Hunting reports....

[SmellEsox]

Finally saw a couple small bucks today. Whew! I thought I lost my mojo. Could have shot a small fork but passed. Tomorrow is the absolute best day to hunt according to Bill Winke. I'll be out again for the last time before I head to IA.

[paceman]

I sat about 9 hours today. With the fresh snow, moderate temps, light wind it was about as perfect weather a guy could ask for. Although I was a bit annoyed this afternoon by the melting snow from the tree branches raing on me for about 3 hours. Saw 4 does/fawns and an average 8. Saw another 4 while walking in and out. Really no sign of rut in these woods. The buck was just nibbling along, neck was not swollen and the does/fawns were all together. Can't wait to get back in the tree tomorrow. Will go to a different property that should work with a strong S/SE wind.

[birdswacker]

I was out tonight and had 4 does in the field 5 minutes after I got up in my stand. A few minutes later there was 2 more then another 5 minutes another doe and 2 fawn. They keeps looking to the wood line as if something was coming but it never happened. They slowly worked there way away from me browsing on the picked corn once they got to the 1 row of corn the farmer left I grabbed the rattle bag and gave a mild rattling. All of the does did an about face and started walking down the far side of the corn but toward me.

Once they got to the end which is about 50yds from me they just started feeding again. Some here along there walk they pick up a few straglers no there was 11. Total there was 8 does and 3 fawns and they fed for about 20 minutes or so and slowly walked away from me. Which is fine it's a buck for me. Last week I saw a couple little bucks. I've hunted Sat. Sun. Tues. and today and haven't seen a buck yet last week I saw 3 little guys walking around. I'm.gonna give it another shot tomorrow hopefully I can get out of work at noon.

[B-man715]

Got in the stand about 15 minutes ago. Wow the moon is awesome!

I've been hunting my tail off all week. Three dark to dark sits and three 6-8 hours sits in so far (Polk county WI)

I've seen two big 10's this week, but haven't had a shot at either I want to hunt the MN gun season tomorrow, so I'm trophy hunting until noon and after that anything is fare game

Rarely do I grunt or rattle, but today is no-holds-barred, I gotta kill a buck

Mrs. B-Man said I can't eat $160 tag soup!

Good luck today Gentlemen, it should be one of the best days of the year

[maros91]

I just had a doe come through. I don't grunt or rattle either but I tried both after she moved on and nothing has responded. You on public land over there B man?

[B-man715]

Just saw a small buck on his feet

[DonBo]

Just saw a small buck on his feet

Slowly. Put the phone down and pay attention.

[ANYFISH2]

Slowly. Put the phone down and pay attention.

LOL

[engfish]

I took the day off yesterday so that I could hunt all day before the onset of the Orange Army on Saturday morning. I started off in Faribault hunting on the east side of town and didn't see a deer all morning. I did have a first though--I had four turkeys roosting above my tree stand and another 8 turkeys roosting in the trees around me. I couldn't figure out where the "rain" was coming from until I looked straight up into the upper branches. It was quite a thrill to have twelve turkeys--all hens and jennies--fly down while I sat up in the tree with them. They were very talkative yesterday morning. There was a little more activity on a scrape about 75 yards from the stand, but it wasn't anything to indicate the onset of "the rut."

I headed over to Cannon Falls to hunt the afternoon on my uncle's farm. I took the back roads and did not see any bucks chasing. I went to the south end of the property and hunted a stand I've sat in only once. I rolled the can a few times and waited. And waited. It was a beautiful day, though, and I continued to sit and wait and checked the picked fields to the north for any sign of early movement. None.

Finally, at 5 PM, the first shooter buck I've seen this season, came from the south and down the hill from me at about 50 yards. He blew. He stomped and continued to circle the area for about 10 minutes but did not come up the trail to the east where I was sitting. My gut told me not to grunt, so I didn't. He was not with does, and was not chasing the does on the picked bean field when I walked back to the barn at the end of the night.

I'm not convinced that it's "prime time" in my area, but I have seen more bucks this year for the amount of time I've hunted. I'll give it another shot from the blind on Saturday--which I haven't sat in the entire season. If they're moving Saturday morning, which always seems to be the case, I want concealment and warmth so that I can hang in there for several hours.

