Week of Dec 31 what are you seeing?
Contributors to this thread:Wisconsin
From: Ranger rick
31-Dec-16
Heading back to the stand tommorow. Whos been out this week and what are the bucks doing? Nobody has been on my farm for 2 weeks. Sit over food plot or bedding? Good luck to all
From: casekiska
31-Dec-16
Took a walk this am on my 40 in Sauk Co. Snow is considerably deeper there that what I see at home (Dane Co.). Saw seven deer on way in, near the gate, but none in the woods. Only a moderate amount of tracks encountered. Strange though, found a fresh rub!
From: Drop Tine
31-Dec-16
Thursday afternoon seen 16 doe and 3 bucks.
From: Ranger rick
31-Dec-16
Cool. That is encouraging. I have 4 cams rolling that havnt been check since muzzy season ended. Fun to c what is still running around!
From: Crusader dad
31-Dec-16
I've seen nothing still. Everything is moving at night down here. I've been right next to where at least four doe bed every day. I have fresh rubs around but I don't know where the bucks are bedding though. I've sort of hit a second wind so after Monday morn I'm going to try to get out for two hunts a day until close. I said in a different thread I'd be done after my Monday morn hunt but I've really enjoyed the season even though I haven't seen anything in over a month and I just can't see being a quitter when I still have a valid buck tag in my pocket. It would sure be nice to see someone put something on the ground between now and season end.
From: awh302
31-Dec-16
I got this guy in Northern Illinois on the 28th. They seem to be moving late morning down here.
From: casekiska
31-Dec-16
awh302 - congratulations on a dandy! Great eight point! They don't get much nicer that that. Way to go!
From: Drop Tine
31-Dec-16
3 doe and 4 coyote this afternoon.
From: Ranger rick
01-Jan-17
awh302 nice buck. Id be happy if 1 like that walks in tonight!
From: Dusktildawn
01-Jan-17
Kiska I found this fresh rub yesterday on a 8" tree back in the pines.
From: Dusktildawn
01-Jan-17
Kiska I found this fresh rub yesterday on a 8" tree back in the pines.
From: Novice
02-Jan-17
Sat yesterday night on edge of cornfield that was picked during muzzle loader season. Tracks all over. No deer. Had sat there a week ago Monday and saw 4, all of which were spooky and didn't stick around. Hoping to get out again Wed pm.
From: Reggiezpop
02-Jan-17
Do the stronger winds affect movement? How strong of a wind keeps you guys inside?
From: TackDriver
02-Jan-17
Arrow ed some of my biggest bucks. In late October. Wasn't going to go out. But. Deer do move!
From: Crusader dad
03-Jan-17
0 again. It's going to be too cold for me the next few days so I quit. I hope one of you guys still out there get something.
From: Trapper
03-Jan-17
Come on Crusader, don't let me down..
From: brewcrewmike
03-Jan-17
Saw 0 deer up north during the day. The snow had a layer of ice on the top which made walking in the woods extremely difficult. The deer must be having trouble walking in the woods too but didn't see any during the day.
From: Naz
03-Jan-17
First sit of the year yesterday afternoon, 90 minutes seeing just a squirrel until I left, then saw 8 in an adjacent field. Pulled camera card and had deer moving through between 7-7:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-noon yesterday, go figure! Four bucks, two dinkers and two that'll be really nice next year.
From: razorhead
03-Jan-17
Naz what county
From: Naz
03-Jan-17
Sorry, Kewaunee County. Also got this one yesterday a minute or two later, two 2.5s (or one top-quality 1.5 and an average for us 2.5) sparring. Third rut? There was a doe nearby. Could also explain the midday movement on a warm day?
From: razorhead
03-Jan-17
very cool Naz thanks
From: Crusader dad
04-Jan-17
Racine co. Heading to work this morn I took my normal circle drive around my hunting area and watched one of "my" doe get clobbered by a car trying to cross the rd. Toward my Farmco field. I then made the turn to pass Farmco and low and behold. A big ten point and an unknown were making their way across my field. Heading further into the property. I'm glad to know I've still got at least one nice buck still around but I'm dissaapointed that I lost a mature doe. I may have gotten a pic of the buck depending on where he entered Farmco. I'm going to go check my cam at lunch.
