Bow stand log

[mudslinger64]

got in my stand tonight at 5:10 and at 5:20 had a doe come in from behind me she was eating leaves around the base of my stand,then she wandered off.i wasn't planning on taking her even if i had a shot.that was the only deer i saw which isn't normal i always seem to have several come by in the evening.this was my first time out in 4 days.

[psepuncher]

I just hunt the wind and don't even worry about being clean. I've come to discover that no amout of scent control I do is going to stop a mature deer from busting me.

I will say I plan I going scent free during the rut,

I've also had the same thing happen last year.

A doe with twins come through last day of the season....as soon as they stepped across my path a yearling stopped dead in it's tracks on the trail and acted like it ran into a brick wall, turned and blew them all out of there.

So I make it clear of their travel corridor going the long way around.

Hopefuly it pays off this year.

[juniordo1]

I hunted the Grand Rapids area over the weekend. I saw ZERO deer from my stand all weekend. I did however see nine deer and I was bumping them everywhere I walked.

I crept up on a doe and fawn Saturday, got within 30 yds but no shot at the doe with too much brush in the way.

Yesterday morning when I came back to camp I had just un-nocked my arrow when I looked up and there was a deer standing 15yds away from me right behind the outhouse.

All in all it was a beautiful weekend and I'm optimistic about the number of deer around. With the bright moon they were out in numbers each night to feed in the neighbor's field.

[tracker x-2]

Sat. night seemed all to perfect maybe thats why I did'nt evan see a deer. Sunday morning i decided to do a little still hunting. I was able sneek within 30 yrds of a doe, but decided to let her walk.

All in all this year is starting very slow for my dad and I. As far as deer sightings go.

[gurkster]

I sat Saturday night and thought that would be a good night. I saw 0 deer. However, a guy who hunts the same area with me (75 yards away)shot a fawn and saw 2 basket racked bucks. I offered to help him drag it out, but he said he could get it alone.

[Cheetah]

Slow going in Wisconsin for me. Saturday morning I only had one doe come by in the dark about 15 minutes before shooting time. Saturday night no luck at all even though I thought I had a great spot. Sunday morning I moved again and had three deer come by, two in front at 50yd and one behind that I couldn't see.

Leaving town for Montana this coming Friday, won't be on the deer again til mid October.

[leech~~]

Sat & Sun were very nice days to be out in the woods. Perfectly still, sunny and warm. I have been waiting for a nice fat Doe since the fig is empty. My cam has had about 200 shots of Doe's day and nights since being out for 3 weeks now. And 3 of us didn't hardly see a tweety bird for two days. Full moon maybe?

[nik]

I sure got out smarted by a big doe last night. This was the smartest deer I have ever seen. She never winded me, but totally knew where I was. I hunt a nice pinch point and there was no way for a deer to get through there without presenting a shot. Or so I thought. After walking back and forth over 100 yards, this doe decided how she was going to get through. She ended up finding a row af trees that were 35 yards from my stand. She patiently walked from tree to tree never presenting a shot. The entire time she was looking right at me. Amazing! That just goes to show that a big Matriarch doe is equally as smart as a big buck. Especially on public land that get moderate pressure. My hats off to her.

[cupper]

Got out for the first time this weekend. I was hunting houston county and the deer were on the move. It was beautiful weather and just a blast to be out in the treestand. Acorns were definately the hot-ticket item. I saw 6 deer in two days and ended up taking a doe yesterday morning.

[mabr]

Well I'm on the board. Took a doe last night at 6:45 on the new stand I set up last Thursday where they've been leaving their bedding area.

She came into my food plot at 6:20 munching away on the fresh clover I planted just for her. After 5 min of her feeding, the owner comes out to start bbq'ing for there supper. She notices him moving around in his back yard and watches for what seamed like 5 minutes until she decided 300 yards was to close for her to be comfortable and she trots away, right back where she came from. "Which was by the way the complete opposite side of where I thought she would be coming from". 15-20 min go by and here she comes again but from a little further south (closer to me now) in the food plot, still looking toward the landowners house but now hes not visible due to the lay of the land, she's gradually feeding right towards me.

