2011 Archery Log

[archerystud]

I hunted in the Twin Cities last night. I hit my can call with about 45 minutes of hunting light left. I hear something coming out of the swamp. It's a small 5 point buck. I have him at 10 yards but the wind is in my favor. He glances up at me and then bolts back about 20 yards.

At first I thought he saw/smelled me. However then a second small buck strolls into the picture from the opposite direction. This one's a fork. I have no idea where the second one came from??? Second buck ends up chasing the first one off.

Any night hunting is a good night and it's always fun to see deer.

[psepuncher]

I think next week is going to be GREAT.

I think so too.

But, with the weather I see predicted for next week I bet many a nimrod will be yaking by the home fire.

So I placed a ground blind in a holler {see Arkansas offical lingo for translation}

I have stands on the hills some about 25' up and that blind in a holler well below sea level.

This holler is very deep which is going to keep my scent low. There's fresh trails and other good stuff laying around, so I bet during inclimate weather this will be the go to spot. The blind is super blended camo-ed and brushed up vvery well. It's amongst the oaks and secluded with great detail, it's pert near invisible. good thing I have some blaze orange attached to it.

Today will be getting everything field ready again, checking the bow and sharpening broadheads and knives.

Something is in the air....I can smell it!{just hope it's not that skunk again}

I wonder if this is what has been making good scrapes around here?

Heck you know what they say.

If there's one good buck in the area, there's usually two more, so we'll see.

neck size XXL

[slimngrizzly]

It was a tough call on him. He was definitely a nice buck, but I wasn't sure if he was what I was after right now. I don't know if I regret not taking a shot at him more than I would of regretted shooting him. He might be the biggest buck I see this year and would have been my 2nd biggest buck ever.

Im with you 100% 96! Way to have the self discipline! I actually could have shot my 2nd biggest buck ever with the bow at 7:40 last Saturday morning. I drew back grunted and stopped him and then decided it just wasn't what I wanted this trip. I texted my buddy asking him if I was being greedy thinking I could do better? He said you gotta pass good deer to shoot great deer! And bottom line, you shouldn't shoot if your not gonna go home happy!......... 35 minutes later I shot a 200"+. Needless to say Im really glad I passed that other buck!

[mabr]

PSE, Looks like we may have the same genes. Might even be some of the same deer. Are you near Cedar Creek? Thats my swamp property right on it.

[archerystud]

Slim,

Finally saw that picture of your buck. As my grandfather used to say....

"Yank my DOODLE that's a DANDY!!!"

Great Buck!

[psepuncher]

PSE, Looks like we may have the same genes. Might even be some of the same deer. Are you near Cedar Creek? Thats my swamp property right on it.

I may be about 4 miles from you.? I'm NE of 24

Last year I had a wide buck like the one you posted running around.

This year I have an immature buck with 6 eye guards.

The top brow tines are split and then two drop tines under that.

Not by my standards to take him, but the neighbors have their agenda every year to fill up their meat pole. I'm cool with that as we all have the same ambition to fill a tag, just different standards.

I sure hope to see him again for the next few years.

[FISHINGURU]

I don't know if I regret not taking a shot at him more than I would of regretted shooting him.

You would of regretted shooting him more if you still want to hunt bucks this year. He obviously isn't what your looking for if you didn't shoot him, if you have to think twice about it then he isn't the one.

[psepuncher]

found a new stand yesterday afternoon by my fence line...dern neighbord!(*&(&*&^(*&^

Anyway, today going out early with the moon shining all night

I might catch one going to bed or....

Hopefully they push me a few good ones.

Hang on to your hats boys. got your stands hung tight?

Today

Windy with times of sun and clouds. High 13C. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

Partly cloudy and windy. High 57F. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph.

Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph

good luck!

[goblueM]

sat last night, didn't see anything. the mock scrape i made and peed in had been worked pretty hard, so that's a good sign.

[Cheetah]

The deer shut down for me on Saturday/Sunday. I was completely skunked, didn't see a darn thing on stand. Did some scouting today and have some ideas for next weekend. Hopefully letting the area cool down for the week will be the ticket.

[james_walleye]

Hey can you guys see anything in these 2 pics to confirm that this is or isnt the same buck? 2nd pic is a bit blurry is the problem.....

[grizrunner]

My guess is they're two different bucks.

