December 15

Minnesota Muzzleoader Season-Final weekend/CWD found in SE Minnesota

Hunt 21 December 11

Temp 18F  Wind W 7mph Barometric Pressure 29.80 (steady) Moon Waxing Gibbous

The final day of the Minnesota muzzleloader season I decided to sit in the Oak Ridge stand over my other food plot. The night before we had 6 inches of fresh snow. In October, I saw several bucks that would be worthy of my muzzleloader tag so the hope was that one would come out and feed after the first big snowfall of the year.  I had not hunted this stand in over a month so the pressure in this area of the farm was very low.  Unfortunately, no deer came out to the food plot.  I have yet to figure out where all of the deer on this farm yard up in the winter months.  It has become frustrating to say the least.  The still evening and snow covered trees at least made for a very picturesque sit.
-KK

CWD found in SE Minnesota.

2 bucks harvested during the MN gun season near Lanesboro, MN tested positive for CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease).  CWD is a neurological condition caused by an abnormal protein called a prion.  I have always been intrigued by CWD since first hearing about it mainly because there is so little that biologists know about the condition.  This is a hot topic in the hunting community, especially in SE Minnesota. There is a lot of biased information shared regarding CWD from many different view points.  Here is a link to a peer-reviewed research paper published by the University of Wyoming on the negative effects CWD has had on their deer herd.  The Minnesota DNR is going to be conducting a special CWD late season hunt which I plan to participate in.  I don't necessarily agree with their management strategy, but I have a friend who is a local farmer that would like some deer harvested from his property.  
-KK