Field Notes Michigan

[Demoderby4]

Yeah i know what ya mean deercamp, it's getting frustrating not seeing deer, sorry to hear about the bad luck you have been having :/ i haven't seen any my last 3 sits or so :/ so i know how ya feel. You're absolutely right tho, that's the only way any of us are going to fill our tags, gotta stay on stand even through the rough patches, god knows i've spent more days in the woods than i would like to count that i have been totally skunked, it sucks. But you gotta stick with it, thats the beauty of this sport, all the hard work and frustration all goes away when you put down that deer. Hopefully your luck changes! I'm debating about going out tom morning... I might just go out to some state land and try my luck still hunting out there, its like 5 minutes away so there's no harm in trying, plus it's a weekday, it should be pretty empty out there, at leats i hope it is lol.

[DeerCamp]

Well I woke up this morning around 5:45 am.. I hit the snooze once before getting out of bed. I got up and headed for the woods. I was in the woods and at my blind at 6:31am. It was a VERY COLD morning here, reaching the mid 20's. A nice frost was on the ground making everything crunchy. It was calm as can be. The calm wind was swriling all around for the most part, as I could only tell by my breath.After a while it just blew to the south,like the night before. It was a nice morning to be out in the woods. I was sitting there at waiting for light around 7:10 am. While I was waiting I thought to myself, if a doe comes in Im going to shoot it, I really want the jerky. I figured that since I havent seen a deer in a while, I might as well pull back on the 1st one that gives me a good shot.  I never in my life have tryed to hard to hear a deer. I would hear the littlest thing and pay all the attachion in the world to it. The birds were moving around a lot this morning looking for nuts and berrys.Around 8:08 am  I heard a noise from behind me. I looked to see a large doe standing there. I real quick went to put my realse on  my loop hole when I couldnt open it, by that time a fawn steped out. My realse had frozen and I had to blow on it gently to warm it. (I have never had this problem until today.) I was able to put it on and figured that they were going to stay on the same path and offer me a shot if I wanted to take it, until I heard a noise behind them, I looked and another large doe steped out and then another. By then the 1st two had moved by my shooting lane.The other two came within 20 yards but no shot. I watched them and then another deer poped outm, and then another. I was tickled as can be. Those 4 never offered a great shot.. I could have taken one, but the shot would have been diffecult at best. So I passed on her, hoping she would come into another lane. All deer headed north in a little bottle neck. They looked for food such as acorns and even saw one eating a leaf off a tree. 4 of the doe's headed west and didnt return while the doe and the fawn stayed eating. I blew into my call and the doe froze, she turned around and headed towards me. She stoped and started to eat again, so I blew into it again. She again came my way, but never gave a shot. After about 3 min's she and the fawn moved north and went over a creek. I didnt hear or see anything after that,but hey, after not seeing a deer in the longest time, that really got me going!  Im VERY excited to go out tonight and sit!
 
** All 6 deer were does... one was a fawn. I thought that was strange.. I could tell all 5 were older than a year and a half and were at least 2 and a half. I wonder what happend to the fawns?**

[Demoderby4]

That's good to hear you finally saw something! Thats alwways a bif relieft after having some bad luck for ehile, too bad they didn't offer a shot but, thats good you passed up on a difficult shot after being shut out for a while, not may people can do that, i know its hard to do lol, hopefully you see some more tonight! I went out and walk aound a little no action at all, not even much sign on deer on the state land by my house, jjust a few tracks and a couple decent trails and an older rub, probly wont hear out there again until the rut starts up, i know i'll get a lot more action on the private land im on than that state land, i've never had any luck there. Im gonna head up to some other stateland up in the thumb later next week, i have had a lot of good luck there, Good luck tonight though deercamp!

[DeerCamp]

Well tonight was in the 40's with no wind. I got out about 3:35. I sat till about 5 when I heard some noise way behind me. It was some people talking. I could hear them running a car in some mud or so I thought. They got out and started to talk for a while,I could help but think what the heck were they doing?I kept hunting tho.. The whole night I could hear these people talking. I figured they were stuck, until I heard more cars and trucks come in. I figured that it was teen's having a party in the woods. (Im hunting state land.) I stayed on stand yet again, hoping they would jump a deer and push it my way. As dark approched I heard some footsteps. It was just about dark when I had a little raccoon by and climb up a tree. I got down and walked to my blazer. I kept hearing people, I got to my car and couldnt believe my eyes. I saw 3 campers, and 5 TENTS! THATS RIGHT TENTS! It was a group of hill billy hicks partying it up.. Yet they werent just hicks, they were adult hicks. I mean I couldnt believe it. I never said anything about it to them. I just drove on my way. On my way home I called my buddy who works for the DNR. He said he'd head on out there. It's hard enough to see a deer, I dont need anyone eles partying it up out there.


Notes: I forgot in my last post. I saw TONS of tracks on the road on my way out in the morning, so I figure they were really moving this morning.
** I also saw a little plane flying around real low Kept flying all around the land.. I think it may have been the dnr looking for bait piles.
 
When I talked to my DNR friend, he said he hasnt really heard of anyone getting deer. He said that he's seen less deer than normal this year, but thinks there will be more deer taged come rut time.  Said your best bet is to do some calling...If not it's all just luck.

