Live hunt threat started 11/11/14
Wisconsin
Contributors to this thread:
Love live thread but at 240 posts it takes forever to load... Let keep it going
Agreed! Good call bowhuntdoug. I'll put out the word to switch over.
Headed out this morning. Ozaukee County, 77M Hope the rut has not come to an end.
On stand since 5. When I got to my stand two little ones were bedded not 5 feet from my stand. They busted out I have had two in the last half hour. Both does
My buddy hunting Ozaukee county has seen four bucks this morning. Three cruising and the biggest one breed a doe in front of him. No shots yet
Just the opposite in my part of OZ. Nothing but the antler less early.
Back on stand in a natural funnel between two corn fields moved the stand middle of day.
Just had the grail at50 yards. This is a 150 plus buck. He was out cruising. 4th encounter in the last 3.5 years. He circled Down wind and busted me. What a magnificent animal. I'm crushed! He has whipped me every time.
Sweet experience 10. Bummer he prevailed. I went for a gamble. Was headed to the spot last week with the hot sign when I came across a large buck track leading to a large fresh scrape. The direction of travel was towards thick stuff. So, I am assuming bedding. There were a couple of fresh doe tracks near, but not with. The direction they were coming from was food. I continued to the other area, but the scrapes were not freshened, and the tracks were covered in snow. So, I went back to the fresh area. Hope I didn't make a mistake. Will deer travel the same trails to and from areas? What's the chance he checks the scrapes he just made Today? Also, do I sit here quietly or do I do some calling (in between gusts of wind, that is? ) Pic is of scrape.
1 little buck cut this field edge so far. I hopes for the next hour.
Iowa Co 1pm until dark 5 doe 4 different bucks grunting and chasing no shooters very windy day
Well I went with the quiet approach. I t wasn't until right before closing that I had any action. 1st a lone doe rolled by visiting the scrape. Then a 3 pt came from the same direction & worked the licking branch. The doe then went & hid behind a tree. They disappeared & I heard running. A doe & 2 fawns came by, also visiting the scrape. They had a spike in tow. He also worked the branch. Mom took off while the 2 little ones stood & watched him. Cool to see. Still can't believe no older bucks have shown.
It was my own undoing. I made a serious tactical error, I second guessed myself. I moved the stand that over looked the cut corn and wooded finger. I moved the stand about 50 yards up the finger because I found three huge scrapes in there. If I would have left the stand where it was, the Grail would be dead at under 30 yards. That little move gave him the advantage. What a great animal. In my frustration, I opted to stick a young 8 point tonight. I could hear the distinct thwack on a 25 yard broadside shot. I aimed center mass squeezed the release. He kicked and did what looked like a death run. I thought I could hear him fall. Waited until dark and went to look for blood. Found first blood after 80 yards, spot with a bubble and bright red. Backed out and left him lay over night. Here are my concerns, I did not get a pass through but, feel I got more than 50% penetration. He is either laying in the grass, went for water at either the swamp or the woods water hole, or he headed for his bedding area. Any thoughts on recovery? Oh, I am pretty sure that the arrow stuck him a little behind the shoulder and a little high.
First of all congrats. Sounds like a good idea to wait until tomorrow. Bubbles in blood are good. An arrow penetrating 1/2 way should be plenty. 80 yds is a long way before first spot, but since no pass through his cavity is filling up. The old mule kick is a sign of good vitals hit vs hunching up (gut shot.) I believe he's down for the count. Good luck. Post results when you find him.
It is 4 AM, very sleepless night. I never like the idea of leaving an animal lay over night. Headed out at first light. I'll tell you this, if I didn't put him down, my season will be over. A little self policing will be in order. I've gone over the scenario over and over all night. I waited until he started to quarter slightly away, had him broadside, picked a spot, released, and held. The only thing that bugs me is whether I miss judged the distance. I shoot a single vertical pin. Single pin for the keep it simple stupid theory. Dead-on at 30 yards and I estimated 20 to 25 yards. Could the deer have been beyond 30 yards? Is that why there was no pass through? Waiting sure sucks. Having been on the losing end again of an encounter with the buck I have been after for 3 plus years has me questioning why I chose to kill this buck? Did I hit the shoulder or leg when it was in a backward motion? This really sucks. Sorry guys, I needed to think out loud.
Good luck. Post a pic when you find him. I think u will.
10 sounds like you will be ok. The sound probably was leg. Hard to get bubbles in the shoulder. The arrow in it is probably doing more cutting as he moves. I agree that that the chest cavity is filling up but with one hole don't expecte lots of blood. Tracked lots of deer for family and friends biggest mistake is panicking and going way to fast. I believe from your info he is dead and it is your job to find him.. Go Slow and pay attention to details. Send pics.