From: TackDriver
04-Jan-17
Nice pics!
From: Crusader dad
04-Jan-17
I may have to change my mind about yesterday being my last hunt.
From: Trapper
04-Jan-17
Good to hear Crusader.
From: Naz
04-Jan-17
Crusader, it's not over until it's over, get back out there! I plan to try to target a doe or two this weekend and will report if I do. They're in the fields nightly, just have to pick the right trail. Varies by wind and where they bedded that morning.
From: Swampy
04-Jan-17
Crusader to bad you were on your way to work . Missed out on a road kill .
From: Crusader dad
04-Jan-17
I thought about grabbing her, I new how fresh she was cause I watched it happen and there was a cop right there to see it as well so it wouldn't have taken too much time out of my day but then I thought about the processing job I'd have to do in my unheated garage tonight and decided against it. We got two deer so far this year so I'm not in dire need of venison right now. If it was yesterday's temp, I would have taken her for sure.
From: Tweed
04-Jan-17
That's the 3rd vehicle collision I've heard of this week.
From: Deerchaser
04-Jan-17
I have seen 3 fresh kills roadside in the last several days. Headed out this weekend to sit near Sauk City. Any idea how much snow they have still on the ground?
From: Ranger rick
04-Jan-17
Was in a tree Monday afternoon. The snow was so crunchy. There was no sneaking to the stand. Jumped several on the way in. From the stand, i Saw 4 does heading to the fields. Pulled 4 cameras. There was a lot of bucks hitting the food plots. The biggest was a 130 9pt. I passed him 3x this season. Good to see he made it! Unfortunately, the 160 i was after all season was not photographed. Hope he is still alive. Im done for the year. Time to chase fish through the ice. Good luck to those still out there!
From: WoundChannel
07-Jan-17
Sat evening of 1/3 Bumped a deer on the way in and saw 2 does and adolescent fawn while on stand. Sat morning and evening of 1/4 and did not see anything. SE wis.
From: Reggiezpop
07-Jan-17
Anybody seeing any morning movement in this weather?
From: Crusader dad
08-Jan-17
My buddies report from last night. I'm going tomorrow and Tuesday.
From: Crusader dad
08-Jan-17
My buddies report from last night. I'm going tomorrow and Tuesday.
From: Reggiezpop
08-Jan-17
Washington County public for me this afternoon. No tracks in the swamp, but fairly heavy on edges. Climbed a tree hoping they try to sneak by.
From: Crusader dad
08-Jan-17
Good luck Reggie, don't freeze to the tree.
From: Crusader dad
09-Jan-17
Racine co. 7:20 am I heard crunching coming from my southwest angling toward me. I could hear multiple footfalls so I figured doe group. As soon as I could catch the movement I could see a good size 4pt half rack. This was the same buck I had a couple encounters with in November. In nov I told myself I'd shoot this buck at the end of the season if I got a chance. By the time I recognized him I could also see the deer following him. An 8 pt just outside the ears. 50 yds, 40, 30, 20,10! Both walk by broadside and get a pass!! I did not even draw but based on how it went down I feel I could have killed either buck. I'd definitely consider that a success. I was sitting behind a log pile on the white dot in the pic. The deer came from the sw and through the woods toward the ne bringing them right past the corner I was sitting on.
From: Reggiezpop
09-Jan-17
Glad to see you're seeing deer, Crusader. I made so much noise in the crunchie snow last night, I didn't have a chance. Plus I forgot my bow hanger, so I had to hold my bow. And I froze. I'm at the point of grinding, and not enjoying it anymore. Time to icefish with the littles and look for sheds and beds.
From: Crusader dad
10-Jan-17
I was happy to see them too Reggie. I still don't really know why I didn't shoot the half rack because I was planning on it all the way up until the moment of truth. I had even envisioned the euro on my wall. Something inside me just said to wait till next year.
I left work yesterday at 4:30 and took the "long" way home. By 4:50 I had seen 15 deer. Two nice bucks and the rest doe. Here is a pic of a group of 7. Right across the street from the tower blind I called in for baiting.