[DeerCamp]

GREAT NIGHT to be out in the woods, another cold one with no wind.. I didnt see any deer, but I saw a very large coyote. I drew back on him only to get full drawl and have my rage broadhead open up. Needless to say I wasnt able to get a shot off. I was kinda double bummed tonight. Not only with the broadhead deal but once the coyote was in the area I heard a deer blow.  Oh well... I guess everyone has those kinda seasons.. Better luck next time lol

[Demoderby4]

That really sux about those people deercamp, i would of been beyond mad! That's just stupid, esp if they know its public hunting land, that's almost a death wish, even more so when you schlitzed! Thats good you called your budy though i would of done the same thing. Hopefully he gave em a little hell. Well at least we know it's not just the spots that we picked out lol, we all have slow years every now and then, just gotta stick with it, the rut is fast approaching though so thats always something to keep in the back of your mind when it's a slow day. At least ya saw a coyote, thats always cool, too bad about the broadhead :/ but hopefully the luck starts to change in our favor lol, i won't be heading back out until thursday :/ gonna head back to the stand that i actually see stuff in lol!

[dmcianfa]

Whel I went out this last weekend and hunted hard both Saturday and Sunday.  Got skunked both days meaning I didn't get a shot at anything although I only sat all day on Sunday.  I was on some state land in the U.P. that is pretty secluded.  I did see 2 does on Sat. morning busting heavily and fast through the woods behind me.  I don' think they winded me because they were upwind the whole time and where the came from as well.  Hmmm.  something must have spooked them.  I wasn't making any noise I know that.  I was as frozen as a solid block to make any noise.  I did take some time in the afternoon on Saturday to run my birddog on another parcel and we scored on 3 partridge and 3 woodcock.  Talk about a blast getting those and shooting at something. Ha.  Sunday I didn't see anything and decided to check my trail cam, only to find that there is a couple wolves using the trail on two occasions that I'm overlooking.  Bummer.  No wonder there hasn't been sign there the last week or two.  Not only that, but some hiker came in and clipped a ton of overhanging limbs on the trail probably to stump sit and gunhunt later this year.  Now all my licking branches over a couple of active scrapes are GONE!  What a jacka*s.  He probably didn't even see the buck sign on the ground let alone the licking branch associated with both scrapes.  Probably just saw a couple rubs close by and said, "HEY THIS LOOKS LIKE A GOOD TRAIL TO SIT RIGHT ON AND CUT SOME BRANCHES OUT OF THE WAY." Idiot!  I don't mind guys hunting this land with me, but to be totally oblivious to the surrounding and not seeing someone is bowhunting there, when my stand is visible from the trail.  My god man.  Needless to say I didn't see him on my trailcam photos anymore, but I might move my stand with all the scent from wolves and stupid humans around.  He was in jeans and a tee shirt, so I know this "hick" wasn't taking a scent free approach.  He could care less.  Not to mention that all the braches he cut were left on the trail underfoot.  Who does that.  Now the deer know the scenery has changed as well.  What a drag.  Anyway, I still hunted a little and found a spot deeper back that was a promising breakline.  A nice setup and shouldn't take long to setup there next outing.  Hope everyone had a better outing than me![:)]

[Demoderby4]

Sorry about your luck :/ that really sux, i hate people like that, another reason i try to avoid depending on state land if possible. Im heading up to some just to look around and pick out a spot to sit at once the rut kicks in. I like to go to different places when i rut kicks in, you never know what is gonna come by and when, but that approach can also kick me in the ass if im not at my spot down here lol, but i have had good luck on the state land actually, it has been productive for me so i might go up there a couple of times for a change in scenery. Hopefully your next outing goes better! Im thinking about skipping class on wed. and heading out for an all day excursion. its supposed to get down to the 20's this week people look at me like im crazy when i get excited about that low of temps lol.

[DeerCamp]

Well, I wasnt going to go out today. I was driving on my way home, got home looked at my 4-wheeler and just went for it. : /.. I had a big test, so I shoulda stayed home.. I went out around 3 and sat till 7:32. I saw 4 squiral including one pope in young grey squiral. I didnt see any deer. It was about 38 out and the winds were blowing to the south/east.  When I got down, and on the trail. (100yrds away from stand.) I jumped a deer who ran off. Other than that not much going on. Im going to be going out tomorrow night so Ill keep everyone informed. Good luck huntin.
 
 
On a side note:: Saw a 6pt and an 8pt in a full out brawl today while watching over a farm. Watched it in at over 200 yards, could hear the antlers crashing hard. It lasted about 10 mins.

[Demoderby4]

Thats too bad about another bad luck day, that sux you spooked one on your way out, i've done that twice this year :/ lol, but even though you didn't see any at least you know they are still hanging around your stand, hopefully you didn't spook the deer too bad and it/they come back around your stand soon! I as gonna head out tom. for the first time in like a week, finally! But....my car will not start, it ran fine yesterday i drove it to school and back which is well over 2 hrs and then i get in it today and it wont start :/ i was not pleased to say the least! So hopefully i can get it running by tom. afternoon so i can finally get out there! Good luck tom. on your hunt DeerCamp!