This fall began just like every fall with the most optimism
there can be. Big bucks have been observed, stands
are hung and left alone, and my sights are set on a 140-
inch buck. That is the goal going into the 2006 season.
It didn’t take long for reality to set in. Deer in
general were hard to get on this fall. Acorns
disappeared faster than expected. I was right about one
thing and that was that the big bucks did not give me
that one-week window of their summer patterns. This fall
bachelor groups broke up early, velvet was off early,
and summer patterns disappeared about two weeks
before the opener. I thought I would be ok, I will just get
inside the woods and set up on some hot acorns and
that will be the end of it, ha! I didn’t spot a good buck
until a hail storm one night about three weeks into the
season. All in all the bow hunt was tough. I took time off
work, played everything very safe, and still could not see
or get a brute in range.
Let me back up a little. I make it a policy and am very
fortunate to hunt great properties where I know and am
very confident that big bucks are present. This made my
bow hunting even more frustrating. Where are they? I
will state the obvious and say that the nocturnal nature
definitely hindered the search for Mr. Big this fall.
What am I doing wrong? Looking back on September
and October I am still happy with my stand placements
and I have many excuses that I will explain in a bit. The
one thing I feel I did wrong was that I did not get
aggressive. I should have done more calling, possibly
used a decoy. I have been strictly an ambush hunter for
many years so it is very hard to break that mold and go
for it.
Were there big bucks where I was bow hunting?
You better believe it. When the gun season opened
November 4th it didn’t take long for myself, and
members of my hunting party to score.
That’s me on the right. Yes, these bruisers were 4 of 5
shooters we took of my property that I worked so hard at
this fall. It’s a bit humbling.
What happened?
Pressure. It took some hunters in the woods to kick
some estrous does around with bucks like these on their
tails. My 139 inch nine point showed up an hour after
daylight with his girlfriend. I was able to harvest him on
his way into the thick 5 year-old clear cut in which he
was headed for to settle into for the day.
So what happened on my everyday bow hunting
properties?
there can be. Big bucks have been observed, stands
are hung and left alone, and my sights are set on a 140-
inch buck. That is the goal going into the 2006 season.
It didn’t take long for reality to set in. Deer in
general were hard to get on this fall. Acorns
disappeared faster than expected. I was right about one
thing and that was that the big bucks did not give me
that one-week window of their summer patterns. This fall
bachelor groups broke up early, velvet was off early,
and summer patterns disappeared about two weeks
before the opener. I thought I would be ok, I will just get
inside the woods and set up on some hot acorns and
that will be the end of it, ha! I didn’t spot a good buck
until a hail storm one night about three weeks into the
season. All in all the bow hunt was tough. I took time off
work, played everything very safe, and still could not see
or get a brute in range.
Let me back up a little. I make it a policy and am very
fortunate to hunt great properties where I know and am
very confident that big bucks are present. This made my
bow hunting even more frustrating. Where are they? I
will state the obvious and say that the nocturnal nature
definitely hindered the search for Mr. Big this fall.
What am I doing wrong? Looking back on September
and October I am still happy with my stand placements
and I have many excuses that I will explain in a bit. The
one thing I feel I did wrong was that I did not get
aggressive. I should have done more calling, possibly
used a decoy. I have been strictly an ambush hunter for
many years so it is very hard to break that mold and go
for it.
Were there big bucks where I was bow hunting?
You better believe it. When the gun season opened
November 4th it didn’t take long for myself, and
members of my hunting party to score.
That’s me on the right. Yes, these bruisers were 4 of 5
shooters we took of my property that I worked so hard at
this fall. It’s a bit humbling.
What happened?
Pressure. It took some hunters in the woods to kick
some estrous does around with bucks like these on their
tails. My 139 inch nine point showed up an hour after
daylight with his girlfriend. I was able to harvest him on
his way into the thick 5 year-old clear cut in which he
was headed for to settle into for the day.
So what happened on my everyday bow hunting
properties?
Here it goes. I do have some valid excuses. Here in central
Minnesota our deer have the time. Last year I had two giant
deer close to my house that I hunted but was unable to get.
These deer made it through rifle season so I immediately set
my sights on this year. Well, to make a long story short my
number one about frustration. On one other occasion as I
mentioned earlier I encountered a great deer in a corn
stubble field during a hailstorm. I am possibly the only one
who could get soaking wet, beat up by hail, and get back to
the truck happy as ever. Long story short, I hung two more
stands in the area of that corn stubble field only to return
the following week to find that my farmer had spread manure
all over my secluded honey hole. Getting back to my
comment about deer leaving. Well, this buck disappeared,
along with the giants by my house from last year. These
reasons along with a few others are why the buck defeated
me in the bow-hunting category this year. Thankfully I was
able to be completely satisfied with my rifle hunt. I will also
add that I was able to harvest two does from my land with
the bow this year. Deer management is a priority and I am
glad to have made two good clean kills on these. As much
as I love late season bow hunting my freezer is full and my
wife and three young boys miss me. I will limit my outings
between now and the closing date of December 31st.
Thank you HUNTMDOWN for the six in one grunt call, deer
dander scent and the estrous puffer.
Minnesota our deer have the time. Last year I had two giant
deer close to my house that I hunted but was unable to get.
These deer made it through rifle season so I immediately set
my sights on this year. Well, to make a long story short my
number one about frustration. On one other occasion as I
mentioned earlier I encountered a great deer in a corn
stubble field during a hailstorm. I am possibly the only one
who could get soaking wet, beat up by hail, and get back to
the truck happy as ever. Long story short, I hung two more
stands in the area of that corn stubble field only to return
the following week to find that my farmer had spread manure
all over my secluded honey hole. Getting back to my
comment about deer leaving. Well, this buck disappeared,
along with the giants by my house from last year. These
reasons along with a few others are why the buck defeated
me in the bow-hunting category this year. Thankfully I was
able to be completely satisfied with my rifle hunt. I will also
add that I was able to harvest two does from my land with
the bow this year. Deer management is a priority and I am
glad to have made two good clean kills on these. As much
as I love late season bow hunting my freezer is full and my
wife and three young boys miss me. I will limit my outings
between now and the closing date of December 31st.
Thank you HUNTMDOWN for the six in one grunt call, deer
dander scent and the estrous puffer.
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