I can attest to it not being easy. I sat on stand all day, every day of my hunt last year and saw 1 running doe, one spike buck (non-buck weekend), and one doe with two fawns in a snowstorm. That's from before dark to after dark, each and every day. I didn't fire an arrow.

I've sat and seen nothing and then I've sat and seen 10 deer just out of range.

I will say that being in your stand as long as possible is the only way to see deer. The other thing is to talk to your coordinator if you're not seeing deer. The goal is the hunt is to take deer so if you're not seeing any then you're not helping the goal. Usually they have a couple different stand sites in mind and can move you around a little.

Powerstroke, thanks for bringing up that these hunts should be used as a managment tool, not a trophy hunt. I am not real familiar with the whole process but wouldn't mind an explaination on the MBRB. I read the statistics about doe to buck ratios and its good to see the high percentages of does taken, sometimes over 80%. Do all the hunts require a certain number of does be taken before bucks? It would be good to mention for those not familiar with MBRB, and it helps justify metro deer management.

Most (if not all) of the MBRB hunts require the taking of a doe before a buck. Your role as a hunter in MBRB is to provide the city offering the hunt with a low-cost mechanism of reducing the deer population in their area. You need to understand that the city views your efforts as a GROUP, not as individuals - they do not care about your individual enjoyment of the hunt, they only care about the collective results of the group.

One thing they will tell you at the orientation meetings is that for every sexually-mature doe you take, you are preventing up to 29 additional deer over the next 5 years (plus the original doe). That is 30 deer that won't be decimating the parkland and running into cars. The hunt leaders aren't really interested in your pursuit of a trophy... if that is your purpose I don't think MBRB is for you.

The piece the stats will not tell you is the individual hunter success rate. Although there are a high fraction of does taken relative to bucks... that does not mean that 80% of the hunters were successful. With the high doe harvest ratio the herds are much more balanced than in public hunting areas - which is great. The downside to that is you will probably see bucks you cannot shoot because it is doe-only the first weekend(s) of the hunt.

To sum it up: I've always seen deer on MBRB hunts, but sometimes I've had to wait until day 4 to do it. My best advice is to use your instincts and communicate with the hunt coordinator for your hunt.

The key question: What are my odds of harvesting a deer on a MBRB hunt?

Answer: It depends. From hunts I've been on and my knowledge of other hunts, individual hunter success rates should range from 15-40%. For example, if a hunt had 20 hunters and 8 deer were taken - 40%. However, if 3 people out of 20 shot those 8 deer, that would be a 15% individual hunter success rate versus 40% for the group.

Many great points here.

Last year on one of my hunts we had 12 hunters in the field on the first day. 8 deer were taken by 3 hunters. I took two, another guy took one and another guy took FIVE deer in one day. That means 9 hunters did not kill an animal. That was just one day.

There is little reason for a hunter to not see deer on an MBRB hunt. They aren't a given, you still need to "hunt" after all. The deer aren't stupid, they're are just too many of them.

If you are looking for a metro area hunt, usually in tighter quarters with high deer densities. Check it out. Be aware that it is a group mentality and the goal is herd management. The rules are the rules and you will be kicked out for breaking them. You will be held to state and local laws too of course and the group who is in charge of the hunt, such as the City/County where you are hunting, may have special rules too.

Its not for everyone. General rules that are expressed are that hunting has to be done from an elevated stand (99% of the time), shots should be under 20yds., almost no screw in steps allowed and little to no scouting allowed, full body harnesses are required, you need a Bowhunter Ed certificate from the DNR and you have to pasa a shooting qualification at registered bow shops.

powerstroke,

would you be able to explain what the shooting qualification consists of how many shots, how many points , how the points/grade is tallied and from what distances/positions etc. I would like to practice I am looking into taking the bow hunters education and going to take the shooting qualification

There are two levels of shooting qualification. The first is the basic qualifier. Everyone must meet this level. You must hit an 8" circle with 5 of your 7 shots at 20yds. I know many people will mock this and say it is easy, but when I think of the many people I see tuning up at the range, it still amazes me how many people think being able to shotgun-scatter their shots on a pie plate is "decent".

The "sharpshooter" qualification is hitting 6 out of 7 shots in a 4" circle at 20yds. Again, for many experienced archers this probably seems pretty easy, but having only one flyer and being this accurate can be difficult.

Obviously how you perform at a range is no indicator of how you might perform in the woods with a real animal there. The important thing is you are accurate and patient. There is a lot of emphasis placed on waiting for a high-percentage shot while on sharpshooter hunts. They are usually in tight quarters close to the public. There is zero-tolerance for amateur behavior or less than ideal shots.

Last year I shot two deer from the same group about 5 minutes apart and they died within 200ft of the homeowners house. The lady at the house thought it was exciting and interesting to watch the hunt and kill, but a different person may not have thought so. Its important to take high-percentage shots and wait for the perfect opportunity. MBRB is always in the public eye and nothing will turn a person with no opinion about hunting into an anti- like seeing an animal suffer cause it was wounded or gut shot.

thanks for that great info ill practice that although i have been shooting good groups at 20 yrds i have been stripping the fletches off my arrows cause of the tight groups so i think i would do good. although with someone watching you and all that it might just be like being on the stand with a doe or buck in front of you he he he.... I know its a dumb question but i was wondering if hunters are allowed to take anyone along to learn, tape, help with dragging or whatever the case. I figure they wont because its easier to scare away deer and they want to do away with as many as they can. Its worth asking though. as far as waiting i am a patient person. last year my brother and I had a doe about 10 yards away but didnt take a shot because the doe was facing us. i had another opportunity at a doe at around 15 yards but it was quartering towards me so i didnt take the shot. I settled for 1 deer on the opening day of archery season FIRST ever shot at a deer, 40 yds, right on the money. went 40 yards maybe and thats it

Only MBRB hunt members are allowed in the field because of permitting and liability reasons. I think the only exception is in the case of a parent/child hunt. An adult is allowed to accompany their child on the hunt if that child is under 18. Children are not allowed to accompany their parents.

I have been trying to suggest a plan for offering a "pairs" application, where you could apply with one other person. I think it helps to have someone you know along with you on these hunts because it is a bit intimidating to head out and hunt by yourself and not know anyone there. If you need help with locating or dragging a deer, its hard to talk to strangers sometimes. With that being said, I've made quite a few friends through MBRB and its always fun to see them again come hunting season.

how can you become a MBRB member?

Check out their website. Although they are a non-profit I cannot link it so you'll have to google it. Check out the instructions. FIll out the form, print it and send it in if you can complete all the requirements.

You will need the form, $15 and you have to complete the Bowhunter Ed class and a shooting qualifier by the time of a hunt orientation if you get drawn.

The bowhunter ed class is the key. The rest is pretty easy once you have that.

The other thing to keep in mind is that if you get drawn you will have to attend a mandatory meeting for the hunt. They are typically during the weekday evenings.

Are you able to donate meat? I think that would be great if part of the meat for some of these hunts was donated to the food shelf. Does anyone know how donating meat works?

You used to be able to. I'm not sure what their stance will be this year after the venison/lead issue earlier this year.

I read in the Outdoor News that Veni Donation will continue this year. It is technically up to you to find the nearest processor that accepts donations, but the Coordinators had a pretty good idea last year. One of them was in Oakdale which is pretty central to many of the Ramsey Cty hunts.

I didn't donate any deer because I have a long list of people who will take them from me. You can ask at the beginning of your hunt if anyone would like some of your deer. I tagged more than one deer last year form other guys.