not be good again in my lifetime is very sad. For the first time in about 25 years I did not spend one minute up there hunting this year. I truly love the Northwoods and the experience but I also love to see deer and I've come to realize that I only have so many years of hunting left and I'm not going to spend them trying to see deer that don't exist. I saw my last good buck up there during bow season in 2012. I tried for several more years off and on after that and finally pretty much have up. I now do most of my bow hunting in Missouri, Iowa and Kansas and Nebraska and the Dakotas are on my radar screen. In fact if I didn't live in Wisconsin I don't think I'd even consider hunting here with so much better public land hunting elsewhere. This year I spent all of November in Iowa and Kansas and completely skipped Wisconsin gun season for the first time since I was old enough to hunt. Didn't miss it one bit. More and more I will be spending my hunting dollars out of state and if I didn't have ties and commitments here I'd probably become an Iowa resident.
All that being said, I'm thinking about heading up to Northern Bayfield County within the next week to see if my place is still there and thinking about doing some hiking with my muzzleloader. Does anybody have a snow report on the Cornucopia-Herbster area?
Mike-The Barrens has 4-5" and Corni has a nice blanket of snow. I'm sure MjF can give you an update since he is up there right now with the muzzleloader and the daytime temps have been mild.
Cheesehead Mike..... There was a nice blanket of snow this morning but with the 42 weather as of 4:30 there is about an inch in the Barrens, Corni snow should be gone by morning or close to being gone.
Great! Someone who claims to not like crossbows is now using the pages of an archery site to help sell crossbows! Hypocritical much??
"I truly love the Northwoods and the experience but I also love to see deer and I've come to realize that I only have so many years of hunting left and I'm not going to spend them trying to see deer that don't exist."
Well said.
I hunt Bayfield South of Delta. Private land areas have a pretty decent amount of deer. Hunting public close to private can be decent but with extreme levels of pressure. Once you get a few miles from private the deer numbers drop drastically. I did not see one wolf track this year. No deer and no wolfs. With little hunting pressure and little pressure from the wolves the herd in the big woods continues to decline. I cant recall one season since the early 2000’s where i noticed any improvement. I found public land in central WI that we bow hunt now instead of the north. Many days see multiple bucks but nothing mature. Still cant give up on the northern gun hunt though. If i needed to punch a tag to get enjoyment out of hunting, Wisconsin wouldn’t even be in the discussion. In this state you either need to be wealthy or extremely lucky.
Thanks for the info guys.
The last few posts really sum up the harsh realities for most bigwoods, present, and future.
Wink I didn't say it CheeseheadMike did, I just quoted it and liked it too.
+ 3 . When I was out west in Oct. I had offers to live in CO ( old hunt partner ) , NV ( daughter ) , AZ ( daughter ) . But I keep reminding myself that there are things more important than hunting . ( HUH !! )
The people in Wi are the best of the 7 states I have lived in .
Not to mention our traditions too Ruger. My daughters live out of state too and they miss those. Cheese. Beer. Friday fish fry's. Supper clubs. Packers. Brewers. Badgers. Hunting. "Up North". Chili. Snow. Brats. Lakes. Rivers. Cottages. To mention just a few
When I moved to Reno in 1980 I went to a butcher & asked if he had some Bratwurst. He asked me ," What country are you from ? "
I told him the country of Wisconsin . He supplied our group of Wisconsin guys & gals for the next 10 years .
If you are from Wisconsin you can Get a free international driver's incense free of charge in Germany It also is good for life and valid in any and all countries. You must apply to receive it in person in Germany. The German people and anyone else to get that license have to pay 5000 euro as a fee. That's roughly $4500 dollars. Why? The German population in Wisconsin that they hold great regard for. Arizona also had that option as the retired population of German ancestors there but that I believe is no longer the case. All you need is a valid Wisconsin license no felony or drunk driving convictions and away you go. And a passport of course
I wonder what the charge is if you're from Illinois? LOL
I don't know how I got off in that tangent but if Illinois I would hope double.
