2011 Deer Hunt discussion

[HICKMAN]

Man, what a tough weekend, nothing in range and pretty much soaked in sweat to boot. Haven't seen a single buck since the youth hunt, although I will take a doe any chance I get.

Found another good oak tree with lots of acorns and deer sign on the ground, will try to get a camera in there this week.

I haven't come across any scrapes yet, anyone else seeing any pre-rut activity or deer lately?

 

[jmiller676]

Man, what a tough weekend, nothing in range and pretty much soaked in sweat to boot. Haven't seen a single buck since the youth hunt, although I will take a doe any chance I get.

Found another good oak tree with lots of acorns and deer sign on the ground, will try to get a camera in there this week.

I haven't come across any scrapes yet, anyone else seeing any pre-rut activity or deer lately?

I've seen some smaller forkies square off. There is still a lot of corn up. Once the corn is down and it cools be ready. Personally I wouldn'y hunt the acorns trees themselves. Hunt trails leading by the trees that. I'm not sure of where your stand location is but older deer *usually* stay in the woods until it gets darker and they use that to move under. If you're deeper in the woods off a bedding area better chance you will have deer around you when that sun starts to set.

 

[clt46910]

I see Deer and/or Turkey three or four times a week in the field and woods behind my cottage. Turkeys roost in the big trees next to my garage/apartment out back.

Sometimes they come down by my front yard or down to the lake across the road from me. Then again, I live in a prime Deer/Turkey area.

 

[HICKMAN]

I've seen a LOT of turkey, we just never happen to be withing 50 yards of each other

 

[Fishersjohn48]

Well I can tell you they are eating the Hibiscus plants out of the pots on the deck over the lake. Is that a sign of pre-rut? Darn pests ate every leaf off the 6'tall plant. We even put chaise lounges around it so they couldn't get to them. They make a heck of a racket when you walk out on the wood deck and startle them.

 

[Bradsknives]

Man, what a tough weekend, nothing in range and pretty much soaked in sweat to boot. Haven't seen a single buck since the youth hunt, although I will take a doe any chance I get.

Found another good oak tree with lots of acorns and deer sign on the ground, will try to get a camera in there this week.

I haven't come across any scrapes yet, anyone else seeing any pre-rut activity or deer lately?

PATIENCE PATIENCE!!!!!!!......It's a long season which is why I never get in any hurry to hunt hard the first two weeks. Just remember the best hunting will be the last 3 weeks up to the opening of gun season. The temps should be cooler and the deer should start moving more as we get closer to the rut. Don't burn yourself out at the beginning...put more of your efforts towards the last half of the season.

 

[jmiller676]

PATIENCE PATIENCE!!!!!!!......It's a long season which is why I never get in any hurry to hunt hard the first two weeks. Just remember the best hunting will be the last 3 weeks up to the opening of gun season. The temps should be cooler and the deer should start moving more as we get closer to the rut. Don't burn yourself out at the beginning...put more of your efforts towards the last half of the season.

Patience is key but, deer have to eat and poop. I have shot all 5 of my bow kill deer within the first 2 weeks.

 

[mertbl]

Have you guys still been going out in this heat? I've been out twice since it got hot and haven't seen anything. Im about ready to write off hunting until it cools off.

 

[jmiller676]

Have you guys still been going out in this heat? I've been out twice since it got hot and haven't seen anything. Im about ready to write off hunting until it cools off.

Shot my doe when it was 75*. Like I said deer have to poop, eat, move, drink. Gotta be in the right place at the right time.

 

[Bradsknives]

Patience is key but, deer have to eat and poop. I have shot all 5 of my bow kill deer within the first 2 weeks.

I would never dispute the fact that deer can be taken at any time during the season. When I was a younger man (20 some years ago) it didn't matter what the the conditions were, I was in my stand opening day and a lot during the first two weeks. All I'm saying is conditions get better towards the last half of the season giving you a better chance.

 

[jmiller676]

I would never dispute the fact that deer can be taken at any time during the season. When I was a younger man (20 some years ago) it didn't matter what the the conditions were, I was in my stand opening day and a lot during the first two weeks. All I'm saying is conditions get better towards the last half of the season giving you a better chance.

Good point however maybe I'm just stupid enough to walk 3/4 of a mile to hunt for just a few hours in 75-80* heat.

