2011 Archery Log

[archerystud]

I hunted in the Twin Cities last night. I hit my can call with about 45 minutes of hunting light left. I hear something coming out of the swamp. It's a small 5 point buck. I have him at 10 yards but the wind is in my favor. He glances up at me and then bolts back about 20 yards.

At first I thought he saw/smelled me. However then a second small buck strolls into the picture from the opposite direction. This one's a fork. I have no idea where the second one came from??? Second buck ends up chasing the first one off.

Any night hunting is a good night and it's always fun to see deer.

[psepuncher]

I think next week is going to be GREAT.

I think so too.

But, with the weather I see predicted for next week I bet many a nimrod will be yaking by the home fire.

So I placed a ground blind in a holler {see Arkansas offical lingo for translation}

I have stands on the hills some about 25' up and that blind in a holler well below sea level.

This holler is very deep which is going to keep my scent low. There's fresh trails and other good stuff laying around, so I bet during inclimate weather this will be the go to spot. The blind is super blended camo-ed and brushed up vvery well. It's amongst the oaks and secluded with great detail, it's pert near invisible. good thing I have some blaze orange attached to it.

Today will be getting everything field ready again, checking the bow and sharpening broadheads and knives.

Something is in the air....I can smell it!{just hope it's not that skunk again}

I wonder if this is what has been making good scrapes around here?

Heck you know what they say.

If there's one good buck in the area, there's usually two more, so we'll see.

neck size XXL

[slimngrizzly]

It was a tough call on him. He was definitely a nice buck, but I wasn't sure if he was what I was after right now. I don't know if I regret not taking a shot at him more than I would of regretted shooting him. He might be the biggest buck I see this year and would have been my 2nd biggest buck ever.

Im with you 100% 96! Way to have the self discipline! I actually could have shot my 2nd biggest buck ever with the bow at 7:40 last Saturday morning. I drew back grunted and stopped him and then decided it just wasn't what I wanted this trip. I texted my buddy asking him if I was being greedy thinking I could do better? He said you gotta pass good deer to shoot great deer! And bottom line, you shouldn't shoot if your not gonna go home happy!......... 35 minutes later I shot a 200"+. Needless to say Im really glad I passed that other buck!

[mabr]

PSE, Looks like we may have the same genes. Might even be some of the same deer. Are you near Cedar Creek? Thats my swamp property right on it.

[archerystud]

Slim,

Finally saw that picture of your buck. As my grandfather used to say....

"Yank my DOODLE that's a DANDY!!!"

Great Buck!

[psepuncher]

PSE, Looks like we may have the same genes. Might even be some of the same deer. Are you near Cedar Creek? Thats my swamp property right on it.

I may be about 4 miles from you.? I'm NE of 24

Last year I had a wide buck like the one you posted running around.

This year I have an immature buck with 6 eye guards.

The top brow tines are split and then two drop tines under that.

Not by my standards to take him, but the neighbors have their agenda every year to fill up their meat pole. I'm cool with that as we all have the same ambition to fill a tag, just different standards.

I sure hope to see him again for the next few years.

[FISHINGURU]

I don't know if I regret not taking a shot at him more than I would of regretted shooting him.

You would of regretted shooting him more if you still want to hunt bucks this year. He obviously isn't what your looking for if you didn't shoot him, if you have to think twice about it then he isn't the one.

[psepuncher]

found a new stand yesterday afternoon by my fence line...dern neighbord!(*&(&*&^(*&^

Anyway, today going out early with the moon shining all night

I might catch one going to bed or....

Hopefully they push me a few good ones.

Hang on to your hats boys. got your stands hung tight?

Today

Windy with times of sun and clouds. High 13C. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

Partly cloudy and windy. High 57F. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph.

Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph

good luck!

[goblueM]

sat last night, didn't see anything. the mock scrape i made and peed in had been worked pretty hard, so that's a good sign.

