fly

I know that feeling Tim, been there on a bear hunt in Canada once. Lot of promise from the outfitter, no bear. Never even saw one! Now my hunts are all DIY. Anyway, you got to spend some quality time with a friend and you are now that much more valuable to the forum members! Perhaps you could add a blog to your profile that lists the things you have learned when selecting an outfitter! The questions you ask and any other pearls! You could also list the names of the ones you recommend (if that's legal?). Good luck in Kansas!

Hey Randy I just got my St. Louis Cabela's brochure and it indicates you'll be performing Saturday the 7th and Sunday the 8th! Is the lunch invite still on? If so... The schedule states you will have a demonstration at noon on Sunday the 8th. Would lunch be before of after? Where should we meet you at? My two kids are excited to meet you. Thanks, Frank

Great looking buck there Dale. He's going to look great in your house. What's the turn around time for your taxi?

Yup, know the feeling. Hunting land that isn't yours can be frustrating every season! Someday we'll have our 100 acre woods!

Congratulations! Looking forward to the story.

Hey Ruth you're making me look bad! Congratulations on your harvest.

I go with what is on sale. If RT is the same price I go with RT.

I'm laughing so hard I can bearly stand it!

I appreciate all of your great comments. Grunting is something I do a lot of and according to my hunting journal and memory every buck I've grunted at from mid-October till the end of November has responded and at least walked in my direction. Not all came within shooting range, but they all walked in my direction. These have been spike bucks, 4 pointers, and mature deer. This is why this bucks behavior has me a little stumped. He was the largest 6-point I've ever seen. Very tall and average thickness for IL. His body seemed to be that of a 2.5 year old. He looked a lot like the deer below. Being public ground I'm wondering if he might be a dominant buck at 2.5 years old? I'm not sure how heavy this ground is hunted, but I'll bet it gets hammered during the gun season. Looks like my best guess is that the rut is not in yet and the bucks are just now (today - now) starting to have their hormone levels rise. I'm thinking that every day from this one on is essential to be out hunting trying to catch that magic pre-rut chasing phase!

So how do you all think the deer behavior/activity I saw last night relates to the rut? My stand is about 10 yards inside the woods next to a large standing corn filed. I got set up around 3:00pm. I did some light (blind) grunting around 3:30pm, again at 4:00pm. Nothing responded. At 5:15pm I looked behind me and saw a 6-point buck 20 yards away licking branches and rubbing his head on overhanging branches. He was directly down wind, but never winded me. He continued to walk down the small opening (tractor road) that went around the corn field. He walked past me and turned the corner and started to walk east. I let out a light grunt. He was about 40 yards away and stopped. He looked in my direction, but just kept doing what he was doing. A lot of brush kept him from seeing me. I grunted several more times (the last time more aggressive) and each time he’d look, but did not seem interested. He even stood on his hind legs and licked some high over-hanging branches. At 5:30pm he was out of my sight. Then at 6:10pm a doe and fawn came out from the woods right where he had been to my east, crossed the opening and went into the corn field. No shot – too far (50-60 yards). The fawn did walk about 20-25 yards from me in the field, but the brush and nearing darkness prohibited an ethical shot. Then at 6:20 I grunted one last time before getting down. A deer (likely a doe) had snuck to my north and was only 15 yards from the base of my tree. It ran into the corn field startled by my grunt. So the 6-point seemed to be marking his territory, but not ready to respond to grunting? The buck never peed, never scraped. He was on a licking mission and did not seem to be on alert. The doe still had her fawn and wasn't moving to the food until almost dark. Nothing was pushing her. This area is public, but has neet seen hardley any hunting pressure.

I was 16 years old in 1987. It was my second year hunting and I was sitting by a pond just enjoying being outside. Then I heard a deer walking down a trail. I turned (aimed 12 inches low - because my shotgun shot 12 inches high) and BAM a perfect shot. He ran about 20 yards and crashed. I ran to him and found him on the ground still alive (it had been about 30 seconds since I had shot). The deer was nearly dead, but I chambered another shell and BAM! Sent another slug into his neck. He was still moving so BAM! A third slug under the leg and up into the heart. He stopped moving after that. My dad and grandpa came walking down the trail after hearing the shots. They were glad I got my first deer, but once they heard the story they just shook their heads.

Certain things yes, certain things no. If I ever get a bear in Idaho I'll have it done there and shipped to me. Most taxidermists in my area ship turkey heads out to have them done. So why not ship the whole thing. Now if I had a 200 inch whitetail I wouldn't take the chance of shipping it. What if it got lost in the mail or thawed out and was ruined? In this case I'm taking it to the taxi.

Something about those massive racked bucks that makes the other antler characteristics not as important. Congratulations on a trophy whitetail!

Alan I was hooked before I ever became a spike buck! I've learned way more than I've shared and still got a lot of learning left to do! Glad you're here! Looking forward to seeing your first deer.

Agreed that I hate to see any creature suffer! (except maybe mosquitoes).

Congratulations to the young hunter! Nice mulie!

What kind of primer?

I grunt blindly, don't rattle any more at all (never had a single buck come in). I guess if one grunts or rattles blindly and a doe hears it she might go the opposite direction taking a trailing buck with her. Only thing I can think of.

I'm more interested in animals I'll get to hunt! Doubt I'll ever be in Africa.

T-bone has had some real good ones. I love the MB video where he says something like... "Everybody is concerned with a broadside shot, or a quartering away shot, but what I say is make sure they are pointing towards the truck.":clown:

Every year I read posts about this. One theory... I'll bet a lot of people trespass when hunting (more than you would ever realize). Some intentional some not. When a flash goes off they know they have been had! Their solution - steal the camera! It's a shame, but a reality. I don't own one for this reason. Nothing stays in the field unless I don't mind if it gets stolen.

I posted some safety tips I practice in my blog. I'm still alive and have never had a tree stand accident. Check it out if interested. http://www.realtree.com/forums/blog.php?b=472

Congratulations and good luck getting number 2!

That's a big problem this year in my opinion. I'm still thinking the chasing phase of the pre-rut will start any day now, but has not started where I hunt on the south/central and Western part of IL. If it has they are all running in the corn fields where I can't see them. Forecast is dry tomorrow and I'm going to be out. I'll be very disappointed if I don't see any movement tomorrow.

Glad to hear you're tagging it! No doubt there are some that would be in your situation and try to figure a way out so they could keep hunting for a big buck. So hats off and take pride in the fact that you're doing the right thing. Any deer legally harvested is an accomplishment to be proud of. Try to post some pics, I'd love to see them.