At 30 yards broad side thats close enough,I draw and let the arrow fly. My first reaction at the shot was it was a little low, but good left to right. She jumps when the arrow hits her, stops at 40 yards and looks around, not knowing what happened, then stumbled just a little, and trotted back to the same trail she had entered the field from the first time. From the time of her stumbling to her trotting back into the woods was at the most 5 seconds, but during that time i was able to see the exit side of the arrow and expected to see a blood stain forming on her side. But I wasn't able to see it like i thought I would. Oh there was a small dark spot there, but not what I was hoping to see.

I gather my composure going over the scenario that had just happened. I sit for 20 min,let my bow down and climb out of my tree and recover my clearly visible blinking arrow and see what it says. Dark thick blood, Hum? I would have thought it would have been bright and foamy.

I knew the exact trail she had taken, but as I always do I began trailing her from the point of the shot, I find very little blood in the 75 yards she had ran into the woods. I stop where the trail enters the woods and began scanning the foliage for blood. Maybe 2 minutes of me searching the taller grass and I hear her run off, breaking branches as she goes. Now I'm pi--ed at myself for even going near where she entered the woods with such a scant blood trail. All I could do now was give her some time and hopefully be able to find her in the morning.

I immediately leave the field knowing i just screwed up big time. Stop and tell the owner, who is still out grilling that I had just hit one and Id be back in the morning to find her.

Well after a long night of worrying and wondering I'm glad to say she didn't go another 50 yards from where I jumped her. I did the right thing in letting her lay over night. She bleed very little from the shot to where i finally found her laying against a dead tree(maybe a tea cups worth) Shes officially checked in (online and man is that slick), and in the cooler.

One thing to note. What I thought was a low lung shot was in fact a liver shot and I should have excepted that upon inspection of the arrow. But based on what I thought I seen. I would have bet lots of money on where I thought I hit and id be paying someone on that bet. TRUST what your arrow says, not your eyes.

[Wanderer]

Good post Mabr.

I finally did get out to the new propery yesterday for a walk and a night sit. I found a spot that would do after testing the wind in a couple other spots and seeing I needed to keep going.

I set up in a transition of mixed soft woods and pines. The other side of the pines was a large native grass field.

About 6:15 two yearlings showed after my hearing them for quite some time. They browsed from the soft woods toward the pines in no particular hurry on just about everything out there. The leaves are ripe and must be sweet right now because they grabbed anything and everything and never stopped eating.

They passed at about 8 yards. I didn't shoot for a number of reasons but one being I could hear another deer coming yet. About 6:30 a big mature doe showed herself coming from the same direction and browsing just as heavily. She decided she didn't need to go any further and bedded at 32 yards from my tree to chew her cud.

We watched the woods together until it got dark. She started browsing on the leaves within reach of her bed, not wanting to get up. What finally did get her up was her coughing jag. Something must have gone down the wrong tube.

At 8 I finally had enough and began taking down my stand. She was on her feet but just hung out and watched me until I hit the ground then trotted off about 20 yards and just hung out. I packed up and left.

So I figure if the deer aren't moving much right now it's because they don't have to. The forest is ripe and food is everywhere.

[SartellMN]

Was out Saturday evening. Several does up and walking about 30 minutes before end of shooting. I had a tree that was 30 yards away. I told myself that I would not take a shot beyond that tree. So, of course, two mature does come walking down a trail that I recently spotted...about 3 feet from the far side of the tree. So, no shot.

The wind was a pain. Slight breeze into my face turned into no wind at all. For everyone who talks about rubber boots, I am not sure why they are recommended. I have had these boots for 4 years, and they still smell like rubber. I can cover them all I want in scent spray, but they still stink. I think I was busted by several deer inside the tree line because of lingering scent.

I still have not seen many bucks at all, even on trail cameras. Lots and lots of does, and 3-4 spikes. No mature bucks.

[leech~~]

mabr

Good to hear your on the board and put some in the freezer. And here I thought that maybe the deer would have been going for the acorns in the oak grove I was setup in 10 miles from any town in all directions in the middle of the woods!. They must have liked what you had to offer, so maybe I have to break out the grill and light it up next time!

[mabr]

Shhhhhh. New pattern = smoking grill scent!

