08MSDHC Team #24 - Whitetail Wackmasters

[theredmission]

Here is your official thread for the rest of the season guys.

Your team representative in the MS vs OS contest is: deathdealer

Good luck to ya!

[Mightymouse]

Alright, our own official team thread!!! Now all we need is an open season and some kill pic's to put up here!!

Was out again last night shooting the bow. Was feeling pretty good and shooting pretty good. Getting anxious now!!

[HUBBHUNTER]

Alright guys lets have a good season. Anyone heading out for the EAS, or the youth hunt?

[mich buckmaster]

I will be hunting tomorrow to get some does down on video. We are doing a real cool story line and sending to the editors. It should be easy, fun, and yummy

[deathdealer]

Hey Mich Buckmaster, I pm'd theredmission to see if I could change the rep. to you. The chances of me shooting a game winning buck look to be less than you. I don't know if he can do it or not. I will elt you know what I find out.

[Steven Arend]

Guys,

I tried to work with the original signature picture but by the time I was able to get it down to a height of 100 pixels, you just could not make out what it was. I pulled a few more pics and added some text to make a new one. How does this one look?

Steve

[deathdealer]

I think it looks good. I am using it! thanks S.A.

[HUBBHUNTER]

Make sure you show the video Michigan Buckmaster

[Brdhunt]

Guys,

I tried to work with the original signature picture but by the time I was able to get it down to a height of 100 pixels, you just could not make out what it was. I pulled a few more pics and added some text to make a new one. How does this one look?

Steve
This one works for me. Your photoshop skills are unmatched I bow down to you.:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[deathdealer]

I still have not heard about changing our rep. I might check-in Saturday before I leave. Going to Gladwin until Wednesday to hunt up some birds, and fish all afternoon! I definetly need this little vacation. I have a buddy setting up a stand for me on his property. He has only been bowhunting 3 years. The first year he shot a nice 6 point, The second year he waited to long and got skunked for the year, Last year he shot a dandy 8 point. He tells me "I don't know whats so hard about this bowhunting". I just laugh cause I know his dry-spell is coming. Hopefully I get get some good stand time in his woods. The year before he started hunting another buddy of his shot a hog 10 point off his property. Good luck to anybody going for an early doe. I'll check in next week!

[Brdhunt]

No EAS for me here in Zone 2, and the kids are to young for the youth hunt. So I'm heading out tomorrow to chase some grouse and woodcock.

[Mightymouse]

There was no EAS in our area (zone 2) but I went up for a while on Saturday to check the plots and the cameras.

We just planted our plots on the 6th of September but we had gotten some rain since then so I was hoping they had started to pop by now. When I got there we had some decent growth already and judging by the pics on the cameras it had only been up for less than a week. Hopefully it continues to fill in. Our small plot was pretty thin so I overseeded with clover to boost it a bit hopefully. Got some rain when I was up there and more was on the way.

Cams both had pics on them, both had pictures of a few bucks (small ones only unfortunately) and the deer in the pics were checking out the new growth. It is looking like the plots will be a good tool this season.

Unfortunately I won't be back up to hunt them till the 24th of October. I am getting married this Saturday and will miss the first weekend due to the honeymoon. The second and third weekends of the season I will be up in the UP for bow camp and then on the 24th I will be back to our place. Seems like an eternity away!!!

[Brdhunt]

There was no EAS in our area (zone 2) but I went up for a while on Saturday to check the plots and the cameras.

We just planted our plots on the 6th of September but we had gotten some rain since then so I was hoping they had started to pop by now. When I got there we had some decent growth already and judging by the pics on the cameras it had only been up for less than a week. Hopefully it continues to fill in. Our small plot was pretty thin so I overseeded with clover to boost it a bit hopefully. Got some rain when I was up there and more was on the way.

Cams both had pics on them, both had pictures of a few bucks (small ones only unfortunately) and the deer in the pics were checking out the new growth. It is looking like the plots will be a good tool this season.

Unfortunately I won't be back up to hunt them till the 24th of October. I am getting married this Saturday and will miss the first weekend due to the honeymoon. The second and third weekends of the season I will be up in the UP for bow camp and then on the 24th I will be back to our place. Seems like an eternity away!!!

Congrats Wheres the honeymoon? Out on some hunting preserve right?:lol::lol:

[Mightymouse]

Congrats Wheres the honeymoon? Out on some hunting preserve right?:lol::lol:

We are going to Puerto Vallarta down on the west coast of Mexico. I was hoping to be able to have the wedding on the 20th so that we could be back from the honeymoon before opening weekend but we couldn't find a hall that worked for that day so it moved to the 27th instead. It is a bit of a bummer for this year but oh well, Mexico will be fun too!!

