2011 Archery Log

[mabr]

Stick, with me it’s just disappointing when you know you have them around and then poof there gone. I have 2 shooters on a small property that I typically would have taken a doe or 2 off of already this year but I haven’t this year just hoping to draw in more bucks. This land does not get gun hunted and has a natural sanctuary (swamp) on it that always holds deer once the pressure starts. The does are there but not the big guys at least that’s what my camera is telling me. I hunted it 3 days last week with the right wind and nuthin! . All I’m seeing is the does and 1 small 8, and he hasn’t even been interested in sniffing them, instead running them off the food plot. I put my camera out on a logging road that every deer around usually walks on at least 1 time a week on my way out Wednesday evening. I went and pulled the card today hoping I’d get some encouraging pics. Same old does and same small 8 is all I had in 332 pics. WHERE HAVE THEY GONE!!!! LOL it’s driving me nuts.

My middle boy shot a NICE doe opening day of gun, It still had milk in its sack!! I didn’t think they could have milk and be ready to breed, anyone know the answer to that? Can they? Like I said in another post I’m not sure they have really started rutting as much as I know ITS ALWAYS the same period year to year. But man I haven’t heard one grunt all season. That’s unheard of for me.

Sorry folks not trying to be a downer but man it get frustrating hearing others seeing the rut taking place and Im not, especially when I know I’ve hunted smart. Just glad for the 2 I got back in September and have 2 boys to tag a few more with their guns. No real push like you Stick for the meat. I’ll most likely take a week break, let the bones and mind recover from the stress LOL and be in the stand again after that. Man I love it, even as frustrating as it is at times.

[DonBo]

Well I finished filling my freezer this last week. Hunted with an old friend down near LaCrosse, WI. Missed a chance at a BIG 8 or 9 pt the first night and ended up filling my tag with a 6 pointer on Friday. Not the trophy I dreamed of, but I'm not one to pass many "birds in the hand" when I've only got a few days to fill an out-of-state license.

We saw quite a few deer with many being bucks. With the lone exception of a spike chasing a doe around the area, very little rut action was seen.

[the man]

Stick, with me it’s just disappointing when you know you have them around and then poof there gone. I have 2 shooters on a small property that I typically would have taken a doe or 2 off of already this year but I haven’t this year just hoping to draw in more bucks. This land does not get gun hunted and has a natural sanctuary (swamp) on it that always holds deer once the pressure starts. The does are there but not the big guys at least that’s what my camera is telling me. I hunted it 3 days last week with the right wind and nuthin! . All I’m seeing is the does and 1 small 8, and he hasn’t even been interested in sniffing them, instead running them off the food plot. I put my camera out on a logging road that every deer around usually walks on at least 1 time a week on my way out Wednesday evening. I went and pulled the card today hoping I’d get some encouraging pics. Same old does and same small 8 is all I had in 332 pics. WHERE HAVE THEY GONE!!!! LOL it’s driving me nuts.

My middle boy shot a NICE doe opening day of gun, It still had milk in its sack!! I didn’t think they could have milk and be ready to breed, anyone know the answer to that? Can they? Like I said in another post I’m not sure they have really started rutting as much as I know ITS ALWAYS the same period year to year. But man I haven’t heard one grunt all season. That’s unheard of for me.

Sorry folks not trying to be a downer but man it get frustrating hearing others seeing the rut taking place and Im not, especially when I know I’ve hunted smart. Just glad for the 2 I got back in September and have 2 boys to tag a few more with their guns. No real push like you Stick for the meat. I’ll most likely take a week break, let the bones and mind recover from the stress LOL and be in the stand again after that. Man I love it, even as frustrating as it is at times.

I understand I hunt a small 10 acre plot of woods filled with oaks. The past couple of years I have seen big bucks in and shot big bucks in but now all I have seen is a small 8 a fork and a few does. It has just been a weird year for me not much rut activity either.

[slimngrizzly]

Stay PUMPED fellas! It can change that fast! "The Rut" is going on whether you or me are seeing it or not, you just gotta have that right doe around. Your days comming! Take a couple days off, get the right mindset and keep on it! It can all change in a matter of seconds!

I saw a big 9 point bowhunting earlier in the season but he was always was too far away. I ended up shooting him saturday morning at 8 yards. I almost felt bad about shooting him with gun. Walked in, BANG, DEAD, sad movies for him, over. Im fortunate to get him! I have all the respect in the world for these animals... but its not the same taking them with the gun.

Good luck fellas! Stay positive!

[Meat-Run]

SNS,

yeah this was one of the coolest archery seasons i've had and disappointing at the same time. Missed a big doe early in the season then put a horrible shot on a "freezer" doe and lost the deer. Then grazed what would have been a personal best buck of all time for me 10ptr with 5 bucks under my stand all at one time.

Then rifle season came and I had to redeam my self confidence and "cheated" with a rifle and plugged two does and a carbon copy 8ptr buck like last year in my avatar last Wednesday behind the house. The supper high for me was my nephew came over to visit and I passed on a big 10ptr to run towards him for a successful kill shot for a PB buck. So this has been a great "meat-run" season for me and we're cutting deer tonight I think we are set for the rest of the season. The deer activity around my hood is completely gone not one deer to be found.

