To bad you are in a bad area Scouter, we did pretty well again this year. Always seem to have 10-15 deer in the yard every night, and the big boy comes in late, smart one he is. Oh but we bow hunt so we do not need to worry. You sound like one of the Brainerd hypocrites. Must not have been to smart to buy land 20 years ago. Put the rifle down if you can still pull a bow back and enjoy. And by the way I am also a transplant, been here 40 years, traveled the US and the world and I even came back “here” to live even though those like you are letting Brainerd die a slow painful death. Get over it.

Having recently moved to the Brainerd area from Duluth (job relocation) one of the first things that struck me was the near total absence of public land - at least compared to where I was coming from. This was really depressing at first.

But there is some around if you make the effort to find it. In particular there are some gated, non-ATV areas that I really like.

It does seem like there are a lot of people around a relatively limited amount of land but at the same time it's sort of like fishing in Yellowstone - if you go into an area where ATVs aren't allowed, and do some walking, you might leave behind 99% of the people. I've also gotten better at picking my times and places to avoid crowds - for example, I didn't hunt Opening Day.

I'll probably never have enough money to buy land here so I'll just keep on playing the game and try to make the best out of hunting in 612s resort country. Hopefully I don't become one of the "Brainerd hypocrites", whatever that means.

deerminator.......
Have you had a chance to hit the old grade with your ML yet?
I was out there last weekend. Saw one doe, to far away and in to heavy of cover to take a good shot. Heard three or four shots that I would say were ML's.

I was also up by the old grade last weekend, our group of 4 seen nothing, ran into a group of about 8 guys making drives through that country, thats where you heard the shots from. not much sign around after the fire arms season.

Old grade road = wheelers in the summer

= wheelers off road and crowded / unethical crowded "hunters" during bear season

= more orange than a Sunkist Orange Farm during firearms season

= and apparently guys trying to make drives now in solid blocks of woods to produce running shots for their muzzleloaders...

Our public land around Cross lake is good for deerticks in the summer and roadhunting clowns in the fall.

*LOL* Nice Summary Scouter!
Your summary is right, but for some reason my pride keeps getting in the way of my brains. I am determined to get one nice deer out of the old grade with my ML.