From: Reggiezpop
10-Jan-17
I lied. North wind on Friday. I'll be out after work! Hahaha!
From: VilasBowhunter
10-Jan-17
Along County Line Road (Mequon) I consistently see 20-30 deer in the fields just before sundown. The other night there were 2 - 8 pointers sparring while a big 10 was cheering them on. Fun to watch - no hunting allowed there.
From: Reggiezpop
10-Jan-17
Hunt on the Mequon side, not the Milwaukee Side.
From: Crusader dad
11-Jan-17
I had to be to work by 7:30 this morn so I drove around from 7-7:25 and saw no less than 17 deer. It seemed like every field I drove past had at least a couple deer in it. The only definite buck I saw was a small one that looked to be getting ready to commit suicide. He was feeding in the ditch mere feet from the road. NE Racine co. I'll be out again to hunt on sat.
From: Crusader dad
12-Jan-17
These gals must feel pretty safe. They didn't even bother to get up when I stopped to take some pics. Another field had a group of 11 in it with 2 small bucks.
From: Tweed
12-Jan-17
Where at?
Pressure must be nice and low again.
From: Crusader dad
12-Jan-17
Tweed, this pic was taken on short rd between 4&5 mile. I've been seeing the larger groups on east river rd. Just south of 6 mile rd. There is a state natural area there so it creates a nice big sanctuary for them. I know there are some hunters in the general area but overall I think pressure is almost nonexistent.
From: razorhead
12-Jan-17
you can hunt state natural areas.....
From: Nocturnal
12-Jan-17
What he's talking about isn't a state natural area. It's a concervancy and you cannot hunt it. He's right about everything else. I use to hunt the the boarder of it.
From: Naz
12-Jan-17
What type of conservancy? Many Nature Conservancy properties allow deer hunting, as do a lot of land trust properties. I'm sure it varies by size, location, etc.
From: Crusader dad
12-Jan-17
Noc, the signs say state natural area. Just below those signs are another sign that regulates the use to essentially hiking and horseback riding. It is not a part of the Caledonia green space conservancy group. I could be wrong but that's what the signs say. I'll snap a pic on my ride tomorrow morning.
Naz, what we have around here in NE Racine co is a larger group of many neighboring landowners who put their land in a conservancy and open it up for horseback riding. Nearly all of the landowners in this area have horses and the conservancies allow them to ride through each other's property. There are strict rules of use for these conservancies and one of the rules is no hunting. That's why when you see on my posts I'm only on the very edge of the conservancy land. My landowner is trying to get the rules changed to allow bowhunting by written permission inside the actual woods. This would benefit both noc and myself as he hunts the edge of a different conservancy. These are all private pieces of property and each landowner would decide who can hunt their land. I can't speak for nocturnal but the area I hunt in is very busy with riders and that is the main reason I stick with hunting mainly only mornings.
From: Tweed
12-Jan-17
Looking at the map its seems that its a mix. A number of conservancies but also a nice chunk of SNA.
I sent Crusader the dnr map. Hope that helps man.
From: Tweed
12-Jan-17
Tweed's Link
Looks like if you get permission you'd be good to go. Edit: Never mind....I just saw who owns it.
From: Crusader dad
12-Jan-17
You found the spot tweed, the areas in purple are public and allow leashed dogs, hiking and riding. What it doesn't show is that nearly every wood lot in that general area is private but open to riding. The trails all connect with each other so it makes it very convenient for the plethora of horse enthusiasts that inhabit the area. Each landowner is required to take care of their own trails and hiking is technically not allowed. Although many of the surrounding landowners do walk the trails. I've had horses with riders within feet of me never knowing I was there as well as what I can only assume was a grandma/granddaughter pair on a walk. I bet it would have scared the shit out of them if they had noticed me. it's not my ideal way to hunt but it's close to home and does hold lots of deer.
From: Naz
12-Jan-17
Crusader, thanks for the update. Just goes to show that changing land use/urbanization plays a huge role in loss of access and "clumping" of deer density. You have to do what you have to do. Trying for bow deer hunting is likely the best solution, but I know some horse owners and some (certainly not all) think that hunters would shoot their horses. I mean, you'd have to really try hard to shoot a horse, I would think ...
