The following is my Personal Hunting Log, along with a few entries of my friends on their
successful nights.
I hunt using many methods, including baiting-scrape hunting-rattling & calling-trail
hunting. Baiting is legal in Wisconsin, and is just one of the methods I use. I realize that
some people don't agree with baiting, but as long as it's legal I will continue to use it as one
of my methods.
*Please Note* that if I mention that the deer were hit in the paunch, that this doesn't mean
that these deer were gut shot! Any experienced hunter knows that sometimes you're not
presented with a broadside shot, and due to the angle of the shot you must pass through the
paunch to get to the vitals!
I personally know of no deer that I, or my friends, have shot this year that were not
harvested! We do not take a shot if there isn't a kill shot presented.
We can all make bad shots, please strive not to take a bad shot! This is what the
Anti-hunters are looking for and talking about!
Sept. 16th Opening Night
I sat a new stand for the first time. Arrived at stand at 4:00 pm and set up. Very warm
day (75 degrees), with little or no wind.
5:00 - 3 does came through, browsing within 15 yards of me at their nearest point. They
fed for a while as they continued moving away from me.
5:25 - A doe with 2 fawns enters, the fawns have lost their spots but are still quite red in
color. The adult does have already lost their summer coat and are brown in color. They
were fun to watch, and eventually they moved on.
5:55 - 2 more adult does with 1 fawn come through. Same story as the last ones, they fed
while on their way through, and then moved on.
6:10 - 3 raccoons come through in single file, all about the same size, and they were
feeding on the acorns around my stand.
6:45 - 3 Adult does come in while the raccoons are still here. The deer and the raccoons
eat without bothering each other. This went on for about 15 minutes, then 2 of the
raccoons got into a little fight with each other. This startled the deer and caused them to
spook.
7:20 - A doe and fawn return ( I believe one that I saw earlier) and browse around my
stand until darkness starts to settle in.
I left my stand at 7:40 having seen 14 does and fawns, no bucks, and 3 raccoon. I saw a
lot of deer, but would have been nice to see at least one buck!
Sept. 17th
I sat a stand that I hunted the last few years and have had good success on. This stand
usually produces a lot of buck sightings for some reason.
3:30 - Arrived in stand
4:30 - A lone doe wanders through the area.
4:40 - A 3 point buck enters and pushes the doe out of the area. He walked within 15
yards of me, and hung in the area for about 15 minutes.
5:20 - A screwed up 6 point enters. He has 2 separate 7 inch spikes on his right side with
2 kicker tines, and a fork on his left. He was really a strange looking animal, one that
I've photographed with my camtrakker earlier while still in velvet. He meandered
around for a good 1/2 hour before departing.
6:15 - 2 bucks enter , a 3 point and a 4x2. The 4x2 comes right underneath me and starts
feeding. The 3 point kept at about 20 yards and circled, feeding the whole way. They left
after about 15 minutes.
6:45 - A double red-tagged bear enters and sits down within 15 yards of me. The red tags
mean that he's been captured twice before and relocated, what we call a nuisance bear.
If he gets into trouble 1 more time, he will be killed. He worked around my tree sniffing
the ground as though he might have smelled my presence. He eventually moved on.
I left my stand at 7:30, seeing 4 bucks, a doe, and 1 black bear (about 200 to 225 lbs.).
It's a start anyway!
Sept. 21st
I hunted the stand that I hunted on opening night,
the one with all the does and fawns.
5:00 - Got settled into stand
5:45 - A small 6 point buck enters and walks right underneath me. He browses around
for about 20 minutes then leaves.
6:20 - A doe and 2 fawns enters. The fawns are a button buck and a doe. The adult doe
is very wise and seems to pick me out in the tree, but doesn't spook. She just circled
completely around me while stomping her front foot into the ground. She knew
something wasn't right, but didn't wind me so she eventually calmed down. They stayed
in the area until dark.
6:45 - 2 more adult does came wandering through. Seems like they like this area due to
the fact that it's very concealed and quiet. They worked their way through the area.
7:00 - 2 adult does with 2 fawns each come through. They browse heavily on the acorns,
that are falling this last week, and work their way down the hill.
7:15 - A raccoon climbs down a tree about 15 yards from me. He was there the whole
time and I never noticed him.
