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 killshot 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!
So far this preseason I've done a bit of scouting, and picked out a few new hunting locations.
I have been placing the Camtrakker out a bit and have a nicer Buck who decided to get his
picture taken. Hopefully he will still be around come the "Opener."
I have a few pictures of nicer Bucks that I've photographed at my other stand locations!
Below are just a couple of them. An 8 Pointer and a 10 Pointer, both at the same stand
location.
Opening night! September 15th- I sat my favorite stand tonight. Got in the tree around 4:00
pm. This stand has the two 8 Pointers in the photos above.
Around 5:30 I had a Doe and Nubby Buck come in. They browsed for a while, and at 6:00
pm. two Bucks, a Spike and a 5 Point, came in. This spooked the Doe and Nubby out of
there. The Bucks stayed in the area, giving numerous shots, but too small for me to take.
They eventually moved on.
6:45- A Doe with 2 fawns came in and fed for a while, they continued on their way eventually.
No more deer in tonight.
September 16th- I sat the same stand as last night, hoping to see either of the two 8 Pointers.
No such luck! Just saw the 5 Pointer, a smaller Doe, and the Doe and 2 fawns again. Gonna
try a different stand tomorrow.
September 17th- I sat a new stand tonight. This is the stand that had the 8 Pointer in velvet
(close-up) above. I got in the stand at 3:00 pm. and sat until 8:00. The only thing I saw was a
rabbit and 3 partridge. Not very exciting, and got a sore rump by sitting so long. It was a
cloudy, threatening rain, night. Didn't seem to be too much moving.
A friend of mine, Larry, shot a very nice 12 Pointer last night!
September 18th- I didn't get a chance to hunt tonight, but I did receive a call to go help on a
blood trail. Carol (Lances Mom) shot the second deer she has ever shot with a bow. She just
started bow hunting 2 years ago.
Carol shot the deer around 7:00 pm. and we (Lance, Bill, Carol, and myself) met her 2 hours
later to discuss exactly what was remembered about the shot. What the distance was, the
angle of the shot, where the shot was placed, and the reaction of the deer after it was shot.
She said she believed it was a 7 pointer, although she doesn't like to look at the points. She
said the shot was a good one and believed it hit the chest at a broadside angle. The Buck ran
off, down a hill towards a swamp and then it got quiet.
We arrived at her stand at 9:00 pm. and started on the track. We had a good blood trail, but
due to the low poundage of her bow, 38 lbs., she only had an entry wound and no exit wound.
We tracked the Buck for approximately 90 yards, when we heard it get up from a bed ahead
of us. Right then and there we decided to back off and resume the track in the morning.
Pushing the deer would only result in loosing the blood trail, and if left alone it may die right
in its' bed.
We resumed the blood trail at 7:00 am. the next morning. We found several beds along the
way and realized that we were pushing the deer. Still having good blood and plenty of light,
we decided to continue the track. We ended up tracking this Buck for about 1 1/2 miles. We
almost lost the trail once, when the deer back tracked for 50 yards and headed in a different
direction. We ended up walking up to the deer in its' bed, still alive and looking at us. We
had asked Carol to bring her bow with her, which she did. She placed a final shot into the
buck which was all it took.
The Buck ended up being a nine Pointer, and the initial shot was in the briscuit, ahead of the
front leg. The Buck basically bled to the point of weakening, without the arrow actually
penetrating the chest cavity, which allowed us to catch up with him.
There are some lessons to be learned from this experience:
Your eyes can play tricks on you as far as the angle and the shot placement.
Never push a wounded deer initially, give it some time to die.
If all else fails and you have a good blood trail, then you can try to push it.
Always carry your bow along on a track.
Keep looking ahead while your on a track, as the deer may be laying down.
Always get experienced help on a track.
I am convinced that there are many wounded deer that are lost, due to improper and poor
tracking techniques. Make sure you do it right!
September 19th- I hunted a new stand that I have got a few pictures of some decent Bucks. It
had just rained and the woods were still wet. The sky was clearing and the wind was picking
up, so I figured the woods would dry out a little.
