From the stand reports

[fishuhalik]

elwood inspired this in the waterfowl forum. how about it guys? let those of us who have to work live vicariously through your reports!

[eyedawg]

Well the mornin has been kinda uneventful so far. I've saw 3 does and a fork oh and a couple grouse. There's been quite a bit of shooting in the area so far already oh and road hunters. Other than the wind could die down a bit what a nice morning. Sure was dark out this morning a flashlight was needed. Good luck to everyone.

[bigtgravez]

Pretty much the same report here. Got into stand pretty early and it was a beautiful, quiet morning. Saw 2 does shortly after settling in and a small 5 pointer a couple hours ago. Absolutely nothing since then. The wind has picked up so I hope that settles down soon. But, I gotta tell ya...nothing much better out there than sitting in a tree.

[mrklean]

Very windy and only one doe so far not a ton of shooting around use so far

[tracker x-2]

Sure is nice ot be out and smell the autumn leaves .

I just had a nice buck kinda go crusing by but i could not count was it 8 pts or a six Sonofa @&*$#&***%$#% APRS lol

Sure beats working though.

[Steve Foss]

I'm still-hunting a big tract of public land up the Echo Trail. Familiar tract for me, but no stand setups.

Passed up a short-range shot at a nice 10-pointer because it was too brushy between us. Durn! Saw another smaller buck within range, but even brushier. Durn! Didn't get busted by either one. It looked to me like they were both headed toward bedding areas. Neither was with a doe, so the rut hasn't peaked yet. I'm thinking it'll continue to increase and peak sometime next week. Back out shortly for the afternoon!

[JIvers]

Very windy in Fillmore County!

I had deer out eating in a picked bean field before 7:00 AM, just as it was starting to get light out. I watched them move around for almost an hour until it was light enough to see, and dropped a doe and a male fawn. I always say that when I have two tags I am going to save the second one for a buck, but I never seem to stick to that.

As I was picking my deer up, I had the same six-pointer I've been seeing while bowhunting chase a doe in and out of the timber. APR here in Zone 3, so he is safe for this year.

Quite a bit of other early shooting in my area, too.

I had both deer registered, skinned, and quartered by 11:30. Those were my only two tags, so I can spend the afternoon watching football.

[cat-man]

Just got back in the stand for the evening hunt. Only seen one before shooting light, hopefully tonight is better pretty WINDY hear though.

[mrklean]

What a bummer of a night no deer heard no shooting at all pretty horrible start for opener hope tomorrow is better

[Steve Foss]

One nice doe in the same area I saw the bucks. No clear shot, so passed on her. Last year was so dismal. The three I saw today are one more than I saw all last season, and that 10-pointer looked to be a very nice 150 or so. I'd say one of the four largest deer I've seen so far up here in the SNF. And the 6-pointer had good spread (no basket rack).

Last year I hunted unfamiliar private land because the owner was doing me a favor letting me hunt it. Darn few deer there, period, and only saw two the whole time I hunted there, with very little fresh sign. Well, if the DNR had instituted its Hunter's Choice units last year, that point blank doe I saw there would have hit the ground, but it was lotto, and I had no doe tag.

Today, however, was a great day in the woods, and the deer were moving despite the wind.

Only heard about four shots on the whole day today, which is very low considering every pulloff along the Echo, Moose Loop and other Echo offshoots had one or more vehicles parked there.

Back at it tomorrow!

Keep the reports coming, guys. They don't have to be sent from the stand on a smart phone. We all just wanna see how everyone's doing! And hey, pics don't suck, either!

[1johntimm]

No deer tonight, and very minimal shooting. The least shots I've ever heard.

[DHost21]

Well I was out bowhunting today in the metro and it was slow here. 1 doe at about 830 this morning and that was it on an all day sit... checked camera and had 3 different bucks check scrapes lastnight. 2 big 10 points and a smaller 6 point so they are there they are just still moving at dark. Hopefully the big ones start chasing this week. Little ones started last week

[shortfatguy]

Saw 7 deer today. Before shooting hours I saw what looked to be a decent buck. Looked to have a spread wider than the ears but it was pretty dark and I couldn't tell for sure. Saw a fork horn with a pretty big body and 5 does/fawns. Back at it again tomorrow! Good luck to every one and don't forget to turn your clocks back and reset your alarm!

