Ottawa National Forest

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Uncle Lou
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Re: Ottawa National Forest

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Tue Aug 05, 2014 11:40 pm

Hard to go wrong with a trip to the UP.

I haven't yet read up on the non-resident changes with the base license as I am still getting up to speed on the resident changes. I thought it kind of stinks that the DNR upped the NR fees, but I didn't know if you only get one buck tag its only 171 vs 341 for the combo tag (that is crazy for the combo tag).



I think that base license price for NR hunters is going to hurt the fund not help. I guess we will find out. It really pushed the price for bird hunters out of what I would be willing to pay. We used to be a cheap state to turkey hunt in and no way would I pay that base license to grouse hunt for a few days unless I was going to deer hunt as well.


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Redman232
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Re: Ottawa National Forest

Unread postby Redman232 » Wed Aug 06, 2014 3:43 am

Uncle Lou wrote:Hard to go wrong with a trip to the UP.

I haven't yet read up on the non-resident changes with the base license as I am still getting up to speed on the resident changes. I thought it kind of stinks that the DNR upped the NR fees, but I didn't know if you only get one buck tag its only 171 vs 341 for the combo tag (that is crazy for the combo tag).



I think that base license price for NR hunters is going to hurt the fund not help. I guess we will find out. It really pushed the price for bird hunters out of what I would be willing to pay. We used to be a cheap state to turkey hunt in and no way would I pay that base license to grouse hunt for a few days unless I was going to deer hunt as well.


This is the reason the land owner doesn't make the trip up there to bird or deer hunt much anymore, the group of guys he traveled with didn't want to pay the licensing fees anymore. I love the U.P., I have never been to the west half however, most recent trip was to Drummond Island, pretty amazing place.
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kenn1320
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Re: Ottawa National Forest

Unread postby kenn1320 » Thu Aug 07, 2014 4:10 am

Not trying to scare ya, but its an easy place to get lost and not found. Brush up on your compass skills, as your not always garaunteed a gps signal. I hunted the UP a few times, no plans of ever doing it again. Many places that offer better deer hunting, but from what I hear the grouse hunting can be amazing. I believe Magic did a tracking hunt up there and at least cut a track or two, might want to contact him.
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Redman232
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Re: Ottawa National Forest

Unread postby Redman232 » Thu Aug 07, 2014 7:11 am

kenn1320 wrote:Not trying to scare ya, but its an easy place to get lost and not found. Brush up on your compass skills, as your not always garaunteed a gps signal. I hunted the UP a few times, no plans of ever doing it again. Many places that offer better deer hunting, but from what I hear the grouse hunting can be amazing. I believe Magic did a tracking hunt up there and at least cut a track or two, might want to contact him.


No worries here, I'm very comfortable with a compass, the vastness of the U.P. is a little intimidating to be honest. I'm really looking to see and hunt in some new landscape more than anything. A kill would just be icing on the cake. (I do have every intention of killing a nice buck however :D .) If I was looking for the best deer hunting I would look elsewhere or just stay here.
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Re: Ottawa National Forest

Unread postby Dewey » Thu Aug 07, 2014 9:23 am

Redman232 wrote:
kenn1320 wrote:Not trying to scare ya, but its an easy place to get lost and not found. Brush up on your compass skills, as your not always garaunteed a gps signal. I hunted the UP a few times, no plans of ever doing it again. Many places that offer better deer hunting, but from what I hear the grouse hunting can be amazing. I believe Magic did a tracking hunt up there and at least cut a track or two, might want to contact him.


No worries here, I'm very comfortable with a compass, the vastness of the U.P. is a little intimidating to be honest. I'm really looking to see and hunt in some new landscape more than anything. A kill would just be icing on the cake. (I do have every intention of killing a nice buck however :D .) If I was looking for the best deer hunting I would look elsewhere or just stay here.

It is intimidating the first time up there but you will grow to love it. I started hunting up there in my younger days and had no idea what I was doing having never hunted bigwoods. I just dove right in scouted a few weeks before and ended up killing my first deer a spike buck on opening day over 20 years ago. That hunting trip has drawn me back up there many times and as I get older I love it more every time. For me it's not at all about numbers of deer I see and believe me you won't usually see a bunch. I enjoy the vastness of the public land (million acres of Ottawa NF) and the freedom it gives me to hunt however I want on that particular day while never seeing another person. To me that is a quality hunting experience and if I see or even get lucky enough to kill a buck that is a bonus.

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Re: Ottawa National Forest

Unread postby Redman232 » Fri Aug 08, 2014 12:33 am

That is why myself and group of friend travel to Alabama each spring to hog hunt, 180,000 acres of public access, we can camp in the woods and hunt right out of camp and pretty much just walk all day. It's a great experience, something you can only achieve in one area of Indiana.


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