Northern Minnesota tracking

[JakeZ WI]

Hey guys, wanting to do some snow tracking for whitetails, I live in southern WI and am contemplating heading up to northern MN for gun season this fall. ADAKs next fall. ME after that. Just curious if anyone on hear does that up there and how likely snow is during gun season, in WI its very hit or miss but since like half of Minnesota is in Canada compared to WI figured its worth a shot. Any info would be great.

 

[03mossy]

Anything north of Mille Lacs you will more than likely have snow the 2nd and 3rd weeks of the season. That is how I used to do most of my hunting in northeast MN and had great success. Until about 10 years ago when the wolf population exploded. We let our lease go up there because of it. You would hunt for 5-6 days and see more wolf tracks than deer. Great idea but not worth it anymore in my opinion.

 

[SivvyB]

It can get chilly close to lower 20's- 30's but the for most part we sometimes get 2-6 inches of snow from the 1st -2nd week of gun season, but yes the wolf pop. has exploded and created more of a problem, but i still hear guys pulling out big mature bucks out here in the heavy timber, (north central area).

 

[FranklinBluth]

Another good bet would be hunting WI north of HWY 2 during WI rifle season. Usually the first significant snowfall of the season happens between WI opener and Thanksgiving in the Bayfield-Ashland area in my experience.

 

[JakeZ WI]

Another good bet would be hunting WI north of HWY 2 during WI rifle season. Usually the first significant snowfall of the season happens between WI opener and Thanksgiving in the Bayfield-Ashland area in my experience.

That is in the plans as well, but im looking to hunt more than our 9 days, and I hunt with my dad in SE WI during at least opening weekend, where weve had snow twice in like 15 years

 

[Gutshot007]

50/50 on snow for rifle . Have even seen muzzleloader without snow , but would be best bet for snow . Make sure to read Larry Benoits book on tracking / hunting whitetails a favorite classic . Good luck

 

[JakeZ WI]

Ive read hal bloods twice last year and actually have benoits coming tomorrow. Watched a couple interviews with lanny

 

[Novashooter]

Assuming you mean firearms, the season is just too early, and too short to bet on anything. Your best chances are NE MN, Ely, Virginia, Grand Marais area. It is also the area of the state with the worst deer hunting. There are big bucks there, hunting pressure is lower, but there are very few deer around. I've never tried it, but I would think you would have a much better time in the UP Michigan. More deer, later season. Neither state offers a very good muzzleloader season, but it might be an option.

A quick search shows north east MN has about 2 deer/sq mi. UP MI has about 12 deer/sq mi.

 

[WCB]

MZ season would be a better bet on snow. Most years gun season there isn't much snow or it comes and goes fairly quick. Also generally speaking nobody goes out MZ hunting or at least takes it serious enough to get more than 100yds off the road.

 

[JakeZ WI]

Assuming you mean firearms, the season is just too early, and too short to bet on anything. Your best chances are NE MN, Ely, Virginia, Grand Marais area. It is also the area of the state with the worst deer hunting. There are big bucks there, hunting pressure is lower, but there are very few deer around. I've never tried it, but I would think you would have a much better time in the UP Michigan. More deer, later season. Neither state offers a very good muzzleloader season, but it might be an option.

A quick search shows north east MN has about 2 deer/sq mi. UP MI has about 12 deer/sq mi.

Thats actually better for tracking, you might have to cover 10-20 miles to find a track but youll be able to stay on it. Too many deer in an area make it so you easily lose a track mingled with other deer. I am however also exploring UP now. Their season is semi concirrent with ours, starts 3 days before and ends 4 days after.

 

[Leverwalker]

Thats actually better for tracking, you might have to cover 10-20 miles to find a track but youll be able to stay on it. Too many deer in an area make it so you easily lose a track mingled with other deer. I am however also exploring UP now. Their season is semi concirrent with ours, starts 3 days before and ends 4 days after.

Just got off the phone with U.P. DNR. My wife's family are all Yoopers. Looking into the Sylvania Wilderness myself, probably combined with N. WI.