[sticknstring]

I've been seeing yearling bucks nearly every sit, but the big fellas have only been coming through at night so far. A hot doe on the 4th provided good rut action, but it's been uneventful the past 36 hrs. Waiting for the next doe - maybe tonight. Good luck guys!

[FISHINGURU]

I was hunting just down the road from ya engfish, that beast buck I seen yesterday morning was on a hot doe.

Just got back from my stand, all I seen this morning was a wiley coyote at first light trotting and stopping in my shooting lanes. Wind was whipping too much and swirling everywhere, started to snow a bit, then rain, then let up. Felt like I was wasting my time but wanted to put in a good 4 hours anyway.

[B-man715]

20 minutes ago I had a doe run by getting chased by a small buck Then right behind them was another doe with a bleating fawn in tow???

My guess is the doe being chased was last year's fawn and mom a was along for the chase

Pretty cool!

[eyedr]

Had a nice 10 chasing a doe at 15 yards, didnt get a shot. Then I grunted in a smaller 8. Was drawn and he needed to take one more step but busted me. Hoping the big guy meanders back through.

[bmc]

I worked nights last night and the deer were all over the place, granted it was the full moon.

I also saw the most bucks I've seen all fall. It was like the bucks crawled out of the wood work.

Things must be heating up!

My dad sat this morning north of Grand Rapids and didn't see a thing. He sat from 8 to 11. By then he was soaked by the rain and snow.

Hoping this weekend treats us better than this past week has.

Good luck everyone!!

Brian

[DonBo]

Neighbor finally decided to sight in his gun tonight, at 4:00.

No deer seen tonight, but had 15 longbeards right under my stand. Already thinkin' spring.

[Rather_B_Fishing]

Hunted all day yesterday. Right after jumping in the truck to head up to my hunting area, I saw an 8 point buck near my house in a place where I rarely see them. I thought it was a sign of good things to come. Got up to my hunting area and found about an inch of snow and deer tracks all over, many more than I thought I would based on how many I have been seeing. Hunted the entire day minus the time it took to change stand locations once. Got skunked. Hopefully they show themselves tomorrow as I will have the 30-06 in hand.

[birdswacker]

I didn't get out of work early as planned but ended up in the stand at 3:45. I had 2 does meander thru then at about 4:30 or so Apple of does ended up the picked corn field about a 150 yds out and they fed always looking back. I was hoping is was Mr. big but he never appeared instead it was the movie star Mr. Fork that appeared on my cameras about 10 times a week. He did some chasing but not real hard at all.

[nbadger23]

It's not much fun out here right now.

[DonBo]

Wow,what a great morning so far here in the metro. Passed on a fork early. Then a basket 8 nearly gave me a shot. Then a big boy chased a doe right behind me. Close. Then I called in that or another big buck to 25 yards but no shot. Just a bit ago had a nice doe almost give me a shot. Its not even 9:00 yet. oh, and turkey's everywhere! Can't wait to see what the rest of the day brings.

[DonBo]

This guy has been parading past me like something from a shooting gallery, testing my self control.

[Abndoc]

Stick him donbo!! Had a beautiful 10 come in this morning, just about to draw and the wind decided to swirl and hit him right in the face with my scent, watched him turn and walk away quickly. One 10, one 6 and a spike along with 4 does today, eating lunch in the truck and heading right back out. Up in the turtle lake area, buck seem to be just getting interested in the does here!!

[B-man715]

This guy has been parading past me like something from a shooting gallery, testing my self control.

Slowly...... put down the phone and pay attention

[DonBo]

Slowly...... put down the phone and pay attention

Guess I had that coming.

[B-man715]

I just had a doe come through. I don't grunt or rattle either but I tried both after she moved on and nothing has responded. You on public land over there B man?

Hey Biff, I didn't even see you asked me a question till now. Yes, I was on public land. I hunt public stuff most of the time. How about you?

[maros91]

Little mix of both. On public right now and haven't seen a thing all day.