survivers...

[Tim H]

This buck I call Rome. This is the last pic I got of him. I’ve been after him 3 seasons. He’s now blind in one eye. Odds are good he already shed his rack. If he makes it through winter it’ll be a miracle!
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I hunt Northern Wisconsin big woods. The more I try to understand these deer the more I realize That they are survivors and are masters of evasion.
Here are a few that I know of that made it thru. I hope about one or two of them survive the winter and the wolfs.
Six of them are new bucks that I found this year three of them I know a little about that last pic I missed that buck in September, he has a 4.5 mile circuit one way. I Have had him for the last three years this year was the first I went after him.
The fourth pic down has a 3.5 mile circuit one way that I know of. The sixth one down has a 2.5 mile circuit one way that’s what I know of.
The buck I shot this year only had a .75 mile range that I knew he traveled that’s out of four years of knowing that buck. And I still learned where I needed to kill him this past spring.

Those are some studs! And I definitely agree with you that they are survivors. I think the last couple years I didn't think Rome would make it through the winter and wolves and he has proved me wrong both times. He's a master of evasion as you say. My hunting partner tells me that he's not killable. I'm still hopeful I can get lucky and kill him. I've heard from another buddy at work who said that in the Northwoods it's very, very hard to kill a 4.5-7.5 year old buck. After 7.5 tend to get more careless and complacent. I've never seen a 7.5 year in my area that I know of so I have no way of knowing. Rome is the oldest buck that I'm familiar with. Here's a couple others that are probably still alive.

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[Grizzlyadam]

This guy showed up last season, I hunted him a bit and tried to figure him out. He was pretty active on the property mostly late season.

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He showed up again this season and I spent the late season hunting him with the muzzleloader. I thought I would have him pinned for early December because he was all over last year at that time. Never laid eyes on him and only got some pics late at night this year.

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Looking forward to some scouting for him now that the season is over.

[Elite]

"Bull". I've been after him all season with no sightings yet

[Findian]

This buck I call Rome. This is the last pic I got of him. I’ve been after him 3 seasons. He’s now blind in one eye. Odds are good he already shed his rack. If he makes it through winter it’ll be a miracle!
4581CFA1-A65F-4ECC-ABC1-B31298088EF4.jpeg

I hunt Northern Wisconsin big woods. The more I try to understand these deer the more I realize That they are survivors and are masters of evasion.
Here are a few that I know of that made it thru. I hope about one or two of them survive the winter and the wolfs.
Six of them are new bucks that I found this year three of them I know a little about that last pic I missed that buck in September, he has a 4.5 mile circuit one way. I Have had him for the last three years this year was the first I went after him.
The fourth pic down has a 3.5 mile circuit one way that I know of. The sixth one down has a 2.5 mile circuit one way that’s what I know of.
The buck I shot this year only had a .75 mile range that I knew he traveled that’s out of four years of knowing that buck. And I still learned where I needed to kill him this past spring.

Those are some studs! And I definitely agree with you that they are survivors. I think the last couple years I didn't think Rome would make it through the winter and wolves and he has proved me wrong both times. He's a master of evasion as you say. My hunting partner tells me that he's not killable. I'm still hopeful I can get lucky and kill him. I've heard from another buddy at work who said that in the Northwoods it's very, very hard to kill a 4.5-7.5 year old buck. After 7.5 tend to get more careless and complacent. I've never seen a 7.5 year in my area that I know of so I have no way of knowing. Rome is the oldest buck that I'm familiar with. Here's a couple others that are probably still alive.
IMG_5147.jpeg
IMG_5149.jpeg
PICT0044.jpeg

I spent 30 hours spring scouting on the buck I shot this fall he was my number one that I wanted to see make it thru and kill this fall. He is at least a 6.5 year old buck I passed him in 2016 when he was a least a 3.5 year old. Been keeping track of him till I killed him. He also didn’t make hardly any sign this year.

I will also say that 95 percent of the bucks I shoot up here are from the ground. I’m starting to think that I need to stop worrying about my stand set ups and just go after them on foot more.

I’m also seeing a great 3.5 year old buck crop this fall should make for some dandy’s in the next two to three years.

Both the bucks below where at least 7.5 the top one I think was a 9.5 year old but not positive due to the fact that the old computer died on me and I cannot remember when I first picked him up on cam. they didn’t make it thru 2018-2019 winter but I also noticed how hard the wolfs we’re working this area last spring/winter and this fall/summer so maybe they got pushed out by wolfs but I doubt it. They also supported there biggest rack that year.

[Jmitch]

Some great bucks posted! This is always one of my favorite times to check cameras. Seen a few on camera that I'm happy made it. I very rarely hope any individual deer makes it thru just that there will be targets for next year and maybe some sheds to pick up

[brancher147]

I don’t have any history with individual bucks or any trail cam pics but judging by the late season sign there are definitely some real good survivors. This was the lowest pressure hunting season I have ever seen. And kill was way down.

