Live from the field 2021-2022

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
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isitseasonyet?
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby isitseasonyet? » Sun Sep 19, 2021 1:17 pm

I haven’t found a target buck, or any sign that gets me excited. I’ll be running cams, glassing, and scouting with the bow in hand until I find something!

Good luck fellas!


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greenhorndave
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby greenhorndave » Sun Sep 19, 2021 1:18 pm

Ok, I had a fun hunt. Nothing in the back of the truck, but it was fun.

New place. Been here twice scouting around the fringes. I was waiting until season to check out the stuff I was really interested in. And today was the day.

Got moving where I wanted and bumped a small herd of does/fawns. Kept going and stopped to set a cam. Kept moving and was starting to set up on a tree when I caught movement in front of me. Two or three does in this little draw. I had the wind in my favor tho, so I was good.

At that point, I decided to go all THP and sneak toward where they traveled for an impromptu ground-and-pound. I moved slow because I didn't know what was around... The sight lines were not great. I got partway there and more deer appeared at about 45 yards. Darker hair. Then all of a sudden they busted. There was no way they winded me, but then I saw what it was. Two two-year olds were sparring. This wasn't a tickling of the antlers, these boys were putting their backs into their work.

I thought about sneaking closer, but just then a deer came up on my six, saw me and blew. Didn't really affect the boys, but they did move off after a minute or so. I think a few other deer came in above them and shortly after. It was like the punchy sparring session brought all kinds of observers in.

I don't think I'd have shot either of the two-year olds, but it was a fun encounter. And my Intel got a serious boost. Probably about 10 deer in total.

Couple other things. The wind was interesting. I had a quartering away prevailing wind, but a big drop off to one side, then the draw where the deer were. Even 1/3 down towards the draw, the wind was still pulling up and over the drop off. Is this normal? I would have expected it go down the draw, but it almost seemed like the drop off had a bigger effect on the thermals.

Lastly, the moon was nearly full. And just coming over the horizon. Forget the overhead / underfoot thing tonight. They were on the move, maybe just not in the open. And I always thought near full moons were bad for evening movement. Again, not tonight. Busted a couple of my own personal myths. (now, these weren't mature animals, but they were still super active)

PS - sorry to hear about your dog, Autiger. I hope all turns out well, but let us know.
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headgear
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby headgear » Sun Sep 19, 2021 1:39 pm

Covered some ground today and found some good stuff but it had rained a couple of days ago and most ot it was older sign but for sure circling back to these areas. Bumped a two year old and wasted a little too much time hoping he had a bigger friend but no luck. Never even got to break in the beast stand on a proper set but no big deal.
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby Autiger » Sun Sep 19, 2021 1:59 pm

greenhorndave wrote:Ok, I had a fun hunt. Nothing in the back of the truck, but it was fun.

New place. Been here twice scouting around the fringes. I was waiting until season to check out the stuff I was really interested in. And today was the day.

Got moving where I wanted and bumped a small herd of does/fawns. Kept going and stopped to set a cam. Kept moving and was starting to set up on a tree when I caught movement in front of me. Two or three does in this little draw. I had the wind in my favor tho, so I was good.

At that point, I decided to go all THP and sneak toward where they traveled for an impromptu ground-and-pound. I moved slow because I didn't know what was around... The sight lines were not great. I got partway there and more deer appeared at about 45 yards. Darker hair. Then all of a sudden they busted. There was no way they winded me, but then I saw what it was. Two two-year olds were sparring. This wasn't a tickling of the antlers, these boys were putting their backs into their work.

I thought about sneaking closer, but just then a deer came up on my six, saw me and blew. Didn't really affect the boys, but they did move off after a minute or so. I think a few other deer came in above them and shortly after. It was like the punchy sparring session brought all kinds of observers in.

I don't think I'd have shot either of the two-year olds, but it was a fun encounter. And my Intel got a serious boost. Probably about 10 deer in total.

Couple other things. The wind was interesting. I had a quartering away prevailing wind, but a big drop off to one side, then the draw where the deer were. Even 1/3 down towards the draw, the wind was still pulling up and over the drop off. Is this normal? I would have expected it go down the draw, but it almost seemed like the drop off had a bigger effect on the thermals.