Wasn't much happening tonight. I heard 2 deer, but never saw them. I heard a deer snort
about 100 yards upwind from me, and couldn't figure out what she was snorting at. Left my
stand at dark.
September 20th- I sat the stand I sat on the first 2 nights. I basically saw the same deer (5
Point, Spike Buck, and 3 Does). Nothing new or bigger tonight. I left the stand around 7:45
pm.
Doug Denninger's son (Derek) went on his first Bowhunt. He has been practicing, took the
Hunters Safety Course, and now headed to the woods. Below is a picture of the first Bowkill!!
September 22nd- I sat the same stand I sat on the 19th. It was spitting rain and windy. I was
trying to decide whether I wanted to be in a tree in the rain, but figured it was that or sit in
the easy chair. I entered the stand at 5:00, and it was still sprinkling a bit.
At 6:00 I had 2 does come through at about 40 yards, and they kept going.
At 6:45 I had 2 more does come up from behind me and browse at about 30 yards (possibly
the same does).
At 7:00 it began raining pretty hard!
Nothing else happened tonight, getting kind of discouraged by not seeing any Bucks.
September 23rd- I sat the stand that I had the pictures of the 2 nicer Bucks. I settled into the
stand at 4:00. It was quite windy and a cold front had come in. The temperature was around
55 degrees and going to get colder.
I saw the 5 point Buck, and 4 does and fawns, between 4:00 and 6:30.
The temperature was dropping and I realized that I didn't have enough clothes on, was
getting pretty chilly.
At 7:00 I stood up to stretch my legs and warm up, when I heard a noise from the North. It
was quite close and I could see it was a Buck. Afraid to move and possibly spook the deer, I
stayed standing. It was one of the nicer 8 Pointers which walked right in front of me at 8
yards away, but not giving a clear shot. I waited, and he eventually came out into an opening
at about 15 to 20 yards away. I decided to take the shot and drew my bow. I was so cold and
stiff that it seemed that I was pulling a 100 lb. bow back. When I finally got it back I realized
that there was a problem with my broadhead. My particular bow has a very small window
and the broadhead has to be turned the right way to clear it. The broadhead wasn't turned
correctly for some reason, and I had felt it drag the window at the end of my draw. I had to
make a decision as whether to attempt the shot, or release my draw and correct the problem.
I felt that I would make too much noise releasing, so I took the shot.
Sorry to say but the arrow flew right over the top of its' back. I couldn't believe it. He
jumped and ran about 15 yards then stopped. I remained very quiet and he just seemed to
walk away slowly acting like nothing had happened. This is possibly a good sign that he may
be back. Lets hope!
The following day I noticed that there was a screw missing from one of the pulleys on my
bow, which may have contributed to the miss. I'm not making excuses, I screwed up, but it
possibly had something to do with it. Who knows?
September 24th- I sat the same stand as last night, hoping to get another chance at the 8
Pointer.
I had 2 does come in early (5:30), a 4 point at around 5:45, and a doe and fawn at 6:15. The 5
Pointer showed up at 6:45, and a doe at 7:10.
The 8 never showed up. Have to keep trying this spot, but don't want to oversit it either.
By the way, I picked up my Camtrakker today from a new location and I have a nice Buck
working there too. This will be another one of my stand locations, but I don't have the stand
placed yet. Here is a photo of the nice 9 Pointer, too bad he never grew his 10th point!!
September 25th- I put up a new stand at the location where the 9 Point Buck above was
taken. I darn near cut my finger off with the limb saw, and proceeded to bleed all over the
tree as I was hanging the stand. I hope it was worth it.
I settled in the stand early at around 3:30 pm. I had deer in within 10 minutes of my sitting
down. All in all I saw 11 Does and fawns.Three of the fawns have got their brown coat and
have lost their spots, but there was one that was still red, with all of its' spots. There were 2
huge does, and one was the prettiest doe I have ever seen. Its' back was almost jet black and
her coat is a very dark brown with blackened shadows.
No Bucks tonight, and had a deer snort just before I was going to leave my stand. Don't
know what she was snorting at, but it was sure loud in the quietness of the darkened woods.