[1STRANGEWILDERNESS]

There’s some survivors! Just gotta make the winter and the wolves. I’m a bit more positive this winter.

It was real weird, last winter was the most snow we’ve had locally in like 40 yrs. I wasn’t sure where the deer yarded up but sign wasn’t around the “usual” spots. I was really down on the coming season. Everyone was..Then LO and behold fall 2019 it was wild how many deer were around. High numbers and the best crop of bucks I’ve seen here in 4 the short 4 seasons I’ve dwelled here.

Got some good bucks alive locally. One hanging right in my own land. Also nursing a 2.5 yr old fork horn that a neighbor shot with rifle. He’s been on three legs since mid nov. He likes the hay I keep giving him. He’s my friend now, I’m really pulling for him.

[1STRANGEWILDERNESS]

This buck I call Rome. This is the last pic I got of him. I’ve been after him 3 seasons. He’s now blind in one eye. Odds are good he already shed his rack. If he makes it through winter it’ll be a miracle!
4581CFA1-A65F-4ECC-ABC1-B31298088EF4.jpeg

I hunt Northern Wisconsin big woods. The more I try to understand these deer the more I realize That they are survivors and are masters of evasion.
Here are a few that I know of that made it thru. I hope about one or two of them survive the winter and the wolfs.
Six of them are new bucks that I found this year three of them I know a little about that last pic I missed that buck in September, he has a 4.5 mile circuit one way. I Have had him for the last three years this year was the first I went after him.
The fourth pic down has a 3.5 mile circuit one way that I know of. The sixth one down has a 2.5 mile circuit one way that’s what I know of.
The buck I shot this year only had a .75 mile range that I knew he traveled that’s out of four years of knowing that buck. And I still learned where I needed to kill him this past spring.

Findian, you’re an animal! finding all those dandy bucks in the bigwoods. How do you get such a good idea of their range? Or circuit as you put it. Tracking in the snow? Trail cams? I’ve located some halfway decent deer but boy they don’t leave me much sign to work with..

[Findian]

This buck I call Rome. This is the last pic I got of him. I’ve been after him 3 seasons. He’s now blind in one eye. Odds are good he already shed his rack. If he makes it through winter it’ll be a miracle!
4581CFA1-A65F-4ECC-ABC1-B31298088EF4.jpeg

I hunt Northern Wisconsin big woods. The more I try to understand these deer the more I realize That they are survivors and are masters of evasion.
Here are a few that I know of that made it thru. I hope about one or two of them survive the winter and the wolfs.
Six of them are new bucks that I found this year three of them I know a little about that last pic I missed that buck in September, he has a 4.5 mile circuit one way. I Have had him for the last three years this year was the first I went after him.
The fourth pic down has a 3.5 mile circuit one way that I know of. The sixth one down has a 2.5 mile circuit one way that’s what I know of.
The buck I shot this year only had a .75 mile range that I knew he traveled that’s out of four years of knowing that buck. And I still learned where I needed to kill him this past spring.

Findian, you’re an animal! finding all those dandy bucks in the bigwoods. How do you get such a good idea of their range? Or circuit as you put it. Tracking in the snow? Trail cams? I’ve located some halfway decent deer but boy they don’t leave me much sign to work with..

Between myself my brother and my dad we have around 75 trail cams. I would love to start doing more tracking but I’ve not had the best conditions and time to do it.

I still have 16 more cameras that are in woods and my brother and dad got like 10 more.

Mostly trail cams. I’ve got a good system that I’ve been doing for the last two years and I think it going to start paying off. Also in 2015 I had like one trail camera and that was the year I joined the beast it was then that I realized I need to get intel on deer and I couldn’t do it from glassing or shining so I had to invest into trail cams.

But trail cams can only do so much.

[Tennhunter3]

I hope he made it I never heard of anyone getting something big out of this wma. I've chased him for two years and never had a shot I do know his bedding well. He just never seems to leave it in daylight. He is a ghost.

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[Findian]

I hope he made it I never heard of anyone getting something big out of this wma. I've chased him for two years and never had a shot I do know his bedding well. He just never seems to leave it in daylight.

Fghhik1_Gallery.jpg

Then go still hunt him from the ground and shoot him in his bed.

[Tennhunter3]

I hope he made it I never heard of anyone getting something big out of this wma. I've chased him for two years and never had a shot I do know his bedding well. He just never seems to leave it in daylight.

Fghhik1_Gallery.jpg

Then go still hunt him from the ground and shoot him in his bed.

Hill country thermals make it really tough I've snuck within 80 yards once and busted bucks.

[DaveT1963]

Another nice one with split brows, should be 4.5 and a solid 10pt next year.

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[greenhorndave]

Another nice one with split brows, should be 4.5 and a solid 10pt next year.

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Thick body and the dark rack is cool.

[Tennhunter3]

Another nice one with split brows, should be 4.5 and a solid 10pt next year.

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Good mass and like the dark rack.