This weekend was a bust for me, I sat my farm Saturday morning for about 4 hours but never saw a deer. Yesterday hit 95 here so I didn't even bother to try to go out. The pics I've gotten there looks like the same 2-3 does and fawns over and over and they seem to travel in a pack all the time. It is an all or none thing there right now, at least until the does kick the fawns and they start breaking up. There are 3 1.5 y/o bucks traveling together, no mature bucks on camera yet but they are around. My buddy's farm is almost all bucks with just 2-3 does, we should be able to rattle a little there in a couple weeks and get some action. His farm at least has a couple shooter bucks roaming around regularly. For the next couple weeks I will just slip a hunt in here and there to try to drop a doe. I'm yet to have a deer in bow range though, oh how times have changed.
I work two the next two nights and get off Wednesday morning. Might try to get a couple more sits in around home Wednesday - Thursday then I'm off to South Dakota Friday for a week. Anything can happen around home but that trip will be my best bet to kill a deer and possibly a pretty decent buck. Can't wait.
Man, I was gonna take this weekend off, but a nice cold front is coming in. Might have to get out there!
I didn't get any deer this past weekend. But I was close as some of you might have heard thru GroupMe. I've had time to reflect on it. And I'm glad I didn't take the shot now. But I sure was temped to take the shot at the neck. He was a really nice 8pt. I decided to wait for a better shot. I hope I get another chance. I am pumped up for this next weekend! Weather is gonna be ideal with highs in low 50's and lows in the low 30's!
Hey guys, I was taking with a buddy earlier and he was telling me he hangs a rope from his boot, about 18 inches long, with the end soaked in estress, and walks to his stand with it dragging behind him. He does it all season and swears by it. Has anyone here tried that or something similar?
I'll use a drag now and again but estrous all season ? I'd use some regular doe P or buck urine until late October/ early November.
I've used drags before but never before prerut/rut. I used to put cover scent on my boots, doe urine not estrous, and one time had a decent young buck cutting across the field hit my trail and walk right to the base of my tree and start licking the steps. Other than that experience I can't say I've seen results, with that said I have things that work on one farm but not another so hard to argue.
Well I did buy some tinks today. Just have to give it a shot and see how it works. Went in the woods this morning. Decent deer movement, but nothing have me a shot. I find a fresh rub line this morning on the way out. It's good to see new sign popping up.
Seen a 5 or 6 pt this morning. We passed on him ,looking for his bigger brother. Finall started seeing some activity this weelend
Hey guys. Sorry I've been MIA. My dad passed away Tuesday. Feel like I've been in Florida for the whole month of October. MD has a three day muzzleloader this weekend so hoping I can get out after some deer this weekend.
Many thanks guys. Who is hunting this weekend? Can't wait to get some therapy in the woods this weekend. It looks like I will be in the woods Friday afternoon and all day Saturday and Sunday. Going after Sika deer. They are pretty cool deer species.
Sikas are a cool little deer, good luck out there. I'm going to get a couple hunts in over the next few days. Starting the end of next week I'll start hitting it hard.
I'm getting back out for some much needed tree therapy this weekend. Haven't hunted in 3 weeks, which is unheard of for me! Gonna be a little warm for my liking, but maybe I'll see a little pre-rut action. Good luck gang!
Got out last night for a couple hours. Ended up with a little guy hanging around the base of my tree for the last 20 minutes of light. A few weeks from now I may regret not giving him a ride home. When he came into the field he kept looking back into the woods so I was holding out for more deer to join him but it wasn't meant to be. I'll be out tomorrow morning and then probably Sunday afternoon on an acreage. Still waiting for a doe to give me a shot.
Hey guys, got home from SD yesterday. I wanted to keep you guys updated but the service was hit n miss. I had a few opportunities, even flung an arrow, but unfortunately I was unable to connect. According to the guys I went with the hunting is nothing like it use to be which is crazy to me because I thought it was still pretty darn good. I saw a lot of deer and some pretty good bucks. I even saw a whitetail that I'm guessing would have went over 150 that had what appeared to be a paddle on his right side. My best opportunity came on a pretty good mule deer buck. I figured he would have been 220-230 pounds but my buddy said that he would have been every bit of that. I put the sneak on him and was kneeling within 30 yards of him for 15-20 minutes. He was tucked under a willow in some pretty thick stuff so no shot was there. He wasn't directly downwind but he had to be close, I knew I was playing with fire. All I could see were his antlers moving back n forth as he would turn his head, completely oblivious to my presence. Darkness was coming fast and I told myself 5 more minutes then I need to try to make something happen if he doesn't get up on his own. Just as that thought wen through my head he caught a whiff of me and busted out of the willow into the wind. As he busted out I stood and came to full draw knowing that a mule deer will usually pause and give you one quick opportunity. I turned to my right following the big body quickly moving through the brush. Too thick, this isn't going to work. While at full draw I start strafing to my right to find an opening. He found the opening at the same moment I did. He paused in it quartering away and looked back. I thought to myself 'that looks far'. I put the 40 pin just barely over his back and let loose. A green streak flew through the air. As my arrow stuck into the bank right behind the bucks front feet he lifted a foot. I could almost hear him saying 'what the hell was that'. He bounded away unscathed. I had shot for 50 yards. When it was all said and done I ranged to where he had been standing. He was standing at 65 yards. I was happy it was a clean miss because it started to rain shortly after and a wounded deer would have been almost impossible to find. Even though I missed it was still the best bowhunting experience I have had in my career thus far. So now it's back to sweet ol Northern MN. I checked a card today and have one little buck milling around the area throughout the last week. I don't really want to shoot him but if gets later in the season you just never know. I have about two weeks until the orange army takes over the woods so hopefully I can put something down before then. It is difficult enough to hunt this area but after rifle season it becomes even tougher. I'll put some time in and see what happens. Hope everyone has been enjoying their time in the woods. Can't wait to see our next deer hit the ground. Good luck everyone.
