# Vacation this week:



## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

I am off on vacation this week and will be hunting as much as needed till I get my wall hanger. Or a buck I just couldn't pass up... lol
So I am going to try and leave a sort of blog everyday after I get home to just share what I am seeing and what maybe happening with the rut.
I am hunting on private land that has about 250 acres of land in it. Most of the land does not have any hunters on it. As the land owner doesn't allow hunting on his land. I hunt on the daughters 60 acre plot that is right across the street from his. There are really no food plots or any crops that are around the area. Mostly just woods and about 20 acres of fields around it. 
I am in situated in a sort of travel route with some browse in it. Does come in and bed down in there a lot. But have never seen a buck bed down in there. So it is a good area for the rut. I always save this area for the 1st of November. I am the only one who bow hunts it. A couple of other guys gun hunt it. 
So here is what happen today. I got down there at about 7:30 am. It was breaking day already and as I get to the hunting area, I am greeted by a 125ish inch buck that was getting ready to cross the road. If he was a 10 pointer he may have been a little bigger. So that was a good sign. It was a little misty with the wind blowing about 5 to 10 mph out of the NW. So I go to my spot and I climb up the climber and I settle in. At about 9:45 I look to my left and another buck is just cruising on thru. An 8 pointer that probably would go 110 inches. I wanted to take a picture of him with my camera, but he just didn't stop. He was just cruising on thru ducking his head to the ground every 20 feet or so. 
After that the wind started to pick up and it started raining more. I sat there till 11:00 and wanted to get out with nothing detecting my presence. I was pretty happy with the 2 bucks that I saw. On kind of a crappy weather day. I love hunting in misty low wind conditions. But when the rain and wind picked up, I was going to leave. Back at it tomorrow with a lot better weather in store for it... I hope I didn't bore everyone to sleep..


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## howdog (Oct 15, 2006)

Great post. I was in the stand this morning by 715. Super windy, and rainy. Didn't see or hear a thing. Contemplating heading back out as the wind seems to have died down a bit, and the rain has finally stopped. Got 3 bucks working my property currently. Hoping to close the deal on the big boy. Enjoy your vacation!


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

Day 2: 11 - 2
Today was a great day in the woods. Got into my stand right as day was breaking. At about 7 am I heard a couple of grunts but never saw what made them. Then about 8 am had 3 does work there way up the hill toward me and go across the street. Mom doe was pretty darn big. At about 9 am the woods just came alive. I had deer around me for what seemed like for hours. Mostly just does. But did have a couple of button bucks come on by and then there was 3 does that were coming in with a 4 point buck just trailing about 50 yards behind them. 
Then I saw something that was pretty kool. There were 2 deer that I thought were does coming up the hill toward me again. As they got close I saw the knobs on there heads. Then out of no where they just started fighting. It was kool. First they were fighting like boxers, then one of them went low with his head and knocked the other down. Then he started pushing him down with his head. Man he was a mean little sucker. The other got up and started running away. The other followed, but he wasn't trying to catch him. But it was kool to see 2 button bucks fight.. 
All in all I saw 14 does and 5 bucks today. 4 of them were button bucks and 1 was a 4 pointer. I was disappointed that no bigger bucks were around with all the doe action. But it is just a matter of time.


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

Sounds like a exciting day, good luck!


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## AEFISHING (Apr 25, 2004)

Good Luck!! Have you tried hunting the evenings?


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

Day 3: 11 - 3
Another awesome morning of action, but no mature bucks again. I had deer coming thru as soon as it got legal shooting hours. With a doe that was being followed by a 1 1/2 year old 5 point. He was just following about 50 yards behind her. Not pushing her, just following. Then I had 3 more 1 1/2 year old bucks come in to where I had put some doe pee out. And they were all there looking like they were all going to get into a fight. Bristled up and ears back. I thought for sure that a fight was going to break out. But it never did. They stayed in the area for like a half an hour. It was actually pretty kool to watch there reactions. They they finally left and I had more does and 1 1/2 year old bucks come in. All in all I saw 7 does and 7 bucks. All the bucks were 1 1/2 years old. So at least the age is going up. From button bucks on Sunday to 1 1/2 years old on Monday. So maybe this morning I can get some 2 1/2 year old bucks to come in. That will be even better. 
I have been hunting all day. Just most of the activity comes in the morning where I am.