September 26th- I sat the stand where I missed the 8 pointer. I had a small 4 point Buck
come in early, followed later by 4 does. The 8 pointer didn't come in. I think it's just having
to be here when he does come in, which I still feel is going to happen.
September 27th- I sat my new stand that I put up 2 days ago. My finger is still hurting and I
have a splint on it to help with the healing. I can still shoot a bow if I have to. Lets hope that
I have to!!
I settled into the stand at 4:30 and had my first deer in at 5:15. It was a doe and a fawn,
which didn't surprise me. They ate a while and left. About 15 minutes later a doe and 2 fawns
came in. The doe spotted me in the tree but couldn't figure out what I was. She soon settled
down and went back to browsing. Those deer left, and another doe came in from a different
direction. Where are all the Bucks??
No Bucks tonight, and once again a deer snorted just shortly before leaving my stand. I'm
starting to wonder if there is another hunter hunting close to me, and the deer are hearing
him getting out of his stand. I can't hear him, and I am sure that I am scent protected, so feel
that it isn't me they are snorting at.
September 28th- I sat the stand that I missed the 8 Pointer at. I still hope he is going to come
back.
I sat from 4:30 till 7:35 and only saw 2 does and a fawn. Kind of slow tonight. I did hear
what sounded like 2 deer run off from behind me as I was climbing down my tree. Could
have been the nice Bucks, but also could have been the doe and fawn from earlier. I wish
they would have come in a little earlier!!
September 29th- I sat the stand where the nice 9 Pointer was photographed.
I had a doe and fawn come in around 6:15, and then proceeded to watch them get spooked by
a black bear that was coming in. The bear sat down and ate, so I quietly worked a limb off
the tree I was in and then threw it at the bear. He spooked away for about 15 minutes and
did a circle around me. He came back in from behind me and sat on the ground just watching
me. @#*! BEAR!! I stood up to let him see I was a human, and he again ran out of there, but
didn't go far. I stayed on stand until dark, and decided to leave the woods to the bear.
ps. I did have deer snort in the distance when the bear was there, so I figure that is what the
deer from the 2 previous nights here were snorting at.
October 1st- I sat the same stand as September 29th.
Not much different tonight. I saw 2 does and a fawn. I also could have shot a partridge
(grouse). At least the bear didn't show up tonight!
The weather has been so nice that the deer aren't moving much till dark. I am hoping for
some cooler and windier conditions, which is supposed to happen in a couple of days. That is
when the Bucks seem to move a little earlier.
October 3rd- I sat the stand where I missed the 8 pointer. I hate calling it that!!
The weather was cooler with the threat of rain. It had rained all day yesterday, and I was
hoping the deer would move earlier tonight.
I saw 3 does and 1 fawn. Not too exciting. The clouds seem to open up for a little sunshine,
which I hated to see. This seemed to put the deer back on their late schedule. I know that
according to the game tables, that this isn't the best time of the month to be out here. There is
a full moon and the major feed times are not great and too late in the evening.
By the way, I just wanted to mention that Lance has seen and passed up 21 different Bucks
so far. He has seen alot of smaller Bucks, with no real racks to speak of. At least he is seeing
some horns!! I think it's time to try something different, but what?
October 4th- I sat the same stand as Oct. 1st.
Same old thing, 2 does and a fawn and a partridge. Boy, what happened to all the Bucks? I
am going to have to check out some new stand locations and come back to these during the
rut.
October 5th- I didn't hunt tonight, due to too much work, but I did get a call to help on the
track of a friend's 8 pointer.
We were told that the shot was well placed, the deer was heard to run for about 40 yards, and
then got quiet. We started the track 4 hours after the shot.
When we arrived at the stand, we heard the noise of an animal moving in the brush where
the deer was last heard. We wondered if it was the wounded deer, another deer, or what. We
heard small trees getting broken and even thought it may be a bear. We started the track and
had sparse blood, although the arrow had passed through the deer and was full of good
blood. We only had to track the deer for approximately 40 yards, where we found it dead.
The Buck was an 8 point, with a smaller rack, but a huge body. We estimate the dressed
weight at around 175 lbs. The arrow had passed through both lungs and just caught the liver.
