Are you aware that it is now November and November brings hunters everywhere chasing after white tail deer!!!

Lake of the Woods,  known for its great fishery, is also notable for the whitetail deer population. If you were to take a drive down any road it is very common to see dozens of deer in ditches and fields. Lake of the Woods has a healthy the whitetail population and several trophy bucks.

With hundreds of acres of State and Public land, deer hunters can find large areas to hunt where there is virtually no pressure while having the opportunity to harvest a large buck or any deer of your choosing.

The deer hunting season is upon us at Lake of the Woods. The Whitetail Deer is abundant in the Lake of the Woods area and many are harvested each year. The 2021 firearm hunting season runs from November 6^th-21st  With the abundance of public land and thousands of deer around the area, it is important that everyone in the field wears hunter’s orange!

The MN DNR does a nice job of listing deer hunting seasons and regulations on the MN DNR website.  Please refer there for specifics.

Hunters are keenly away that during hunting season safety precautions should not be taken lightly and should most definitely be followed. Adhering to the standards of safety hunting is of utmost importance and could actually be your ticket to a great and successful hunting experience. Wearing the hunters orange is a safety law in most hunting areas and there are a multitude of reasons why you should never neglect this law.

Be aware that wearing the blaze orange or hunter’s orange is for your safety as a hunter and in addition, having clothing that has a bright hue can help rescuers find you easily in case you get lost. During the rifle hunting  season laws require to wear gear that has at least 20 inches of hunters orange in it. The main point of it is to be seen in the woods and fields by others and prevent other hunters mistaking you for a deer or shooting at your direction altogether.

The deer can’t tell!  Deer can’t exactly see things like we humans do. They are only able to see colors with smaller wavelengths like dark green, dark blue and even ultraviolet light! And more importantly, deer may be color blind but they are able to differentiate the environment from humans through shapes so the more blaze orange there is on your clothes, the more noticeable you are likely to become for the deer. The deeper you are in the woods, the harder it is to see you even if you’re wearing a full blaze orange jacket.

All in all, a deer’s eyesight isn’t the same as humans. They are able to see shorter wavelengths down to the ultraviolet light, but not bright red and orange. This is the reason why hunters wear blaze orange for safety purposes when hunting. It appears brown or gray to the deer but is very bright and clear to the human eye. Not only does blaze orange help other hunters distinguish game from humans, but it can also be helpful when being rescued. Safety first is always the motto for a safe hunting season at Lake of the Woods.

Whether you are traveling by car, walking the dog, working in the woods or on your property you also must be keenly aware of the dangers during this season. When traveling highways be aware that this is the season of deer being in rut and that means that the deer are running. They are crazed during this season and are not looking out for people driving the roads. However, YOU must be aware and keep a watchful eye out for these animals every minute.

Why not go shopping now for your blaze orange and wear it whenever you’re out and about. This will make others aware that you are aware of the season. Besides, it’s always a celebration to wear this color during this “National Orange Holiday”. (author’s humor)

If you’re looking for public hunting land, Lake of the Woods offers literally thousands of acres of state land, nearly all of which is open and available for hunting.  Some popular areas to begin are Beltrami Island State Forest, Red Lake Wildlife Management Area, Pine Island State Forest and Lake of the Woods State Forest are just a few places to begin. Some hunters prefer to stay at Northwest Angle Resorts and hunt the islands.

Check out the webpage for the Beltrami State Island

Hunters can find deer hunting information at mndnr.gov/hunting/deer.

Hunting season questions can be fielded by the DNR Information Center at (651) 296-6157 or (888) 646-6367 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For information on hunting lands, guides or lodging, see our website at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com