From: Nocturnal
13-Jan-17
Your right crusader. I actually called the number last year to see about permission. It's owned by the university of wi. A young gal picked up the phone and she had no idea what I was talking about. She had to look it up and talk with someone above her. Next lady got on the phone and said it was a wildlife concervancy and not allowing any hunting. I thought it was apart of the greenspace cause I've seen horses walk the path in. You seem to know more about it than I do.
I use to hunt the south west corner of it years back. It was only 20 acres and he was letting other guys get in there to hunt. Great guy but maybe to nice. Deer roam the property at night mostly. Lots of deer sucked into that chunk of state land.
I always wondered why you mostly hunted that in the morning. I understand that now, that you explained horses. I'm just outside of the whole green space deal. So I have no issue with them.
Naz your exactly right. Getting hunting rights to these horse farmers is extremely difficult. I've asked 100's of people and have gotten just about every response you could imagine. The classic answer is no we have horses and we don't want them getting shot. Or we don't want people freaking out and seeing a hunter in the tree as their riding by.
From: northbound
13-Jan-17
To cold to work today but thought I'd tough it out in a tree. First time I've Sat in that stand and not seen a deer. Tons of camera action in the pre light hours. Did take a nice red fox that I've seen many times. Today he stopped for a shot finally. Hopefully the taxidermist can fix a rage size hole. The spotted fawn is still around daily.... still can't believe I'm still seeing spots in January
From: Nocturnal
13-Jan-17
What in the?? Spots this late? That is the most bizarre thing I've seen yet. Deer breeding in June!
From: northbound
13-Jan-17
Yeah and we all thought the rut was in November. I've been within ten yards of it a few times and seems happy and healthy. I've seen some real odd stuff this season. Killed a doe early season that looked like it had socks on... bright white hooves. The 5.5 year old I chased all year and last year gave me a broadside opportunity Thursday before gun hunting, he had shed one horn in the day prior according to cameras. So they shed in November and breed in June.... who would have thought it.
From: razorhead
13-Jan-17
never ran into that, the SNA areas by my house are all open for hunting, seems like a crowded area
From: Reggiezpop
13-Jan-17
Hunting public in Ozaukee County. Sitting facing west, expecting deer to come from west or NW. Just enough of a NE wind to cover me. Cut corn field to the east behind me, and someone was nice enough to throw out some corn and a camera not far from me. Pic is facing west. I somehow managed to climb one of the only trees available for a hang on, so this better be worth it!
From: Crusader dad
13-Jan-17
Good luck Reggie! Are you after a buck,doe or either?
From: Reggiezpop
13-Jan-17
A doe. 4 small bucks and a doe just came my way. I need a N or NW for his tree. I thought I could get away with it, but I think they got me. 2 started stomping and back they went.
From: Tweed
13-Jan-17
Are you in that one spot? Going to be there this weekend?
If so I'll be going down the road.
From: Reggiezpop
13-Jan-17
I was up a tree in that small island of trees on the east side of the property. They all came out of the swamp right or your smaller blue circle was on the map. There looks like some good spots to hide on the ground over there if that's your thing. A north or west or a northwest wind would be perfect dude.
From: Tweed
13-Jan-17
Any rattling, calling or scents during late season?
From: Crusader dad
14-Jan-17
I do not use any tactics this time of year other than playing the wind.
0 deer seen while hunting today but jumped a few on our walk.
After my hunt this morn my son and I took the dogs for a walk through that 38 acre state natural area discussed above. Holy cow was there a ton of sign in there. You could not take three steps without stepping on deer shit. I have a very nice Nikon camera and I think I'm going to go sit in there and try my luck at some whitetail photography. There are no trails that go through there and no sign of human presence at all. The horse trail that goes around the outside of it is covered in ice and I'm certain no rider would be foolish enough to take a horse on that trail in its current state. I will be grid searching that entire area for sheds in March/April as well.
From: razorhead
15-Jan-17
I am home, I will be hunting this week that is for sure,,,,,,, you just never know...... little to no pressure at all by me
