Awesome day to be in a tree! 58 degrees, wsw wind at around 10, sunny, would rather have it cloudy but you can't have everything I guess. I'll let ya know if I see anything good. Sent from my XT1635-01 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Yeah, it still bothers me. I lost one last year (he lived unless he got infected) and then a 140 class public land beast 2 seasons ago. Pretty sure he died. 25+ years of hunting I've now lost 5 total. Not great but not terrible I guess. 3 of those I blame myself and/or lack of tracking experience 100%. Last years' was broadhead failure. I don't know what to pin this one on...that's the worst part. Don't know what I could change/improve on. Stay far away from near side shoulders, I guess. But I've lost them hitting too far back also (that 140 was liver.) If presented the same shot as the other night; I would've thought anything within 2" point of impact = dead deer within 100 yards. I'm also thinking of putting an insert on to increase my weight by 25gr. Get a little more KE although on paper I should have more than enough.
Back at it again. About 69 degrees with the SW wind and mostly sunny. Saw a lot of deer last night but just not the ones I was hoping to see. Sent from my XT1635-01 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Yesterday's cold front was way to juicy to pass up. So I used a personal day at work and went out for an afternoon sit. I hiked 1.2 miles into some public that opened for bow hunting only yesterday.. I watched a young buck casually follow 2 does, while scent checking their trail. He kept about 50 yards behind the pair... Watched 2 young bucks spar for a few minutes. That was awesome. Six deer altogether, 3 bucks 3 does.. just nothing worthy of the mile + drag out. I'll be working everyday from today through the 27th or 28th... then I'm off for a month. And to say I'm stoked would be a major understatement! Sent from my SM-N915V using Tapatalk
Like you Josh the cold front Monday and Tuesday tempted me to get into a stand. I went Monday evening and Tuesday morning. Very slow deer movement where I was at and couldn't figure that out because normally you see a lot of deer. Something has them spooked out of there for some reason or other. This is where I shot the coyote last week and I think that a pack has been working that area my friend saw one above my stand as I was sitting there yesterday morning. Maybe that is it. I am going to try again today and see what happens. Other commitments after today, will be next week before I have the opportunity again.
In the stand, Central WI. Dead calm and quiet now. Had a doe and fawn come thru right at first light. Came right up to bottom of stand and looked right up at me never spooked. This Evercalm flat out works. Too well. 2nd time this season that's happened using Evercalm, happened several other times as well. Bittersweet news... Good news is neighbor tagged out so less pressure in the area. Bad news is he killed Piggy, my #1 hit lister. I knew Piggy was going to get whacked this year. He was by far most daylight active mature buck in the area. Neighbors saying he dressed at 190. I'm thinking he was rapidly declining b/c last year I would've thought he would push every bit of 250 dressed. There's plenty bigger bucks running around here which I will be more than happy to kill but I will miss seeing that fat old bastard on my trail cams...
Using a decoy for first time ever. Read that it's a good pre rut tactic. SW wind is ok for this set up. Be better if it was SE like we've been getting. Nothing to lose w 79° temps in late Oct... Fronts moving in tonight hopefully get em up. Mr November, meet Mr October... No sooner did I post this winds shifted from SE. I scent bombed the area around that decoy. Winds drifting from him straight to buck bedding area...
last night had a small 6 come into area after a rattling sequence. He did not like the decoy at all... Once he spotted it he froze for probably 5+ mins then took off. Otherwise slow evening hunt with only does and fawns out of range. seen nothing so far this AM. Cold front is moving in, hopefully they're on feet early this afternoon. Going to head back to camp for a nap soon unless I start getting some action
Hung new stand this afternoon. Closer to bedding, got tired of seeing everything before or at the end of shooting light. Didn't see/hear a thing tho. Showers move in tomorrow AM around 730. Hope they stay on feet later. Tomorrow AM is my last hunt until next weekend. Temps are finally supposed to drop so things should get better
I went out yesterday. I passed the same 3 year old for the 4th time in 4 hunts....I really hope he stays put and doesn't get shot by a neighbor.
