Deer season

wisturkeyhunter

New member
What's everyone got for deer plan?

I'll be hunting southeastern public land for opening weekend and than locally here in Rock county the rest of the season when I can get away.
 
Dad started hunting near Elcho when he got out of the service in the early 50's, with my grandpa, uncles and some buddies. Gramps and the Uncles are no longer with us. Dad lives at the Vets Home in King. His best friend is also no longer to hunt due to age and health. But us boys carry on the tradition.

Tradition is what keeps us going back and we'll be together tonight, tipping a few and talking smack. I've seen 2 deer in the last 8 seasons. Wolves and unlimited doe tags took care of the herd. It's looking a little better these days, but not much.

When my girls went away to college, we had built a place in Sayner. We started having Thanksgiving up there, the 4 of us. I got to hunt and spend some time with my girls. the best of both worlds. The girls can't make it home this year, so it will be my wife and I, and one of her brothers for dinner after shooting hours.

I have a neighbor in Sayner who feeds the deer. The trails come from all points of the compass, like spokes of a wheel, into their place. There's a baiting ban on now because of CWD infected deer at a deer farm, so we'll see if they're still feeding. Go 1/2 mile from their place and you'll not see a deer track in the snow. They're all congregated around homes for safety from the wolves and handout meals from those who feed.

So I don't have much optimism of seeing anything, but I'll go because deer hunting is a part of me, just like bird hunting. And you never know, a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while, too.
 
My mom's side of the family has been hunting a farm in Arena since 82. I'll be joining them again this year last two years we've done ok but also have seen wolves in the past two gun seasons.

I also used to hunt public in sayner. I hear your pain of not seeing deer hence now i hunt in arena. My dad had a friend up there that was a caretaker of properties... had a property we called the zoo. literally hundreds of deer then nothing once you stepped off of it. Before the baiting regulations heard they used to have troughs for the deer that they would get semi loads of feed brought in.

Hope everyone had a safe and successful hunt!
 
still the same near Sayner

Sat for 3 days, saw zero deer. They were around during the evening and night, but not during the day. Our resident doe and her two fawns were in the neighbors yard every time I drove in or out. Same with going through the small subdivision into the State lands. Does and fawns in people's yards. I suspect people living in some of those homes are feeding, despite the ban. Having said that, I also believe deer hang around the homes for safety from wolves. That doesn't always help them, as my brother in law watched a wolf take a fawn in his back yard a couple years ago.

My crew saw deer in the traditional family Elcho hunting area. We believe they were congregated where people had been baiting. Other areas were devoid of deer. My setter is 72 lbs and I know what his paw looks like in the snow. I had one set of wolf tracks cross the trail going into my stand something during the night after opening day. Was twice the size of my setters. That's a big darned dog. Bear were also active. Bobcat population seems to be in good shape, too. And there's always the yotes. Plenty of predators around, for sure.
 
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