Lastly, the moon was nearly full. And just coming over the horizon. Forget the overhead / underfoot thing tonight. They were on the move, maybe just not in the open. And I always thought near full moons were bad for evening movement. Again, not tonight. Busted a couple of my own personal myths. (now, these weren't mature animals, but they were still super active)

PS - sorry to hear about your dog, Autiger. I hope all turns out well, but let us know.


Sounds like a very exciting hunt!

Thanks for the kind words regarding my pup, it’s tough seeing them get old, especially when he helped me through some very dark days of my divorce 6 years ago. I owe it to him to stay out of the woods and take care of him. I am assuming that it was a pressure change that flared up his arthritis and a soft tissue injury he got last fall.
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby Zonk54 » Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:05 pm

My son shot his first deer today during IA youth season. 60 yard shot. Set up on oaks and an apple tree.
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seazofcheeze
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:09 pm

Zonk54 wrote:My son shot his first deer today during IA youth season. 60 yard shot. Set up on oaks and an apple tree.


Congrats to the young man and Dad for getting him started early! A memory I'm sure he won't soon forget :clap:
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby Moose » Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:14 pm

Zonk54 wrote:My son shot his first deer today during IA youth season. 60 yard shot. Set up on oaks and an apple tree.

Congrats!! That's a special deer. :clap:
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby Moose » Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:16 pm

October 1st can't come fast enough. Especially reading these posts! :roll:
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby Wihunter95 » Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:29 pm

Congrats on a first deer!

I ended up having a lone deer sneak onto the island I was on after dark when I just got down and started packing up. It spooked and didn't see what it was.
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby mag1 » Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:34 pm

5 minutes, that’s the how my day went. 5 minutes earlier this morning, and I should have had a doe, I was pulling my bow up when she went by at 5yds, seen a large spike in velvet at 6:50. All on a new public spot. This afternoon I went into a general area I have hunted, but a new spot in it I found last year late season. 5 minutes before close, a doe fawn came out, way to small to take, 5 minutes after close, 2 does came thru, one huge one. Bow was lowered, and I was packing up. Not to bad for an opener. I do have to say, it was very wet this morning, the dew was so heavy I got soaked going in. This afternoon, the mosquitoes where pretty bad as well. Good thing for a head net. Thermo cell wouldn’t keep up.
Last edited by mag1 on Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby Lockdown » Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:36 pm

Congrats to you and your son Zonk!


With 15 minutes of light left I ended up having a doe and spike buck work their way out of the tree line (private) into the alfalfa. Then right at closing time I had a yearling 8 pointer read the script. He did the exact thing I was hoping the big fella would do. Fun encounter at 10 yards on the ground. He didn’t look my way once.

Then on the way out I could see some more deer in the alfalfa. I didn’t want them to catch my wind so I made a few unnatural sounding whistling noises and they confusedly trotted off :whistle: It was super hard to see but I think one was the same buck my dad saw last night. The wacky racked buck.

Kids are at my parents overnight so I’m going to set up an a.m. observation and hope to catch the drop tine heading back to bed.

Tyler’s hunt ended up not panning out. Bunch of bucks there yesterday, none today :think:
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby Tim H » Sun Sep 19, 2021 2:39 pm

This evening I was setup on a transition between an alder swamp and a hardwoods. I saw two does and two fawns. I didn’t pick the best tree and it cost me getting busted by one of the does. It was the first time ever in there so I’ll have to scout it better when I get a chance. Overall it was a fantastic opening day!
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby mobymikeguide » Sun Sep 19, 2021 3:07 pm

Wow so good to be out with bow in hand. 4 bucks within 60 yards, was hunting on the ground passed a smaller 10 at 8 yards. So fun to be at full draw again, the worries of the world just melted away. I was one with the wild, I beleive ol Fred said something about cleansing the soul....he was right.
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Sun Sep 19, 2021 3:13 pm

Congrats Zonk54 :dance: :dance:

Nothing for me. Felt great to be back in a tree. I like the Beast stand :D
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Re: Live from the field 2021-2022

Unread postby Thesouthpaw » Mon Sep 20, 2021 1:29 am

I'm jealous of all you Wisco guys. Still have a week until "go time" here in WV. Good luck to everyone s the season progesses.
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