The second one's tines appear longer. The first one looks like he's 5# heavier

[james_walleye]

The right side beams dont seem the same to me. Looks like one curves further in and the other bucks beam curves up more rather than straight out. If i could see that one browtine better it would be an easy call.

[Stratosman]

Yeah looks different to me...

Here is a couple pics from this weekend. I hunted with the bow and saw 6 bucks and only a couple of does... coudn't figure out where the does went, until my brother in law, who was about 400 yards down the creek saw about 30 does on saturday evening alone! Coming from the same area...

Well I saw one nice one, and I only had a doe tag, and of course couldn't get a doe in range!

Had a spiker bed down 10 yards from my tree for 3 hours... fun watching him nod off...

Later that evening, had a small 8 come right to my tree!

[grizrunner]

The second bucks right brow tine doesn't look long enough either.

[grizrunner]

Nice pics Stratosman.

[Shu]

Was in the stand for all but 1 hour on Saturday and the same on Sunday in WI. Early and late the deer were active, a few small bucks moving around during the mid day hours but the wind had them down in heavy cover I think. Starting to pick up the big boys on camera Friday and Saturday night so I think the next few days should be real interesting. On Saturday morning I saw a full chase going on with a small 6 and a doe but that was the only chasing I saw all weekend.

[no bait nate]

Passed on a 120 class 8 point this morning, he came into 18 yds and was working a scrape and up on his back legs getting his head in the trees. Was an awesome sight to see, especially when he was walking away without ever noticing me even though strait down wind. He will be a great buck next year if the slug monkeys don't get him... I'm still looking for my first archery buck after hunting the last ten years or so. But when I get the right one, he will be on the wall! Here's to QDM. Let's hope some others can chip in! Was a long day in the tree today from 6 until 5:30....

[Sturg]

Been hunting WI with a decoy. I have seen very little rut movement. I haven't seen any deer beyond the first or last hour of light. I've had 3 decoy encounters with two different small bucks. I have not seen a doe while hunting. Fawns and small bucks. Still have corn up on two sides of the property. The decoy has mesmorized the bucks so I'm hoping I can get it in view of a bigger buck. I've used setups in the woods and on the field edges and got action at both places but nothing after 9:00 or before 5:00. Just wondering if they are hanging in the corn. I'll have to keep at it and hope it turns around. The wind was tough all weekend. I made my own decoy, full body doe, removable legs and antlers. I can raise the tail with fishing line. I have a plastic one that I have shot two nice bucks over in seasons past, hoping to do the same with the full body. Two pics from the stand last week.

[mrklean]

sweet decoy how big of rack is on there?

[slimngrizzly]

Geezez Sturg! Your lookin for a boonie!

[96trigger]

that decoy rocks, theres a guy that takes his hunting seriously.

[Cheetah]

I wrapped my season on Saturday night. Pretty tough hunting for me these past two weeks of November in WI. Deer herd numbers are down in general due to "herd control" licenses devastating the doe population. It trickles down from there, just too many getting shot in the area over the last 5+ years. Hopefully next year the deer hunting will be a bit better, one thing is for sure, I need to commit some time to scouting some new areas to hunt.

[JBone]

so real! best decoy I have seen

[sticknstring]

Man it's slow in here! Everyone must have tagged out or traded in their bows for guns? We're only half-way through November, what gives? I surely can't be the only one with an empty freezer? I've got 3 weeks to get it done to keep me from doing something I haven't had to do in a looong time... buy beef.

[mabr]

Stick, with me it’s just disappointing when you know you have them around and then poof there gone. I have 2 shooters on a small property that I typically would have taken a doe or 2 off of already this year but I haven’t this year just hoping to draw in more bucks. This land does not get gun hunted and has a natural sanctuary (swamp) on it that always holds deer once the pressure starts. The does are there but not the big guys at least that’s what my camera is telling me. I hunted it 3 days last week with the right wind and nuthin! . All I’m seeing is the does and 1 small 8, and he hasn’t even been interested in sniffing them, instead running them off the food plot. I put my camera out on a logging road that every deer around usually walks on at least 1 time a week on my way out Wednesday evening. I went and pulled the card today hoping I’d get some encouraging pics. Same old does and same small 8 is all I had in 332 pics. WHERE HAVE THEY GONE!!!! LOL it’s driving me nuts.

