BWCA BWCA Bow Hunting- Advice? Boundary Waters Group Forum: Hunting in the BWCA
Chat Rooms (0 Chatting)  |  Search  |   Login/Join
* For the benefit of the community, commercial posting is not allowed.
Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
   Group Forum: Hunting in the BWCA
      BWCA Bow Hunting- Advice?     

Author

Text

10/13/2017 07:33AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Good morning-

I'm heading into the BWCA next Friday for 4 days. I just thought about bringing my bow (I usually fish and grouse hunt). I'm going to camp on the north end of Pipestone and was thinking about bow hunting the pinch point between Pipestone and Back Bay. Are there other areas worth checking out? I haven't been to this area for a decade so am not sure if there are areas where more deer are concentrated. Just thought this would be fun to try. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next
10/13/2017 09:27PM  
quote karola: "Good morning-

I'm heading into the BWCA next Friday for 4 days. I just thought about bringing my bow (I usually fish and grouse hunt). I'm going to camp on the north end of Pipestone and was thinking about bow hunting the pinch point between Pipestone and Back Bay. Are there other areas worth checking out? I haven't been to this area for a decade so am not sure if there are areas where more deer are concentrated. Just thought this would be fun to try. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!"


Its going to be one tough hunt with the bow with populations so low there. My advice go grouse hunting and fishing and I have seen people duck hunting in those bays with good luck.
I will say what deer their are would be some big old bucks.
 
10/14/2017 08:40AM  
I know it will be a tough hunt- I guess I want the experience more than anything. I hauled in duck decoys last year and I probably won't do that again. I have really good waterfowl hunting where I live so I'll focus mostly on fishing and grouse. Will plan on bow hunting 2 evenings.
 
brantlars
distinguished member(557)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
10/14/2017 07:01PM  
I say do it..i just started shooting a bow..but i am already pla.ing on bringing it on fall fishing trips..and just to say you bow hunted the bwca..good luck karola
 
10/14/2017 07:14PM  
quote brantlars: "I say do it..i just started shooting a bow..but i am already pla.ing on bringing it on fall fishing trips..and just to say you bow hunted the bwca..good luck karola"


If you can wait a little longer like along the edge and slightly in the BWCA I use to find some nice scrapes. I bet the BWCA now has less than 5 deer per sq mile now. Probably about 2.
There is some deer along the Kawishiwi Triangle.
 
10/16/2017 09:42AM  
Would you be hunting from the ground or would you bring in a tree stand of some sort?

Given the really low deer populations I've got to think your odds of getting a deer in bow range has got to be incredibly low. Add in the fact that the forest is so thick and dense even if you get a deer within bow range the odds of it walking through the small shooting lanes you'll have is going to be even lower. Its not like you're going to have the time and ability to do a lot of scouting, hang stands, and then trim/cut good shooting lanes. You'll be at the mercy of whatever you can find given your short time frame.

If you can find a way to do it without a lot of effort I'd say go ahead and do it for the experience. However, for me personally the incredibly low odds would make it so that it wouldn't be worth the effort of hauling my bow and other needed gear with me. I'd rather spend my time fishing.

If you really do want to bow hunt the BWCA I'd spend more time scouting and target areas with some new growth that may give you a better chance.
 
10/18/2017 05:27PM  
quote nofish: "Would you be hunting from the ground or would you bring in a tree stand of some sort?


Given the really low deer populations I've got to think your odds of getting a deer in bow range has got to be incredibly low. Add in the fact that the forest is so thick and dense even if you get a deer within bow range the odds of it walking through the small shooting lanes you'll have is going to be even lower. Its not like you're going to have the time and ability to do a lot of scouting, hang stands, and then trim/cut good shooting lanes. You'll be at the mercy of whatever you can find given your short time frame.


If you can find a way to do it without a lot of effort I'd say go ahead and do it for the experience. However, for me personally the incredibly low odds would make it so that it wouldn't be worth the effort of hauling my bow and other needed gear with me. I'd rather spend my time fishing.


If you really do want to bow hunt the BWCA I'd spend more time scouting and target areas with some new growth that may give you a better chance."


I'll be bringing in a stand. After more looking at GoogleEarth I'll hunt along the small river/inlet that flows into Pipestone Bay. I can see where there are game trails leading to the river, coming out of aspen woods. There are black spruce stands to the N and S so this location is another good pinch point.

I will only spend 2 or 3 evenings hunting and will have plenty of time in the morning/afternoon to fish and grouse hunt. Who knows, maybe I'll see some other wildlife while sitting in the stand. I'm not going to be disappointed if I don't see a deer while hunting, I just want to try something new.
 
10/20/2017 09:50AM  
Seems like a reasonable plan. The sat maps give you a good starting point, hopefully the terrain on the ground proves to be manageable when you get there.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
10/24/2017 07:14PM  
quote nofish: "Seems like a reasonable plan. The sat maps give you a good starting point, hopefully the terrain on the ground proves to be manageable when you get there.


Good luck and let us know how it goes. "


Well never ended up putting up any stands and bow hunting. That area turned out to be pretty thick with only a sign of a moose and 2 white tail rubs. My original idea for hunting the pinch point would have been better based on the sign and cover. Here is an antler we found while grouse hunting the pinch point:

We did catch some large pike and shot a few grouse. Although there are large bucks out there, I don't think I'll haul in the bow gear next year. Lesson learned...

It was still a great trip!
 
10/24/2017 07:28PM  
Nice shed and thanks for the report. If weather is half way decent October is hard to beat.
 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next