I will be sitting by the ocean thinking of all my fellow Michiganders taking the woods on Wednesday.

[deathdealer]

I am back from Gladwin. The bird hunting was horrible! We did get to do a little fishing though. I can't wait for season to start. Good luck M.M. I guess I could put hunting off for a little while for a Mexican vacation, but getting married instead of hunting yikes!! I have been married forever now, so I can say those things!

[Mightymouse]

^^^^^

Having the honeymoon run into October wasn't my ideal plan but giving up two hunting days (only would make it out the 4th and 5th anyways) for it isn't too bad.

The good thing is that in years to come, since we are getting married in September, I can get the anniversary stuff out of the way before Oct 1. Do something nice for her on the anniversary and be in her good graces for that first weekend away of the season!!

The bad part is that we spent half the summer putting in new food plots and now my brother in-law will be out there for three weekends (between honeymoon and UP trip) before me!! He better leave me a few deer!!!

[mich buckmaster]

Well two does are down on video and have been edited. Really turned out good and now we hope its used in this years Real Hunting DVD. I cant wait for next week. Sorry I didnt get any pictures but I will shoot more does for sure!!

[HUBBHUNTER]

Hunting wednesday? I will be hunting wednesday morning only then i am heading to kentucky for a year end golf outting with the guys. I will be back for the 2nd weekend and probley a few mornings during the week as i work 2nd shift.

Good luck, lets get some points on the board early.

[deathdealer]

I probably will not be in the woods until the 6th. I finally hung my last 2 stands today. I only had 1 more, but I bought one last weekend at Jay's. My woods is just now drying out from the flooding. I still have pockets of water, but hopefully the deer will start moving through again. Whoever is going out on the 1st good luck!

[Mightymouse]

Well, got hitched yesterday. Things went off without any issues and the party lasted through the night and well into the morning.

Getting packed up right now and heading out for Mexico in the morning. Suppose to be hotter than he** and humid to boot. Not exactly the fall weather I love so much but oh well.

Good luck to you guys as you take to the woods to get the 08 season underway. Hope to come back to some pics and some more points for our team!!!!

Good luck guys!!!

[Steven Arend]

Well, this is the first time since taking up bow hunting (23+ years ago) that I don't think that I'll be out sitting in a tree for the opener.:sad:

Right now it's raining heavily and I have a meeting at work today around 11:00am. After work I need to put my wife's van back together after the A/C unit seezed monday and I had to order the parts.

On the plus side! There has only been 1 doe hit on the highway behind my house so far since the start of Sep. Last year at this time there were 3 doe, 1 fork horn and a nice 9 point.

Good Luck to all that were able to get out today. They calling for rain all day down here.

Steve

[HUBBHUNTER]

Went out this am saw 2 four points pushing some does around. Nothing close enough to shoot but boy it felt good to be in the woods.

[chevyjam2001]

I won't be able to make it out until tomorrow afternoon. I went out back to till a small area up for next year on Monday evening. I saw at least 5 bucks back there and I was able to watch 2 of them spar for over 20 minutes. Hopefully the big 8 point I got a picture of will show himself :evilsmile.

[HUBBHUNTER]

I'm headed to Kentucky for our year end golf outing. I know bad timing...lots of season left though. I will be back next week for some morning sets.

Good luck this weekend.

[deathdealer]

I have a soccer tourney all day saturday, then the wife is leaving all day sunday, have to stay home with the kids. If I was able to hunt it would be 90 degrees outside, but since I can't get out the weather is wonderful for hunting. I will be in the woods monday night. good luck to everyone this weekend!

[chevyjam2001]

Nothing close enough for a shot last night. I did see a buck that looked to be a 2 1/2 year old but I could only see 6 points. It is still a little warm out, I didn't see a deer until 6:45. I will try again in a couple of weeks when things cool off a bit and the seeking phase starts to pick up.

[Steven Arend]

I was able to get out Friday after work but only seen one doe that was about 60 yards away. Saturday morning I had a doe walk along my fence line about 30 yards away around 8:30ish and that was all that I had seen while in my stand on Saturday. I did jump a buck and a doe on the other side of my property after I got down Saturday morning around 9:45, but I would have placed the buck at a 1 ½ year old 8 or 6 point. It had a nice wide and tall rack just no mass to it.

