2011 WI Hunting Journal

[WeekendWarrior]

Fantastic buck!

Heading out in the morning, providing I'm not dead tired. It's the full moon! Here's to hoping for some good luck! Fingers crossed.

[windsor]

I'll be back at it again in the am as well. Plannin on a very cold all day sit. Temps in the 30's with 15mph winds all day are going to make for one chilly hunter, but it will be worth it.

[pgchambers]

Awesome buck fave! Congrats!

[Nubs]

Slow slow slow....that's all I got to report so far.

[Jslotter]

It certainly has been a slow rut. I went out with my good friend this morning to some good public ground. We sat in different areas. He saw a small buck chasing a doe. I didn't see any action until little after 10. A decent buck came by, couldn't tell how many points he had, but it was a nice looking rack. Got some video of him too. Little did I know, a doe managed to sneak past me behind the large tree I was in while I was filming the buck. Didn't see her until she was out of range walking away. The wind was blowing good to the point you couldn't hear anything moving, and decided that was enough hunting for the day... Im gonna give the area a few to rest and go back in to TRY to fill my doe tag by next weekend.

[willypete]

While people keep saying it is a slow rut, I have 2 nice 8's out every day and the other day at noon. I also had one BIG buck take a massive U turn last night at about midnight to track down a doe. On top of that I had a buck fawn get the "action" he has been waiting for the whole rut.

I also had a Gray Fox show up on one of my cameras which was pretty cool as I haven't caught one on a trail cam in 6 years I have been in the area.

[Jslotter]

Compared to last year Willy, this year's rut sucks in my area. Maybe its a late rut, I don't know. I talk with about 10 other hunters in Dunn, Eau Claire, St. Croix counties, and they, and I, haven't seen crap for rut activity yet.

[gunther89]

I was able to get out Saturday afternoon the 12th. I sat just off a cut cornfield in the woods. At about 4:30 I had a doe and fawn come from the field towards me and offered me a 26 yard shot but decided to pass on them both. Then at about 4:55 I noticed a deer walking to my right towards the field. I could tell it was a buck and at first thought it was a shooter. I grunted to him at about 50 yards and he stopped and turned around and started grunting towards me. As he got closer I recognized he was a good 2.5 year old 10 pointer we have on camera. I am trying to shoot 3.5 year old bucks or older so when he stopped quartering away at 21 in my shooting lane he got the free pass. He is my biggest buck I have passed before and hopefully he makes it through gun season.
Hunted Sunday morning on top of a ridge and never saw a deer.

[willypete]

That is interesting, maybe there is a little more competition in my area so the bucks are being more active than other areas. I have noticed that this year a lot of bucks have been fighting for certain areas on my land and aren't giving up if a new buck trys to make it his. In years before if a buck rubbed and scraped a area the other bucks wouldn't care and go somewhere else. I think this mainly happened due to a increase in mature bucks and the fact one buck tried to take over 40acres out of 80 by scraping every 10 yards on a trail. It also might be important my land isnt pressured by bowhunters so they tend to be more comfortable. I go out every once in a while and use some calls and have them come trotting right in.

I definatly think the rut is way later than last year, which is surprising because I thought the rut was late last year. I hope it doesn't rain Saturday because I got a nice 8 I have my sights set on. Problem is he has been by at all times of the day so I'm looking at a all day sit from sunrise to sunset.

Hope it starts heating up in other areas so you guys can start seeing what you want.

[Jslotter]

I been seeing bucks seeking, but I been seeing many does out and about, and not being pursued at all. Probably a late rut. I remember the 2007 season. The hardcore chasing started right around mid-November...