The Hunting Beast

Took my 11 year son out for his 1st deer hunt. He spotted a doe around 6pm, and then I spotted a nice buck around 6:25. He is using my 30/30 we had the two safety off and all lined up and then the buck started moving. Put the safeties back on and lowed the gun. Watch it walk another 45yds then I told him when it comes out from behind the busch take a shot. He took his time and missed, it was a nice 8pt just inside the ears but a real tall rack. We almost got a second shot off I ejected the shell and he got it all lined up and then the deer took off. What a great time we had.

Sat tonight. Good early action. Saw 3 bucks, two little tikes and the big eight I've been after. Saw him opening day but second guessed my set up at the last minute which cost me a shot at him. Tonight he came out heading to corn but once again I was too far for a shot (50 yards). Saw three does two. The big eight and a subordinate eight were grunting. Good to hear that again! Moon guide was dead on had activity at around 5:30. I'm just praying that this stupid t zone doesn't knock him off his pattern after two sightings and 8 trail cam pics I'm closing in and I am pretty certain if that corn stays standing for one more week I will be handing out a dirt nap.

went out tonight also...had 2 smalls bucks chasing 3 doe around in a tall CRP field...pretty cool to see already..they were grunting like crazy so they are starting to feel the rut coming on

huntinfool14 wrote:went out tonight also...had 2 smalls bucks chasing 3 doe around in a tall CRP field...pretty cool to see already..they were grunting like crazy so they are starting to feel the rut coming on

I don't know what kind of property you hunt but some people on well managed properties swear oct 11-15th roughly some does will cycle into estrous a full month before the majority do? They call this time frame the mini rut and I have read articles in magazines about it! Then you have other guys that say Oct. 5-20th is the dreaded lull? There may be more to this moon thing than I ever gave it credit for too?

I've been out 3 times thus far with no luck. It's just been too warm for me to romp and stomp through the woods with the squiters, ticks, and snakes. Not a huge early season fan, but as soon as that weather starts dropping its on! We finally had a decent day of rain today, so it should be getting those deer up and moving the next few days with the below average temps and the severe drought we've had this summer. Good luck to me.

I saw my 1st mature deer this year from a stand this AM (18-19"s wide - 11pts). The deer is well documented with trail camera pics and sheds from previous years. Now he is a STUD. Too bad he was 200 yards out in a wide open marsh! Of interest, the deer allowed two other smaller bucks to approach and didn't seem to aggressive or irritated. Wishn I was in a tree right now.. no bow hunting for a almost a week for me... then it is vacation time Oct 28-Dec 6th with only a handful of work days!

Had a great hunt yesterday evening. Got in and out quietly. My exits this year have been pretty loud. It's my first year being fully mobile and im using the lone wolf sticks but w/ a muddy stand. Think I may get an LW in the future and part ways w/ the muddy. Didnt pull the trigger but had 7 does pass thru under my tree. Im thinking this will be a good rut location.

I filmed for Andrae yesterday in N/E Iowa on his farm... We drove his polaris truck/atv thingy up a ravine to look at a spot near where he glassed a big buck in the morning going in to bed. We kicked a doe and two fawns out when going up there. We set my stand in the tree behind a set stand he would hunt out of and left... When we came back we jumped the same doe and fawns out of the same bedding spot. A 1/2 hour into the sit the fawns came right back and were constantly looking over the shoulder for mama to follow... It kind of sunk home that a lot of the mistakes does make are relative to the fawns... I doubt an adult buck would of came back to the same bed three times in a row in daylight, but the adult doe did because the fawns went back and she followed.
No bucks sighted.

Dan... Have you been out hunting yourself lately? Let's hear what's going on in your .

went out on Monday night, 10/18. They were cutting corn across the road and on my way to the area I wanted to hunt I kicked up a small bedded buck that I wasn't anticipating, then when I got to where I was going to hunt I had a mature doe and fawn run up to me..... She stopped about 10 yards away, after the standoff she simply walked away, no blowing, nothing. Pretty cool. It all started off like the last time when I saw my target animal at 50 or so yards (this time I was going to be in the right tree). First the doe and two fawns, then the six pointer..... I could hear movement in the bedding area and was waiting for the big 8 I've been after to appear. The wind swirled a little and put the six pointer on edge. He then jumped back into the swampy area he came from where the other bucks were and that was the end of it. So close yet so far away, although I did not see the big 8 I am certain he was right there. Dang the wind!

Sam Ubl wrote:Dan... Have you been out hunting yourself lately? Let's hear what's going on in your .

I have not been out much... I have been spending a lot of time with my Mom while she recovers.

Just one button head tonite all by his lonesome right at last light, left my set in the tree for a morning sit as the wind will be good in the am for that tree as well. Wonder if the nubbies momma kicked him to the curb to breed, he acted awful wary as though he was being pushed

Frickin NY.....varying winds every day since last sats opener. High winds past few days.

Made the most of sunday and sat conservative (funnel) saw a 2.5 yo, sat an observation stand bordering (dw side) of bedding w some staging in the pm....and despite a stray dog..neighbors quad fest...shifty (- the "f")winds...it was on.

Garrett's lesson for this year....hunt with a plan on purpose...

Its killing me not to be out there..but it should pay in the long run (due to be the only known hunting pressure on this ground)

On monday nite I sat a stand on a rub line. This is on a piece of land that is highly pressued every year so I seldom hunt there. But every year rubs appear here. Right at last light a real nice 2 1/2 year old 8 pt came past. Fun to see a good one. On wednesday nite while driving home a small buck ran into the side of my car. I was able to swerve enough to lessen the impact the car is ok and the deer ran off looked like he was ok.

Joe Runde and I are taking the 23rd thru 31 off, I'm getting pumped, it's hard to think about anything else. Our main tatics will be to hunt several bedding areas we've previously scouted and sitting hot scrapes. Towards the Halloween, I might try sitting a funnel or two but don't think they'll be heavy into cruise mode yet.