7:25 - Starting to get dark, when 1 more adult doe comes through. Boy, I sure wish there
were some bucks to go with these does!!!
I leave the stand at 7:40, having seen one 6 point buck, and 12 does and fawns, and 1
raccoon.
September 24th
I sat my new stand that I placed on the 22nd. It sits in the middle of Hardwoods, and is
where the recent Camtrakker photos were taken from. The stand sits 30' high, in order
to be in at least some cover.
I arrived at the stand late, due to the fact that the photos were mostly taken during the
evening. I really didn't expect to see much until near dark conditions.
5:30 - Arrived at stand
6:20 - A large doe, with a smaller doe, and a 5 point all entered together. The 5 point
worked himself in a half circle around my stand and never sensed my presence. The 2
does just browsed their way through the hardwoods. The buck presented me with a good
shot, but he was too small to satisfy me, and I passed him up. He wandered off slowly.
6:45 - An 8 point buck approached me from the opposite direction that the other deer
had come from. He came within 15 yards of me. He was a small 8 point, with an 11 inch
spread. I decided to pass this buck up too, because of his small tines and small spread.
He continued on his way out of my sight.
7:15 - Just as darkness was settling in 3 deer made their way up the trail and walked
right underneath me. It was a doe with 2 fawns. They continued down the trail.
7:20 - Getting pretty dark now, but I hear a buck approaching. He is working his horns
in the brush, but as he approaches me, it's too dark to get a good look at him. He follows
the same path that the doe and fawns took, and continues down the trail.
7:30 - I quietly left my stand, having seen 3 bucks,3 does, and 2 fawns.
September 25th
I hunted the same stand as the night before, only I got into the stand a little earlier
tonight.
5:00 - Got settled into the stand.
6:55 - A Spike and a 4 Pointer entered from the South. They were in my area for about 3
minutes, when another deer approached quickly from the West.
6:58 - The 8 Pointer that I saw the night before entered. He was greeted by the 4
Pointer, and they began to bump their antlers together. The 4 Pointer was definitely the
dominant one, because the 8 Pointer backed away after just a bit of fighting.
The 8 Pointer made his way to the Spike and proceeded to challenge him. They fought
for just a few pushes and the Spike realized that he was no match for the 8 Pointer.
The 4 Pointer kept coming over to the other 2 bucks to reaffirm his dominance, and the
other bucks kept running away from him.
The 4 Pointer and 8 Pointer got into it a couple more times with the same result, the 4
Pointer won. Eventually they all made their way together and continued down the trail.
That is all I saw tonight, and I left my stand at 7:25.
September 26th
Hunted the stand with all the does and fawns. Threatening rain.
Not much to state for this evening. Arrived in stand at 4:30 and didn't see a deer until
7:10. The deer were a doe and fawn. They walked through and that is all I saw. Left
stand at 7:20
September 27th
I sat the same stand that I sat on the 25th
4:30 - Arrived in stand
6:55 - The 10" spread 8 point entered and fed in the area.
7:10 - A doe and fawn entered, causing the buck to move on. They stayed in the area
until dark. I left my stand at 7:30
October 1st
Sat my newer hunting spot, with all the Bucks.
Arrived at stand at 4:15
6:50 - Had a Spike Buck enter and browse the area for about 5 minutes. He then went
and made a rub about 30 yards from my stand. Then he moved on. Got dark at 7:20,
and I left.
I think I'm going to pull this stand, because I feel that either the deer are starting to
pattern me, or they are sensing my presence.
I'm checking out a new spot, and will probably set up a stand there. Next log entry
should be from there.
October 4th
I gave my buck stand 1 last try before pulling it.
Pretty much had the same action as the night of the 1st, 1 Spike buck entered as
darkness was settling in. I'm going to pull this stand tomorrow.
I checked out the photos from the new stand location that I have found. So far there is
only a fork, a 6 point, and a spike buck, along with a few does and fawns. Not too
promising, but it's early yet. I'll keep checking for a new spot, and return with the
information from that one!
October 6th
No hunting today, just did some scouting, and placed a stand in a new area.
October 8th
Sat my new stand!
Arrived in stand at 3 pm. Temperature was cold (38 degrees) and was expected to get
down in the 20's tonight.
5:00 - A lone doe came through the main trail. She seemed to take her time, as she
browsed on small oak trees and found some acorns.
