Archery hunters who participated in the Camp Ripley hunt near Little Falls Oct. 29 through Oct. 31 had a strong harvest, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
“With the change in format to a single, three-day event we anticipated a lower harvest,” said Dr. Bill Faber, head of the Central Lakes College Natural Resources Program. “But, with the robust deer herd at Camp Ripley, hunters still experienced about 14% success, well above the long-term average of 9% for the hunt.”
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This year, 1,949 participating hunters harvested 273 deer, at least 10 of which were large bucks, Faber said. The largest was an 11-point buck taken during the morning of Oct. 29 by Anthony Swenson of Waconia. Last year, 1,864 hunters harvested 310 deer over two, two-day hunts.
“We have a strong partnership with Central Lakes College and Camp Ripley, and they did a fantastic job managing traffic and checking deer,” said Beau Liddell, DNR wildlife manager at Little Falls Liddell. “The event is also a valuable experience for students pursuing careers in wildlife management.”
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The archery hunt at Camp Ripley is an annual event. The DNR coordinates the hunt in collaboration with Central Lakes College Natural Resources Program and the Department of Military Affairs, which manages the 53,000-acre military reservation.
Results and more information about the hunt are available on the DNR website .
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