2011 WI Hunting Journal

[kellory]

Well, sometimes people live down to my expectations. Opening day, I shot a doe and two bucks. I got my tag on the doe, but another hunting party took the bucks. A nice eight pointer and what I thought was a doe(turns out it was a spike buck) were feeding at the edge of a woods that several hunting parties have permission to hunt. I shot the eight, and after he went down, I noticed the doe/spike hadn't moved. I shot it twice broadside, and it also went down, In the meantime, the eight got up and made its way into the woods. After my first shot, a guy about 550 yards away and staring directly at the backsides of the two deer emptied his rifle at them. He actually admitted he could only see their heads, so he really was attempting 550 yard head shots. The two deer were, of course, found with broadside hits. Two on the little one, and one on the eight. The other guy and his five hunting buddies decided he killed them both, and seeing as I wasn't going to argue with six rifles, I walked away. The thing is, I called my buddy before I went to retrieve the deer and told him I would bet him a week's pay they would claim both deer. As I said, "sometimes people live down to my expectations."

At least I got the doe.

That sucks PG. Over the years, I have strayed away from hunting parties, or sharing the woods with them, because of the reasons you mentioned. And the BS at the end of the season when the hunt club I was in for about a decade, thought the deer you kill, should go to the guys that didn't kill one, or only hunted 2 days in the season without a kill... It came down to us sneaking our deer off the land, so we could register it and get it to the meat locker, before the old men who ran the sideshow could take OUR hard earned deer away from us... I learned how not to screw your friends and family over during deer season. Someday, I will have my own camp and it will be done the right way.

PGChambers, I am sorry for your loss. That sounds like a clear case of thieft. We always share the meat between our group (3-7 hunters) and the rack belongs to the shooter. If we ever argue as to who shot it, the tracks and the wounds determine the victor. You showed good judgement, They just showed greed. JS, I am of the same opionion of group dicissions, and club rules. You earned it, you keep it! Let the lazy do without! If you ever get your own camp, and you need another shooter, let me know. I might just burn a couple of vacation days!

[Gafrage]

Well, I sat all day yesterday, and most of Saturday. All in all I sat 7 of the 9 days morning and evening if not all day (Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Sunday) and I did not see an antlered buck all week. First time for me since hunting this piece of property. After seeing lots of action during the rut, and seeing multiple shooters on the trail cams and while out hunting the rut it was rather disappointing. At least seeing a buck that I knew I would pass anyway would have been satisfying enough to me. I feel that the neighbors leasing the land out to new people this year and basically trapping us from the South and West didn't help either. In addition to the fact they were out in the woods the 2 weekends prior to the opener and leaving plenty of scent and making plenty of noise. Sucks hunting a small piece of property in some very prime area, but that's the way it goes.

I will be out this coming weekend giving the muzzleloader season a shot and probably out bow hunting some after that. I can only hope to catch a glimse of some of the bucks I saw during bow season again, and hope they made it through and another year. 2 of them would be put on some major growth and be fantastic for whoever gets a clean shot at them next year.

Will post my luck this coming weekend, but hopes are down for me.

[pickleguy]

We had a good season, no big bucks 2 sightings. We had 3 newer hunters get there 1st deer & a couple of our old timers get one after a few year dry spell. It was fun to see the joy on the kids faces & also here it in there voices. The biggest frustration is tresspassers. We shot a total of 8 deer. I would grade the season a B- due to the fact all the deer we got were all off one property. None of the other farms we hunt had deer on them & talking to the neighbors they said the same. We have no idea where all the deer from this area have gone. We do not over harvest. I am pulling my stands off these places for a year or two to see if that helps bring back the population.

[BIG 8]

Thanks guys for the congrats on my buck. He was deffinitely a surviver. When we cut him up we found two crazy things. First we saw that he had broke his back sometime during his life!! The other thing we found was that he had a hole in this neck that was all the way through (last year or the year before probably because it was grown shut). I think it was from a bullet but I guess it could've been from an arrow or antler while fighting. He had a hard life thats for sure!

[umpiremark]

"He had a hard life thats for sure!"


Hey Big 8 ... in your case, I think instead of calling that a buck harvest, yours should be labled a mercy killing ... euthanasia ...hahahaha

Congrats!

[pgchambers]

Thanks guys for the congrats on my buck. He was deffinitely a surviver. When we cut him up we found two crazy things. First we saw that he had broke his back sometime during his life!! The other thing we found was that he had a hole in this neck that was all the way through (last year or the year before probably because it was grown shut). I think it was from a bullet but I guess it could've been from an arrow or antler while fighting. He had a hard life thats for sure!

It's funny, the doe I shot this year had a broken back. We weren't even sure how she even could have been walking around. Tough animals, to be sure.

Anyway, congrats on harvesting one tough ol hombre!

[BIG 8]

Yeah its amazing what they can live through, and not just that but live a normal life after they heel up from the injury. That buck ran like nothing was wrong and you woulda never guessed it but they are amazing animals. Thats why they're so fun to pursue I think!

[Jimbo]

Part of the reason I respect Whitetails so much is their toughness. They are able to withstand such pain and do so with a toughness and dignity unlike most other animals. I'm always amazed that upon being shot deer don't vocalize any pain or suffering or fear. At least I've never heard such a thing. Bears will wail, small game and birds do, too. Deer are just stoic and do whatever they can to survive another day. Amazing critters.

Jimbo

[Jimbo]

4 degrees at dawn when I climbed up into my stand.
Stand was creaky in this bitter cold. Woods were deathly quiet.
Not much moving but it was good to be out again with the Mathews in hand.
Right at daybreak saw one walking the cut corn edge a couple hundred yards away--couldn't tell what it was.
Had a single doe work the ridge behind me, but I'm only looking for headgear so let her walk.
Once last thing-the Heater Body Suit was the only thing that kept me in my stand. It was flipping cold. But, toasty in the suit.

Jim

[gunther89]

Well my hunting season is pretty much over as of this past weekend. BWB and I took down our 5 hang on stands and brought the seat covers from our ladder stands in as well. We did see 4 antlerless deer while grabbing them which was nice to see. We also checked our cameras and was happy to see 2 of our shooters on them after the gun season had closed. Unless we get some snow, I doubt I will hunt much during the late season. Hopefully the deer hit our standing bean field so I can look for some sheds come spring.