5:20 - A small button buck that just happened to get a very small set of spikes his first
year entered. His spikes were only about an inch long, but he was quite fat for such a
young deer. He forced the doe out of the area, and then he tried working his small
antlers in the brush. Didn't have too much success though! He moved on after about 15
minutes.
6:45 - Darkness is just settling in when a 4 Pointer comes down the trail. He stopped
short and seemed to sense that something wasn't quite right. He circled around my
stand, but kept his distance. By the time he got close it was getting too dark to shoot,
although I wouldn't have shot him anyway. Just then 2 raccoon came down the trail and
spooked the buck away!
7:15 - I left my stand.
October 11th
I spent most of the day scouting the new area I'm in. I plan to sit in my new stand
tonight, and quite possibly take a medium sized buck, due to the fact that I've been so
busy to get out in the woods. I also have a lot of other things going on, so time is limited!
4:15 - Arrived in stand
5:30 - A 5 pointer and a 6 pointer arrive together under my stand. The 5 is just a scrub 5
pointer (not worth shooting) but the 6 pointer has a decent body size and a medium rack.
5:30 to 6:00 - The 2 bucks work around my stand. The 5 pointer always seems to give
me the broadside shot, but the 6 pointer is always angling away too much!
6:10 - The 6 pointer finally gives me the shot that I've been waiting for. He is only 8
yards away and is pretty much broadside.
I decided to draw on him, if he spotted me then so be it, he would just spook and keep
my tag open to shoot a bigger one. I drew and he held his position, instinct took over and
I laid my pin on his vitals and released. The arrow completely passed through him, and
was a good hit. He ran for about 30 yards into the brush, then a little thrashing and
everything got quiet. I believed that he dropped right there.
I gave him about an hour before leaving my stand at dark. I returned in about an hour,
and was surprised not to find him in the area I thought he would be! I blood trailed him
across the trail, and for a total of about 100 yards before finding him.
The arrow entered where I wanted it to, but he must have spun slightly during the shot.
The arrow passed through one lung and left his body at the very bottom of his
diaphram. This was a little farther back than I thought I would find the exit hole.
Let this be a lesson to you all! Regardless of where you think you hit your deer, always
give him at least 2 hours before starting on the track! Sometimes the eyes play tricks on
us, and your arrow took a different path than you thought!
I will continue to scout and hunt, but my buck tag is filled now. Most of my available
time will be used for scouting areas for the rifle season! I will continue to fill out my log
when any new information arises!
October 12 through the 23rd
I have spent alot of time scouting, looking for that perfect spot for the rifle season. I
have also set up the stand location for my 14 year old Daughter (Ashley). She is planning
to hunt the T-Zone Hunt on the 26th.
One good thing I can say about the T-Zone Hunt is that it provides a good opportunity to
take a child out and introduce them to the joys of hunting. Even if the child has hunted
before, it is always good when you can spend some quality time with them.
Ashley has harvested 1 deer (a doe) 2 years ago. Last year she decided to only shoot a
buck, and was unsuccessful. This early season will allow her to go out in warmer
weather, and harvest a doe. This will allow her to have more patience during the regular
gun season to wait for that buck.
I will be back with the information from Ashley's T-Zone Hunt on the 26th.
October 26th & 27th
My step father in law (Dale) came to visit, just getting back from Texas. He didn't know
about the 4 day-Doe only-T Zone Hunt that had just started today. He purchased a
license and asked if I would help him in bagging a deer or two. I said "sure".
I placed him on a trail in the morning that overlooked a small red pine plantation and is
bordered by a brushy, pulped out grassland. He sat for 3 hours in the morning and
didn't see anything. I had sat a 1/2 mile away from him and saw 2 bucks(a fork and a 6
pointer) and 1 large doe that was running about 200 yards away from me. I didn't have a
good shot at the doe so decided not to take the shot.
In the afternoon, I picked up my 14 year old Daughter "Ashley" from school, and
brought her out to the stand I had placed for her. While Ashley sat the stand, Dale and I
went to a trail a little ways away and sat. We heard Ashley shoot once at 5:40, and
figured she had a deer down. We stayed on stand until about 15 minutes before dark,
then proceeded to go to Ashley's stand. Ashley had made a nice shot on a button buck,
and it laid only 5 yards from where she had shot it. Ashley was happy to get the deer, but
was disappointed that it was a fawn and not an adult deer. She has had a hard time
judging the sizes of deer, and we have been working on it. Experience will be the best
teacher.
