How is everyone doing that hasn't posted both their deer on the scoreboard? I've been close a couple times. I had a nice 8 I let down on a couple days ago. I am still second guessing myself for not letting the arrow fly. I am starting to get a little itchy! I will commit to letting an arrow fly on the next mature doe in bow range!
I've been spending hours on my butt in the stand, but here in Illinois, the deer just aren't moving like they were closer to the beginning of the month. The last decent hunt I had where I saw good deer movement was November 2nd, when I took the 8 pointer. I'm not alone.......it's been a very strange year here in central Illinois. Just looking at the forum, and the few deer that have been posted in the past week or so tells me things are slow in a lot of places. I hunted Saturday morning, and only saw a small 6 or 8 pointer, and he was just moseying along, and not in any particular hurry to get anywhere. He was a good sized deer, but he didn't appear to be rutted up. Saturday morning should have been a good morning for deer movement: Calm winds, temps in the mid teens, slight overcast with quarter moon. My Son hunted Saturday evening and Sunday morning, and he only saw one smaller doe. Here are a few of my thoughts about the rut in our area this year: I think this is one of those "trickle" rut years. By that I mean the rut just kind of comes and goes without much fanfare, and daytime breeding and deer cruising/seeking/chasing. We had very warm temps over the last couple of weeks, and a big full moon to boot. I really think that bulk of the rutting action took place the first week or week and one half of November, and for the most part, it was nocturnal. The most deer movement I have seen this year was Sunday, November 2nd, when I grunted in and shot my buck. This coming weekend is the first 3 days of gun season, so I'll be out of the stand. I will be hunting again over my 4 day Thanksgiving weekend, and we'll see how things look then. I also have over 3 weeks off around Christmas, so if I haven't tagged out, I will be hunting hard then as well. I am committed to only shooting a mature, older doe, or a small buck with my lone antlerless tag I have left. If I can put 50 more on the board for us, great. If not, it won't be from a lack of trying! I just enjoy hunting, regardless of the outcome. I know we have a good bunch of bowhunters on this team, and to a man, they are doing what they can to contribute. That's all anyone can ask, and I know you guys want to fill tags as bad as the rest of us. Good luck to everyone the rest of the way home. We have lot's of hunting days left...............let's go out and git 'r done!
in nh you can not step in the woods without stepping on acorns years like that deer just do not move a lot even with gun season on still not much moving I have been in stand over 25 times and have seen one deer but I will keep trying I will be back in stand on Wednesday good luck to all
I think you have hit the nail on the head. We have an abundance of acorns this year too. The oaks are scattered all over our property, so there really isn't one "hot" area to concentrate on. With the does locked on the food source, they have no reason to move much. The bucks know where to find the ladies, and the rest is what us hunters are witnessing. To that end, I think late season will bring about good movement. At least I hope it will.
Put a stalk on a slammer for this area this afternoon. He was hung up with a doe, I got into position and the doe came by at 10 yards. I don't know why he didn't follow. Its the buck Ive been after all season.
I have another buck tag but no shooters around. Also i doe tag but theres no way ill be shooting a doe. Population is bad around my area. So hoping for something to show up on cam.
Sheesh... I am having a rough go at it... Nothing seems to be going right this year. I was out the door again today at 4 AM and just got home a bit ago. I did take about a 3 hour break late this morning, early afternoon. This morning I only saw three does, a buck, and 2 coyotes. All the action was just after first light. This evening I had a doe run by me at mach 2 at about 40 yards. I grabbed my bow instantly. Next thing I know a giant blows by me at mach 4. A buck I'd never seen before.... There was just no stopping him. He had two companions.... A small 10 and a 8.... 3 bucks dogging a single doe. I am going to get back in there in the morning... Crashing as soon as my cloths are done, Catch you all on the flip side!
I appreciate the words of encouragement... At the same time, NO WAY!!! I have lots of time left. It isn't over until the fat lady sings or a beast hits the ground! Rifle season will be here before you know it... I am planning all the yahoos pushing all the big bucks to the cover on the property I am hunting. I have never hunted a piece of property so big with so much timber. Truly big woods for Kansas! Maybe be its what is making it so difficult... There aren't many funnels to hunt. They can be anywhere, anytime...
Bout time some Kansas guy learns how to not have funnel friendly topo bahaha! HOpe you lay a stud down bud!
Now that the first 3 days of Shotgun season are over here in Illinois, it's time to get back to bowhunting! I have had a few days added to my usual Thursday/Friday and weekend off for the Thanksgiving holiday. I work very close to the area of civil unrest/looting/rioting in Ferguson, MO. My employer has decided to close campus until Monday, December 1st. That's a great call, as I have no idea how long it will take to get this mess under control again. It's sad people have to express themselves by destroying their own community. So.......it's back to the tree stand for me! The weather should be good, and I'm looking forward to getting back out there. Oh yeah...........with last weekend being Shotgun season and all, my wife and I did a little shopping. A new deer hauler followed me home. I think I'll get it out and play a bit today, before I hunt this afternoon! This should help getting the deer out of the woods a little easier, and a bit more enjoyable.
From my family to you and yours...................Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!! Please take a moment to give thanks to those that serve our country, and aren't home with family today. Also, take a moment to remember family and friends that are no longer with us.
Checking in! Have a great Thanksgiving all! Bee- I couldn't have said it any better. Will be back in the stand tomorrow AM!
Indeed Happy Thanksgiving to all and good luck to those of you going out the next few days. I did finally get a chance to watch Neal's episode and it was great! Felt very bad for John Herman so was glad Neal could make it a happy ending!
Thanks Man! John is a great guy - and I was bummed about his hunt! Hope everyone's turkey day went well. I'm likely hunting Dec 19 - 26... at least a few days in there. Hoping for a last minute MN buck!
Sorry iv been AWOL lately, not much bow hunting because the area I bow hunt has been shut down. I did take a trip to my parents to hunt our rifle season with my family. I killed a 110" 12 point. Mature deer, tooth wear aged at 4.5, but was a short heavy compact frame. Very happy to take him though My main hunting area opens Monday, but so does trapping season, so I will be juggling early mornings running traps with evenings in the stand and work in the middle. I still plan on trying to get a buck on the ground with my bow late season. To all still getting out there good luck and be safe!
