2011 WI Hunting Journal

[pgchambers]

Congrats to all who have one down already. Hoping to join you this weekend. 39 degrees with the wind I want for the morning, so I'm going to have a tough time sleeping tonight.

[kellory]

Congrats on the buck. As I am learning, public land hunting is hard stuff. So far my journal shows Marsh 5 Windsor 0. I can hear em, but cant see em. Not getting discouraged, gunna keep hitting it till I get one.

I did a little modification to the baby's old running stroller and will use that to haul the deer out to the truck. It folds up nicely into the bed of the truck.

Will that take the wieght of the deer? I'd think that would buckle under the stress.

[windsor]

Will that take the wieght of the deer? I'd think that would buckle under the stress.

I tested it out with my 240lb tail sittin in it and it seemed to do just fine, wife got tired of pushing though Its one of the solid aluminium ones with shocks and 10in wheels. Certainly will look very strange to any suburban soccer mom that see's me hauling a deer where a kid should be.

[kellory]

If you think about it, post a pic. I will dig out mine and do the same. If nothing else, it gives a couple of home built ideas for those thinking of doing thier own.

[jonny5buck]

Never thought about the stroller....im 85% done with mine....an old aluminum lounge lawnchair....it would have been perfect if the straps were in tact...just need some 20inch mountain bike tires and a little modification on the axle...than she will be done

Got another from a section of ladder stand ...welded mdified axle and lawn tractor air filled tires...too big to haul in the truck...but its locked and chained waiting to get used

[bigwisconsinbucks]

Sat last night on a field edge with an alfalfa and corn field in front of me. On the way in there were 10-15 turkeys in front of my stand, but thankfully they did not putt when they saw me. After I had been sitting for about 20 minutes, it began to rain and I thought that I may get soaked, but it quit after about 5 or 10 minutes. The temperature did cool off considerably though after the rain and I figured I could have a chance of seeing some deer. At about 6:35 a lone mature doe appeared in the alfalfa field and worked to within 15 yards of my stand before wandering about. About 15 minutes later I heard some leaves cracking behind me and soon a doe and 2 fawns appeared and made their way into the alfalfa field. The 3 of them also fed in the alfalfa at 15 yards before making their way towards the corn and out of sight. Overall I thought it was a very good night as this stand doesn't produce a whole lot of sightings, but we had left this spot be for the past several months. It just goes to show that it really pays to leave areas undisturbed!

[Mastertangler]

Not a good weekend. Left work early Friday to get out there after the two nice bucks I had as patterned as I could. Sure enough, 6:00 and a doe and a little 3pt come out but were nervous and went back in. I could hear crunching behind me and a little basket 8pt and my big 8pt were coming. They milled around at 20yds in the woods but I couldn't get a shot cause the doe was only a few yds away and always facing my direction. I couldn't move. They eventually worked their way out into the field and after waiting and passing up lesser shot angles, I finally got the quartering away on the big one. He faced left to right and looking over his shoulder to the right. Just as I was putting pressure on the release, the other small buck snorted and the big 8 snapped around. My arrow blew thru the hind leg about 6" above the knee and the field scattered. Watched the buck go to the woods and go in on the trail there. Gave it an hour and then looked for another two and never found a single drop of blood. An all meat hit to the best I can figure.
Made me sick. I didn't sleep at all that night and I might take a week or two off just to let my mind regroup and stop playing the shot over and over in my head.

[Drhunter2k]

Happens to us all Mastertangler. Hopefully, you'll see him again and get another opportunity.

[kellory]

If you think about it, post a pic. I will dig out mine and do the same. If nothing else, it gives a couple of home built ideas for those thinking of doing thier own.

Here you go. Lays flat, assembles in less than a minute, very strong, no tools required.

[bullwinkle]

First three shots taken with my new Mathews Z7 and three double lung kills First was on a cow elk in CO. The second was filling and anterless tag and then on a 120" 9ptr. Essentially my season is over till gun season. Besides a couple of meat hunts for does, my bow should be put aside till my spring bear hunt next May. Had a ball

The deer are back in Shawano county. Our greatest sit numbers were 30+ one night - only 4 small bucks. My food plots worked as planned, definitely need to take out more does. I was disappointed, I saw 2 spikes. We have not had spikes the last two years. My guess is the population is out pacing the available winter food again. I will update the group on my observations on my food plots