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One morning to hunt

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One morning to hunt

Postby BrentLaBere » 11 01, 2016 •  [Post 1]

A few days to analyze the country from my computer with only one morning to hunt. Looking for advice on which spot to hunt. The situation: Hunting with family and friends for ND rifle opener this weekend. Heading down earlier than everyone else and wanted to jump the border and try my luck quick. Its about a 30 minute drive from where I am staying. One spot is 35 minutes away and the other is a little over an hour drive. Both BLM land chunks of public. Obviously the best option would be to scout or hunt them both. Limited time for me and thats not an option. Here are the spots.
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Re: One morning to hunt

Postby BrentLaBere » 11 01, 2016 •  [Post 2]

Here is the other spot. Closer drive and would allow more time to hunt.
Mule deer hunters help..... Never shot one before and from what I have seen and understand both spots could produce. But what do you guys think?
Weather forecast is warm. 36 over night low getting into the 60s for the day. Mid day temps dont matter much, i should be done by that point. South South East wind less than 10 mph.
Ive heard the bucks are starting to gear up a bit with chasing. Even some nicer ones are showing themselves but the main show is still a little ways off. The lock down time wont be for another week or so.
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Re: One morning to hunt

Postby Lefty » 11 01, 2016 •  [Post 3]

One morning,.. yikes
I would have family and friends spread out and placed on high spots to glass to find the elk, then go after them.
Bet in there early and be quiet in open country elk will hear a vehicle for miles and miles, dont blow them out before the days hunt starts

I would put my efforts on the first pic the middle hill,.. Get up high and glass the ag fields that draw does,
Come in from the top far right even if the wind is wrong a bit windy you should be fine be there early and nap til its light enough to glass
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Re: One morning to hunt

Postby BrentLaBere » 11 01, 2016 •  [Post 4]

Lefty wrote:One morning,.. yikes
I would have family and friends spread out and placed on high spots to glass to find the elk, then go after them.
Bet in there early and be quiet in open country elk will hear a vehicle for miles and miles, dont blow them out before the days hunt starts


Should have stated that this is for my deer tag. Most the family wont be coming with me for the hunt. They are showing up before noon on Friday, which is when the ND deer season opens. I know there are some elk in the general area but not what im going for here.
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Re: One morning to hunt

Postby Lefty » 11 01, 2016 •  [Post 5]

Ive trapped badlands, and have spent some time with a couple buddies in the western parts of the Dakotas
Seemed like the big bucks were off of the main waterways up steeper finger draws, hilly, some cover, and water

Ooops I edited up

Then still hunt the down wind side of the two draws , in then out on pic 3
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Re: One morning to hunt

Postby cohunter14 » 11 02, 2016 •  [Post 6]

The terrain is tougher to see on the second area, but what I like about the first area is that you can get up high and glass a lot of ground. That would be my plan if I were you, especially if I only had one day. Find a high spot that allows you to glass the most ground and be there before the sun comes up.
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Re: One morning to hunt

Postby BrentLaBere » 11 03, 2016 •  [Post 7]

Thanks guys, Ill let you know how it goes. If I can get a few things out for work this morning ill be leaving at noon! might be able to get some hours in tonight and tomorrow morning.
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Re: One morning to hunt

Postby BrentLaBere » 11 07, 2016 •  [Post 8]

I was able to hunt an evening and one morning. Saw plenty of deer and new country. Had some fun but for the most part the bucks decided they liked the private side of the fence. I had a run in with a landowner that accused me of being on private land. Sure nice to have a handheld GPS that tracks your movements. OnXmaps or Trax is needed for hunting stuff like this. He changed his tune immediately after i showed him my GPS and where i had been that night. He still tried to convince me that the GPS is a little off and the fence lines weren't accurate. Maybe because he was driving across state land? ..... but the confrontation was minimized.

Still a few weeks to head back out with tags in my pocket. Hoping to make some time. Overall it was a great trip with the family in the prairie of ND.
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Re: One morning to hunt

Postby Lefty » 11 07, 2016 •  [Post 9]

Even when some of those grumpy ranchers are squared away and you have been cordial,.. sometimes they are great permissions to have.

One particular landowner I use to park so she could see my truck,..if my truck was parked she didn't come out and harass me on land that wasn't hers. Showing your gps track was a good and polite way possibly get you future permission,.. or maybe at least not get hassled.
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Re: One morning to hunt

Postby Osprey » 12 12, 2016 •  [Post 10]

Just an FYI for future reference in ND you can hunt unposted private land without permission. I do it all the time up there never had an issue and if I did well its not posted so your within the law so they can really just ask you to leave. I think to legally post it for no entry they need a sign every 880 ft and they have to have name and contact info on the sign.
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Re: One morning to hunt

Postby BrentLaBere » 12 14, 2016 •  [Post 11]

Osprey wrote:Just an FYI for future reference in ND you can hunt unposted private land without permission. I do it all the time up there never had an issue and if I did well its not posted so your within the law so they can really just ask you to leave. I think to legally post it for no entry they need a sign every 880 ft and they have to have name and contact info on the sign.


Unless its fenced in and posted at the gate. They only need the one if this is the case. The dated and signed thing will not save you from getting in trouble. The intent is there....
The situation above was in MT. I had hunted across the border for my Combo tag when I had enough time.
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