Anybody Still hunting?

[Deitz Dittrich]

Anybody still got the itch and archery tags left and still planning a few more trips to the stand?

I know I am, I havn't had the best luck this year so far. I have a lot of hours logged in the stand, and have seen quite a few deer. But still no meat to show for it yet. I am looking forward to a few upcomming weekends, maybe catching the second rut. And now that there is a little snow on the gound as well...

Also getting the target bow out of storage and getting it tuned up and myself as well. I always enjoy the winter months here, ice fishing and archery league...

[Mr. B]

I am still trying to get out as much as possible. I was great Saturday evening with the snow. I thought it was going to be my day.

Did manage to see five deer, two does and three fawns. Never got in range and I am still holding out for a mature buck. Did get some nice video though.

Good luck

[paceman]

The land owner of where I bow hunt saw Mr. Big after the rifle season so I will try a few more times to intercept him. I went out friday afternoon while the snow was falling. I thought that might put them on the move. But alas all I saw were squirrels....... I love hunting with snow on the ground.

[SartellMN]

I was out on Saturday and Sunday nights. Absolutely nothing moving. There is still too much corn up around me to have any deer out and about.

[NELS-BELLS]

My bowhunting season has finally started. After falling from a tree and breaking my wrist back in early Sept., I'm happy to say that I can finally draw my bow back. I've been in the stand twice now, both times in the evening near Royalton and I haven't seen a deer yet. There is plenty of sign. I also talked to some muzzleloader hunters and they hadn't seen anything either. I wish we had some snow around here and some colder temps to get the deer up and moving a little earlier.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Nels-Glad your able to get out again. I broke my anchle/leg right before season opener and had to do all my hunting from a ground blind early season... I can't imagine not being able to hunt at all.. best of luck the rest of the season!

[Cooter]

Just got done with the gun season here in WI - saw an incredible amount of tracks in the snow yesterday(Sun) so theres plenty of deer left where I hunt. Certainly will muzzleload hunt, but am really looking forward to late season bow - is something I do every year. Nothing like a blood trail in the snow! My first bowkill was with a group of guys that do late season bow hunting drives - one hardcore group, sadly most are getting too old but talk about fun!

[BLACKJACK]

Was out Fri morning, didn't see anything, I think the deer are still really riled up from the gun season. Hope to get out once or twice a weekend thru Dec. Once we get some snow on the ground it will be easier to pattern where the deer are feeding. Did see seven does on the road coming out of a stubble corn field early the other morning, so theres hope.

[TomBow]

My next trip will be in WI starting Friday afternoon, through Tuesday morning. Scouted the property on Saturday and the resident snorting doe got me again. I think she's extra paranoid, just a little disturbance in the woods and she snorts for 5 minutes. She's top of the list now! Found a few scrapes that still are being worked, stands are up and there's about a solid inch of snow on the ground. Can't wait to follow a fresh blood trail and the two WI tags and two MN tags are eatin' holes in my pockets! Best of Luck to youse guys and gals!!

[DUCKJ]

I get out every night I have off. Last night when I got out o my stand at 4:10 there were 21 deer in the field. By dark there were 32 total with 4 being bucks and 2 were 8's. One of them is a monster that ive seen a few time this fall, it just never seem to get close enogh to get a shot. Guesse I should of muzzle loaded. Lot of time left.

Duck

[Deitz Dittrich]

Good luck Duck, sounds like you have one heck of a spot. Stick with the bow.. it will be all that much more rewarding when you do get one!

[bigbucks]

I hope to get out with the ML a couple more times & then likely will bowhunt once or twice yet, something about going out on New Year's Eve, just kind of brings closure to the fall. Hard to get my wife to buy into the theory that "it's the perfect night for it!", after 30+ archery hunts, two weekends of firearms hunting, a successful ML hunt already, & many tags filled. I love to bowhunt too & it's definitely the most satisfying of all the methods in my book, but it's nice to take the ML & be able to nail those deer that are just a little too far for the bow. At this time of year I'm beyond getting out just to "enjoy the outdoors", I want a high likelihood of getting a shot. Anything, but a smaller buck's fair game.

