Mule Deer 89

MnMike · Oct 30, 2017

Hey all, hope your hunting season has been a success. Our rifle season opens on Saturday here in Minnesota. Weather looks to be great with a lot of cold windy weather lately and even a little snow. Crops are coming down and the bucks are starting to chase does.
Following our rifle season here is MN, we are off to beautiful Wyoming to chase whitetails in the bighorn basin. Gonna be a great couple of weeks!
Anyway, my question to everyone is to anyone who may have hunted unit 89 for mule deer this year. How was it? Were you successful? What did you think of the unit?
We have 8 points and looks like we can draw in the special drawing next year. I have hunted unit 90 in the past, is this unit similar?
Also, if I can help anyone in unit 90, id be more than happy to exchange info.
Thanks much!!

jims · Oct 30, 2017

Muledeer numbers are generally a little higher in 89 than 90. There's a chunk of private land in 89 where bucks can age.

Triple_BB · Oct 30, 2017

I've spent a fair amount of time in both. I'd take a 90 tag over an 89 tag. Seems like most of the big bucks in 89 don't show themselves until after the deer season has closed. That said, it took a friend of mine almost the entire month of two and three day weekends to finally bag a big buck in 90.

pheasantphan · Oct 31, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Oct-31-17 AT 08:03PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Oct-31-17 AT 08:02?PM (MST)

We hunted 89 this year and I was very happy with the hunt. We did not see many mature bucks and none of what I think is termed "big" mule deer but we were able to take one nice one and one smaller 4x4. There has to be bigger bucks there but for us having no mule deer experience we were very satisfied. You will have to really look at maps, gps, etc. as there is lots of private ground. I would go back there in any year.

MnMike · Nov 1, 2017

Thanks everyone for the information!

Pheasant, congrats on your success as well!

Trochs · Jan 18, 2018

Pheasantphan,
Looking to hunt this 89,but debating to pay the special fee to bump up and hope for Unit 90.
Did you focus your efforts in the north and hunt Walk-in access areas. Or did you work the southern portion?
What was pressure like?
I'd like to backpack in and get away from people.
Any pointers would be awesome.

jims · Jan 19, 2018

There's a lot of country in 90 with relatively low deer numbers. If you decide to backpack hunt in 90 you may be doing an incredible amount of hiking without seeing a deer! There is less hunting pressure in 90 (fewer tags/fewer deer) than 89. If you have Onxmaps there is some pretty remote country you could hike/backpack into in 89 where you would likely be alone....and see a lot more deer than 90.

Trochs · Jan 21, 2018

Jim?s,
Thanks for the info. I've been grinding through OnX and 89 seems a great mix of terrain with areas workable and Walk-in access and hopefully away from pressure.
Again Thanks
Just need G&F to cooperate hope 9pts gets it done.