Almost 75 percent of Kirsch's area is public land in one form or another, and there are plenty of big bucks around if that is what you are interested in, he noted. The biggest precaution hunters should take when trying to access difficult-to-reach areas is to be up to speed on the off-highway vehicle regulations.

"Pay attention to the regulations, especially because they are different on state land versus federal land," Kirsch said.

Even though Kirsch understands the desire to pursue trophy bucks in his area, he said there is a definite need for thinning the number of antlerless deer there as well.

"We're trying to direct people into considering taking antlerless deer because the population is pretty high in northeastern Minnesota, and it's causing a problem with some forest management projects, such as trying to get more white pine," Kirsch said.

PRIVATE LANDS
It cannot be stressed enough that there are thousands of acres of private lands in Minnesota that are never hunted because nobody bothered to ask permission. Many of these areas do not necessarily hold trophy bucks, and hunters are wrong if they assume that simply because an area isn't hunted that it's good for big racks.

However, these areas are definitely worth examining and scouting out. Gain permission for a few different properties and then scout them to figure out which one is the best. The earlier in the year you can gain permission, the better off you will be.

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Whether you are a trophy hunter or meat hunter, remember to carefully read the 2007 regulations for any rules changes and boundary adjustments, because they could affect the permit area you hunt in or the type of hunting you employ.

Happy hunting, and hunt safely!