2022 Live From The Tree

weedis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>BigWerm wrote:</div>
Bear stand counts right? Hopefully the rain stays away.

You going to try again this weekend BW?

Probably not this weekend, and not sure if I’ll get out again or not with the way the schedule is filling up.

weedis wrote:

Do you know what type of mechanical he was using?

He was shooting NAP Spitfires. I have probably shot 15 deer or more with these and had great results. His only thought was he shot it at 6 yards. It may have gone through too fast to open?
DT

No way it was to fast to open

Well I just had the first screw up of the year… I snuck way out and around through waterways to get to this spot which is basically a dried up pond in the middle of the corn. I snuck down the waterway on the left side of the pic and up onto the pond dike. I got all settled in and popped my head up over the grass to see this buck staring at me at 19 yards(where my finger is pointing). It caught me so off guard I dropped my release and it ran off. It got about 80 yards away, just into the next waterway, and stopped to try and figure out what happened. After a few secs he walked off calmly into the corn in front of me. What a way to start the night!

This buck…

Well last night had a few does roll through to far out to take a shot. This morning I was going to hunt a really well used bedding area I found last off season. I was not expecting deer to already be there at 5:30. I saw a couple once i got to the spot and backed out to hopefully keep the area holding deer. Planning to setup 75-100yards off of it tonight and hopefully get an arrow in one. None of them spooked so They should still be there.

deertracker wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>weedis wrote:</div>
Do you know what type of mechanical he was using?

He was shooting NAP Spitfires. I have probably shot 15 deer or more with these and had great results. His only thought was he shot it at 6 yards. It may have gone through too fast to open?
DT

I shoot rage and have not had a problem with them yet but it is always in the back of the head that there is going to come a time they may not work properly. Anyone use or ever tried iron will broadheads? Ive heard good things about them and thought about giving them a try. They are fixed blade broadheads.

That’s a nice deer hillhiker!

Went out this evening with the kiddos, don’t have a good setup for three so we just plopped down on a field edge on some chairs. Saw a huge doe, I thought it was a nice buck at first just by the size and how dark tone it was but did not see any horns with binocs. Some excitement for the kids anyway. Never got closer then 100yrds.

Hunted a chunk of public I have only spring scouted. Me a buddy set up to catch anything coming out of bedding. Had a doe jump out of a bed at 35 yards right away and at 515 had another come in down wind but she didn’t move quick enough. 20 yard shot and she only went 20. Fresh meat for the family.

Nice work. Where about do you hunt Justin?

Had a swing and a miss on Friday night. 31 yards, perfect broadside shot in the gap in the photo.

8 pointer heard the string snap and did a jump-spin so fast that I doubt the arrow was halfway there before he was turned 180 going the other way.

I found the arrow (Luminock) and it was clean, no blood, no nothing. Damnit! Must get closer. Back at it tomorrow.

Sitting again tonight. Hopefully a closer shot presents itself.

Tonight’s view…

Tonight’s view for me.
Had a good buck come by this spot on the 4th at 7:25 PM. Hopefully with the cold front he is on his feet earlier tonight and comes by this way.

Wearing the new Kuiu Proximity jacket tonight and tomorrow morning. I will give a review of the first couple of dots with it tomorrow.
So far I will say it’s very light and the sizing is spot on. All my jackets are 2X and this one matches those in size.

What a dummy I am.
Decided to sleep in yesterday morning.
The camera at this spot was on fire with all the deer movement in front of it. Including this guy.
Didn’t sleep in this morning. No bucks seen but had 12 does and fawns go by. Lucky for them this spot is in a lottery area.

Out taking advantage of the cold front. It finally feels like proper hunting weather now! I was surprised to see a young 8 point cruising the edge of the field when I pulled in about 4. He even had his head down like he was dogging a doe in the middle of the rut. Is it too early for a hot doe to be running around or is it just a buck being young and dumb?

I saw a couple very nice bucks in the ditches along I35 going to Duluth yesterday…. very dead though. We came home today on Wisconsin 35 from Duluth to Red Wing and saw several more dead bucks, plenty of does too, on today’s trip.

The color along Wisconsin’s 35 corridor is outstanding right now….. way better than along I35.

hillhiker wrote:

Is it too early for a hot doe to be running around or is it just a buck being young and dumb?

I don’t think so, some are probably starting to heat up. Saw a nice buck right on the tail of a doe yesterday morning.

I think the deer answered the question last night. About a half hour before dark a fork and small 8 came out, and were chasing one specific doe around in the field. Of the 9 does and fawns feeding on beans they were only interested in the one doe. It was quite the show. They’d chase her around for a few mins, fight with each other a bit, and then go right back to bugging that doe again. The last few mins of shooting light I did have a bigger bodied buck working a scrape on the bench below me. I never got a good look at him before it was too dark to see, but it was great to see a little more action from the stand!

First sit of the year for me. Glad to be back at it. Bear hunting all wrapped up and now time for bow hunting, fall turkey, and hopefully some grouse. Good luck to all and be safe.

Back where I was on Thursday. It’s a heck of a lot nicer out today than it was last night! Rain, sleet, snow, and wind made for kind of a miserable sit.

Sat both Friday and Saturday evening in different spots. Friday was with the kiddos, no deer but did have a yote walking the field edge we were on stop and stair at us from about 10 yards away. We couldn’t see directly down the line so it saw us before we saw it to get a shot off. Oldest daughter saw it first so she was excited about that. Last night I sat solo on edge of big swamp on property, lots of sign and bedding. Saw one doe but a nice evening to sit.

Rough couple weeks for a guy in the metro. Had to go back to square one and put some hours into scouting again. I made the mistake of thinking my spots last season that were great would still be great. Saw deer in them a handful of times but they have really tapered off. Learned a lot new in the last couple days about deer bedding in some very thick areas not even 50 yards from main roads.

I really struggled today with taking some vacation days tomorrow and Tuesday. This cold front is a bruiser. Please don’t post any pictures that prove I made the wrong decision to work.

I finally got a break. Didnt have a shot oppertunity tonight but i picked a random spot i have been wanting to look at for awhile now and said screw it. Ended up seeing 7 deer. Should hopefully be able to capitalize tomorrow night by shifting trees. Had 4 of them follow the same trail and even one doe hang around outside of shot range for 30mins. Hopefully I have a deer pic to contribute tomorrow!

Had another wild sit. Bumped a doe while i was setting up and had two bucks going absolutely insane at each other. Too thick to get a good look on them but it had to have been no further than 75 yards from me.

Good luck to all the youth. We are out in NW MN.
DT

Good luck to all the anterless adult hunters.

I got myself a yote.
DT

It’s warm but I figure, “why not”!