Lakefront MN Family Vacations

Snowmobile trail grooming is being done today on the mid Gunflint Trail snowmobile trails and is being done 3 to 4 times each week. We got about 1” of fresh snow last night, here at our mid Gunflint Trail snowmobiling resort. Grand Marais MN received about 4” of snow last night and the Devils Track area got a very respectable 8” of snow.

Early January was poor for snowmobiling in the Grand Marais and Gunflint Trail areas of Minnesota, but that has changed. Though we personally have not had a chance to do much snowmobiling so far this year, guests staying at our MN winter resort that have been snowmobiling plus snowmobilers that stop in to quench their thirst or to enjoy some of the great food that we offer to snowmobilers, have reported that the Gunflint Trail area snowmobiling trails are in great shape.

The video shown below was shot by snowmobiling guests staying at our MN snowmobiling resort on January 27, 2010.



Minnesota ice fishing has been extremely good this year, both inside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCAW) and on other lakes up and down the Gunflint Trail that are outside the BWCAW. In addition, with temperatures being a little warmer than normal along the Canadian / Minnesota border, ice fishing has been more bearable, resulting in most ice fishing being more productive that we normally see in the Gunflint Trail area. People are staying out on the ice longer and catching more fish than they would normally get while ice fishing during January and February. We’ve seen a lot of nice lake trout that have been taken by ice fishermen staying at our Minnesota winter resort this year.

Winter log cabin rental availability and online reservations are temporarily unavailable from the Hungry Jack Lodge website due to our winter family resort switching over to a new reservation system. Hopefully we will have the issue solved soon. Until our online reservations and availability are online again please phone in your reservations for winter cabins and winter log cabin rentals. Hungry Jack Lodge reservations can be called in toll free at: 1-800-338-1566.

Our snowmobile rentals for the Grand Marais MN and Gunflint Trail area have been flying out the door. If you or someone in your group needs a snowmobile rental for the Gunflint Trail be sure to phone Hungry Jack Lodge winter resort with your snowmobile rental reservation as soon as you know the dates that you will be on your snowmobile vacation.

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Ice fishing for trout on northern Minnesota’s Gunflint Trail has so far turned out to be one of the best in recent years. This year, all of the trout ice fishermen are being blessed with mild temperatures for a change. It is usually -20F or colder during early trout ice fishing season. Ice fishing success so far this season is generally pretty good.

Hungry Jack Lodge, located mid-trail on the Gunflint Trail, is surrounded by several lake trout lakes that seem to produce a good number of fish during the ice fishing season each year. A few of the ice fishing lakes in the area of our northern MN winter resort, that can be accessed by snowmobile are; Moss Lake, West Bearskin Lake, Birch Lake and Clearwater Lake.

ICE FISHING IN THE BWCAW
If you are feeling more adventurous and would like to hike in to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) to ice fish, our MN ice fishing and snowmobiling resort is located near the Duncan Lake and Daniels Lake entry points. These 2 lakes also produce some great fish throughout the winter months.

This morning at 7 am I went to the mail box and there were already 7 vehicles parked at the Moss Lake parking access. I think a lot of fisherman are taking advantage of these mild temps and getting out to enjoy the Minnesota northwoods. Live minnows are usually a bait of choice, however don’t forget, designated trout lakes prohibit the use of live minnows.



NORTHERN MN WINTER LOG CABINS
If you are considering coming up to the Boundary Water Canoe Area (BWCAW) or Gunflint Trail to ice fish we suggest making your reservation as soon as you can. The winter cabin rental vacancies at our MN winter resort have been very minimal and we are running close to full during recent weeks.

Due to somewhat poor snowmobiling conditions we still have some winter cabins and log cabins available for rent at our Gunflint Trail winter resort. However, once we get some heavier snows, the winter cabins available for rent at our Gunflint Trail family winter resort are sure to be filled by snowmobiliers and ice fishermen alike. Make your winter cabin rental reservations early!!

For more information about our Grand Marais, Gunflint Trail winter resort or to make reservations for a family winter vacation visit our website at: http://www.hungryjacklodge.com/ You can also call us at (800) 388-1566 to find out about our current winter snow, ice fishing and snowmobiling conditions.

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GUNFLINT TRAIL SNOW REPORT









We currently have a fair number of winter cabin rentals available at our Minnesota winter resort for the snowmobiling and ice fishing season. If possibly, we suggest that you make your winter vacation reservations at our Grand Marais, Gunflint Trail resort as soon as possible to insure that you can get a rental log cabin on the dates that you want.

GUNFLINT TRAIL & GRAND MARAIS SNOW REPORTS

The Gunflint Trail area and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in northeastern MN have again proven to be very productive for ruffed grouse and moose hunters in 2009.

TWO FOR TWO ON MN MOOSE HUNTING

Pat Kruger & Burt Weeks along with Bob and Tyler Kreofsky are real happy. They hjarveated two moose and are pictured below with some of the people who helped in bringiong the game out of the woods.

All of the hunters shown are from Plainview, Minnesota.