Good luck ten, yull find him, don't second guess yourself on why you chose to shoot him. Any deer with a bow is a trophy. (As long as it's not a fawn). Although I know a couple guys who shoot the first fawn they see for the tender meat and then have the rest of the season to look for the right buck.
Doe fawn is like veal I just love it ??. Plus small kill zone takes expert marksmanship. However haven't shot one in many years myself.
Hey guys haven't been on in awhile .... I've seen some small bucks and let a 2 year old 8 walk but seen a big boy last weekend and think im set up on him ... good luck finding your buck 10
One of the rubs on the trail he was on
Hey guys haven't been on in awhile .... I've seen some small bucks and let a 2 year old 8 walk but seen a big boy last weekend and think im set up on him ... good luck finding your buck 10
Been off for over a week, been at camp hunting with my brothers. All I can say is 'wow' have the deer been rutting like crazy! Each and every day we had bucks running and chasing does plus some just cruising the swamp lines. Cameras have told us that we have a boatload of small scrap bucks which hopefully will provide quality bucks in a few years. Does were following their usual patterns and many had twin fawns until they started chasing them off as the rut ran. Looking forward to gun season and the late season as well.
Here is what I have. It was actually 63 yards exactly to first blood. The blood trail was spotty, bright red, and very short. I found the arrow 20 yards from first blood. It was cracked in half, hanging together by a fiber and covered in blood all the way to the fletchings. The fletchings look like a pass through or worked its way through. Two of my fletchings are white on each arrow so it is easy to see that they are blood soaked. Gray hair on arrow! I started a 6:45 AM and gridded out every inch of woods, grass and cover in my 40. Nothing! I checked both watering holes in the woods. I gridded out the two tree islands in the cut bean field. Gridded out the entire finger he walked up. I back tracked his movement and checked my safe zone thicket on the west side of the property. I glassed the field that borders the west side of the property. I did not go off property.
Here is the arrow. My thought is his left leg came back at the moment of my release and I hit him somewhere in the lower shoulder or upper leg. or he is laying within yards of where I found the arrow and can't find him.
Here is another photo of the arrow
Third photo of arrow. One thing for certain, I will not buy the Carbon Express Red arrows again. Hard to tell what is what.
Good luck 10, hope you find him. I'm in the ground blind this morning, crawled in about 9. Saw a small yearling buck so far. About 3-4 inches of snow on the ground here in Buffalo County. Nice and comfy being out of the wind.
Bummer. Was hoping you were posting the recovery. There is always the option of calling someone with a tracking dog.
I have not given up. Going back out in awhile. I had to take a break, was flat out worn out.
Crap, hate to see this. Keep at it until you find him or more peace of mind. You will know when enough is enough. I know what you mean about the maxima reds, tough to read the blood on the red arrow. Is that a G5 montec or striker head? Reason I ask is that I switched from them due to poor blood trails I experienced with good hits. Yes, they will go through a barn door, but blood trails are less then optimal in my opinion. Again, good luck.
Good luck 10! Hope you find him!
Rattle, that is a Thunder head 125 grain. The problem was not and will never be the equipment. Onus lies with me! I'd rather bow hunt than just about anything on earth but, this really sucks. Thanks for the good word everyone.
Good luck 10. I'm confident you will find him.
10, it looks like tissue/muscle blood to me. I would say leg or brisket. I wasn't there however. Close your eyes, and relive the shot. Maybe high on the deer lower than the spine, yet above lung or liver? The thwack you heard means leg or vertebra in my opinion. Leg would ordinarily mean dead deer. Below the spine yet hirting bone without paralysis might mean he's gone? I'm not being a negative Nancy, because the broken arrow would indicate it broke as it ran, hitting it with leg bone. For that, I would say your odds increase that you should find him.
The other day I hit that little pisser, I tracked his blood to where he left the field and entered the woods. Marked the spot, backed out and returned 7 hours later. No blood at all where he went into the woods. He was dead not 30 feet from that spot I marked. I however did not see him. Quartering away slightly. Gut, liver, and barely one lung. The arrow was a pass through. Some stomach contents and very dark liver blood. He was dead in minutes I'm confident, but at thirty feet I did not see him?
Keep looking! Good luck!
Still have not found him. In case anyone was wondering, the arrow had the Oder of blood. I checked to see if it smelled like guts. It didn't. I'm going to back out of here in a few and grid out the tall grass area again in the morning. He has to be in there and I just missed him. My legs are just shredded from walking through buck thorn. The stuff is a bitch.
Good luck 10... might not be a bad idea to borrow a buddy's Labrador or other hunting dog just might take u right to him
Good luck 10... might not be a bad idea to borrow a buddy's Labrador or other hunting dog just might take u right to him
Yelper is right. A dog's olfactory receptor is 100 times ours. They smell stuff we'd never think of. Let him walk aimlessly and see if he finds some stink? Keep telling the dog good job. They just want to please. An untrained dog will have no idea what he's looking for, but I'd let him lick the hell out of that arrow and hope he wants more?!