MR

[sticknstring]

That does sound a like great season - congrats! Hopefully those misses will turn into blood trails next year! I screwed up on a freezer doe back in October - it happens!

[tencountff]

Heres from the back before we caped him and cut him up last night....

Dude, word is you got another monster....closer to home.... Any pics of that one we can see??

Congrats!!

[tencountff]

Hahah. Just read the post on this page. So the rumor is true. Any pics??

[slimngrizzly]

I wouldnt say Monster but its a deer I have quite a bit of history with! Im kind of sad to see him go. Ive had an incredible season and Im thankful for that. Ive been very lucky!

Heres a few trail cams of him this year....

And the happy hunter with his trphy!

[sticknstring]

Wow - what a year you've had! Congrats! Did you ever post any more pics of your WI toad?

[slimngrizzly]

Im sure Ill never have another year like it! Thank you very much!

I havent posted anymore, I apologize, heres a pixely one for ya though...

[Bear55]

Congrats slim, heck of a season.

[sticknstring]

Outstanding pic! Hard to look away from that one. Season of a lifetime!

[archerystud]

Slimngrizzly,

Guys like you really TICK me off!!!!

Both are great deer really love the archery buck though.

[goblueM]

yeah no kidding... i bet all the bucks i have on camera combined dont outscore either of those deer

sat this morning and (FINALLY) saw a decent 8 point, 100 yards away upwind. was raining fairly hard, I don't think he could hear me grunting at him, just kind of wandered away

[slimngrizzly]

Thanks a bunch fellas! I dont know what to say! No one "deserves" a deer like that! I spend a lot of time folowing them all year and I know how special a deer like this is! Ive just been extremely lucky!

Appreciate the... kind comments archerystud and everyone It could happen to anyone! Wish you guys all the best! Talking to you guys during the week helps me stay positive in the tree!

[tritonman]

Slimngrizzly, we haven't even had a beer to chat about the WI monster and now you've got another???? Way to go man! Might need a sober driver by the time storytime is over!

[96trigger]

Quote:

Might need a sober driver by the time storytime is over!

For who? You or him? Slim, congrats on a season to remember. You have pretty much had the best year every. I would go spend some time at the casino before the year is up.

[sticknstring]

A balmy 12 degrees this morning! I'm sure single digits for many of you to the north. Saw a red fox driving to the woods this morning, that was it. My confidence has reached negative levels. Hopefully the snow Sat will trigger some movement.

[FISHINGURU]

I'm thinking about heading out today around 2ish, supposed to be winds from the south today and I have a perfect spot for that. The south winds don't come along to often this time of year.

[FISHINGURU]

YUCK, the orange army has definitely put a hault on all the action I was seeing.

Sat from 2-dark on Thurs evening, didn't see anything until I was about to get out of my stand and heard a deer running across the cut corn field, it was a big doe with a bigger bodied deer right behind her, she was heading right toward my stand until about 60 yards then she hooked a right and went into the woods. To dark to see if that deer behind her had a rack, I'm sure it was a buck though doggin her,just don't know how big.

Went out Friday morning sat from 6am until 11 didn't see anything.

Got sick of deer hunting and went to jig some eyes last night and caught an 8 lber, 2-3 lbers, and a few eaters.

Might try to get out another time or two with the bow before I get out with the muzzleloader, time to reach out and touch something.

[Rippinlip]

Looks like some possible grouping going on around here already.

Was out last night and no shot chance, but had a doe and 2 fawns come running through just before 5 and when I got out after shooting hours, to my surprise there were atleast 7 deer in the field when I got to the edge. 3rd time in a row that I picked the wrong stand.... they all walked out under another one, funny.

Not giving up yet, still alot of the time to put one on the ground.

[bigbucks]

Sat for an hour last night. The buddy ladder I sat in had two sets of tracks that parted to go around the ladder. A doe & fawn came out, turns out about 40 yards from my permanent stand on the same field edge & crossed in front of me about 65 yards. 40 I can do, 65 not so much...

[bmc]

I'm on nights all week, so I sat from noon to 4pm today. I didnt' see a deer, but a ton of tracks all over the place. We hav an inch or two of snow on the ground and the deer are still hitting out food plots of oats.

Gonna give it a go again tomorrow, same time frame and see what happens. Probably try a different stand though.

Of course I get back to my dad's and a doe we call Limpy is in the yard w/ her 2 fawns eating apples my mom threw out for her. Glad to see she made it through another hunting season. Her front foot must have got caught in a leg hold trap years ago. I think she's going on 5 or 6 years old. She lives close to my parents house and we see her all the time. Fun to watch her and the fawns.

We've givien her several "free passes" over the years. A time or two one of us has killed a buck that was "harassing" her and she usually kicks out a buck fawn or two each year.

A week ago she disappeared for a couple of days, while her fawns hung aroung the yard. I'm sure she was keeping company with a buck and getting bred.

Brian

[Rippinlip]

Out last night again and picked the wrong stand AGAIN.

Watched a 6 pointer, 2 Does and 2 fawns come out of the corner where I have a stand that I sat in the other day where I came out and seen the 7 in the field. Maybe playing the wind isn't working for these deer....somewhat frustrated, but still in the chase.

Maybe I will put the field at my back tonight and see what happens.