Minnesota Hunting

Latest Featured Hunting Articles

For the deer hunter, winter is a long period of nothing but waiting. The fall hunt is over and there is little activity related to hunting deer, plus it seems like the new season is such a long way off. Around here, winters are tough, so even the fun stuff like getting out and shooting the bow or going to the rifle range is out of reach. There is one thing winter is great for, and it is a way to stay connected to your favorite hobby. Winter is the best time to get out and scout to see what the deer have been doing at your hunting spots.

4 Tips for Hunting Late Season Moose

We don't often hear about hunting moose in the late season. An undeniable romance focuses on calling and attracting bulls during the peak of the rut; but what about when all that hormone-driven activity subsides? Where do the moose go and what do they do? More to the point, how do we hunt them in the late season? Allow me to share the events of a late season moose hunt and offer four tips that helped me close a tag last fall. Whether we're talking about Shiras, Canada, or Alaska/Yukon moose, for much of the year bulls are reclusive by nature.

For the Traveling Sportsman

Every year thousands of hunters across the continent book outfitted hunts. Some are booked in their home state or province; others require considerable travel by air. For those with the means, exotic trips abroad are a unique privilege. But regardless of where a hunter goes, the research, booking and travel aspects are imminent. Simple or complex, logistics are a part of the game. I've seen it more than once with first time traveling sportsmen.

When Women Hunt

Sophisticates call them the fairer sex. In so many ways this is truer than most of us guys care to admit. Pride aside, I must concede. Historically dominated by men, hunting is an activity now seeing more women entering the ranks than ever before. Few men will say it, but I've witnessed it firsthand. Many women are more patient, less excitable, and yes, sometimes they even shoot better!

Deer Diary: How to Keep a Hunting Journal

Twentieth Century philosopher George Santayana once said, "Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it." Chances are he wasn't thinking about deer hunting when he spoke those words, but the principal still applies, none-the-less. If you are like me, just remembering what happened on your last hunt is challenging enough. Being able to recall specific details of the hunts from years past would be dang near impossible without having some type of written account. That is why a hunting journal can be such a great resource for the serious deer hunter.

Communicating with Big Game

Minutes after climbing into my stand I began my calling and rattling sequence. First grunting, then working the antlers, I stared down at the mock scrape I'd been religiously anointing with doe-estrus scent for the previous two weeks. I hadn't even finished my first round of clashing antlers together when I saw a nice buck run in from the heaviest cover. In a magnificent display of dominance all four feet were planted firmly in the center of my scrape as he swung his head back and forth in defiance! My efforts to communicate had sent this buck a clear message and he responded on cue.

Reverse Slope Gobblers

I once read that the Duke of Wellington was notorious for utilizing reverse slopes when deploying his troops. The famous general, who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, would hide his forces on the far side of a hill or rise so that he could maneuver unseen, and ultimately conduct battle or ambush on his terms. If I didn't know better, I'd say the Duke was a turkey hunter.

Turkey Hunting: Scouting Early Equals Opening Day Success

Very few hunting sports have grown as quickly as turkey hunting has in the last few decades. When I started turkey hunting, tagging a longbeard wasn't as difficult as it is today. Toms used to come running every time I let loose on my favorite box call. If I made a mistake or two on a tom, most of the time he could be called right back into shotgun range. Gaining permission to hunt was a piece of cake.

Finders Keepers

Walking through the woods looking for dropped whitetail deer antlers, or shed hunting, might not conjure up visions of excitement equal to that of an actual big game hunt, but anyone that has tried it would probably tell you different. The thrill of finding the sheds of a buck that you have seen or pursued can be exhilarating, and knowing that he is still out there can certainly bring a sense of relief and anticipation for the next hunting season. Each one found can reveal information about the condition and location of the mysterious buck that carried it proudly just a few months ago.

Late Season Whitetails

Some hunting seasons are short lived, and others feel like they drag on forever. For me, this year's whitetail season was the latter. If you're passionate about deer hunting, you're probably one of thousands of hunters tormented by a common dilemma - whether or not to hit the switch early in the season. If you have limited time to hunt or are restricted by the number of deer you can take in a given season, this decision can be daunting. It comes down to a simple matter of goals. As every whitetail hunter knows, to kill a big one you must be willing to let everything else walk. This can mean waiting until the very last minute to capitalize on a rare and often fleeting shot opportunity.