Yes I'm connecting up with a guys dog tomorrow and taking my yellow.
Whatever condition he is in when I do find him, I will hang my tag on him. It's cold enough that he should be ok one more night provided the yotes don't get him.
Awesome good to hear!!!! I had the same situation two years back and the dog helped big time! !!! Good luck
Awesome good to hear!!!! I had the same situation two years back and the dog helped big time! !!! Good luck
Pete, took your advice and started trying to picture the shot in my minds eye over and over. Used the Shot Simulator APP to help visualize the shot and recreate animal position. Looked at the arrow broad-head under a magnifying glass and discovered what I believe is the tinniest of bone particle. I think your assessment is correct and I did hit leg in the backward motion of his left front leg when taking a step. I believe it entered in a downward angle toward the brisket or lower chest. That might account for the broken arrow. Referred to the attached blood trail chart and scenario at the bottom of the chart.
Regardless, I am going to give it a go with the dog tomorrow in the hope that he is laying in the grass. If no luck, watch for the ravens activity after that.
The last blood direction was toward the swamp. However, all his motion was to the right and he was bleeding high and on the left side only. To hit the swamp he would have to travel left to the SW. I really don't believe he did that. I walked the edge of the swamp, as it is not accessible and flooded. You could walk in there and drop ten feet before you know what happened. How the deer use it safely, I don't know. It is a recovery mission now.
7:22 AM big 8 that I would have shot marched right down the cut cornfield like he owned it. No response to the grunt call, stop...looked kept walking! I watched that deer for almost 200 yards. Wow!
So damn cold, I had to get down...wind was bad!
Out this afternoon!
Can't wait to get out there. Looks like I'll be able to get out next weekend Saturday and Sunday (22-23) for a few hours in the morning and afternoon. Can't wait!
Just got out nothing all morning- grant co
Got out 3 times this week, could have shot bucks every sit. Only problem is im only seeing young 1 1/2 year old bucks. Several of the bucks ive seen have come running to the grunt call. Not seeing many doe anymore and no mature bucks! Not sure whats going on? Must all be locked down.
Connected with my friend that has a good hunting dog, and took my lab. They turned up nothing. We did find a large bed about 20 yards from last blood. Could not find any blood in it. There was way more blood on the arrow than on the ground. Did find where he walked across the cut bean field. It appeared he was only lightly touching the ground with the left front leg. Prints from three hooves were deep with a shallow left front print. The track led all the way to the swamp and even in the soft black dirt of the swamp one print was very shallow. I lost all track when he crossed water into the swamp right through some red stem dogwoods.
Ultimately, I believe I caught the back side of the left front shoulder/upper leg with a downward angle between the body and the leg. That would account for the damaged fletchings and solid blood all the way up the arrow. I can't figure any other scenario. He must have turned more than I thought. Thank you to all of you guys for the encouragement. I believe it was a survivable injury and probably created a nocturnal buck. I am bummed but, satisfied I did everything I could to recover that deer. He disappeared like a ghost. I did see a little six cruising while wrapping up my search at 4:30 PM today. Good luck the rest of the season guys. I don't know what I am going to do yet. I'll have to think about it for a few days. Right know, I am pretty much sick to my stomach!
Yesterday hunted all but 90 minutes switched stand nothing moving - went outside at 4:30 going to rest this morning - yesterday took its toll and it was colder this morning. Back at it hard rest of weekend but sleeping off and on now. Cameras are showing does and fawns back together and no buck pics. Think where the last does are needing to be bred that is where all the bucks are... Good luck to the tough guys out there now.
Refinishing kitchen floor today. Back out with the camera tomorrow to sit and watch.
Hey 10 bring the bow out. The best way to make yourself feel better would be to put a great shot on another buck. Who knows that 8 you shot may come limping by again. Maybe you could get some redemption. If you fall off the horse get back on right? Just my two cents. Good luck everybody, can't wait to get back in the stand tomorrow.
10 - Last year a good friend of mine shot a doe just before dark. We couldn't find good blood so we decided to come back the following morning and pick up the trail. We had a group of 5 of us combing through the woods for 6+ hours and couldn't recover the deer. There was so little blood and then it went into a swamp and we walked the entire edge and surrounding area and never found the deer.
I agree with buck suicide, bring the bow as who knows maybe that buck will return and you can finish him off.
I enjoy reading this live hunting thread, while I haven't been able to hunt, I do get to read about others and what they are seeing. Can't wait for next week Friday-Sunday!!!
10 - you gotta get back after them. You will get a "redemption" deer and be happy you did. We all know how you feel. It is a terrible feeling and a tough one to get past. But, you gotta remember that you are human. Stuff happens. You practice hard, hunt hard, and really care about what happened. You are a bow hunter and need to be bow hunting.