My middle boy shot a NICE doe opening day of gun, It still had milk in its sack!! I didn’t think they could have milk and be ready to breed, anyone know the answer to that? Can they? Like I said in another post I’m not sure they have really started rutting as much as I know ITS ALWAYS the same period year to year. But man I haven’t heard one grunt all season. That’s unheard of for me.

Sorry folks not trying to be a downer but man it get frustrating hearing others seeing the rut taking place and Im not, especially when I know I’ve hunted smart. Just glad for the 2 I got back in September and have 2 boys to tag a few more with their guns. No real push like you Stick for the meat. I’ll most likely take a week break, let the bones and mind recover from the stress LOL and be in the stand again after that. Man I love it, even as frustrating as it is at times.

[DonBo]

Well I finished filling my freezer this last week. Hunted with an old friend down near LaCrosse, WI. Missed a chance at a BIG 8 or 9 pt the first night and ended up filling my tag with a 6 pointer on Friday. Not the trophy I dreamed of, but I'm not one to pass many "birds in the hand" when I've only got a few days to fill an out-of-state license.

We saw quite a few deer with many being bucks. With the lone exception of a spike chasing a doe around the area, very little rut action was seen.

[the man]

Stick, with me it’s just disappointing when you know you have them around and then poof there gone. I have 2 shooters on a small property that I typically would have taken a doe or 2 off of already this year but I haven’t this year just hoping to draw in more bucks. This land does not get gun hunted and has a natural sanctuary (swamp) on it that always holds deer once the pressure starts. The does are there but not the big guys at least that’s what my camera is telling me. I hunted it 3 days last week with the right wind and nuthin! . All I’m seeing is the does and 1 small 8, and he hasn’t even been interested in sniffing them, instead running them off the food plot. I put my camera out on a logging road that every deer around usually walks on at least 1 time a week on my way out Wednesday evening. I went and pulled the card today hoping I’d get some encouraging pics. Same old does and same small 8 is all I had in 332 pics. WHERE HAVE THEY GONE!!!! LOL it’s driving me nuts.

My middle boy shot a NICE doe opening day of gun, It still had milk in its sack!! I didn’t think they could have milk and be ready to breed, anyone know the answer to that? Can they? Like I said in another post I’m not sure they have really started rutting as much as I know ITS ALWAYS the same period year to year. But man I haven’t heard one grunt all season. That’s unheard of for me.

Sorry folks not trying to be a downer but man it get frustrating hearing others seeing the rut taking place and Im not, especially when I know I’ve hunted smart. Just glad for the 2 I got back in September and have 2 boys to tag a few more with their guns. No real push like you Stick for the meat. I’ll most likely take a week break, let the bones and mind recover from the stress LOL and be in the stand again after that. Man I love it, even as frustrating as it is at times.

I understand I hunt a small 10 acre plot of woods filled with oaks. The past couple of years I have seen big bucks in and shot big bucks in but now all I have seen is a small 8 a fork and a few does. It has just been a weird year for me not much rut activity either.

[slimngrizzly]

Stay PUMPED fellas! It can change that fast! "The Rut" is going on whether you or me are seeing it or not, you just gotta have that right doe around. Your days comming! Take a couple days off, get the right mindset and keep on it! It can all change in a matter of seconds!

I saw a big 9 point bowhunting earlier in the season but he was always was too far away. I ended up shooting him saturday morning at 8 yards. I almost felt bad about shooting him with gun. Walked in, BANG, DEAD, sad movies for him, over. Im fortunate to get him! I have all the respect in the world for these animals... but its not the same taking them with the gun.

Good luck fellas! Stay positive!

[Meat-Run]

SNS,

yeah this was one of the coolest archery seasons i've had and disappointing at the same time. Missed a big doe early in the season then put a horrible shot on a "freezer" doe and lost the deer. Then grazed what would have been a personal best buck of all time for me 10ptr with 5 bucks under my stand all at one time.

Then rifle season came and I had to redeam my self confidence and "cheated" with a rifle and plugged two does and a carbon copy 8ptr buck like last year in my avatar last Wednesday behind the house. The supper high for me was my nephew came over to visit and I passed on a big 10ptr to run towards him for a successful kill shot for a PB buck. So this has been a great "meat-run" season for me and we're cutting deer tonight I think we are set for the rest of the season. The deer activity around my hood is completely gone not one deer to be found.

MR