The noise that we had heard was indeed a bear, and verified by the bite hole that we found in
the deer. Obviously the deer had died quickly and the bear had just found, and started eating
on, the deer. Good thing we didn't wait any longer to start the track, as we wouldn't know
what we would have found left. We have never had this happen before, as far as kicking the
bear off a dead deer. Up here we have to deal with the wolves, but never really consider that
a bear will also eat on a deer.
October 6th- I sat my missed 8 Pointer stand.
Didn't see anything, due to the fact that I had another hunter come and set up 40 yards from
me. It is a long story, and I don't need to go into it.
October 7th-I sat my stand South of town, which I had the photos of the 8 and 10 Pointers.
It was a beautiful afternoon, although cold. The temperature was in the low 50's and gets
down to around 40 at dusk.
I had a doe and fawn come in around 6:30 and other than numerous bluejays, that was all I
saw.
It didn't really matter, as the hardwoods with the falling yellow leaves were so beautiful that
it was just a pleasure to be in the woods. It was an awful cold 6 mile trip back on the four
wheeler though!!!
October 9th- I sat my 9 Pointer stand. The weather was threatening rain, and the wind was
blowing moderately. Temps were cool, but comfortable.
I saw 1 partridge, the big doe and her fawn, and 2 other does. No Bucks to speak of. Just as I
was walking back to my truck at the end of the hunt it started to downpour rain, so I am glad
no Bucks came in, as the bloodtrail would have been washed away.
October 10th- I sat the missed 9 Pointer stand. The weather was quite windy, but I figured
that I couldn't shoot a Buck from my easy chair, so I decided to get out into the woods.
Nothing to speak of tonight, other than almost deciding to tie myself into the tree with my
drop string. I thought "YAHOO" several times, as the wind was whipping my tree around. I
knew there wouldn't be too much moving, but I thought the big Bucks might move a little
earlier. No such luck, didn't see a thing. It started to rain just as I was leaving the stand.
October 11th- I sat the 9 pointer stand again. The weather was 65 degrees and was going to
stay warm tonight.
I saw 3 partridge, the big doe and her fawn. Next time I come out here I am thinking about
leaving my bow in the truck and bringing my shotgun. Seems like a good spot for partridge!
I am going to take tomorrow off from hunting, and go out on Saturday and scout some new
areas. I am getting tired of seeing the same deer, with no Bucks among them. I know the
Bucks will be there a little later in October, so I am not giving up on those stands yet. Be
back after I scout the new areas!
October 12th and 13th- I went and scouted a couple of new areas. They looked promising,
and I found a few rubs and scrapes in the area.
The weather for these 2 days was rain, so it was a good time to do a little scouting. I decided
to start a deer bait in one of the locations, and plan to hang a stand there on Tuesday.
October 14th- I sat the missed 8 pointer stand.The weather was on and off rain, so didn't
really plan on shooting anything unless the rain quit.
I saw a smaller doe, and low and behold I SAW 2 BUCKS!! I was beginning to think that all
of the bucks had left the woods. It was a pair of 4 pointers, but regardless it was some horns.
Now all they have to do is get a little bigger.
October 15th- The weather was threatening rain, and I had alot of work to do today. I had
placed my camtrakker out yesterday on the 9 pointer stand, to see if he was still coming in. I
picked up the camera today, and there he was. Problem is that he is coming in at 10:00 pm.
It is still a good sign, and I know that there is a possibility of him coming in during the
daylight once the rut gets going a little stronger. Wish me luck, plan to hunt there tomorrow!
October 17th- I sat the 9 pointer stand, and crawled into my stand at 4:00 pm. Weather was
clear, though windy.
I had 4 does and 2 fawns come in tonight. I also had 2 partridge pay a visit.
No 9 pointer yet, but the rut is just beginning.
October 18th- I sat my missed 8 pointer stand tonight. (Still hate calling it that!!)
Shortly after climbing into the stand, I could hear that I had a bird hunter to the east of me
about 1/4 mile. I could hear him commanding his dog.