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Love the daily blog. Hopefully you see that big bruiser you're looking for soon.


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## pastordon (Jul 21, 2008)

Steve
Nice to hear from you each day. Be patient November 8 and 9 is when I have killed multiple bucks! You'll get your 3.5 year old plus. Be patient. Don


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## talltim (Jul 25, 2008)

hang on tight the way this wind has been. good luck


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

Day 4: 11 - 4
Today was not as active as the first 3 days were. But today was kind of warm as well. The morning started off nice actually. The winds were light and it was about 38 degrees where I hunt. Had a couple of different 1 1/2 year old bucks come thru again. Just passing thru. Then I had a doe with another 1 1/2 year old come in behind her. Not really chasing just following again. Then I had 2 groups of 2 does come in at different times. That was about 10 am and the wind was just starting to pick up. One of the does caught my wind when it started swirling around. I was really hoping not to have a deer even know I was there. I have been basically hunting the same 100 yard stretch of woods cause I normally see some mature bucks there when the rut is on. But this doe was a mature doe and she new something was up. After she started blowing I put my red dot on her cause I didn't want that to happen. But I didn't shoot. I didn't want to do all the work that comes afterward... LOL
Anyway the wind started to really swirl around at that time and I didn't want to alert anymore deer that I was in the area. So I boogied out of there and decided to give it a rest for the rest of the day. Still hoping that the rut will start to get the bigger bucks up on there feet. Tomorrow is suppose to be warm again. So I may give the land some rest again.... 
Don, good to see your post. I hope you are right about the weekend dates. That and the cooler temps I hope will get the more mature bucks up and moving....

PS: I had 2 other buddies that were hunting today in various parts of the state. Both of them took shots at really nice bucks today. But both missed. Clean misses. Branches in the way.


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

Day 5: 11 - 5
Didn't go out today. Had to get some things done so that I could get out once the cooler weather comes in. Tomorrow sounds good as we are suppose to get a little rain with light winds. I love being out there on those misty cool days. Seems that the bucks do get up and move in that stuff. 
Have talked to many guys that are not seeing a lot of movement by the mature bucks yet.  Seeing those young 1 1/2 year old bucks up but not the bigger boys. It is just a matter of time. And I believe the cooler wet weather will get them moving. The wet weather will help in scent control as well. Better rutting days are just about to happen...


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

Day 6: 11 - 6
The morning started out pretty good. The rain had stopped just as I got to the hunting land. Got to a new spot and got into a great tree. Had a great set up. Had a nice thicket to my south with a few acorn trees just to my east. There was a bunch of briers that I had to go thru to get to where I was going to sit. I cut a path thru it on Tuesday so I could get thru it with out making a ton of noise. Its a perfect morning damp and cool with no wind at all. I had 3 does that came in around 8 am. The mother kept looking behind her, so I was hoping that finally I would see some kind of rutting action. But nope, nothing ever came after them. I saw another spike buck around 9:30 and that was it. It started to rain around 11 am and it really never let up. In fact I heard a few cracks of thunder as well. The wind really started picking up around 2:30 pm and I txt my buddy for him to check the radar to see how much longer the rain was going to last. He said pretty much the rest of the day. So I got down and called it a day.... What started out with promise turned into a wet damp day... 
Back at it tomorrow morning with optimism that the cooler NW wind will get some mature buck up....


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

Day 7: 11 - 7
Woke up this morning to some rain again. Looked at the radar and it looked like it wasn't raining down where I hunt. So packed everything up and went down. It did rain some but just a little drizzle when I got there. But it quit as the sky was brightening up. Really it was a great morning weather wise. The wind blew a little early but it calmed down to less then 10 mph by 8 am. It was cold with it being right about 35 degrees. Perfect don't you think??? 
Well I sat there from 6:30 am till 1:30 pm and didn't see 1 deer. lol
I am clueless as to what is going on with this supposed to be rutting season. Not one deer. I am frustrated to say the least. I thought for sure I was finally going to start seeing some cruising and seeking from some better bucks. But nothing. I was so frustrated that I just got up and out of my tree and said maybe next time... Is anyone seeing any rutting action at all??? Cause I haven't seen any all week yet....