Sunday I was not able to get out but I went out and checked for deer movement and had 2 walk past my stand before 10:30am and then another one walked right under my stand sometime between 10:30 and 3:00pm and a couple more between 3:00 and 7:00pm.

I should be back out maybe tomorrow or Wednesday and then this coming weekend after duck hunting in the mornings.

Steve

[Mightymouse]

Well, was hoping to see some glory photo on here by now but it's good to hear that you guys are seeing stuff.

Haven't gotten out yet but I leave Thursday for 8 days up in the big woods of the UP, hopefully can get us a few points up there.

Good luck to everybody!

[HUBBHUNTER]

I didn't make it out this weekend because of being in Kentucky on a golf outing with the guys.

My bro hunted sunday morning and eve and sd he saw one shooter and a few 1 1/2 and lots of does. My cousin saw 2 shooters saturday eve but nothing close enough. The property next to ours harvested a nice 10 point, 18 in spread. There are a few out there, but I wont beable to get after them again until this weekend.

Good luck guys.

[Mightymouse]

Got the weekend update from my brother in-laws.

One of them saw some does/fawn's and a 6pt but he didn't pull the trigger. I think this was his second bow hunt ever with his first one coming last year. Hopefully he can get lucky and take one this year.

The other brother in-law was skunked for the weekend and we are a little stumped as to why that is. We were and are getting lots of daytime camera action in and around our plots but he sat the weekend and didn't see anything. We know they are around but it wasn't the start he or I were hoping for!!

[HUBBHUNTER]

I'm headed out tomorrow morning. This rain should pass and it looks like around 45 degrees for the low. Cant wait to be out there.

Good luck in the UP Mightymouse.

[deathdealer]

I was out monday night had a doe come in, but she went on the wrong side of a log. I will get out this weekend. saturday morning will be going after ducks, but after that it is back into the woods. good luck to everyone going out this weekend.

[Mightymouse]

Good luck in the UP Mightymouse.

Thanks!! Getting close now, can't wait!!

I leave work in about 20mins. Stop by the body shop to pick up the truck, getting previous years dents taken care of, and then home to load up. Catch a few hours of rest and pull out of the drive around 3am.

By this time tomorrow I will be strapped to my favorite tree up there. A nice natural funnel area that the deer use on their way out to the only ag. fields in the area. They come up out of a bottom area that is all bedding and stick in the thick pines and slashings as long as they can before browsing through some open hardwoods on their way to the fields. Guess who will be waiting for them tomorrow as they step out of the end of the thick stuff......


Good luck to everybody while I am gone. I expect to see some glory pictures on here when I get back :)

[mich buckmaster]

Having some encounters with some nice bucks but havent been able to seal the deal. We do have two does down on film, but now big bucks as of yet. I had my oppurtunity but it was about 15minutes in the dark, so it didnt happen.

[mich buckmaster]

Shot a 125" ten point last night. Pic to follow. Big bodied deer and took us hours to get him out of the property. Story to come later.

[Steven Arend]

Nice Job!

I have not seen a buck while in the stand yet!!!

Steve

[HUBBHUNTER]

Yeeeehhaaawwww... Buckmaster got us on the board. Good job. Now that we have some momentum lets keep the train rolling. Its getting rutty out there.

[deathdealer]

Buckmaster sounds like a bruiser! Can't wait to see pics. The weekend is shaping up to be real good! Good luck fellas

[chevyjam2001]

Congratulations, sounds like and awesome deer. Can't wait to see some pics. I am hoping to make it out on Friday afternoon.

[mich buckmaster]

Here is the link to the whole story!!
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=256507

[deathdealer]

that's a dandy buck, and awesome story! I wished they would have changed the team rep! thats alot of pressure to beat that buck. I will just admit defeat now. I will still go out everyday I can though just in case;)

[HUBBHUNTER]

damn nice buck mich buckmaster. Good luck this weekend guys. I will be out sunday, my bro is going to tape so maybe I will have some good footage come monday.

[Mightymouse]

Another week in the UP has come and gone. Seems like it takes so long for camp to come around and then you get up there and it zoom's by so fast it's over before you know it!!!

Weather started out way to hot and first 4 days or so were great for a relaxing vacation, bad for hunting. A front moved through Monday night and dropped daytime temps from the high 70's down to a much nicer area in the mid 50's. Also got the deer moving for us a bit.

