2011 Archery Log

[goblueM]

6 years without a deer and you pass on an 8 point at 7 yards!!!!?

[koonie]

LMAO!

I'm patient and stubborn. Probably not the greatest combo. It's wearing on me though.

I've always got the gun season and I've shot more than my fair share of deer in my life. If I could legally shoot more than one deer in this area it wouldn't be a difficult choice. I think I just need to get the word trophy out of my head when it comes to an archery deer. For now anyway.

[MUSKY18]

Sat out tonight for a few hours. Was setup in a tree on a little ridge, in a pinchpoint between a swamp and corn field to my back. Saw one lil doe about 5, was skirting the end of the swamp. That was it for stand. On the way home, there was 3 does and 2 fawns standing out in the alfalfa field. Not a bad night for the first time out this year.

[Powerstroke]

koonie you hit the nail on the head. One of the toughest parts about bow hunting is getting that first one. My first bow deer was a button buck. I didn't know it at the time or I would've passed, but the more times you pass the harder it makes it to shoot one when you've got the one you want.

[deerhunter]

Shot a doe at 30 yards broadside had complete pass thru thought I hit her right behind shoulder. I even told my son that will be a easy track waited a half hour and climbed down found the arrow and was shocked not much blood on arrow the fletching was almost clean but the broadhead and arrow shaft had blood, hair and fat and I couldn't find blood for the longest time finely found some quite a bit away from where I shot her and it was real high on leaves and the blood was real thick and dark the size of a dime and that was it so I waited till morning had my son come with I had him stand where I found blood last and I kept making circles around him I never found her just makes me sick I obviously must of not hit her behind shoulder other than that we seen 3 spikes sparring 2 other does and a 8 pointer was a good night except for that

[leech~~]

Well it was a nice weekend on the Bow stand weather wise. Had a 158 pic's on the trail cam with a few nice Buck's all coming out at night. I only seen one Doe on the stand on Sat and had a pack of 8 T-Wolves come running through on both sides of my stand on Sunday! I thought they were Yot's at first until the two large black ones came by at the end. And No I didn't "pop" them as I was already asked twice at the gas station up there!

[paceman]

Was out sunday morning for a few hours before church. Had a doe and fawn milling around me stand for about a half hour. as close as 3 yards but I am only after big guy right now. Fun to see.....

[juniordo1]

Hunted Grand Rapids area Saturday and Sunday. Wolves were howling close by both nights and it didn't look like deer have been hanging out near my camper like they usually do.

I went out to my favorite afternoon stand on Saturday and the wind had blown down my tree. Luckily it fell straight backwards and my double ladder stand was facing the sky and completly undamaged.

Put a total of about 10 hours of seat time in and only saw three tails crash through after the neighbors drove by (grouse hunting) on their four wheeler. I had the wind in my favor and their likely crossing point nailed.

I didn't bump many deer walking around but there were grouse aplently. It was a nice weekend to be in the woods.

[mnguy152]

Sat on saturday night had nothing thinking the ducking hunting activty might had made them move out . Found out on sunday morning that there was duck hunters in the puddle next to the woods oh well. last year they did the same thing but quit hunting it after the second weekend and the deer came back.Well maybe next weekend i be lucky.

[MN Angler]

My wifes first deer with her bow and our first double as well. Sorry it took so long to get the pic up.

MN Angler

[mrklean]

congrats on the double

[DonBo]

Great memories there MN. Congrats to you both! Looks like she made a sweet shot too. Nice.

[lungdeflator]

sat 430-815 last night. the 3 skunks under me kept me from leaving earlier. watched a yearling push 2 fawns and a doe past me and then listened to 2 bucks do some light sparring for 15 minutes. first buck activity ive seen on stand this year so thats good. about 1230 in the afternoon monday I saw a big boy crossing the road, a good 10-12 pt maybe 150-160s. really surprising to see in the middle of the day like that this time of year

[sticknstring]

Had a cool little 5 pointer come strolling down the trail around 6pm last night. He'll have some character in 2 years. First buck I've seen from stand this year. Had a raccoon under me at dark. Would've made a nice ice fishing hat!

[mabr]

Ok I'll add mine,

Opening evening went to what I thought would be a no brainer doe stand. Nuthing seen, must have moved to acorns i figured.

1st Sunday evening, different property where ive had a group of 5 does pegged, Nuthing, not sure why this one didn’t pan out it has everything acorns, clover and water all close. I may have spooked going in. But!!! while on stand I seen the 11 point I posted on the trail came thread cross my food plot at 6:15 good sign.