[NELS-BELLS]

DUCKJ-

Is there any snow on the ground up there? I plan on bowhunting the Potlach land near Pillager on Friday.

Nels

[Captain B.R.K]

How can I think about getting out with talks of ice being walkable around here?!?!

What a terrible predicument- do I fish or do I hunt?!?! If life choices were only that easy

[jbjr]

I have been out almost every weekend since the bow season started.

No luck this year yet.

I did let a doe pass opening nite, since the season is long and the temps were warm.

Will be muzzleloading until after the 12th. after that back to the bow.

Good luck to all that has tags to fill.

jbjr

[bigbucks]

Captain BRK, that used to be a tough choice, but man is it hard not to deer hunt over ice fishing anytime I think I might know where I have a good chance of getting a shot. I love fishing, but deer hunting's almost life itself.

[BLACKJACK]

I plan on making it out a couple times over the weekend, still have one tag to fill. Deer hunting is done Dec. 31, ice fishing goes all winter. But I do plan on starting to get my ice poles set up, check out the vex and heater, drive by my favorate early season bay to see how the ice is forming.... And then there is always the late season pheasant hunting. Trying to keep telling myself that the ice is too slippery to venture out... Decisions, decision!

[NELS-BELLS]

Well I am happy to say that I finally have some venison in the freezer. I had been in the stand with my bow 3 times prior to Friday nights hunt, due to my broken arm earlier this fall, and not seen a thing. Finally on Friday night, within the final minutes of legal shooting time, a doe came down the trail and I was able to get a good clean shot on her. She only went about 40 yards.

Last night my family and I celebrated with fresh backstraps wrapped in bacon on the grill and covered with mushrooms and onions. Mmmmmm...it doesn't get much better than that!

I think I have room in the freezer for one more.

Nels

[Mr. B]

The first time in a month I take a weekend off and guess what happens? I told my brother to go ahead and use my stand and he manages to shoot a very nice 10 pointer off my stand Saturday morning. He was using his muzzleloader so I keep telling myself that it was not would not have come in to range of my bow. The only good thing is that it was not the one I missed a month ago.

I guess it is good that my wife is also happy that I was home for a weekend.

[BLACKJACK]

Congrats Nels!! Good work and good persistence after your early season injury!

I made it out Sunday morning, didn't see a thing, I think the deer are pretty spooked yet from the gun hunters and are staying nocturnal. This morning on the way into work, and with the new light snow, I could see their tracks in the snow, so they are there, just need to move closer to their bedding areas, I guess.

[jbjr]

Congrats Nels,

It's not always how long the season is, but being at the right place at the right time.

I went through a similar wrist injury last year. Only instead of falling from a tree it was falling down stairs.

Glad you are feeling better.

jbjr

[Captain B.R.K]

And we weren't invited for a backstrap vension meal??? We shared your pain and now your accomplishments and all we get to do is read about it Congratulations!

[bigbucks]

Good job Nels, way to make up for lost time. Now get back out there & get another one, we're counting on you...

[bigbucks]

I realize I'm pretty much talking to myself, but I'm heading out in about 10 minutes. Anybody else that gets out again this weekend, good luck. I'm dying to hunt in this fresh snow. From all reports deer are moving with it...

[TomBow]

I hear you BIG! I was out Saturday morning, nice conditions, fresh snow. Put up a stand in a likely travel route and was just headed up when I heard a door slam. Neighboring land owner parked his truck (muzz. hunter) in the middle of the freeking field at the top of the highest hill where any deer within a 3/4 mile radius could see it, then walked right down the fence line 60 yards from me and into their property. A doe and two fawns came booking across the field, saw the truck and never stopped running. Other hunters, landowners didn't know them, also showed up and hunted without asking permission. This is one of the several times that the neighbor has botched my hunt, even though the landowner's have told him, if he sees my truck parked at the entrance of their yard, he is to park by the buildings (1/2 mile away from my stand) because I am down near the end of the field. So far he has "forgotten" this rule a few times now. Almost seems like he does it on purpose (NO!! Couldn't be!!) The good news is that they won't be there next weekend! How was your hunt? If I'd have had it all together, I'd have been sitting in my other stand out there....the one the deer walked by while I was sitting in the new stand sight on Saturday morning. Best of Luck.