My plot is surrounded with oaks on 2 sides and swamp on the other. Not alot of land at 40 acres but its a natural travel coridor between bedding and feeding. Now im getting them to stop and feed on my lil 1 acre plot i planted. Should only get better as the preasure from the neighbors pushes them into the swamps.

You'll get yours leech, you know that just takes time.

[Lunker]

Been hunting paper land in northern WI. Been seeing deer just about everytime out. Mostly does and a spike. Evening seems to be best. Only seen 1 spike the morning I hunted. Hunted this evening, saw 2 doe and a coyote.

Had an interesting experience last wednesday evening. The spike buck that I've been seeing chased off a couple of does. When he caught the yearling, he hooked his antlers under her belly and threw her about 10 ft through the air. Never seen that aggressiveness this far before the rut.

Have seen a couple nice 8s on the camera. Mostly coming through at night though.

[MattL]

I noticed a good amount of deer movement over the weekend. The flooding has really pushed the deer out of the low ground. I've had a few smaller bucks come through during low light hours. Many does coming through at all hours. Yesterday I had a doe hang out in the open alfalfa field until 11:00 am, which is especially odd for this particular stand location.

[MUSKY18]

Got out tonight for the first time this year. Took my 9 year old son out with me, so I threw up the ground blind along a little creek with a trail that they use to cross on their way out to the alfalfa field. Got skunked, but according to my son, he saw about 10 through the binos! Waited til dark and tore down and headed back to the truck. Not a deer in either of the alfalfa field or native grass/clover field. Had been seeing them out in the fields at night. On the way home, saw a group of 7 does/fawns out in a cut corn field browsing. Going to head back into the oak woods next and see if they are now on the acorns and try it there. Even though we didn't see a thing, the little guy was pumped and has already asked if we can go back out again tomorrow night after work. Think if he sees a deer or two, he will really be hooked on hunting!

[bottom-bouncer]

UGH! was going to hunt tonite but then decided to hang a new set instead. being out of ladder sticks I grabbed a pile of srew in steps and headed found the only decent tree in the area that afforded me a decent back drop screw in about a thousand tre steps hung the stand only to realise this tree is junk way to much brush in the way frustrated I lowered the stand back to the ground unscrewed my steps and went home. seen a number of does and fawns in the fields on the ride home.

[mabr]

Got skunked, but according to my son, he saw about 10 through the binos! Think if he sees a deer or two, he will really be hooked on hunting!

MUSKY treasure those moments they go fast!! Brought a smile to my face just reading it. A hats off to you my friend just taking him with you!

[alwaysonthemove]

Got home last night only to find the doe and fawn feeding in my yard. Quickly notched an arrow and let er fly. got er now I just have to wait for the wife to get off work. 3 hrs later I stepped outside to the sound of coyotes dang near on my doorstep. I proceeded any way, well sure enough blood trail went right on over to the yotes. Sure as heck there she lay half eaten already. Pretty bummed about all that b.s. Thinking I need to start a little herd control on yotes instead of deer.

[Archerysniper]

Got home late from work tonight jumped into the shower grabbed my gear and headed out to the back yard. At 7:10 had a young basket ten come out of the woods at ten yards and go into the corn where I watched him feed on the corn for 10 minutes before he left.

[DoubleLunger]

Hunted Sat, Sun and Mon nights. Saw two does on Sat, Two does and a fawn Sun. Said heck with the acorns and moved back to the beans on Mon. Saw 4 total with one being about a 140+ high racked 8 or 10 that came out 150 yds down the field.

[Lunker]

Haven't seen much moving the last couple days.

Have a pic on the camera of an 8 and 6 point sparring. Seems a little early doesn't it?

[Archerysniper]

Went out tonight over by surise at 6:45 had a doe and two yearlings step out of the corn field and feed in the scrub field till dark never got closer then 180 yards. Right before dark had a yote come out and do some hunting kinda funny watching them pounce on mice tryed lip squeeking it in but it was content with the mice. Also had a grouse fly up and roost in the tree next to me.

[Kyle]

saw nothing but mosquitos eating me alive in the woods. I left a few mins before dark just to get out of there and ended up seeing 25+ deer in a alfalpha field 1/2 mile from where I was hunting. Im going to have to see if I can get permission to hunt!