Monday night I had what I though was a 6pt move in but once he got close I realized he was only a 4pt thanks to a lack of brow tines. He had about a 13 inch spread and tines about 3 or 4 inches long sprouting off of his long, curving main beams but the lack of brow tines meant he didn't meet this years AR's for the UP so I only watched him.........for the hour that he hung around me!! Isn't that always the way, if you can't legally take the deer they will hang around all night.

Tuesday night a lone doe moved in. I studied her as she approached and determined her to be either a 1.5 or 2.5 year old, definitely not this years deer. She had no fawns with her so I took the shot when it presented its self. She was quartering to just a touch and my shot hit lung and knicked the liver before going through the diaphragm and exiting through the not so nice smelling area. She wheeled and bolted about 20yds and then walked slowly away, I saw her go into a thick area about 75yds away and bed down. I watched for about 10 minutes till it got too dark to see her anymore and then about 5 minutes before I got down I heard some walking and then a big commotion from her direction. We gave her two hours after the shot before we took chase and blood trailed her to the bed and then from there she went about 40 yds or so before collapsing.

So along with Mich Buckmaster's buck (congrats by the way!!!!) we will have a few more points once I upload the picture and post it.

[HUBBHUNTER]

Good job Mightymouse.

I hunted last night, didn't see anything until right at dark a nice 6 or 8 point came in chasing a doe. I planned on shooting a doe but she never gave me the the chance. The buck got within about 50 yds then turned and went into the woods.

I will be out wednesday and thursday morning with the temps getting down below freezing those days there should be good movement.

[deathdealer]

Nice job M.M. I thought this weekend would be good for me, but I guess I am having a rough time. Hunted my place and did not see anything Friday & Saturday morning. Went to my buddies house Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning diddent see anything. Hunted his stand Sunday afternoon (with his rules) no does with fawns and 6 point or bigger. Had to pass on a doe and fawn. Hopefully things change. I am going to Shiawassee the first week in November and would like to have a deer down before I go.

[Mightymouse]

Thanks for the congrats. Now hopefully I can earn us a few more points with a buck!!!

I just posted my picture so hopefully we will get our points tallied up soon. It isn't a very good picture, deer was found after dark and I didn't have my bow with me. Picture was taken when we took her off the pole to load up for the ride home

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/medium/UP08doe.jpg

She may not look great in the picture, but she tasted great fresh off the grill the next day!!!!

[Steven Arend]

Nice Job guys, way to get us on the board.

I have not had the chance to hit it hard yet (with all 3 of my kids in sports). I will start hitting it hard this week after tomorrow. I have a buck that is ripping apart my pine trees so I'll have to take care of him and hopefully take out a few does this week. I did have a nice bruiser run across the road onto my property in front of me Saturday night so I know I have at least (2) bucks that are shooters.

Steve

[Mightymouse]

Still haven't adjusted the board to give us our points but we should have 20 so far if my calculations are right.

Anybody getting out this weekend? I am pretty excited to head north. I didn't hunt the opening weekend because of my honeymoon and then we were in the UP so this will be my first hunt of the season on our property. I checked the forecast on weather.com and have a gameplan lined up based on the winds they are predicting.

I am heading up late tonight to avoid the construction traffic on 75 and US-10 (just about the whole drive up there is through construction!!) and will be in up in a tree Friday morning. Just gotta get through the work day now!!!

Good luck to everybody this weekend. Looking forward to getting back and seeing those success pictures!!

[deathdealer]

Nothing to report for this last weekend. hunted friday afternoon. pulled some stands saturday for my trip to shiawassee nov.1-5. A good solid 5 days of hunting in shiawassee should improve my odds at getting close to some deer. Hopefully it will be better than most of my October.

[Mightymouse]

Nothing much for me from the weekend either.

Friday morning -- Sat in a stand overlooking one of our plots. Saw a 7pt at about 80yds and grunted at him as well as bleating. He came in to investigate the sound and checked the plot for deer before just slowly walking off. He was at about 30yds or so but no real shot. Probably a 2.5yr old from what I saw. Didn't hunt Friday night, went to watch my brothers football game. Saw deer all over during the drive to the game.

Saturday -- Morning sit I saw two different button bucks. The second one came back in right when I was going to get down. He bedded in the bedding area and I snuck out. Came back in for the afternoon hunt and saw him 3 more times that night.

Sunday morning -- Sat overlooking our other plot and saw nothing. Hung a new stand in an area that looks to be very promising judging by all the trails running through it.


