2009 Hunting Report

[slayer]

herein hernderson county it is going slow at least for me any way mature deer are still moving late and all the corn in is really holding them up there some in the area doing exceptinaly well a guy in iowa across the river from me in Des moines county shot a nice 247 in possible new iowa record about 2 weeks ago the rut should be just around the corner I would say about 1 maybe 2 weeks tops pray for no rain

[Lot to Learn 2]

speaking of kids in pop ups. When my oldest daughter was maybe 5 or 6 I took her. I had one of those smaller outhouse blinds. Honestly, I am a fairly big guy, 6' even  but I have monkey long arms, those blinds are way too small for me to shoot a bow in, I have to be diagonal with the blind to be able to go full draw. Anyway, I wanted her to get out and see some deer close up. I finally got it through to her she could not talk all the time, so instead she picked up leaves off the ground and started throwing them, anything to make a noise. Not that deer would even hear it, I just found it funny that she had to make some sort of noise at all time.

[EatDeer]

ORIGINAL: slayer

herein hernderson county it is going slow at least for me any way mature deer are still moving late and all the corn in is really holding them up there some in the area doing exceptinaly well a guy in iowa across the river from me in Des moines county shot a nice 247 in possible new iowa record about 2 weeks ago the rut should be just around the corner I would say about 1 maybe 2 weeks tops pray for no rain

 Welcome to the forums, Slayer .   I too have seen a lot of sign in corn! The deer are probley feeding up for the rut, and maybe a harsh winter as well. I used a Doe decoy the other evening, I had a small fork horn checking her out from down wind, he just couldn't figure out why she wasn't moving!! lol  I've seen a few  bucks in the "seeking" phase of the rut, nothing special enough to mention details.   The next couple of weeks, bucks are really going to be on the move as the chasing phase is underway here! Good time to hunt all day, as I have seen many deer earlier in the afternoon.  Good luck everyone! 

[bobow]

I was able to get out today from 05:00 until 13:30.  I had a doe come in around 07:45, saw the doe decoy and just decided to go another direction.  I think I saw the same doe on the way out and I think I got out clean.

I did hear something moving around @ 05:30 and it sounded big but who is to say.  It was snapping some large twigs.

I sure hope the action picks up soon during the day with all the corn & beans still in the fields.

[Lot to Learn 2]

The roof won out, I just couldn't put it off but about got it wrapped up. Couple more hours and call it done. I did get to move a stand. 

[Quickdraw]

Feel good about wraping off the roof project, Because all indication are, at least in my area is that we are about two weeks away from Prime.

Went out Staurday morning in the 25 plus mph winds. A doe with two fawns came in around 7:30 following my rattling sequence. The doe looked as if she was looking for the action. after she left the area I rattled again and she came right back and stuck around for another 10 min. then went and bedded in the corn with here fawns. Two does came in from behind me at 8:30 following a rattling sequence again. Is it common for does to come looking for the action? Then once again a doe came in about 10 min. after a rattling sequence around 9:00.

Saturday night moved to a different stand in a travel pinch point but did not see any thing. About 10min. before sunset took a shot at a turkey and hit him at 30 yards, my shot was about three inches high, it left a heck of a pile of feathers, no blood on the arrow or brodhead.

I also got to take advantage of the high winds between hunts by setting up another stand. noticed a new scrape on my way into the woods.

Did not get on out sunday at all, the family made plans for me.

Good luck

[EatDeer]

ORIGINAL: bobow

I was able to get out today from 05:00 until 13:30.  I had a doe come in around 07:45, saw the doe decoy and just decided to go another direction.  I think I saw the same doe on the way out and I think I got out clean.

I did hear something moving around @ 05:30 and it sounded big but who is to say.  It was snapping some large twigs.

I sure hope the action picks up soon during the day with all the corn & beans still in the fields.

