November is traditionally a quiet time on the Gunflint Trail. Many residents take a much-needed vacation from the hustle and bustle of the summer season to relax a little before the snow flies. If I pass a car on the road these days I usually know who it is and where they are going. Don’t you just love small towns?
Rifle season is in full swing and the deer are moving around quite a bit. There has been a small eight-pointer, I am told, that has been loitering around my driveway at night. Apparently I am the only one who has not seen him. I have not even seen any sign of him. No tracks, rubs, or even poop.
I have been hunting in the Seagull area and there have been a few smaller does walking around, but no bucks yet. I know there have been some smaller bucks shot in the area, but no trophies yet.
The Seagull area is fun to hunt because you can see for a long way. The blowdown storm and Ham Lake fire have cleared a lot of area, making it easier to cover a lot of ground in a day. The tall bluffs make great vantage points and are fairly easy to get to. I have passed up some shots since it is still the first week of the season and with a little luck there will be some venison in the freezer soon.
Opening day I hunted the Blankenberg pit road and walked the snowmobile trail for a couple of miles looking for signage. Dark early is such a majestic time of the day to be sitting in the woods. As soon as the sun begins to brighten the sky, the birds start chirping, followed by the chipmunks and squirrels that are collecting food for the winter. It is so quiet that you can hear everything.
I panned the lowlands with binoculars hoping to see some movement in the wooded draw just below me. As I was about to give up I heard a twig snap in the distance. This was something big no doubt. My heart started to race. Convinced that it was a gigantic buck about to show himself, I raised my gun. The animal was on the move and twigs were snapping with every step.
Too loud and clumsy, I thought as I saw two young bull moose appear. Not what I was hoping for, but very cool. They were eating the leafless treetops while meandering along the snowmobile trail.
The sun was up now and the woods were wide awake. It was time to put boot to ground and look for some signs of deer in the area. It is much harder to track an animal without the aid of snow cover, but I managed to find some horn rubs and even a couple of scrapes on the ground. These signs usually mean that deer will return to the area, but when?
That is what makes hunting deer such a challenge, especially on the Gunflint Trail where the population of deer is so small. I am not a trophy hunter, I just enjoy the venison. I also enjoy waking up with the woods. It is such a great experience that everyone should do it— even if you do not have a gun in your hand. Just make sure you wear blaze orange so that you are not mistaken for a deer. Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com or call 218- 388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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