[pascooter94]

seen two does,shot one about 2:00 pm today.

hope sunday is better.

[MJ1657]

Nothing for me this morning. Shooting started at 7:06 this morning.

Sure wish there was a way they could catch those guys. If they are that blatantly breaking the law I can about imagine what else they are up to.

Crawled down from the stand this evening, set my gun in the hay field 15 feet from it and had two does walk out of the swamp. Could have thrown my gun at them and hit them. Maybe they will be 5 minutes earlier tomorrow night.

[Archerysniper]

Good Luck everyone and drop some deer today,I guess my smart phone isn't that smart or it's too smart. I changed the alarm time for a hour earlier, it goes off get up and ready well it's 3:30 not 4:30 like I wanted some reason it adjusted too go off a hour early

[Ice Monster]

Seen a 5 point and one doe. It seems that most of our hunting party is seen deer in or next to the swamp or close to it. So windy they don't want to move much further than that.

[icecold]

Saw 1 doe opening day and my son got that one, heading out shortly with youngest son to see if he can bag his deer. crazy wind on saturday tough hunting, doesnt sound any better for today

[fishuhalik]

archerysniper, same thing happened to me. same time too! man its good to be in the stand again. got here 1 1/2hrs ago, had something walk about 20yds in front of me about 15mins ago, couldn't see. good luck to all!

[Archerysniper]

Man it's windy out here,it's good to have the wind in your face but not at 25 mph. I'm sittind on the east edge of a doe bedding area hopeing to catch a buck cruzin thru. I have the 14 year old neighbor girl on the west edge of it which is the better side the come out of the creek bottom behind my barn and cut across the field normally right to her stand.

Thier were 5 does standing in my food plot when the sun came up I got my fingers crossed they head down the fence line too the girl.

[DHost21]

Been a good morning here in the metro bowhunting. After nothing moving yesterday didn't have too high of hopes but as soon as shooting light came up a nice 2.5 year old 8 strolled by down wind and never detected us. And check a scrape so got some cool footage of that. Then about a half hour later a 160 inch 12 point sneaks in behind us. Couldn't get a shot but first big one we've seen during daylight. Nose to the ground so that's good. It's one we have no pics of too so even more exciting knowing we have another shooter out here. 3 shooters on 10 acres in orono. Can't go wrong with that.

[Rather_B_Fishing]

Yesterday morning I got on stand about 6:30 AM. The wind was in my face. About 6:45 I hear a deer walking and it is coming right toward me. I look hard as it is still dark, then I see the white tail then the silouette. I don't know if it was a buck or doe but it was so close I probably could have spit on it. It walks to my left and slightly behind me. It caught my scent then started stomping. Then it moved off and snorted (blew) several times. Dang, busted before shooting light. I think this was probably the same deer I have heard moving several times before light while bowhunting there. About 9 AM, I moved down to an area between 2 small swamps hoping that the deer might use this somehat wind protected area. Sat there till dark and didn't see anything. Got some well needed sleep last night. Now I gotta get motivated to head back out into the wind....

[JosMN]

Got in my stand at about 6:30, SE wind directly in my face, glad I had the layers that I had on cause I got farely cold. Didnt see anything till about 7:45, passed on a basket 6pt, 2 or 3 year old at about 60yds. He was so keyed into the ground looking for a doe. It was kinda funny watching him do circles. Saw another buck at about 9:30, a high 4pt. He was very alert, not like the other buck. Got down out of the stand at around 11am. It was a fun morning but I tell ya, that wind was killer.

[Archerysniper]

Still hanging out in my cemetary stand nothing has moved through yet and the wind is steady with heavy gusts blowing my pine around really good. The wind suddenly picked up a chill and the temp is dropping a bit, I hope something starts moveing before I give in to my stomach the one peice of toast isn't cutting it anymore.

[Surface Tension]

Jr scored this morning at 7:30.

Had a doe walk under the stand at around 7 and we let her pass.

This stand is 100' off the field so we get deer coming in and our but also deer skirting that field.

I was looking behind us, heard something, turned my head around and there he was headed straight for us then stopped.

Somewhere in between I nudged Jr and whispered shoot him.

Can't say for sure if the deer was looking at us or just looking our way but wasn't about to get into a Mexican standoff so I shouldered my and put him in the scope while Jr got ready. Boom! Jr's shot placement was good and the deer dropped in its tracks.

High fives.