Heading back up Friday to catch lil brothers playoff game and then hunting Saturday and Sunday.

[chevyjam2001]

I didn't make it out over the weekend either. The wind direction just wasn't in my favor. I am taking tomorrow off from work to get out and hunt. I have been seeing alot of promising sign and activity in the area.

[Steven Arend]

Sorry guys!

I missed a nice 3.5yr old 8 point last night. Was one of the nicest bucks that I have seen in a while. The rack was wide and just nicely uniform.
He came in behind me along the highway and I could hear him coming the whole way so I was ready but because he came in from behind me there is a pine tree that blocks me from been able to see in that direction but offers me good cover. By the time he stepped out from behind the pine tree he was standing about 8 yards away and looking straight into the woods at me. After checking out the woods for a few seconds he turned broadside and started walking along the edge of the woods away from me. This gave me a chance to draw and but the bead on him. At about 15 yards I grunted with my mouth and he stop and looked back at me and I let’ her fly. Well I guess that I must have been duck hunting to much these last few days because I must have followed through with the shot and pinned the arrow into the ground about a foot in front of him. He jump and then trotted back along the trail, back to where he came from. I have another stand back up in the woods about 100yrds up the trail that he came down from that I have been waiting for the end of October to sit in that I will be using for the next couple of days if the wind is right, so I should get another shot at him.

Last year I took my first 8 point out of that stand on Halloween night, so I'm hoping for a replay of last year. I took my second 8 point out of the stand that I was in last night, on November 5th. So thing are just starting to get good out at my place.

Steve

[Mightymouse]

Sorry guys!

I missed a nice 3.5yr old 8 point last night.


That's it, you're off the team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




I'm just kidding of course. Tough luck on the miss but a clean miss is a lot better than some of the alternatives. Doesn't sound like he was too spooked by the experience so hopefully you will see him again in the next few weeks when he is out looking for love.

[Mightymouse]

Heading back up tonight to get a quick weekend of hunting in.

Filled the truck up yesterday for 2.14 a gallon so I'm not even feeling broke right now!! I won't even mind burning the gas up at that price!!!

Probably going to sneak out of work early and try to get a jump on rush hour traffic, the consturction down here by 59/75 and the Palace is f-ing ridiculous. Have to make a quick stop to watch my little brother and his fellow Bay City Western teammates defeat Traverse City Central in their football playoff game (GO WARRIORS). Won't be up to the cabin till late but I'll be up early tomorrow heading to a stand we just hung last weekend that looks to be right in the heart of the action. Weather.com is calling for the right wind for the stand so I'll be in there early, anxiously awaiting daylight.

GOOD LUCK to everybody out there this weekend, from the sounds of what people are seeing it should be a great weekend to be in the woods. Have fun and be safe.


EDIT: WooHooooo!! Just got the word that we are cleared to leave early so I am out of here in about 20 mins or so. Should be on the road well before the rush. Good luck everyone!

[deathdealer]

I am off as well! I am heading to Shiawassee right now! See you boys Thursday.

Shoot 'em up.

[HUBBHUNTER]

I went out this morning and had 2 1 1/2 sixers chasing does around me. I wanted to put a doe down soooo bad but I would have had to take the day off of work and come in tomorrow on my day off so I passed.

First doe or legal buck I see tomorrow will be going down!!

My buddy who shot a Huge 8 point two weeks ago is going to video tape for me tomorrow so hopefully we can make something happen!!

Good luck guys, now is the time to get us a few points.

[Steven Arend]

Well I had been out every day since Wednesday night after missing that nice buck.

Thursday night I had a nice 12+ point buck working a rub line start toward me until he was about 15 yards in front of me just behind a pine tree. (2 steps either right or left and it would have been an open shot.) Then the neighbor decides to sight in his guns and spooked the deer back the way he came in.

Friday, after returning home from working over in the Jackson area, I set a new stand on the back side of my land and had a fork horn come in and spend some time right under my stand, till he decided he had enough fun and finally walked away.

Saturday and Sunday I saw nothing.

Steve

[Mightymouse]

Had an interesting weekend hunt. No deer were taken but I saw deer on 3 out of 4 sits so that is a good thing. Also walked out Sunday morning to find out my stand was missing, that sucks!! A little investigative work along with a discussion with a local up there and we are pretty sure we know who took the stand. The local that we know knows the guy who took the stand so he is going to go talk to him. I'll find out what comes of it next weekend when I'm up there.