GROUSE HUNTING AT OUR NORTHERN MN RESORT

As is almost always the case, ruffed grouse hunters at our Gunflint Trail lakefront hunting and fishing resort are having an excellent year. Due to the high success rate that grouse hunters consistently experience in northeastern Minnesota, many of the fall guests at Hungry Jack Lodge & Campground return year after year to hunt ruffed grouse in the Gunflint Trail area of MN.

Lakeside cabin, log cabin and cottage rentals are available during the summer, fall and winter seasons of the year at our Minnesota family resort. Our deluxe lakeside family resort cabins and log cabins accommodate from 2 to 20 people. Our Gunflint Trail lakeside resort welcomes any size group or family for summer, fall or winter vacations or get-away's.

For more information about Hungry Jack Lodge and Campground visit our Minnesota resort website at http://www.hungryjacklodge.com/ Online MN lakefront cabin rental reservations are available from the Hungry Jack Lodge & Campground website. Or, you can call us at (800) 388-1566. We will be glad to answer any questions you may have about our Gunflint Trail, Grand Marais, MN lakefront family resort.

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When the new lodge at Hungry Jack Lodge and Campground is completed it will be the most up-to-date and probably most impressive resort lodge on the Gunflint Trail in northern MN.

The “Loggers Lounge” on the lower level of course has a fireplace and is considerably larger and less constricted than our old bar area. When it opens, the Loggers Lounge will have tap beer (6 taps) plus full liquor service. Multiple TV's, pool table & video games plus the latest in jukeboxes. Our bar will seat almost 3 times than of our old bar and there are multiple tables available for those who do not wish to sit at the bar.

The main level of our new lakeside lodge boasts a larger dining room, an outside dining porch for use during the summer months, a large casual sitting area with fireplace, a more efficient and less crowded office & check-in area and a new & better organized gift shop. Views looking east towards Hungry Jack Lake are truly spectacular from the two story cathedral ceiling main floor area.

Our kitchen, as before, is on the main level of the new lodge. The kitchen has the latest in food preparation equipment. With more efficient kitchen equipment and a larger dining area we will be able to accommodate more people and larger private lakefront banquets, weddings and gathering than we had in the past. Once our new lodge is open we will again be serving our all-you-can-eat, family style dinners, that had been a favorite with both guests and local Cook County MN residents.

The NEW main lakefront lodge building at our Gunflint Trail, Grand Marais, MN lakeside resort will open on December 26th, for the Gunflint Trail winter snowmobiling and MN ice fishing seasons.

Beginning December 1, 2009 the new lodge will be available for Business Christmas Parties, Banquets and Weddings ONLY.

For information about the availability of Hungry Jack Lodge for banquets, weddings and parties please call us at (218) 338-1566.

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Will the 2009 Minnesota Grouse Hunting season end up being a banner year in northeastern MN? All indications are that it well may be. Minnesota is often the nation's top ruffed grouse producing state. Average yearly statistics have 115,000 ruffed grouser hunters harvesting 545,000 ruffed grouse, the state's mostpopular game bird.

Results of the 2009 grouse drum counting survey, conducted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, indicated an increase of 44% in the NE portion of MN, compared to figures for the same area that were compiled in 2008. That being said, the MN grouse season, which opens on September 19th may very well end up being the best grouse hunting season in reecent years.

The Gunflint Trail and portions of the BWCAW in northeastern MN, where Hungry Jack Lodge & Campground is located has a long history of being one of the best grouse hunting areas in the United States. Small to medium sized Aspen trees, which are a favorite habitat for ruffed grouse, are in great quantity in NE Minnesota. The NE survey region of MN is the heaviest ruffed grouse populated area of MN and the Gunflint Trail and adjoining portions of the eastern BWCAW are prime areas within that NE region of Minnesota for ruffed grouse hunting.

Grouse hunting in Minnesota is open to residents and non-residents and requires a small game license. MN Small Game Hunting Licenses are available for purchase at Hungry Jack Lodge & Campground, as are fishing licenses for both MN residents and non-residents of Minnesota.

Being "mid-trail" on the Gunflint Trail, Hungry Jack Lodge & Campground is in what could probably be considered one of the best spots in northeastern MN (and the United States) to hunt ruffed grouse. During the fall Grouse Hunting season, cabin rental guests at our lakefront resort are almost without exception, treated to some of the best ruffed grouse hunting that they have ever experienced anywhere. Many of the ruffed grouse hunters that stay in our northern Minnesota rental cottages or log cabins have been coming to Hungry Jack Lodge & Campground repeatedly for years. In addition to our Gunflint Trail rental cabins and cottages, the full service campground at Hungry Jack Lodge in northeastern MN provides excellent services for Minnesota grouse hunters.

For more information about our Gunflint Trail, Grand Marais, MN hunting & fishing resort go to the Hungry Jack Lodge & Campground website at www.hungryjacklodge.com. There you will find information about our Gunflint Trail lakeside rental cabins, cabin rental rates and informastion about our full service Minnesota RV and tent campground. Photos, videos and photo slideshows of our facilites and activites are abundant on the Hungry Jack Lodge website so that you can see exactly what we have to offer families, fishermen and hunters. Why "take a chance" and end up at some place that ends up being much less than you expected or wanted.