Yesterday was eventful but unlucky. Colder temps and light rain had them up. Had a doe trot in right down the two track at first light. Meh'd at her and stopped her at 10 yards but no shot due to limbs. She was on the left side of my tree which causes me to have to turn a bit as a LH shot. Was trying to twist myself into a shot lane when I realized she was nervous about something behind her. Turned around (at full draw) and she was being dogged by a small goofy spike/fork blob point year and a half old coming right up the same track. He pushed her a few more yards into an opening and I settled in to take the shot at the doe when I heard something behind me and turned around again (still at full draw) and there was a nice tight 8 (maybe 110) cutting across the bend in the trail on track to intersect them. This would put him at about 25 yards to my right, broadside and upwind of me, which would have been perfect as a lefty except I was turned opposite side for that doe. By the time I got turned around to him he was out of sight and had pushed the doe and little buck out of sight as well. Side note but important to the morning, I was hunting out of a Summit Viper which has aluminum flat pieces for the bottom of the stand that when cold and wet like yesterday was, squeak really loud when you pivot and you're wearing rubber boots. I had to be real careful moving my feet not to twist and cause a loud squeak. It's like gym shoes on linoleum. Prior to this weekend, I hadn't used this stand in a few years and had forgotten about that miserable quality on an otherwise outstanding hang on stand, But I digress. I sat down and got a chance to gather my thoughts. I was actually glad I wasn't able to shoot the 8 as he wasn't quite the caliber buck I want to shoot in WI (totally different story on public in MI.) But in the heat of the moment I probably would have if he had given me the chance. In full on "kill switch" mode due to the doe and being already at full draw for over a minute, I just didn't have time to assess his score and correlate it to what state it was hunting in. Less than 15 minutes later I had a very large mature doe and her two fawns come in at about 70 yards coming in on an angle that would bring her upwind and broad side to me at less than 30 on my right (I shoot LH so this is perfect.) I still had my bow in my hand from the earlier circus and I didn't even have to move. But at about 45 yards that witch whipped her head up and eye Fd me right out of the oak I was in. She spooked out and took her fawns with her. About 15 minutes after that, an average doe started picking her way towards me from the pines. She was a hard quarter-to at 20 yards and I came to draw as she started to turn when that same stupid little year and a half old buck from earlier popped into view and pushed her back into the pines. Then he locks onto me (at full draw) and stares for about a minute before he looks away and I'm able to let down. He putzes around under me for about 15 minutes before he starts pushing the doe around again. I see her about to step out so I draw again. They kind of twist and turn through these little pines for a bit while I am at full draw just waiting for her to step out and eventually I kind of got my feet and shoulders turned square instead of bladed. He picks right then to finally push her out into a shooting lane at about 30 yards and I was so in the moment I neglected to step forward to get proper form and ended up torquing the string across my body to get a good anchor point. I let fly and watch as the arrow literally corkscrewed right behind her tail and into the dirt behind her. I can't believe my luck... but then less than five minutes later the skies opened up and light rain that was supposed to stop at 9 AM turn into a steady downpour for the better parts of the next three or four hours. So my misfortune turned out to be a blessing in disguise because that downpour would've made for a really tough track unless she had died within sight. I realize this is a lot to write about a morning of encounters gone wrong, but it's kind of therapeutic to vent it out. I went out in the backyard and flung a few arrows and I'm dead on so I know it's not the equipment, I guess it was just my nerves were shot and being at full draw for so long made me forget to get lined up right. Even though I've been bow hunting for over 25 years mornings like that can really mess you up unless you pick them apart and take out lessons to learn from. I'll be back at it in MI this weekend, this weekend my cousin said we've got daylight pictures of a really nice 9 down in the cedar swamp across the stream from where I have my stand hung. He said pics show the swamp is crawling with does and so that's probably where the bucks will be cruising next weekend...and I'll be waiting.
I had a really good night in the stand tonight. No kill but did see my #1. Haven't seen him since mid September. Deer moving and chasing. Little ones chasing. Big ones chasing. Girls playing hard to get. Its going to be really windy tomorrow but I should make it out the rest of the week.
Hey guys, I'm back. Had a rough couple weeks, I ended up having to put down my dog. He was my best friend for the last 10 years and had a bond that I can't explain. Life is kind of getting back to normal, just a big blow to the family. I did get out hunting this weekend, but didn't go well. I took shots at 2 does and completely missed them both by alot! Came home and shot in the yard and bow was shooting perfect. My mind must have not been in the right place. I'm hunting all day tomorrow hoping to redeem myself. Have yet to get a buck on camera worth hunting, just hoping the rut brings something in. Don't like hunting that way, much rather be chasing a certain buck.
I'm all set up for the morning and legal light is out. Today I got 1 foot in the doe bedding area. The does should be coming in from behind me sneaking back. Hoping for some early cruiser buck to check area around 8-9. That is what I have seen in past years. It is so thick in here and green still, going to be tough shots.
Buck are chasing really hard. Does still all have headaches. #1 is still hanging around. The does just have to make him screw up. If you're hunting, lets hear about it.
I had a small 8 pt come in this afternoon. He gets a pass, he is a homebody buck. No matter were I put a camera, he is on it. Also had 3 does come out, but to far for a shot.
Sorry about your buddy, Holt. I'm the same way with mine. They're much more than animals. They're family.
