After a huge end to October it seems the board has went fairly quiet. I'm getting nervous that I may have taken my vacation a week early and it may in fact peak during and after firearm weekend. Is anyone seeing anything out there now or have they put the brakes on for a bit? I'll be out there Friday and Saturday which condition wise is going to be perfect, just hoping the deer are still cooperating. I'll have 10 days straight in the woods, hoping I picked the right ten.
I hunt south of you and west also. I havnt been seeing much out of the stand. But that just may be my area as deer numbers ahve seemed to be declining the last few years. I have seen a few nice bucks at night out cruising and trailing does. I would think your vacation will be at a real good time. Things should continue to get better next week . I wouldnt think it would peak after shot gun season.
Yeah, I was just going by the rutting moon and D&DH calendar that says from the 15th of November through the 5th of December is the peak activity. Got a little slow in the going this week, just thought I'd see if anyone has been out.
I hunt by Pontiac and I have not really been seeing much latly! I saw my second buck this morning but was a small one. It should start picking up I hope!
I haven't really been out enough to give a solid opinion, but my dad works at a fertilizer place and he said that the farmers have started seeing a big pick up in mature buck sightings while in the fields and driving around. I live about an hour north of Springfield.
I am am across the river in mo, for me the last three days the wind changed over coming out of the east which for me shut down the deer movement here,today it turned over to the northwest and i did not see a single deer today with gusty winds hope it gets better tomorrow, remember all the gun hunters will be walking all over the place putting up stands and raising heck here in mo this weekend witch will put the deer on high alert for a few days. good luck.
I hunt schuyler and pike Last 3 days I have seen mature bucks BUT i have not been able to pull them off the does they were on
The east winds we had here the last couple days may have slowed them down. ??? It was a westerly wind today but still saw nothing but a small doe.
I hunt public land in east central il. Sunday evening and Monday morning seemed a little slow so I moved my stand to a different location. On Tuesday morning, I witnessed two mature bucks (trailing does) get into it just before sunrise. I was blessed with taking one of them. He was a beautiful 10 pointer. I will be posting pics and a few words about the hunt soon. I think now is a great time to be in a stand. C
Thanks for the responses all, tomorrow looks good for an all day sit and Saturday morning is going to be the coldest of the season here in central IL. 10 hours left until my vacation starts.
It should get popping with this cold snap this weekend. I hunt around Decatur, Shelbyville and in Pike. Ive seen some more mature bucks starting to head out a little earlier in the evening and pay attention to the does a little more. I will definitely be sitting all day the rest of this week starting tonight....if my boss ever calls so I can get out of here
I was just on another site I frequent, one of the locals hunts and photographs deer. More like works of art than photography, but he said they seem to be in full chase mode now. Here is a link to his thread, check out the brute he caught yesterday. http://www.siloutdoors.com/showthread.php?t=18204
I too start my vacation tomorrow. However, I won't be hunting until sat. Tomorrow I am driving to St. Louis to pick my BIL up at the airport. We will be hard at it the 6th-12th. I can't wait. I know you hunt close by so if you need any help dragging a bruiser out let us know. If you're up for a cold one in j'ville some evening next week that's doable as well! Good luck to you! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I saw a half decent ten pointer yesterday at about 4:45pm. He wasn't chasing, just cautiously moving along through the woods. Deb shot that nice 8 pointer yesterday morning and I have reports of other shooter bucks moving during daylight. So, not much chasing around here yet but if I could, I'd be out hunting.
im up here north and i think the best times are ahead of us... but a little birdie told me warm weather the start of next week =-(
I'll definitely be out there, was curious as to what to expect. I was really excited about tomorrow and Saturday AM as the temps are going to be primed, but now we're looking at wind again tomorrow so Saturday AM is looking better. But i'll be on all day sits as long as needed.
Yeah unfortunately starting Saturday afternoon winds are going to switch back to the South and warm things back up for the entire week, and start to cool back down next weekend. Going to be rain in the forecast late next week as well. That is the biggest downfall of my vacation so far, but temps will only be in the low 60's as of now so hopefully there will be enough love in the air to keep the bucks on their feet.
I'm going to try and catch a buck working the downwind sides of doe bedding areas. If I don't freeze to death first. I hate hunting in a cold wind.
That is my exact plan. The private land I hunt the whole north border is some nasty thick stuff, the entire length of it is pretty much used for bedding. With the forecast NW winds I'm hoping to catch a buck scent checking. If years past are any indication, the stand I put out 3 weeks ago and this wind should yield me my most productive buck hunt yet. I just need them to come from the West and not the East, or hope my scent routine is enough. Woods have finally opened up enough to where I can see them coming at a distance, now I just need them to do what they have done in the past. 2 lanes is all I have with maybe a few other right location shot ops.