Online MN lakefront cabin rental reservations are available from the Hungry Jack Lodge & Campground website. (Sorry - Campground reservations must be made by telephone.) Or, if you prefer to make your lakefront cabin rental reeservation by telephone you can do so by calling us at (800) 388-1566. We'll be glad to answer any question you may have and help you have the best ruffed grouse hunting trip that you've ever had.

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MN Black Bear hunting season is set to open just a few days from now on September 1st. Hungry Jack Lodge & Campground is located in Bear Hunt Permit Area 31. Thought we are in Area 31, the eastern portion of Bear Hunt Permit Area 22 (BWCAW) is relatively close to our lakeside resort to the east, west and south.

Due to the fact that our location on the Gunflint Trail is in a very sparsely populated portion of Bear Hunt Permit Area 31, there is very little bear hunting pressure. This normally insures a higher success ratio for bear hunters than in the more southern portions of Bear Permit Area 31. Additionally, the vast majority of land in the northern portion of Bear Permit Area 31, where we are located, is mostly State and Federal property. That being the case, there is less of a problem with your ending up trespassing on private property.

In addition, Hungry Jack Lodge and Campground is very often used as a “base camp” by bear hunters who have permits for Bear Permit Area 22 (BWCAW). This is due to the fact that our Gunflint Trail location offers such easy access to the eastern portions of Permit Area 22. Because Area 22 is totally within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), no motorized vehicles are allowed in Bear Permit Area 22.

Hungry Jack Lodge & Campground is about a half a mile outside of Permit Area 22, making it an ideal place bear hunters with permits for Bear Hunt Permit Area 22 to stay in lakeside cabins or to camp out of their travel trailers or motor homes.

The campground at Hungry Jack Lodge & Campground offers electric and water hook-ups for RV’s and excellent tent camping too. We of course have a no charge, central shower house and washroom for campers. Plus, free campfire wood is always available for campers staying at our secluded lakeside campground on the Gunflint Trail.

For more information about our lakeside cabin rentals and our Gunflint Trail Campground please call us at (800) 388-1566. Or visit our website at http://www.hungryjacklodge.com/ for more information and rates. Online reservations can be made for our lakeside cottages and log cabin rentals at our website. Sorry, reservations for campsites are NOT available online and must be made by telephone (800) 388-1566.

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TROPHY WALLEYE FROM HUNGRY JACK LAKE

As you can see below, Hungry Jack Lake continues to be the hotspot for fishing along the Gunflint Trail in northern Minnesota. Though smallmouth bass and walleye fishing on Hungry Jack Lake have consistently been very good from year to year, 2009 is proving to be an exceptionally good year for fishermen. A higher than normal amount of large and trophy class fish have been caught this year on Hungry Jack Lake, near the BWCAW on the Gunflint Trail.

Todd Peterson of Edina, MN, who owns a summer home on Hungry Jack Lake, caught a 30” walleye that weighed 10 pound on Hungry Jack Lake the evening of June 13th.

Todd was so proud of the trophy class walleye that he caught on our northern Minnesota lake that he brought it to our family fishing resort to show it off. Todd told us that he used a large sucker minnow and bobber to catch the monster walleye, but would not disclose the location on Hungry Jack Lake where he caught this beautiful walleye.

After showing off his walleye, Todd released the fish at the main dock at our northern MN family fishing resort. Because the majority of people who fish on Hungry Jack Lake release most of the exception walleye, smallmouth bass and northern pike that they catch back into the lake, Hungry Jack Lake just keeps getting better and better. As each year goes by the number of trophy walleye and smallmouth bass caught on Hungry Jack Lake is increasing.

In as much as Todd won’t let you stay with him, in his Hungry Jack Lake summer home, we recommend that you rent one of the lakefront cabins, log cabins or cottages available at our family fishing resort on Hungry Jack Lake, if you want to experience some spectacular northern MN fishing.

GUNFLINT TRAIL AND BWCA RENTAL CABINS AND COTTAGES
Unlike many resorts on the Gunflint Trail, all of the rental cabins and cottages at our Minnesota lakeside family resort are actually on the lake. Each of the rental cabins at our fishing resort has its’ own private dock, deck, grill and much more. Our northern MN fishing resort also has a wooded 14 site lake access campground with water, electric hook-up and central shower house/washrooms.

Hungry Jack Lodge and Campground is just outside the eastern Boundary Waters Canoe Area, in an area that is a virtual patchwork of lakes. Access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCAW) requires only one very short portage from Hungry Jack Lake. Being adjacent to the BWCA allows guests at our northern Minnesota family resort to take easy fishing and canoeing day trips into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

To find out more about Hungry Jack Lodge and Campground on the Gunflint Trail, near Grand Marais Minnesota visit our website at www.hungryjacklodge.com. Lakefront cabin, log cabin and cottage rental online reservations can be made from the Hungry Jack Lodge and Campground website.