[Cheetah]

The deer shut down for me on Saturday/Sunday. I was completely skunked, didn't see a darn thing on stand. Did some scouting today and have some ideas for next weekend. Hopefully letting the area cool down for the week will be the ticket.

[james_walleye]

Hey can you guys see anything in these 2 pics to confirm that this is or isnt the same buck? 2nd pic is a bit blurry is the problem.....

[grizrunner]

My guess is they're two different bucks.

The second one's tines appear longer. The first one looks like he's 5# heavier

[james_walleye]

The right side beams dont seem the same to me. Looks like one curves further in and the other bucks beam curves up more rather than straight out. If i could see that one browtine better it would be an easy call.

[Stratosman]

Yeah looks different to me...

Here is a couple pics from this weekend. I hunted with the bow and saw 6 bucks and only a couple of does... coudn't figure out where the does went, until my brother in law, who was about 400 yards down the creek saw about 30 does on saturday evening alone! Coming from the same area...

Well I saw one nice one, and I only had a doe tag, and of course couldn't get a doe in range!

Had a spiker bed down 10 yards from my tree for 3 hours... fun watching him nod off...

Later that evening, had a small 8 come right to my tree!

[grizrunner]

The second bucks right brow tine doesn't look long enough either.

[grizrunner]

Nice pics Stratosman.

[Shu]

Was in the stand for all but 1 hour on Saturday and the same on Sunday in WI. Early and late the deer were active, a few small bucks moving around during the mid day hours but the wind had them down in heavy cover I think. Starting to pick up the big boys on camera Friday and Saturday night so I think the next few days should be real interesting. On Saturday morning I saw a full chase going on with a small 6 and a doe but that was the only chasing I saw all weekend.

[no bait nate]

Passed on a 120 class 8 point this morning, he came into 18 yds and was working a scrape and up on his back legs getting his head in the trees. Was an awesome sight to see, especially when he was walking away without ever noticing me even though strait down wind. He will be a great buck next year if the slug monkeys don't get him... I'm still looking for my first archery buck after hunting the last ten years or so. But when I get the right one, he will be on the wall! Here's to QDM. Let's hope some others can chip in! Was a long day in the tree today from 6 until 5:30....

[Sturg]

Been hunting WI with a decoy. I have seen very little rut movement. I haven't seen any deer beyond the first or last hour of light. I've had 3 decoy encounters with two different small bucks. I have not seen a doe while hunting. Fawns and small bucks. Still have corn up on two sides of the property. The decoy has mesmorized the bucks so I'm hoping I can get it in view of a bigger buck. I've used setups in the woods and on the field edges and got action at both places but nothing after 9:00 or before 5:00. Just wondering if they are hanging in the corn. I'll have to keep at it and hope it turns around. The wind was tough all weekend. I made my own decoy, full body doe, removable legs and antlers. I can raise the tail with fishing line. I have a plastic one that I have shot two nice bucks over in seasons past, hoping to do the same with the full body. Two pics from the stand last week.

[mrklean]

sweet decoy how big of rack is on there?

[slimngrizzly]

Geezez Sturg! Your lookin for a boonie!

[96trigger]

that decoy rocks, theres a guy that takes his hunting seriously.

[Cheetah]

I wrapped my season on Saturday night. Pretty tough hunting for me these past two weeks of November in WI. Deer herd numbers are down in general due to "herd control" licenses devastating the doe population. It trickles down from there, just too many getting shot in the area over the last 5+ years. Hopefully next year the deer hunting will be a bit better, one thing is for sure, I need to commit some time to scouting some new areas to hunt.

[JBone]

so real! best decoy I have seen

[sticknstring]

Man it's slow in here! Everyone must have tagged out or traded in their bows for guns? We're only half-way through November, what gives? I surely can't be the only one with an empty freezer? I've got 3 weeks to get it done to keep me from doing something I haven't had to do in a looong time... buy beef.