CAn't win

[richhodg66]

We should be in the rut now and I've wanted to get out with the crossbow and try to get a good buck now that the freezer has two does in it.

This past week, my truck went in for a transmission rebuild. OK, we needed an SUV for the wife and planned to keep her old car, so just accelerated that a little so I'd have something for the weekend. Last year on this same weekend in October, had all kinds of deer come through the same stand I planned on being in.

Woke up at 4:00 AM yesterday to clear and 71 degrees, unbelieveable how warm. Went hunting anyway and spent all day on stand without seeing a deer, not a single one. It got up in the mid 80s and though not a bad day, lots of squirrels and little colorful songbirds, but after about the third hour, I started thinking of all the things I needed to be doing and wasn't, I hate it when that happens and doesn't very often when I'm hunting.

Weather forecast today was supposed to be even warmer so decided I'd sleep in, spend some time with the wife and do stuff around the house instead of spending another zero day. Slept in late and got up to let the dog out this morning and it's in the high 40s and overcast. I bet the deer are moving now, but it's late now and I've already committed to some things.

I hope next weekend is starting to act like Fall weather around here.

[4719dave]

wow ..you should have seen that rack ..right under your stand .I know its just like plowing snow never listen to the weather man good luck ..

[richhodg66]

At least next weekend, I should have my truck back. It ain't much, but even a small pickup is a better thing to hunt out of than a grocery getter.

I find myself in an unusual situation. Over the years, I've stopped caring much about racks, meat was the primary concern, but I have the itch this year to put a big one on the wall and the rut is the time to do it. Archery only until December, so that's how it's gotta be. We'll get a cold snap eventually.

[runfiverun]

my biggest buck come the day I borrowed the wifes new Tahoe to go move our boat into the storage unit [former hay rack] at her parents place.
Littlegirl went with me and we decided to go hunt the canyon a few miles from their place since it was getting late in the afternoon.

Oh Boy,,,,, you should have seen us trying to get that thing in the back of the Tahoe and not get blood on the carpet when all we had was some paper towels and a bath towel.
she wasn't near as mad as I thought she'd be :lol:

but I did have to pay $120.00 to get it detailed.

[richhodg66]

Well, spent some time doing a little reloading and shooting. Today sure would have been better for hunting than yesterday. Oh well, next weekend.

[Texas by God]

RunfiveRun- on our tenth anniversary (New Years Eve) Wife and I were dressed to the nines and going out to the Big City to celebrate. Being hunters and running early I threw my 22-250 in our minivan. We decided to cut thru our good neighbors pecan bottom and 15 minutes later my love had an ancient 21" 16 pt double drop tine buck down. We were late for our dinner reservations....and I'm STILL trying to figure out why I let HER shoot it! Hang in there Richhogd66.

[richhodg66]

Still have the height of the rut which I can hunt with the crossbow, two weeks of rifle season in December and then the last of bow season. Worst case, we have a few days of antlerless season in January. Trying hard to not eat any tags this year. Hoped to get a good one early this year so could focus on helping the boy get one during rifle season.

[runfiverun]

you just have to get out there when you can.
our deer here changed when they were moving and what they were doing 3 times during our 2 week hunt.
the moon probably had some influence but it was over shadowed by some snow storms that kept on moving through.
the heavy snow up high moved many of the deer down, and the moon meant they moved at night.
so you literally woke up one morning and the majority of the deer had changed location.
the numbers of deer I seen coming down the canyons dropped off dramatically and I then was hunting in a deer rich [hunter poor] environment much closer to my house.

[Smoke4320]

Its 75-80 here .. Muzzleloading came in Saturday .
I have hunted Sat Morning, evening , Sunday Evening and this morning have heard ..1 shot total
usually its a war zone

[TXGunNut]

Lots of deer moving last weekend at the lease I hunt but that was unusual, rut down there is still a month off so I still have plenty of time to work on my load and enjoy hunting stories. I still have a fair bit of venison in the freezer from last year so my hunting season will be over when the first critter hits the ground and quite honestly I'm hoping for a nice hog.

[taco650]

Just stay after it, go when you can and worry less about the transportation issue.

I don't have a truck or SUV. I drive a 1996 Camry but I still hunt. Last week I went to a buddy's lease mostly just to kill some time and make sure I remembered where it was because when I hunted it with him last year, he drove and it was dark and I wasn't paying that much attention. It was about 8:30-8:45 when I got there, sun already up and about 65 degrees. I was sitting there checking my Instagram account about 9:30, thinking about leaving when a herd of does came walking by. I shot one of the lead ones and then realized the fun was over ha ha! I just skin them out enough to quarter & get back straps and put the meat in clean plastic bags and drag the rest into the brush for the buzzards to get. Keeps the amount of blood down in the car.

[white eagle]

rut should be coming on in full here as we speak
warm weather not seeing alot of buck sign
hard to hunt in this warm weather deer even seem
to not like it either/:Fire: spent the last two days hunting my property
no luck seeing does but no bucks

[CITYREPO61]

Just stay after it, go when you can and worry less about the transportation issue.

