Average drive time to hunt

Used to be 3.5 hours to the cabin at Chamberlain. We moved from Iowa to South Dakota in September, so now it's a short two hours. One hour to good bird country.
 
I try to get out 2x a week close to home in South Central MN for about 1-3 hours each, mostly just to work the dog. My goal is to flush a few hens and a bonus if we shoot a rooster. Some days we'll limit out easy, other times I might go an 8 hour stretch over multiple hunts without even firing a shot. But it's enough to keep me coming back for more. I'll leave work an hour or two early, hunt within 5-15 miles of home, and need to get the kids picked up from daycare by 5:00 - so I can't travel far. I take 2 different multi-day trips to SD each year, so those are my "free passes away from home" and therefore I don't do much else hunting in MN that involves weekends or longer drives.
 
One hour. I live in the Twin Cities west metro. For those of you driving hours and hours heading west or south, you don't have to do that.
 
gimruis said:
One hour. I live in the Twin Cities west metro. For those of you driving hours and hours heading west or south, you don't have to do that.
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I have found that if I dont drive at least 2 hours, I cannot shut off work enough to enjoy it. Anything less, and I feel like I should take care of business. Anything further, I tell them they have to wait.
 
reddog said:
I have found that if I dont drive at least 2 hours, I cannot shut off work enough to enjoy it. Anything less, and I feel like I should take care of business. Anything further, I tell them they have to wait.
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2 hours is doable too. Anything more than that makes for a really long day because you'll likely spend more time driving than hunting.
 
Grouse woods - 5 minutes
SD - 16 Hrs
Iowa - 11 Hrs
Nebraska - 15 Hrs
Kansas - 17 Hrs
 
I hunt my own land for bobwhites, in prime quail country. I’m about an hour away from pheasant country. My favorite place to go is about 4 hours away, which is no big deal for a weekend hunt.
 
Now that I've retired and relocated, about 2.3 hours.
 
Kansan said:
Same. I’d love to go hunt the north woods for ruffs. The prospect of wolves getting my labs scares me though.
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Wolves generally don't mess with bird dogs, typically more with hounds either running rabbits or majority bear hounds. Is the potential there yes, but i wouldn't let that stop you from going. I live in the northern lower peninsula and I don't have to worry, do go north of the bridge for sharptials.
 
A5 Sweet 16 said:
This is one reason I'm a springer guy. Wolves know better than to mess with one. (see profile pic for typical vicious springer look) :ROFLMAO:
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it is known fact that wolves are Marx Brother fans, so you would be set A5!
 
Most spots are within a half hour. A couple push that 45 minute distance. I did shoot a sharptail close to home earlier this year, but it is 3 hours to my buddy's ranch where I go to reliably shoot grouse.
 
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