Opening weekend reports

[nofishfisherman]

Beside low deer populations did you also know that the wolves are directly responsible for high gas prices, global warming, ebola, Obamacare, and Justin Bieber?

The wolves really are ruining america.

We talked to one group that hunted down the road from us and they complained non-stop about the wolves being responsible. Problem is that we hunt the same woods (not even a 1/4 mile down the road) and have done so for several years now. We've logged hundreds if not thousands of man hours in the woods throughout the year and we've never seen a single track, piece of scat, or heard one single howl in all that time. Some guys blame the wolves because its the fashionable thing to do right now even if they've seen no actual evidence.

[bm3x]

Hunted Saturday and Sunday with my dad in 253. Saw plenty of deer. We decided to harvest a 6 and 5 pointer because work wouldn't allow us an opportunity to hunt beyond that weekend. Definitely not the two bucks we had in mind but it is better than eating a tag.

[Getanet]

10 of us hunted in 157 opening weekend. We got 2 bucks and saw 1 doe. However, I would say only half of us hunted hard. Not sure what happened to my group, but a few too many guys spent significant portions of the weekend inside nursing hangovers or getting out of the "cold." Those who didn't mistake whiskey for water, and dressed for the conditions, had an OK weekend.

[Stcloudangler]

6 guys hunting in 210 we got 2 nice bucks and 2 does. The herd seemed to be fine, normal amount as we usually see. The neighbor came by and said that there were wolf sighting as close as 4 miles to the East of us, so we are bracing for what may happen this winter. We have never seen a wolf by us before, only the coyotes

[jbell1981]

272. Seen lots of does and fawns opening weekend. My kids (13 & 10) had their chances but couldn't capitalize. 2 bucks were seen in our group of 6. One by my step-dad who was unloaded and getting into his truck when one came running out of the grove. He got one slug loaded and a hail Mary shot but no luck. The other was right at dawn a buck must have been pushed out by someone walking to their stand on the neighboring property. I let my 10 year old have first dibs on it, it was his first chance to take a shot at a deer, but he froze and didn't shoot. I took a couple shots as he was running away but missed.

My older boy probably took 10-15 shots over the weekend but didn't have anything to show for it. He had a good time though as this was the first year he actually had deer to shoot at.

We will give it another go this weekend.

[RuddyDuck]

We went 1 for 3, with a 6ptr in 259 on opening weekend. The wind Sat. morning didn't help things for us. We still saw plenty of deer, 5 bucks, and about 8 does and fawns for the weekend. Late mornings and afternoons seemed best.

[BobT]

Opening day we had 8 guys in our hunting party. My daughter saw two does each with fawns in the morning, one small buck she let go, and another doe in the afternoon. One guy in our group shot an 8-pointer in the afternoon. My nephew wounded an 8-pointer in the afternoon but the blood trail was week and it was not found. Found white hair at the sight and suspect he grazed the belly. We hope it wasn't fatal.

Sunday we had 8 in our party. Another nephew shot an 8-point early in the morning, his sister got an 8-point 1-1/2 hours later and another guy got a 6-point with a broken tine in the afternoon. Also sighted a couple does by another nephew.

Monday we had 4 in our party. My daughter and brother both saw does but that was about it.

This was about the most activity we've had in a few years with deer sightings. Not bad with the population being low enough to limit to buck only.

[Notime]

Finally saw 3 deer tonight! I figured that I might as well take one while I can. I am glad I got drawn for a doe permit this year. We sat for 2 full days and 2 partial and these were the first ones we saw.

[J_D]

Shot a 10 pointer Saturday at 330, saw a spike at 300 Sunday afternoon. Camp ended with 2 bucks for 4 guys, saw 2 does and 2 fawns. Hunters have had decent luck in my area in the farm ground, state forest still pretty slow.

[smsmith]

My older boy probably took 10-15 shots over the weekend but didn't have anything to show for it. He had a good time though as this was the first year he actually had deer to shoot at.

Wow...doing a thorough check for blood on each of 10-15 shots would take hours. Just like going to a shooting gallery, eh? Target pops up...pull trigger. Maybe a bit more time on the firing range is called for?

[deerminator]

Had a doe fawn and spike buck in front of me last Saturday. Then saw six different does and two bucks, one a nice 8 point about 200 yards away. Could never get them into bow range despite a few grunts on the tube. Great action, all in about the first two hours of sunlight but no dice. Had to travel for work on Sunday through yesterday. Will be out Saturday but the most daylight activity I've seen on my cameras lately has been around mid-day. See photo below. Hope guy in second pic made it and will be by this weekend.

[nofishfisherman]

My older boy probably took 10-15 shots over the weekend but didn't have anything to show for it. He had a good time though as this was the first year he actually had deer to shoot at.

We will give it another go this weekend.

I don't want to be "that guy on the internet" but I have to say this concerns me. Did you spend a lot of time looking for blood? With that much lead flying he should have hit something.

Do you think it might be time to pull back and reconsider shot selection, or have him refrain from shooting at live game until he can develop better proficiency.

