2011 WI Hunting Journal

[BIG 8]

Well I think its time to catch everyone up on how my last few hunts have gone. I went out saturday the 12th in the am and pm. In the morning I saw 5 does and fawns and then went in for lunch. In the pm I took my dads girlfriends son out hunting with me. He's 12 and this will be his first year hunting. I figured I could give him a few pointers for this coming weekend. We went to a spot that I almost always see deer and sure enough we spotted a doe and a fawn shortly after we got the blind set up and settled in. Then right before dark a doe came in to 10 yards. Jake wanted me to shoot it and i thought about it but by the time I convinced myself to the doe walked off. But then a 2 1/2 year old 8 point came walking in. It was fun seeing how excited he got having the deer come in that close to us on the ground. Sunday night I went out but only saw deer on the way in and on the way out. Went out this morning and tonight. Saw a buck as I was walking in this morning and then I saw a 6 point as soon as I got settled into the stand. I rattled about an hour later and surprisingly that same 6 point came running in and eventually bedded down 3 yards behind me!! Luckly he didn't stick around too long. Tonight I saw a doe and fawn that walked by twice. I was hoping they would bring in a buck but they didn't.

Good luck to all this weekend if I don't get on here before then. Stay safe and shoot straight

[Jslotter]

Well,we got the snow, and a good accumulation of an inch or two at least in the west-central parts. Deer were not moving where I was. Hardly any gunshots heard all day. I been hunting for 18 years, and this is the third opening day where I have not seen a deer. Interesting contrast to last year, when I seen at least 20 different deer by 8 AM on opening morning and tagged out by noon.

[Meules37]

Had some luck today. Four of us went today near Three Lakes/Eagle River area. Weather wad good in the morning, mid-30s, no wind. Around noon it started rain, then switched to icy/snow mix. By 2 it was all snow, and we finished the day with a few inches on the ground. Around 3:45, I saw my first deer of the day, a buck, walking towards me about 75 yards down a shooting lane. I only saw him for a few seconds before he went behind a clump of evergreens. I moved my scope to the left side of the evergreens where I have a small lane to shoot before he gets to some real thick stuff. He never showed, so I figured he was walking right towards me. Sure enough, about 35 yards away he popped back out, then I noticed he was a small 8-pointer, big body though. So I decided to shoot, at the sane time he looked up at me, I fired and off he ran. I knew I got him pretty good, I climbed down, waited for two others in our party, tracked him about fifty yards and there he laid. My second 8-pointer in three years, pretty good for only my fifth year hunting.
For the four of us, I was the only one to see a deer, hoping things are a little better tomorrow as far as action goes. Three inches of snow should help.

[bouhntr]

opening day we got out before light, heard some shooting around but not a lot. around 9 two does came out of the woods around 60 yards from me broad side and stopped. i shot the first one and followed her going across the field about 80 yards then she fell over. the second doe turned and came back down the tree line and stood ten yards from me, but I was using a pump shot gun and did not release the old chamber, by the time I did she turned and was going away, being that I had shot a buck and doe bow hunting I decided to let her go. she ended up going right by my buddy and he shot her. so 2 does down in the dirt. this was over by briggsville. sunday I went up by mauston , got in my stand around 11 sat until dark and saw 9 deer 4 within shooting range, but no shooter bucks, so they all walked unless the neighbors got them. good luck everyone, be safe , and keep the stories coming in

[Jslotter]

I went on a nature walk this morning with my rifle thru a strip of public land I been frequenting during bow season. My intent was not to go in and sit. I wanted to get an idea of deer movement, and so far, alot of deer have been traveling thru there. I seen alot of tracks and beds in the snow. I came upon a fellow hunter. Didn't expect to see anyone, since its beginning of the work week. I apologized for moving thru and kept going. Felt kinda dumb, but its public land, what can you do? I might go in deep for a sit some time this week. Maybe get a crack at one of those bucks I seen a few weeks ago.

[umpiremark]

My son and I spent Sat on stand sun up to sun down; 10 hours. Sun sun up to 10:30, power nap & 12:00 to sun down. Monday four hours on stand. He saw 7 does and I saw nothing, zip, nada, not a hair. 22 hours on stand in 2-1/2 days.

Very discouraging.

West of Necedah, very few shots, almost dead silent Sat afternoon and most of Sunday. This morning I heard one shot maybe a mile or more away.

I don't get it. Where do the deer go?

[gunther89]

Opening day I sat till 11:00 Am and never saw a deer. I got back in the stand around 1:45 and around 3:45 I had a small 1.5 year old buck chasing a doe and fawn. He was grunting his head off at her. Sunday morning I sat in our tripod overlooking our bean field in our pasture. At about 8:40 I had 2 white does 2 fawns and a 1.5 year old 8 ptr come out jogging like they had been spooked. My grandpa wanted a deer and he prefers fawns since they are the most tender. I lined up on one of the buck fawns and shot and to my surprised I missed. I shot 2 more times at this fawn and never touched it. I thought it was kinda odd but I was shaking a little and thought my day was over. 10 minutes later another doe and fawn came out. I lined up my sighs right behind the shoulder of the fawn and again missed. It took about 5 steps and stopped and I shot and knew I had hit it but it wasn't a good shot. I shot twice more and never hit it. My uncle came over and finished off the doe fawn so we had a deer for my grandpa. I shot my gun Sunday afternoon and to my surprise it was shooting way right and low. I sighted my gun in October and knew it was on then but some how it got off. It's sighted in now so hopefully when the big boy steps out I can get him.

[Jslotter]

Bow and gun season has been terrible this year. Im not seeing the rut activity like years before. Maybe things will be better next year.

[Buckmaster1]

Hello to all the hunters. this buck was driving me nuts this bow season and I went with out a buck with the bow.
The guys and I had been going out to the stands with the gear we need for the gun hunt on friday the 18th and seen the the big 8 that gave me the slip bow hunting. Wow that gave me hope once more. Well it was slow for the start of the day but after coming back from lunch he was standing at my stand then he went down the hill with the doe. now was the time to do the stalk on him walking to the crest of the hill i could see the rack on him. I droped down and inched my way to the stand on my belle it had taken 45 min to get 75 yards.
Now i could see him beding with the doe I had a 100 yard shot on him I put the scope on him and the 270 rolled him over.

P1040009.JPG (85.48 KiB) Viewed 204 times

P1040010.JPG (84.03 KiB) Viewed 204 times

[Jslotter]

That is an awesome story Buckmaster. And an awesome buck.