On the 27th, Dale and I went out in the afternoon and I placed him on the stand where
Ashley had shot her deer. Dale told me that if I see a doe (big or small) to shoot it,
because there is no guarantee that he is going to see one.
I proceeded to go to the spot that Dale and I had sat the night before. At about 5:45, I
had 2 doe fawns come up the trail, with nothing behind them. I remembered what Dale
had said, and had not heard him shoot, so I decided to shoot both of the does. First one I
shot in the neck right under the chin, and the 2nd one was shot in the heart. The deer
were only 35 yards away, which is why I was able to take these meticulous shots. I
waited until dark and met up with Dale. He did not see anything, and was glad I shot the
deer for him.
So ends our T-Zone Hunt!
October 31st through November 5th
Continued to scout new areas. Lots of rubs and scrapes out there!! Looks like there are
going to be a few bucks around this Rifle Season. Rifle Season opens in a few weeks,
and I placed a new stand up for Ashley to sit on opening day. There were 4 scrapes and
numerous rubs in the area, so she should have a great chance at a buck, I hope!
I will continue to scout for a few other areas, so as not to be pinned down to one or two
stands.
November 10 through the 12th
On the 10th, I went and did a little more scouting around the stand that I placed for
Ashley. I was very distressed to find that someone had come in and placed their stand 60
yards from hers, and was sitting on the trail that leads into our stand. This would
basically lessen her chances to nil, of getting first crack at a decent buck.
I wasn't sure what to do in this case, because obviously he hadn't seen our stand. I
decided to leave a note on his stand, and let him know that we had a stand 60 yards
from him. I explained the fact that I had thoroughly scouted the area for signs of stands
or other hunters (and found none), prior to setting my stand. I told him that I was
planning to set my 14 year old daughter on my stand on opening day. I asked him if he
could see his way clear to move his stand, so as not to interfere with my daughter. I also
left him my name and phone number, and told him to call me if there was a problem. I
pinned the note on his stand, in hopes that he would find it this weekend.
I went out on the 12th, to see if the note was still there, it wasn't. I haven't received a
call from him, and am still in hopes that he will not be there on opening day. I do plan
on getting into the stand quite early on opening day, before he arrives, and hope that if
he does come in that he will turn a round and leave once he realizes that she is there.
Just in case, I placed a stand on the opposite side of him, which I plan to be sitting in if
he does come in past her, and continues to his stand. I am clearly visible to him, and
hope that once he realizes that he's boxed in, he will decide to leave at that point.
I don't know what more I can do. I try to be as nice as possible, but I really hate it when
someone else invades my hunting area. I was trying to tap into his Hunting Ethics, and
respect the first come first serve policy. I also thought he would have some consideration
for a father and daughter hunting together. Only time will tell, and I'll keep you
informed.
November 16th
I went out to the stand I had left the note on. I wrote on the 4th step of his homemade
ladder stand (<---Stand 40 yards and Stand 60 Yards --->). I thought that if he showed
up, that he may see this,in case he never saw the note I had left him.
November 18th, Opening Day of Rifle Deer Season!
My daughter, Ashley, and I entered our stands at 5:30 am. We sat about 100 yards
apart, but were hunting different areas. There was no sign of the man in the other stand,
which was good. It started getting light around 6:45 am., although there was moonlight
and you actually could have identified a buck at close range when we arrived.
I hadn't seen a deer up to 8:15, when a group made a drive right through our hunting
spot. I got down after the drive and went to talk to Ashley, to see how she was doing.
She said that she had a Spike Buck and a Doe in easy shooting range, but had passed
them up. She was warm enough and wanted to stay in the stand. I returned to mine.
At 10:15 a man walked in (kicking a small doe by me) and proceeded to go right to the
ladder stand which sat between Ashley and I. He didn't see me until he had reached his
stand, and still proceeded to climb into his stand. This irritated me that he would still go
in his stand knowing that there was a hunter 40 yards from him.
I continued to sit quietly for about an hour when I decided to get down and let the
hunter know that I was going to inform my daughter (who was 60 yards from him) that
he was there, so she wouldn't throw any bullets this way. I walked about 30 yards from
his stand and yelled up at her to get down and we would get some lunch and come right
back.