Saturday -- Sat in a new stand that we hung last sunday. Had deer in the area but not nearly close enough for a shot. There are heavily used trails in the area so we are confident we will see some deer from this spot. Saturday night I sat overlooking our small plot. Had a buck come right in and start munching away. He was 4pt, a very nice rack for a 4pt but still just a 4pt so I decided to pass up the 6 yard shot and let him walk. Also had a spike work past behind me, never came into the plot.

Sunday -- Headed out to find my stand gone, made the most of it and hunted from the ground. Beautiful morning, cold and crisp with a nice frost on everything. Tried some calling and rattling but no luck. Sunday night sat at the corn stand and saw a small spike or fork work though the corn just before dark.

Bucks are getting anxious but don't really appear to be quite to the all out chase period yet. Hoping that when I am back up there (6 Nov till 11 Nov) I will see some good action.

[Steven Arend]

So you had (2) stands ripped off over the weekend?

Is this on state land?

Steve

[Mightymouse]

^^^^^

No, just one stand.

It is on private property in an area that is all private property and mix of farm land, woods and pasture land so everything is fenced and property lines are well known.

I found out that the property owner (we lease) sold some wood that was cut by the loggers but left behind (the loggers were sloppy and in violation of their contract so the landowner kicked them out before they finished) to a local guy. He had been in cutting the wood he bought and taking it home. I found where they were cutting only about 50yds from where my stand was at and saw the tracks from their quad. I am 99% sure that they took the stand and will be calling our landowner and explaining the situation to him so that he knows what is going on and also asking that he inform us when there is going to be other people on the property while we are hunting. We had no idea that there was going to be other people out there.

Another local guy that we know was very upset by my story and told me that he was going to go talk to the suspected theif for me. He knows the guy and I think it is better to have him talk to the guy than me. Even if they don't fess up and/or return the stand at least they will know that they were caught and hopefully leave stuff alone from now on. Not only that but they weren't just caught red handed by some snotty downstater but by one of their neighbors who they know.

It was only a 35.00 stand, two sections of climbing sticks, a few screw in steps and bow hanger. The grand total I'm out is probably only about 75.00 but it's the principle of the whole thing that bothers me as opposed to the actual loss of my property.

[chevyjam2001]

Not much action at my place over the weekend either. I think I have found out why I haven't seen the nice buck I saw earlier in the year. Last night I sat in a stand that is at the very back of my property. Around 4:30 my neighbor behind me decides to go out for a walk around his field and walks right up behind my stand even though he knows I am there :rant:. He doesn't like bow hunters because he thinks we are responsible for all of the lost wounded deer. That big buck was bedding in his field and I would see him like clockwork every day coming out of that field into mine to get a drink. I haven't seen him since opening day and now I think I know why. Hopefully he has just moved off into some neighboring corn and after that gets harvested, he will call my little 2 1/2 acre corn field home. I did see a nice 1 1/2 year old 8 point and another 3 or 4 point at the opposite end of the field. Along with a few does. The 8 point was definately in the seeking phase, running all around the field with his nose to the ground.

[HUBBHUNTER]

I hunted saterday morning and saw 6 different 1 1/2 yr old bucks all chasing does. Grunted in a decent 2 1/2 yr old 8 point. He came right to my tree and milled around looking for the intruder (me). I got great video of him but decided to pass, going for atleast a 3 1/2 this year. Saterday night was much of the same. Lots of action, young bucks chasing does around. Sunday morning and night was alittle bit slower, not the movement of saterday but still saw a few, no does in range.

I think when the cold weather gets here this weekend things will get crazy. I left my camera at camp so I will try to get it next weekend and post the video on here if I can.

Good luck this week.

[chevyjam2001]

Nothing close enough for a shot last night. I did see a buck that looked to be a 2 1/2 year old but I could only see 6 points. It is still a little warm out, I didn't see a deer until 6:45. I will try again in a couple of weeks when things cool off a bit and the seeking phase starts to pick up.

Well I think I got to see the buck I was referring to here in a post today by a Dumb A** that put an arrow up its butt while poaching in the dark. Between slobs like this and a-hole neighbors like the one I have that walks around his field at prime time because he doesn't like bow hunters it really gets my blood boiling sometimes. I am sure though that one of these days I will get to have the last laugh.

[Mightymouse]

^^^^^

Are you saying that somebody on the site posted a picture of it after they had shot it in the butt?

If that's the case I know the thread you are talking about, how wild is that. What a way to add insult to injury eh.