 You just got to remember, we are hunting the deer that don't notice we have been there yet! Atleast thats my motto!  The farmers around my area are trying to get as corn harvested as possiable before the next rain. I used my "redi-doe" again the other day while on a evening hunt.  I had a really nice 3 yr old 130" 8 pt come right in  down wind of the decoy to check her scent. All I had was a 12 yard shot (quartering to me through the brush) at his neck, then buck went downwind further and found some scent he didnt like, and took off half flagging. He probly winded me where I walked around too much setting up the decoy.   Needless to say, I have tweaked my plan so next time the decoy set will produce a better shot next time!

[EatDeer]

ORIGINAL: Quickdraw

Feel good about wraping off the roof project, Because all indication are, at least in my area is that we are about two weeks away from Prime.

Went out Staurday morning in the 25 plus mph winds. A doe with two fawns came in around 7:30 following my rattling sequence. The doe looked as if she was looking for the action. after she left the area I rattled again and she came right back and stuck around for another 10 min. then went and bedded in the corn with here fawns. Two does came in from behind me at 8:30 following a rattling sequence again. Is it common for does to come looking for the action? Then once again a doe came in about 10 min. after a rattling sequence around 9:00.

Saturday night moved to a different stand in a travel pinch point but did not see any thing. About 10min. before sunset took a shot at a turkey and hit him at 30 yards, my shot was about three inches high, it left a heck of a pile of feathers, no blood on the arrow or brodhead.

I also got to take advantage of the high winds between hunts by setting up another stand. noticed a new scrape on my way into the woods.

Did not get on out sunday at all, the family made plans for me.

Good luck

Those old birds are tough that's for sure, anywatcongrats on getting off a shot at a turkey. That doe could be in a early estrus cycle, or just curious as to who was fighting. Later in the rut the doe's usualy run from anything that sounds like a buck, after they have been chased hard for a couple weeks you can't really blame them.                 I have been following The rut calendar, according to it, the chaseing phase has offically started today. I don't know where you live, but anyplace north of the southern tip of IL, has been declared at this time as the "chasing phase" for the next two weeks. If you wait 2 weeks, you will probley miss most of the action, as the bucks will then be locked onto a estrus doe, as they enter the breeding phase. I went out yesterday evening, and two does were browsing just out of my bowrange. I called with a bleat, I think they were looking for the source of the contact bleat. I tried grunting them closer, they ignored it and continued to browse.  Before dark I heard some limbs breaking behind the doe's, I just caught a big buck "chasing" them into the brush. It's on my friend, it's a great time to sit all day, with a doe decoy. Good luck hunting!   

[Quickdraw]

Thanks for the input Eat deer, I most deffinatley will be in the wood for at least the next month or so.

But, I have a couple of questions, because I might be wrong, the Alsheimer article was somewhat confusing. If I follow my rut calander based on Alsheimer. Peak breeding based on the second full moon should be 11/26? and with the chase starting 15 days before that? So my thought was the chase would start 11/10 with peak rut falling around the 17th or 18th? And by the way I am up here on the IL/WI border.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and good luck.

[Lot to Learn 2]

I am in Greene County, which I guess is like west central IL, little south and across the river from the famous Pike county, and the chase is on here. I don' know if I am just getting a little better at this or just having a good year, but I have seen more bucks this year than the last few put together.    short story that I will leave the explatives out but I think you will know what I want to say. Halloween, I did some wiring for a buddy and time got away from me. Had to get home to take the kids trick or treating so no hunting but did have time and help to move a stand. This farm I hunt is the in-laws, so I am the guest. One of the sons is out there with a buddy. The son helps me get the stand up and his buddy is hunting out of my stand across the field. I am running late to get home with the kids so I decide to walk the field edge, as soon as I walk out maybe 10 yds I see a deer across the field near my stand where this kid is hunting. I drop and crawl back to the woods but I spooked the deer. so now I am feeling like a real #$%. The son is now hunting in the stand I just put up and I tell him to make and sure and tell his buddy sorry. I call the next day to again apologize, but turns out when the deer looks at me he takes a shot. so they are thinking I actually helped him out. I put that stand up and know the shooting lanes and ranges.  1st of all, he had no good shot, and 2nd it was minimum a 45 yd shot, I want to say more. From story he hit it forward and of course they could not track it.  So this story really is a question of who is the @#$.  I didn't mention this is the first year this guy has hunted.