I had said this loud enough for the other hunter to hear, in hopes that he would realize
that he was boxed in. It worked, and he left his stand. I didn't like to do this, but I
couldn't understand why he decided to sit his stand anyway with us there. Also due to
the fact that he didn't yell at us, he obviously had gotten my note.
Ashley had not seen anything else since I had talked with her last, and she got down
from her stand. She had hurt her knee in a basketball game the night before, and I was
actually surprised that I got her out at all this morning. Her knee was really bothering
her, so she decided not to hunt the afternoon.
I hunted a different stand this afternoon, and to make a long story short-- I saw a Doe, a
button buck, and about 6 grouse. Nothing to shoot at, but fun to watch the button buck
trying to fight off the grouse!
I talked to Lance, who hunts with the Denninger crew, and they harvested 1 Spike Buck
on the first drive of the day. That was the only Buck that they pushed all day. Doug
Denninger Sr. stood the evening hunt and shot a 3 point. Lance stood the evening hunt
and passed up a half rack that had come in very early. He had sat that stand last week
and seen several nice Bucks, so he didn't want to settle for the half rack.
November 19th
Ashley and I returned to the stands that we had sat the day before. It was a quiet
afternoon to sit, with about 5 inches of fresh snow on the ground and continuing all day.
Ashley saw a doe during the last hour of light, I saw nothing. Not a very productive spot
yet, but with all the buck sign there, I know it's only a matter of time. We left the stand
at about 5:00 pm.
Doug Denninger Jr. shot a nice 8 point buck during their driving today!
November 20th
I had to work today to catch up. The Denningers crew (who mostly make deer drives)
shot 2 smaller Bucks today. They now have 5 on their Buck Pole.
November 21st
I set Ashley on a new stand this afternoon. I worked my way up the logging road and
found a good looking spot to sit.
Ashley saw 3 Does and 1 button buck. I walked within 40 yards of a lying down doe
fawn, before she got up and ran. I also saw 1 other small doe. Still no horns yet!!
I talked with Lance again tonight, and the Denninger crew shot 3 more bucks today,
including a nice 10 pointer that was shot by Lance. That makes 8 on their Buck Pole!
November 22nd
Ashley and I sat the stands that we sat on opening morning. Was not a very productive
day, and neither Ashley or I saw any deer today.
I had to work on the 23rd. November 24th
Ashley sat the swamp stand and saw a total of 6 Does and 2 grouse. Still no bucks!! I sat
the edge of the same swamp, but further up the road, and saw nothing but 3 squirrels!
We plan on sitting both of our stand locations early tomorrow, in hopes to cover twice
the area. We'll see what happens.
November 25th
I set Ashley on our North stand, and I went and sat the swamp stand. We arrived at our
stands around 6:20 am. I had a group of drivers come through at 8:00 am. Hadn't seen
anything up till that point, but the drivers did kick a doe past me. Other than that, I saw
nothing that morning.
Ashley saw nothing from her stand that morning either. We decided to head in around
11:00 am. and try it again in the evening.
We traded stands for the evening hunt, and Ashley saw 3 Does. I had a small doe fawn
come in, and bed down 20 yards in front of me. We sure aren't having much luck with
the Bucks!!
November 26th final day of the season!
We were tied up in the morning, and Ashley had Basketball practice in the afternoon, so
her hunting season was unfortunately over.
I sat the afternoon in a new location. I didn't have a stand up, so I climbed up a large
Norway Pine and sat on a limb at about 40 ft. high. I saw 6 grouse and 5 squirrels, but
no deer! What a way to end the season!
Although neither Ashley or I harvested a deer, it was a very enjoyable time. Ashley had
an opportunity at a Buck opening day, but passed it up. She saw plenty of does and
fawns, and enjoyed herself also.
There is nothing saying that you have to harvest a deer to have a successful season.
There are alot of memories or sharing your time with your kids, that you can't beat. I
hope next year we have better luck, but all we can do now is plan for the next season.
I will post pictures of the buck pole of the Denninger crew, and give a rundown of their
deer, and the Waggoner crew. Until next year!!
Thanks for viewing my log!
There's more to come so keep on checking back!
Mr- Whitetail