I don't have a truck or SUV. I drive a 1996 Camry but I still hunt. Last week I went to a buddy's lease mostly just to kill some time and make sure I remembered where it was because when I hunted it with him last year, he drove and it was dark and I wasn't paying that much attention. It was about 8:30-8:45 when I got there, sun already up and about 65 degrees. I was sitting there checking my Instagram account about 9:30, thinking about leaving when a herd of does came walking by. I shot one of the lead ones and then realized the fun was over ha ha! I just skin them out enough to quarter & get back straps and put the meat in clean plastic bags and drag the rest into the brush for the buzzards to get. Keeps the amount of blood down in the car.
You don't take the inside tenderloins?

[RP]

If it makes anyone feel better were having near to record highs that would be in the low 80s the deer are moving but late night and seems like back bedded down before first light.

[taco650]

You don't take the inside tenderloins?

Nope. I realize that I could get more meat off the deer than I do but I've just started getting my wife to eat it after almost 30 years of marriage so I'm happy with what I do get. Call me wasteful if you want but all four 1/4's and back straps is enough for the two of us.

[richhodg66]

I'm going back out in a few minutes. Not gonna spend all day out again if I don't see anything by 9:30 or so. Weather is 52 and clear, beginning to wonder if there's something to this global warming BS, it's November for crying out loud.

[OnHoPr]

Nope. I realize that I could get more meat off the deer than I do but I've just started getting my wife to eat it after almost 30 years of marriage so I'm happy with what I do get. Call me wasteful if you want but all four 1/4's and back straps is enough for the two of us.


Obviously, you don't have the palate for the finer cuts like the sweat bread and neck.


Good Luck rh

In northern MI I have seen it 2 degrees and 77 degrees on opening day. What do you think of that spectrum? I have seen guys go to the local gas/LP/party store and pick up sun tan lotion before and catch a tan during the first week of season.

[Texas by God]

Rich it won't be warm when Pheasant season rolls around in Kansas I wager. Looking for deer this morning in 60 degree rain. Tranquilo.Good hunting to you.

[white eagle]

this is just extended Indian summer is all
usually get good and cold before hand but
that is not the case this year
there have been previous years that during the
general firearms (week of Thanksgiving)that it has been in the upper 60's to 70°

[quilbilly]

At least your state doesn't close deer season for the rut. The rut for our local black-tails always starts on the first week of November so the season closes on Oct 31 the restarts two weeks later. I haven't seen a buck on our trail cams all year and yesterday morning two emerged to chase the does (we have six living on our place all year) around our property. The bucks were two small forces but expect a big one will show up.

[richhodg66]

Well, it's archery only during the rut. We have an early muzzle loader season in September, then two days in early October that is antlerless only and the firearms season starts the Wednesday after Thanksgiving and runs two weeks. Archery basically runs from Mid September til the end of the year.

I had two dink bucks come by this morning about a half hour apart. Pretty sure my rattling brought the first one in. Man, was he chubby, real thick little guy. Made a commitment not to shoot any small bucks this year, though.

[skeettx]

ALWAYS carry a NEW one of these in the NICE VEHICLES :)
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-ft-4-in-x-9-ft-6-in-blue-all-purposeweather-resistant-tarp-69137.html

[Texas by God]

Sat in blind 3 hrs. Still hunted 2 hrs and three miles. Sat in blind till dark. I saw a rabbit. Fixin to rain again. Supper's ready so things are looking up. The deer have a calendar... Best, Thomas.

[richhodg66]

Well, today was a lot better than last Saturday. At least I saw deer, in fact, I saw three two and a half year old dink bucks all of which I could have killed easily today. Only get one buck tag a year, so I'm holding out. Made a vow I was gonna shoot a good one or none at all this year, don't really need the meat, let the little ones walk.

We seem to not be in the rut yet, weird. Not seeing nearly the scrapes or rubs I usually do by now and watched a doe graze calmly for a long time with no buck in pursuit. I'm gonna go out again in the morning, but I think next weekend will be better.

[white eagle]

put up a new stand and checked the camera's yesterday
seeing more bucks on the doe trails so in my area it is begining
plan to vote on Tuesday and hunt for the next couple of days following
I like to go during the week when there is less commotion in the woods

[Yodogsandman]

It's started here in NH. Bucks are chasing does. Hoping the weather turns colder, highs expected to be in the mid 60s tomorrow.

[white eagle]

saw a buck tonight but didn't come close enough for
a archery shot.Had his nose to the ground looking
going back tomorrow after I vote hunt the evening and the next day
then back to civilization :roll:

[fingers284]

Man you guys that get to hunt in mild weather and complain about it need to come up here for a "rut" hunt. While this is the warmest beginning of November in 35 yrs, usually we are in the -10 range now and by the time rut comes around the last week of nov. a "good day" can be -20 or 30 (coldest day I ever hunted was -51...young and very-very foolish). When I was younger the cold was easy to handle but as time went on I discovered myself judging how close the W. T. horns were to 200 inches as to how cold I wanted to get my hands. LOL

[richhodg66]

We had frost two days in a row, so Saturday morning should be different. Can't wait.

[white eagle]

next weekend is general gun opener
not seeing the amounts of deer as I did last weekend
going to leave the area cool for the next weekend
did get this pic about 50 yds from my stand

180568

[richhodg66]

I spent twelve hours on my tree stand today. Had two does and three dink bucks saunter through in that time. One of the does was actually moving fast and didn't stop but came under the tree so pretty sure I could have killed her if I'd wanted to, the others would have been easy.

I want a big one, and I really don't want to shoot another doe just yet,, we still have the rest of bow season and the general firearms left then a two day extended in January. Pretty sure I can fill another doe tag in that time if I have to.