 

[windingwinds]

The only thing about the heat is getting any kills cooled off fast and off to the check-in station and into the fridge.
I couldn't hunt today, work and football, grrr...but we have had scrapes and rubs since last week of Sept. And I have been seeing a marked increase in activity later in a.m. when it is cooler, since Oct. 6th, just nothing close to me since they have a hiding area in the neighbor's corn.
Sunday night I got the enjoyment of hearing the neighbor chase off a poacher.........which then no movement at all rest of that evening because of the ruckus. Small plots can be at a disadvantage at times.
I have several deer trails I can hunt, just gotta pick the right one at the right time when they are wanting to sneak by. They also change behavior with the darn full moon, which is offically tomorrow. Glad it'll be cooler! (I usually see them at odd times of the day then, try to be out most of the day instead of coming in for a break)

 

[HICKMAN]

think I will follow your guys advice and spend time scouting areas I haven't had time to look in to. Still learning as I go, and still need to learn where the deer are bedding and what trails they use.

I'm having a blast and know it'll pay off sooner or later.

 

[M4Madness]

The opening day of firearms season this year falls on the earliest date that it possibly can (November 12), so expect to see more rutting activity than normal for firearms season that first weekend. Last year, it opened on November 13, and I saw strings of bucks running does all over the place, and had somewhere around 30 different deer pass within 75 yards of me by 9:45 AM on opening morning.

The first two weeks of November are always a hot ticket. If you are a bowhunter, try your best to sit all day in a stand November 4-8. Those days are always your best chance at a buck each and every year. We'll be coming into the "October lull" very soon, and deer sightings should slack off for a couple of weeks. The chances of killing a deer while sitting on a couch at home are pretty slim, so your odds are always better if you are in the woods, regardless of weather conditions.

HICKMAN, this book will help you more than you'll probably ever realize:

Amazon.com: Mapping Trophy Bucks (0046081005039): Brad Herndon: Books




Trust me.

 

[Bradsknives]

Good point however maybe I'm just stupid enough to walk 3/4 of a mile to hunt for just a few hours in 75-80* heat.

Nope...your not stupid...you just have that passion that I use to have when I was younger. I'll be heading down to my farm next Tuesday and will be hunting a few days regardless of the temp and conditions. The itch is still there, but I can control it better than I could 20-25 years ago.

think I will follow your guys advice and spend time scouting areas I haven't had time to look in to. Still learning as I go, and still need to learn where the deer are bedding and what trails they use.

I'm having a blast and know it'll pay off sooner or later.

That's what it is all about. Spending time in the woods trying to improve and learn....getting away from it all....the actual kill is just a bonus.

 

[HICKMAN]

HICKMAN, this book will help you more than you'll probably ever realize:

Amazon.com: Mapping Trophy Bucks (0046081005039): Brad Herndon: Books

Trust me.

ordered!

I should have you visit the farm (near Silverville) and tell me what you think

 

[JDubb]

Hickman,

Went out to farm and set up camera, cows are in lot until next week, set the camera on east fence line where corn is still standing. What a trail on that fence line, checked camera tonight and have 110 pics since sunday. Will be on that east side come friday. Just get out and look around for a odd place as of now to see something. I also found a set of sheds from the same buck what a nice find! I'll post a pic when I get a chance. Makes my 13pt I got last year look small.

that is a good buy!!!!

 

[DEC]

75 degrees at 5:45 and I ran arrows through these two does about one minute apart. The first one took a Magnus Snuffer SS to the heart. The second one took a Magnus Buzzcut also to the heart. All on video. Shots were about 5 yards and 8 yards. Donating both deer to Farmers and Hunters Feed the Hungry.

 

[HICKMAN]

Nice work there DEC!

 

[IndianaSlim]

Not sure who said it, but someone hit the nail on the head when they stressed patience this time of the year. This couldn't be more true. Right now the deer have plenty of cover plenty of food and not much reason to leave either of these places. Save your vacation days and your best spot for any time after oct 25 this year. Personally I think the best days of daylight action this year will be oct 28-nov 3 because of how the moon phases fall. You can never write off the first half of November in general though.

Another point someone touched on was all day hunting. This is no joke people! Last year I was fortunate enough to punch a buck tag early and just observe and kill does the rest of the year. I was also fortunate enough to be out of the field early last year with plenty of time to hunt. On 4 different occasions last fall I saw a mature (4+ Yr old) buck between 11 and 2. Thats only a 3 hour period folks!! So pack a sammich and a bottle of water and try an all day sit this year. They can be hard on spirit if you try to string a few together and action is slow but they can and will pay off big!!