Sorry to hear about your bad luck, hopefully you will be rewarded later in the season!

[chevyjam2001]

Yeah thats the guy. I see that thread didn't last long which I didn't think it would. What a piece of work, shooting deer in the dark. I went out behind my place this afternoon and the local big boy made a nice rub line along the endo of my road through the woods, just like he does every year. I am going to put a camera out there to be sure, but I think he is coming through very late at night.

[deathdealer]

back from shiawassee! sorry boys, did not shoot a deer. over the 5 days i saw around 25 to 30 deer. I had 4 shots, 3 at does and 1 at a little buck either a 6 or 8. I just could not bring myself to shoot. I was waiting for something big. I saw a doe on the first morning i would have shot, it looked like she swallowed a 55 gallon drum! I would bet she was close to 200# one of the biggest deer i have ever seen. The first night I had a buck come through at about 40-50 yards he looked pretty big. Tuesday morning at first light I had a doe come out about 70 yards followed by small buck and another doe. The doe walk across the field and I watched the buck put his nose to the ground about every 10 feet behind her. I knew something was going to happen. They worked thier way into a tag alder swamp and he started grunting and carrying on. After 20 minutes of him making all kinds of noise I heard a noticably different grunt come from the same swamp. The kind of grunt when you move the o-ring on your grunt tube to mature buck! They started fighting and running all over the swamp. I heard them work thier way to the north and then nothing. About 10 minutes later I heard the deep grunt again. Out in the field where I saw the doe there was a big 8 or 10 following the same trail as the doe (nose to the ground) I hit the can a couple of times but he was on a mission and went into the swamp. After a while I heard my buddy shoot (we where about 200 yards apart) he got on the radio and said he shot a nice buck, it was chasing a doe. we went and got his deer and I didn't think it was the buck I had seen it was a nice 8 point. The last morning about 9:00 I saw the biggest buck I have ever seen in the woods, I would call it a t.v. buck. He was about 100 yards out in a open field going the other way just walking so I put the binos on him for a while. He was a 12 point and it looked like his g2's were at least 12 inches and he was outside his ears almost the same! His neck was huge and it made his head look small. I had some doe esterous out and he was down wind so I stayed in stand another 1 1/2 hours and nothing came my way. I think the doe I saw on the first day was bigger than that buck! The warm weather really slowed the deer down, I only saw them in the morning and evening not all day like I had planned. It was a good time and I can't wait to go again. hopefully I can get on some deer this Sunday.

[HUBBHUNTER]

for me. I hunted hard saturday morning and night. The wind and rain/snow was whipping pretty good. I drew back on a doe saturday morning but she just wouldn't give me a shot, then pretty much had the same situation last night at a different stand.

My bro shot a big 8 point out of the same stand that I have killed two wall hangers the last 2 years. Its in a pretty good spot:evil:

I'm going to try and get a couple morning sets in this weekend before the gun opener. Still trying for any shooter buck or doe. Just been one of those seasons. Seems like things just havent come together like they have in other years. Not complaning, I've had more luck than most, its just been a tough season. I've only drawn back on one deer and I didn't get the shot off.

Wouldn't trade that time off in the woods for the world.:coolgleam

[deathdealer]

tell your brother thats a dandy deer. I like the mass on that bruiser. I am going to sit friday afternoon, hopefully I can get some deer in front of me before the opener. good luck boys!

[Mightymouse]

Back from my trip as well. Saw a lot of deer and actually saw more bucks than I did does over all for the 5 days I was hunting.

We have a stand in a skinny sliver of woods that butts up to the edge of a cornfield. There are bedding areas to the north and south of the skinny sliver of woods. The bucks were all over back there. They were cruising the corn stuble looking for and chasing does.

All the bucks were smaller but the biggest one that I saw came in for me on Monday night, my last hunt of the trip, and gave me a perfect shot at about 16yds. I drew, got my kisser anchored and was waiting for him to stop. I pulled my head away from the kisser to look at him and of course he stopped right then. I hurried to get set back up and took a shot. It was one of those shots where right when you release it you think "oops, that wasn't good". Thankfully the shot was high, just grazing his back and not causing any real damage. I watched him haul off across the field and just sat there and laughed. Got down and got my arrow and followed his path just to make sure but no blood anywhere.

Got a few spots set up for Saturday so we'll see what happens!!

[HUBBHUNTER]

Good luck this weekend guys. Big Buck down, Big Buck down!!

[Steven Arend]

Well how did everyone do?