I had a doe and fawn come in from the North. Just as they were coming in, the bird hunter
shot and scared the deer away. Later I heard the hunter leave, so I felt a little more confident
in the stand.
I had 4 more does and fawns enter about an hour later, browsed around for a while then left.
I did find a real nice rub on a 6" pine tree while I was walking into the stand, so I know the
Bucks are still around.
October 19th- I sat my new stand tonight for the first time. Like I said, I had found a few
rubs and scrapes in the area so I felt confident that there were some Bucks around.
I entered my stand at 4:10 pm. and the rut is just coming on here. Bucks have started
chasing, although the does aren't ready yet.
Around 6:15 I had an 8 pointer come in. Nothing huge, about a 12" spread on him. He ate for
a while but had a tree between me and him, so no shot presented itself.
At 6:30 another 8 pointer (about the same size) worked his way into the area. The first Buck
went out to investigate the second one, and basically scared it away. The first 8 pointer then
returned to within 15 yards, still not giving me a shot.
At 6:35 a larger Buck came in and walked a circle around me. It was getting kind of dark so
couldn't get a good look at him. He was definitely a nicer buck, with good mass. He looked to
be possibly a 10 pointer, and judging his actions, he was the dominant Buck in the area. He
stayed downwind of me and the other 8 pointer. Seemed like he was just waiting for a doe to
come in, and wasn't interested in eating at all.
At 6:45 a doe entered from the upwind side and stopped short of the bait. The larger Buck
then pounced out of the brush downwind of her, and stopped about 30 yards from the doe. It
seemed like he was checking her out. She obviuosly felt very nervous about that, and ran off.
The larger Buck chased after her, and the 8 pointer began the chase too.
It worked out kind of good for me, because I didn't want to have to try leaving the stand with
all those bucks around. This way it cleared out the area and allowed me to leave. I plan on
coming back to this stand tomorrow with hopes that the bucks will be back, and hopefully a
little earlier. All in all it was a good night though, it's been a while since I've had the buck
action!!
October 20th- I sat the same stand as last night. The weather and wind was the same. It is a
weekend, so there is a little activity in this area due to bird hunters.
I got in the stand at 4:00, and had a bird hunter parked on the road. I knew there was some
activity in here today and didn't know what to expect to see tonight.
As it turned out, the hunter eventually left, but I never had anything come in but bluejays
and squirrels. Not very exciting compared to last night.
October 21st- I sat the missed 8 Pointer stand tonight. The weather was partly cloudy with a
chance of rain, which it did sprinkle a little bit. The wind was moderate.
Climbed into the stand at 4:00 pm. At around 6:15 I had 2 smaller does come in. They fed for
a while and darkness soon approached. No Bucks, although there are a few new scrapes
around my stand.
October 22nd- I sat my newer stand tonight. Hopefully it has been quiet here today, so the
deer will move normally. The weather was a South-East wind, and clear.
I got into the stand at 4:15 pm. I saw lots of bluejays and squirrels again. At 6:15, I had a doe
enter the bait. Very close behind her was a 6 pointer. He came in and seemed to get along
very well with the doe. He made a scrape and proceeded to come and eat with the doe. It
surprised me how well they got along, with the Buck only occasionally pushing the doe off.
I was also surprised at the Bucks behavior, as I had some fatal attractor doe pee out, and
also had 1 canister of Buck Stop "hot doe" out upwind of the bait. He never even seemed to
notice. They ate for about 15 minutes.
At 6:35 a bear decided to come in, and spooked the Buck and doe away. I left the stand at
6:45.
October 23rd- I sat the 9 pointer stand tonight. I have only one buck that I know of hitting
this bait, and that is the nice 9 pointer. There are plenty of does and fawns though.
I laid out a scent trail of Fatal doe pee on the trail leading to my stand. I also put a canister
of doe-in-heat in the mock scrape that I had made.
I got into the stand at 4:00, and 10 minutes later I had a fawn come in and eat. A few minutes
later another fawn came in, and the two fought a bit over the corn. At around 5:00, I noticed
a deer coming in on the scent trail I had laid down. My heart immediately went into my
throat thinking "could this be the 9 pointer?"
Click here to continue to Part 2
