2016/2017 Live From The Tree

Just passed on a decent buck that I have pics of. If he was out to the ears I would have shot him. He is within 100 yards of the property line so hope he is going to bed in the red willows.
DT

This is where he was headed.
DT

Roseau County MN
Passed on another good 8 last night. It’s so hard to pass on deer that most would shoot. I keep telling myself that you can’t shoot big deer by shooting Good ones.
DT

DT it is tough, but you are doing the right thing. Be strong

deertracker wrote:

Roseau County MN
you can’t shoot big deer by shooting Good ones.
DT

This is the truth! Your big one will come! I have been known to get a bit trigger happy and shoot the really nice deer. You have to let the nice ones go if you want the monster! Good luck.

deertracker wrote:

Roseau County MN
Passed on another good 8 last night. It’s so hard to pass on deer that most would shoot. I keep telling myself that you can’t shoot big deer by shooting Good ones.
DT

kudos,
you’re doing the right thing. heck i wish i was still hunting but with limited hunting time and life constraints i tagged a doe sunday afternoon.

Roseau County

Woke up to 23* temps and skim ice in the ditches. Ended up seeing two small bucks and three does during the morning sit. It would have been a good day to do all all day sit but have my youngest with and didn’t bring the needed supplies for that. We crawled down at 11. There were two does out still at that point. Hoping for a good evening sit.
DT

We hit the stands again this morning near Hammond, Mn. and this guy walked to within 15 yards of me and stopped broadside. The 250 grain XTP pushed by 100 grains of powder took both lungs and the heart but didn’t exit the critter. He never jumped or kicked or bolted….nothing. He just walked right under the stand and into a patch of buckthorn and had a tantrum, then walked out the other side and dropped over. He walked maybe 45 yards from the point of impact.

I tagged a doe opening day….we actually went 3 for 3 on the opening day but have been down every other day looking to fill some that remained. We’ve been seeing lots of small deer but today this guy and an 8 and a 10 all came within 40 yards of me. This one was first, so……

Area 240, on the shores of Battle Lake. Really slow today. Only heard a couple shots that could have been deer hunters. Luckily there’s a very FAT jet black squirrel around our blind, keeping my hunting buddy entertained snapping photos on his I pad. I hope he forgets about getting pulled over for speeding last night on the way up here before we face time mamma tonight.

Any updates from our Wisconsin friends?
DT

Buddy of mine shot a spike in new post, east of Hayward. He didn’t hear any other shots all morning. My wife was hunting with a few people Northeast of Hayward the total number between the 4 of them was 8 does seen. I didn’t go because of the wind and not feeling well, and it sounds like it was a good decision…

One last report from Pine County MN east of Hinckley.

I went out yesterday evening for one last time to close out the season in MN 100. It was nice to get out in some weather that was more like deer hunting as I remember it. Temp was 28 when I sat down in the blind with snow on the ground. Finally!

Tegg was with me to take a stand and see if he could score with the bow, I was in the ground blind watching approaches to my south field. When we arrived there were already a dozen wild turkeys in the field, so chaos ensued as they ran for the exits.

It was quiet-quiet with no sounds save for the wind occasionally rustling the blind for the first half hour. I was starting to worry that the deer had moved off to greener grazing and then the first deer appeared. A doe and twin butterball fawns.

They turkeys recovered their courage and joined the deer in the field and it was good entertainment watching the fawns take runs at the turkeys to try to drive them off. Then the turkeys would mount a counter-offensive and have a go at the fawns.

More and more deer filtered in and two of our smaller bucks, Lefty and Spooner joined in. My father saw our other young 6 pointer called Julius yesterday, so I think all of your younger bucks are safe. Nice to see they had made it to the last day of the rifle season, with the lack of doe permits the young bucks take a hammering in my area.

By the time sunset arrived and darkness started to fall, I had 14 deer in the field. The deer looked in fine condition and it’s pretty clear to me that having 5-6 acres of high-quality forage planted and available from spring to early winter is having an impact on deer size and condition.

It’s a good feeling to just SEE this many deer using my place. 2 years ago we were down to 4-5 regular visitors on the property, that’s how low the population was after the bad winters.

My oldest son HH joined me again in the blind this year, which was an extra bonus. He enjoyed watching the deer and looking carefully at each one to see if it was a buck or doe.

We got to talk a bit about how hunting is fun and rewarding even when you don’t shoot anything. I often use the line with my kids, “We do not hunt to kill. We kill to have hunted.” and I think this has started to settle in and HH seems to be at the beginning of understanding there is much more to this than just killing or not.

Best wishes to all as you continue your seasons.

Grouse

Finally got decent data service out here. Been a great weekend. We saw 9 bucks and about 30 does/fawns in the brutal wind. All came out in the same tight area that was hidden from the wind.

Well, we’re busy today

Looks like their diet has changed over to corn this week. We had 10 to 20 deer out at a time in the alfalfa/beans until yesterday. Night before, Neighbor had averaged about 6 deer out in his cut corners. Last night, he said there was 30 to 40 deer. They cross this saddle everyday until this morning. Only saw 4 at first light, about 7 around noon, and nothing since. This draw leads to a big bedding area. Let’s see what comes out to play. May need to change it up for Saturday

Afternoon is wasted. Freakin road Hunter stopped and shot down the hill a up at me. 10 minutes later, this guy comes flopping out of the woods into my field. Guy scattered everything within a me of me

Pretty quit on the woods this morning. Had about 10 grouse come by for a visit.

My nephew shot his first deer. Very well placed shot

My son blew some smoke.
DT

deertracker wrote:

My son blew some smoke.
DT

Sweet. Buck or doe? Big deer?

Good for him.

Grouse

I have pics of this deer on every cam around the farm. He was putting some miles on. We got it narrowed down to him breaking his left side off between 11/20 and 11/22. It was his first deer with a muzzleloader.
DT

I should add that this buck was on my do not shoot list but told my boys they can shoot whatever makes them happy. As much as I love to grow big deer I’d rather keep my boys interested in hunting. As long as they shoot bigger deer than the year before I’m a happy dad. Here is a trail cam pic of the deer chewing on clover purchased from @thefamousgrouse.
DT

Thankful for enclosed stands tonight. Currently waiting for the downpour to stop so the deer will come into the plots. A couple new shooters showed up on camera since gun season.
DT

Hey DT, it helps to grow those young smiles a little more than bigger bucks – Congrats

Looking at more trail cam pics shows this deer broke off the left G3 a few days before breaking off the rest of the left side. Definitely a fighter. Now I just need to find the one he lost too.
DT

Rain never stopped and at times increased. Drove by one of the fields well after dark and they were out.
DT

Congrats to your son on that fine buck. I agree, as nice as it is to have lots of bucks around, it’s even nicer to keep the kids in the game by taking one. Otherwise we’re just sitting in trees wearing really bright clothing.

Grouse

Can’t decide if it wants to rain or snow.
DT

All I saw was a doe and two fawns this evening. And of course more rain/sleet/snow.
DT

Only does so far this morning. Finally got some snow though.
DT

More does….
DT