My weekend started on Friday at 10am when I could not stand it any longer and took off work to go and sit in my stand for the day.

I end up sitting from 11:30am till dark and seen 8 deer, 4 Bucks and 4 Does. The first doe I seen was just after tying my bow to the string to my stand, I looked up and was about to climb the tree when I seen a nice doe 20yrds away walking towards me. I let her walk around me till she was out of sight and then I climbed up the tree and got settled in and not more than 5 minutes later here comes another doe. She walks with in 15 yards of my stand and is standing broad side so I decide to take the shot. just as I'm pulling back the bow I heard a grunt come the left of me and as I turn and look here is the biggest buck I'd ever seen standing 15 yards to my left watching the doe. I could not even begin to count the points on this guy. He had so many that they were coming out of him butt. I did notice that he had (2) brow tines coming off the base of each antler. Well as I slowly turned toward him and started to draw back, I made the first mistake, I took my eyes of the doe and she must have seen me move because by the time I got back to full draw she snorted and took off running with that bruiser right on her tail. After that I called in a nice 8 point that would not come any closer than 40 yards to my and after a few minutes of circling me and not finding anyone to fight he started stomping his foot and blowing and then ran off in a fit like the 2 year old he was. 5 minutes after he ran off I had another 8 come in from the other direction look for the one that just ran off and he end up trailing the buck that just left looking for a fight. About 15 minutes later I had 2 does walk from the front of my yard past the house and all the way back to me but just would not come close enough for a shot. This all happened within the first hour of been in my stand. After that it took another 3 hours to see the last deer come walking through at 4:10pm. He looked to be about an 8 or 10 point that came in at the south end of my land and walk through my field, through the crabapples and then into the woods where he turned and walked between my garage and the neighbors house away from my.

After all that I thought this weekend opener would be a good one but I end up taking the only deer I had seen on Saturday. At 4:21pm Saturday I shot a 130lb doe. Sunday I seen 2 deer walking through my neighbors woods at about 125 yards away but could not make out what they were.

Steve

[chevyjam2001]

I had a nice 1 1/2 yo buck walk past my blind at 7:30 on Saturday morning. I thought for sure it was going to be a good day but that was the only deer I saw all day until getting ready to leave. There was a deer in the woods behind the blind but it was after legal light and I couldn't tell if it was a buck or a doe. Sunday I saw 6 does but didn't have a decent shot opportunity.

[HUBBHUNTER]

I shot 2 does this weekend. Saturday night and sunday night. I started out saturday morning sitting on the edege of a swamp over looking a CRP field. Had 4 does come thru just after light. Got my muzzleloader up and pulled the trigger only to have it misfire. Put a new cap in and 20 min later 3 more doe come thru, shot at the biggest one and had a clean miss.
That night I went out and saw 8-10 deer, no bucks that I noticed but I did take a doe. First of the year so I was feeling pretty good. Went out sunday night and the first deer I saw was another big fat doe, around 5pm so I dropped her in her tracks. Fried up the tenderloins last night to cap off a good opener. I was the only person to shoot in our camp. A few bucks were seen but nothing big enough. I will be back out this this week for a couple morning hunts, then back at it again this weekend. I will post the doe pic this week so we can get a few more points.

[Mightymouse]

A little slow for me on opening day again this year. Last year I was skunked on opening day for the first time ever. This year I did manage to see one deer on the 15th. It was a tall spike that came in from an odd angle and just sort of appeared about 10 paces to my left in one of my shooting lanes. He passed by me about about 6 yards or so and went on his way.

Sunday morning I saw one doe but couldn't get a shot. Sunday night I saw one doe out in the clear-cut and took a shot at about 115yds or so. She went about 45yds or so before dropping. She weighed in at 110lbs dressed and was aged by the DNR at 1.5yrs old.

That was the only deer taken at our place. Brother in-law missed on Saturday morning but was seeing deer all weekend. Father in-law and my other brother in-law didn't see much of anything between the two of them.

[Mightymouse]

So, anbody heading back out this weekend?

We are heading up this evening. Get to hunt all day tomorrow but only a morning hunt on Sunday due to some obligations back home in the pm. Not my choice but it keeps peace at the home front so its a good sacrifice.

Next week I will be up hunting from Wed through Fri at our "gun camp" near cadillac and then back down to our cabin for Saturday and Sunday. Our place near Cadillac holds some good deer so hopefully one will wander out my way.


Good luck to anyone heading out this weekend!!