Monday of 1st week. Go back to starting property, go to the good ole early season stand. On stand for 1 hr and see movement. 20 min later Doe on the ground. Seen 7 that night.

Wed of 1 week, Put new ladder stand where 11 point crossed my plot (Well used trail)Was set by 4:30 in stand. 6:15 fawn shows up 30 yards on my side of field edge. She left after 10 min. 10 min later all 5 does show up, feed until 7 all within bow range. They are loving the clover food plot big time.

Last night even though it was warm I figured id give it a shot on the land the 11 was seen. Went too far end of field though where I have another ladder stand. 6:30, fawn shows up all alone and feed for 30 min. Bedded 20 yards away for another 30 min, got up and feed some more till I snorted her off the field. No sign of any of the other mature does or the buck.

[Archerysniper]

Oh I have been cursed so far this year, I have sat 5 evenings so far this year and have seen a big ZERO for deer. I think these last few years of intensive harvest and the early doe season have the deer # way down and then the hard winter.

[goblueM]

went out today to scout some new land... found 5 or 6 active fresh scrapes near 3 separate rub lines, all in the same 40 or so acres of woods. Pretty excited

sat this evening on my urban archery stand and saw 3 does and 2 fawns, shot the biggest of the does. first archery deer!

[bmc]

My 13 year old daughter and I sat in a ground blind on a Buck and Oats food plot this past Sunday evening.

A beautiful evening to sit, but we didn't see a thing. We pulled the chip from the nearby trail cam and had 100 pics in about 2 weeks.

6 different bucks and 6 different does and fawns.

Most of the buck activity was after dark and 2 of the pics were of sparring matches.

Checked another cam on a different food plot today and the big guy was on there 2x but in the middle of the night. Also a couple of does and fawns and 1 small buck.

I also saw a scrape on the edge of the food plot today. It's a scrape that's there every year but I've never seen it torn up this early. Gotta get a cam on it to see which buck(s) are fired up already.

I'm gonna concentrate on helping my daughter get her 1st bowkill, so I won't be doing much hunting till the end of October, wich is my favorite time anyways.

Good luck guys and gals!!!

Brian

[gurkster]

Oh I have been cursed so far this year, I have sat 5 evenings so far this year and have seen a big ZERO for deer. I think these last few years of intensive harvest and the early doe season have the deer # way down and then the hard winter.

I agree. I have seen deer, but far frewer than a few years ago.

[sticknstring]

Had my first morning sit of the year today. The wind was pretty swirly - contemplated getting down but I stuck it out. Had a nice fat doe come in to 30 yds at 7:15am with her nose in the air. No fawns, it's friday... I figured what a perfect morning to get my first deer with the recurve. Just as that thought left my brain, she turned and walked out of my life. I've now sat 6 times in 6 different stands and have seen deer 5/6 times. Way above average - hopefully the good fortune continues! Having beans in the field this year has helped for sure.

[HNTNBUX]

I sat this morning for the 5th time out. I saw another small fork horn, about the 6th different buck that has presented me a shot from this stand. The only problem is they really need to grow up, the oldest buck I have seen is a year and half old 8 point. With four cameras out I have one picture of a ten point that may make 125 but it would be close. Without bigger bucks on camera it sure makes it easy to go duck hunting in the mornings for another three and a half weeks.

[goblueM]

first morning sit for me in my urban archery stand - didnt see a thing from my stand, which was not too surprising, I had a feeling it was a better evening spot. got back to the truck and 5 does/fawns were playing about 100 yards away.

going for a morning sit for regular opener tomorrow - weather switched from 75 and gorgeous yesterday to ominous today, tomo is a high of 48 and NW winds 15-20, with chance of rain. I think they'll be moving, and I am sitting on a new property that had tons of rubs and scrapes. Pumped!

[Cheetah]

I have a nice doe down tonight. I hit her in the liver at 15yd. Shot her again at 30, guts... Watched her bed at 100yd with the binocs and she is down but wasn't dead yet. She is in pretty bad shape and not goin anywhere. I backed out to go back first thing tomorrow morning, will need waders to cross a small river to get to her. Pretty annoyed with myself at the moment...

[Stratosman]

It happens, you did the right thing! Gonna be cold tonight too.

Good luck!

[Archerysniper]

Passed a nice year and half 7 point tonight and aced a little one for the freezer at 30 yards went maybe 50.