I agree, bring the bow ten.
I'm on the cheerleader bandwagon. Everything happens for a reason. You might want to consider that the Grail is the one meant for you. Not the one you shot. It's his time & you are meant to take him. Your time is now. Pick up the bow & carry out your mission.
I'm in the same boat with you 10! But I agree with the rest, even though I'll be haunted for a long time, the best thing we can do is get back on the horse. This weekend should be great!
Thanks guys! Good luck to all. This is why the hunting community is so great. You guys are marrow of mankind. Not that you are all fat, you know what I mean. LOL
10, know the feeling,last week my daughter & I were both ready to sell our bows & my brother was going to throw his in the river.Was a tough week.Especially my daughters situation Sounded similar to yours, broken arrow fetching soaked in blood. 2 day search still left us with out her 1st buck.Farmer friend did see the same buck this week while plowing with a slight limp. I know we lost our desire to go out for a while.Its tough to swallow after all the hard work & time invested.
Headed out in the morning hoping to find a good buck on his feet .... there is snow and its gonna be cold so it should be a great combination
Headed out in the morning hoping to find a good buck on his feet .... there is snow and its gonna be cold so it should be a great combination
I went back to last spot of blood and followed numerous trails and checked beds in the snow for blood, didn't find anymore sign of him. Sure wish I would've found the arrow so I would have some idea of penetration. Disgusted to say the least. Last blood was roughly half mile from shot. I lost his track in snow when he got on logging road with numerous other deer tracks.
while searching this morning a 2 1/2 8 point walked by me at 35 yds scent checking. Due to work, I won't have a chance to hunt anytime soon.
I went back to last spot of blood and followed numerous trails and checked beds in the snow for blood, didn't find anymore sign of him. Sure wish I would've found the arrow so I would have some idea of penetration. Disgusted to say the least. Last blood was roughly half mile from shot. I lost his track in snow when he got on logging road with numerous other deer tracks.
while searching this morning a 2 1/2 8 point walked by me at 35 yds scent checking. Due to work, I won't have a chance to hunt anytime soon.
Just wanted to say good luck to the guys going out this morning. Stay warm, I have to work so I can't go out and freeze with the rest of you.
Thanks to the encouragement of you guys, I will be on stand this evening/afternoon. Good luck to all that are out. I think they are starting to put the feedbag on and diverting their energy away from hot sex to survival. LOL. Seriously, I think it will be shifting to more of an evening hunt here soon with the brief interruption of the opening weekend of gun season. Still a lot of corn standing everywhere. Going to make it tough on the gunners in Ozaukee/Washington Counties. That maybe a blessing for next year and late season.
Take the bow with you 10...
Was a very cold morning 8 degrees here in waupaca county ..... didn't see a deer but was only on stand till 9 but will be back out at noon
Was a very cold morning 8 degrees here in waupaca county ..... didn't see a deer but was only on stand till 9 but will be back out at noon
Was a very cold morning 8 degrees here in waupaca county ..... didn't see a deer but was only on stand till 9 but will be back out at noon
Well first good action for me this am. I had a decent 7 point at 15 yards broadside.that was my first shot opportunity all year. I was at full draw and elected not to shoot. I grunted him in. A guy I was with seen 3 bucks all with does.2 spikers and a really tall 6 point. Northern Columbia County.
Just sat for 5 hours, not a deer seen.
Friday nIght saw 10 and one of the big boys is down to just right side. Then today covered up all morning saw 17-20 deer. At 8 am had a 140 class 10 bed at 57 yards. At 8:25 his brother came in and walked by at 27 yards. I wasn't on my game and missed out on a golden opportunity. Thought he was farther than he was. Then at 8:55 after these walked off one of the giants I have on camera in July walked in. He circled around and then turned and came straight in but at 20 yards he saw me (all by back cover blew off in last week and didn't want to replace it in the dark this morning ) then he turned left to right. At 17 yards he went behind a tree and when he came out I blew the shot and shot under him. He ran about 10 yards into the brush and walked off like he didn't have a care in the world... I know people will disagree but I'm done for the year... I had my opportunity and choked. Taking my daughter next weekend... No more time away. Been driving 5.5 hour each weekend since October just worn out.
Never made it out. Got bogged down with hardwood floor finishing hell. 12 hours of sanding and still not done. Hoping to get back out Sunday evening.
Doug, that's unreal action, sorry to hear on the misses but it happens; you won't hear me urge you to drive that far again. Sometimes enough is enough. I've spent less time in the woods this fall than ever, due to a crazy busy schedule (and a lot of it non-paid), but it is what it is. As I've matured I've learned that a deer is just a deer, and family is just family … but one is a heck of a lot more important than the other. That said, I'm heading out to a tree right now!