[jbell1981]

I don't want to be "that guy on the internet" but I have to say this concerns me. Did you spend a lot of time looking for blood? With that much lead flying he should have hit something.

Do you think it might be time to pull back and reconsider shot selection, or have him refrain from shooting at live game until he can develop better proficiency.

Well for one, this is the open plains slug zone, little different than hunting the north woods. Lots of drives and shooting at running deer. This isn't waiting in a stand all day and aiming through a scope with a high powered rifle at relaxed deer.

Second, this wasn't all at one deer. This was 5+/- incidents over 2 days at at least 7 deer.

Probably shouldn't judge unless you are there.

[PropsterII]

Second, this wasn't all at one deer. This was 5+/- incidents over 2 days at at least 7 deer.

That still doesn't "explain" the issue or make it any better. Is this the same son with the vision problem? We all feel very much for him and hope that you can get his vision fixed to the point he can see much better and can shoot much more accurately. I don't think the previous poster was judging, and I certainly am not either, at least that is not my intention. Remember, it is difficult to know the tone and intent sometimes with the printed word. But it at least seems that there is room for improvement here, and we hope that it happens, for your and your son's sake, and for the deer.

[wally243]

I have been there. It will come with time!!!

[96trigger]

I don't disagree with you guys, but lets also remember what it was like to be 13. Equipment, range, and experience can all play a huge part in the learning experience. When I was that young I remember thinking that deer were huge, how could I miss. Then I missed, and missed, and missed for a few years. There is a lot of air around a deer. I remember once at a young age I had to leave the woods because I had run out of shells. For the life of me, I couldn't adjust for elevation on the bluffs. If they were above me, I hit below them, when they were below me, I shot above them. I didn't start truly getting good at deer hunting until I picked up a bow, and that was at age 18. I'm not making excuses, but young hunters have lots to learn. It takes time. He might just spend more time with his gun now because he realizes it isn't that easy.

[ozzie]

people are judging if they comment so I guess I am judging also cause when I read 10-15 shots with nothing to show for it and especially with a slug then he is shooting at deer with no regard and that just isn't the way a kid should be learning or anyone for that matter!! In the last 5 years I have had plenty of deer get up and start running and I threw lead at none of them as it just isn't smart to shoot a running deer as you are more likely to wound it and never recover then you are to make a immediate kill shot! Those are just the facts and your son shooting that many times and not getting anything is plain irresponsible in my opinion...but that is the nice thing is that is just my opinion when reading your post! If you don't want the comments then you need to read what you write before you hit the send button. Good luck to all this next couple of days hunting

[splasher1]

+1 Why a kid would have the green light on a running deer is hard to comprehend.

[Huskie]

Back to topic: As I posted in the area 169 thread, we went 1 for 4, with 4 guys hunting for 2 1/2 days in heavily wooded terrain. The one we got was a heavy 8 pt. buck. What concerns me is that was the only deer we've seen now for 2 years and we are stand hunting virtually all day. We did see a great number of wolves tracks on the road and some on the trails, heard them in the morning as well. Even with the doe permits of the last few years, few deer have been taken close to us on the opener. I've never been a blame the wolf first type of guy, but along with the past two winters, mother nature and mother wolf has taken a toll in our area, probably more than mismanagement by the DNR.

[Todd Caswell]

Well for one, this is the open plains slug zone, little different than hunting the north woods. Lots of drives and shooting at running deer. This isn't waiting in a stand all day and aiming through a scope with a high powered rifle at relaxed deer.

Second, this wasn't all at one deer. This was 5+/- incidents over 2 days at at least 7 deer.

Probably shouldn't judge unless you are there.

Sorry but hard not to, my old man would have either taken my gun away or most likely given me 1 shell and said you better make it count. We had a rule growing up NO running shots..

[PurpleFloyd]

Different cultures, different areas,different ways to hunt.

More than likely they were doing drives. When you do drives deer don't stand still. Lots of animals are harvested in motion. I have rarely taken a pheasant that was stationary and presenting broadside and most waterfowl are the same.Watch the predator videos and they are taken on the run regularly.

[Todd Caswell]

Different cultures, different areas,different ways to hunt.

More than likely they were doing drives. When you do drives deer don't stand still. Lots of animals are harvested in motion. I have rarely taken a pheasant that was stationary and presenting broadside and most waterfowl are the same.Watch the predator videos and they are taken on the run regularly.

If your going to try to use those comparisons than the guy better get his kid some Buckshot.. Have never been part of a drive for the very reasons stated above..

[BuckSutherland]

I am sure he will get the message. Lets all hope that Jbell's son connects on one nice and clean this weekend. I wish him all the luck, and would gladly give my next chance so that he could get one. Sure the young fella had a lot of adrenaline going. It happened to me when I was young and I learned from it. Good luck to you Jbell, and keep practicing with him.

[PropsterII]

Amen

[BuckSutherland]

Just got a report from a friend hunting by embarrass. He said four guys in two days have seen 12 does. He thinks they are all repeats coming into there food plots and guys seeing the same deer. Zero bucks and two wolves.