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## jmyers8 (Aug 2, 2013)

I've seen the same thing in southern Lorain county tons of small bucks last week chasing this week nothing. I think a lot of it has to do with the full moon we had


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## Scotty Yamamoto (May 27, 2004)

I agree with you I was really frustrated today hunted with my son just about all day today and not one deer? I have pics of nice bucks but there all at night still. the last 2 days I haven't saw deer hunting and no trail cam pics either whats the deal?


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## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

Most scrape activity should slow down around Nov 11. I think next week if we have cool temps, you should see older bucks checking does during daylight hours instead of the younger want-a-be's. I would also think when the waning moon starts to get several days out from the full moon we will start getting some heavy chasing and then a few days of lockdown starting to happen.
Hope you are on vacation next week.


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## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

Bluewalleye- I like your posts and I wanted to give you my experience that happened to me last year- maybe it will help you?

I hunted my traditional 15 acre thicket that I have shot and seen mature bucks in...Last year I hunted pretty hard from Halloween until Nov 15th or so- always using the wind, etc..

Early on, EVERY HUNT I went on- all I saw were mostly young does with a few mature ones...one night I had 12 of them around my stand. Then I started seeing a few young bucks- spikes and forks... It got to be Nov 8th and I spent the whole day in the stand- wind was perfect, an hour before dark...I hear crunching my way...thought "OK, here he comes"- Ya right- 4 young does and two small fork bucks following them... They all walked single file 15 yds away.. 

My conclusion for my spot was that- I was hunting the deer daycare! All the mature does had kicked their yearlings off and left them in the thicket, So just beware- its great to have does around you Early Nov- but if they are the wrong ones then better move!? Good luck!

My little update- Thursday night- I had a respectable 10-11pt go by at 10 yds and that was it... So I'm hoping that's a good sign for this year my spot not being the day care spot. Last night was a flop as I hunted public land.


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

Day 8: 11 - 8
Well finally I saw some good buck action. What a gorgeous morning. 26 degrees with frost on everything. Light winds at daylight made me very optimistic in the stand. With the S to SW wind predicted I went to a stand that has 2 thick areas in it with some oak trees sort of between them. I had my stand facing toward the west so when the sun came up I wouldn't be looking straight into the sun. I had a brier thicket to my north and another brushy thicket with some fall down to the south. The oaks were to the east of the stand. At 8:45 I just happen to look back to the oak patch and WOW. I saw this buck that was just plain huge. He was about 50 yards away just cruising thru with his head down. I turned to get a better look and to see where he was going, and he just kept going. I grabbed my buck grunt and gave him a couple blows. He stopped and looked my way, then he just kept going. I was really hoping he would get on a doe and she would bring him back my way. But I didn't see him again. 
He was a gorgeous 10 point that probably will go about 150 inches. He looked a lot like the buck that dirtyworm shot in another post. I was pumped just to see a mature buck once again. It has been a couple of years for that. At about 10:45 I had 2 more bucks come in. Both of them were 2 1/2 year old bucks. Just nice 100 to 110 inch deer. I had them both at 25 yards with my red dot scope on there vitals. But after seeing that monster earlier, I decided to let them both go. It is funny because if I would have seen them before I say that big one, I may have decided to end my bow season on one of them. But I am glad I didn't. Hopefully they will make another year and they will be solid deer next year. All together I had 4 bucks come by me today and saw a huge Dow feeding on the power line that I will probably be hunting tomorrow... Things definitely picked up today for me. Thank the Lord for that. Cause I was really beginning to get disgusted about how the week was ending.... 
I am now wishing that I had taken next week off as well. lol

Baddfish, thanks for the story and it makes a lot of sense.


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

Day 9: 11 - 9
Well today was my last day of vacation and after seeing that monster yesterday, I was going to stay in my stand from sunrise to sunset. And that is exactly what I did. Weather wise it was an enjoyable day. The winds were a little tricky though. The wind would not blow at all for about 10 minutes, then a little gust of 10 to 15 mph wind would come from a different direction every time a gust did happen. Not sure if that is why I got totally skunked today in the woods. Didn't see one deer or hear one at all either... Not the way I wanted to end my vacation. But there is nothing I could do about it. Back at it as a weekend hunter for the next couple of weeks...


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