LIVE From The Woods 2021 Stories And Pictures Let's Have Em!

[wolc123]

Quite a bit of gray squirrel action this morning but no deer so far.  It is so damn comfortable up here, and my “healthy snack” supply is good, so I am going to try and hold out through all of the 10-2 “deerless” period that I can:

 

[cynthiafu]

Heading out now hoping to see something

[heavuser]

Do any of you guys use deer calls on the regular?

[Five Seasons]

was thinking of heading out this afternoon. Tomorrow isn't going to work and Saturday either. But 2 of 3 kids were puking yesterday and today and I'm tired and have a sore throat and runny nose. COVID test was negative. Will see if I get a burst of energy this afternoon as I have several shooter bucks and doe moving in daylight

[wolc123]

43 minutes ago, Red said:

I just got a pic of what looks like a young buck that shed his rack.  Probably the 4 pt that I get on camera every other day.

Man, if only my parent’s little forky would leave his little salad forks in the woods somewhere, and step out looking like that.  I’d have a dmp tag for him, and I could get him set up on the same freezer shelf in deer Heaven where most of one of his little brothers currently resides:

He would also be close to Grandpa, who is now taking up the whole lower section.  

Edited December 30, 2021 by wolc123

[The_Real_TCIII]

39 minutes ago, heavuser said:

Do any of you guys use deer calls on the regular?

I always carry a grunt tube. Its worked a few times in 27 years. I only call at deer I can see that are not coming in

[TheHornHunter]

I always carry a grunt tube. Its worked a few times in 27 years. I only call at deer I can see that are not coming in

Same. I will occasionally do some rattling during the rut but only in specific situations. In general though I only call to deer I see and aren’t coming to me. And when I do call I wait until they aren’t looking my direction. Most of the time they don’t come, but occasionally they do.

It’s super easy to over call and that does way more harm than good. If you call at one and he doesn’t respond just let it go. Occasionally they will disappear and come back 20-30 mins later typically downwind so be ready for that.


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[stubborn1VT]

The only time I "rattled in" a buck was when building a permanent stand.  Was starting nails in 2x4s for steps.  Had them stacked up and they were bouncing as I hammered the nails in.  A decent 5 point came charging out of the bedding area, bristled up.  He circled me and came closer, head down.  I was kneeling down, so he didn't know what to make of me.  He spooked at 15 yards or so.  I was getting ready to chuck the hammer at him.  I tried for years after that with a rattling bag and never got one to commit.  Couldn't bring myself to bring a couple 2x4s with me to the stand to "rattle" with.

Edited December 30, 2021 by stubborn1VT
typo

[WNYTRPR]

22 minutes ago, TheHornHunter said:

Same. I will occasionally do some rattling during the rut but only in specific situations. In general though I only call to deer I see and aren’t coming to me. And when I do call I wait until they aren’t looking my direction. Most of the time they don’t come, but occasionally they do.

It’s super easy to over call and that does way more harm than good. If you call at one and he doesn’t respond just let it go. Occasionally they will disappear and come back 20-30 mins later typically downwind so be ready for that.


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I’m in the belief that ,grunting at unseen deer will more times than not ,keep doe away also ,especially when they start getting harassed .Just my observations.

Edited December 30, 2021 by WNYTRPR

[TheHornHunter]

I’m in the belief that ,grunting at unseen deer will more times than not ,keep doe away also ,especially when they start getting harassed .Just my observations.

For sure. Does want no part of bucks for a good chunk of the season. I’ve grunted at does as a deterrent before when they were going to get down wind but mixed results there.


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[wolc123]

I am going to try and stick it out, until about 1:30, so that I can at least say that I gave the “deerless” 10-2 period an honest attempt.  Not even a squirrel has stirred since 9:57.   
 

I would have gone “deerless” last year without this grunt call.  I had to “settle” for a 2.5 year old.  I think the older ones are too educated for those. 

Edited December 30, 2021 by wolc123

[TheHornHunter]

The only time I "rattled in" a buck was when building a permanent stand.  Was starting nails in 2x4s for steps.  Had them stacked up and they were bouncing as I hammered the nails in.  A decent 5 point came charging out of the bedding area, bristled up.  He circled me and came closer, head down.  I was kneeling down, so he didn't know what to make of me.  He spooked at 15 yards or so.  I was getting ready to chuck the hammer at him.  I tried for years after that with a rattling bag and never got one to commit.  Couldn't bring myself to bring a couple 2x4s with me to the stand to "rattle" with.

I’ve rattled in tons of bucks, mostly young but some good ones, including the one I killed in Kansas this year. It works best in very specific situations which is probably worth a thread itself. I only use real antlers and think they sound much better than any bags or fake antlers. Pain in the ass to carry around but I’ve rattled them in from 500+ yards with my current set.

This pic is a good example of what I mean by specific conditions… early November right on edge of thick bedding with limited visibility means they gotta come close to tell whether there’s really a buck or not. There’s also a big river to the right which funnels them to my stand and my wind is blowing over the water so impossible for them to get down wind. Great tactic but execution is critical and doing it wrong will let every deer on the property know to stay away.




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[stubborn1VT]

One of the factors in rattling IMO is deer density/buck:doe ratio.  I think you and I hunt in very different areas HornHunter!

Edited December 30, 2021 by stubborn1VT
clarification

[turkeyfeathers]

Headed in til closing time. Even pulled breech plug and stuffed a freshie in. 

Edited December 30, 2021 by turkeyfeathers

[The_Real_TCIII]

4 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Headed in til closing time. Even pulled breech plug and stuffed a freshie in. 

Quit screwing around and shoot a deer. @dinorocks  @sodfather and I enjoyed the Costanzas run and are ready to go again

[Robhuntandfish]

2 hours ago, heavuser said:

Do any of you guys use deer calls on the regular?

grunted in my buck from last year.  He was headed the other way and he turned and came out into the cut cornfield for me to send it wiht the bow.  But i , as others have said, only use it if the deer is going the other way.  I dont blind call with it.  rattled in one buck ever. A busted up 7 point that i should have shot but was trying for 2 - 9 pts i had on two different properties.  Ate my buck tag that year but it was cool experience. 

[The_Real_TCIII]

Ive snort wheezed in a couple as well, bigger bucks. One came 300 yards across a field and I couldnt get a shot

[ApexerER]

45 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

I am going to try and stick it out, until about 1:30, so that I can at least say that I gave the “deerless” 10-2 period an honest attempt.  Not even a squirrel has stirred since 9:57.   
 

I would have gone “deerless” last year without this grunt call.  I had to “settle” for a 2.5 year old.  I think the older ones are too educated for those. 

I have that same grunt call....

[turkeyfeathers]

31 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Quit screwing around and shoot a deer. @dinorocks  @sodfather and I enjoyed the Costanzas run and are ready to go again

It hasn’t been from lack of effort / hours. I hunt hard every year but this year is brutal seeing anything over 75 pounds. More hours than ever. Got a good wind this afternoon at least. Bummed on missing Costanzas run . 3 deer usually my number. This year zip and rounding third base 

Edited December 30, 2021 by turkeyfeathers

[wolc123]

Nothing all morning.  Late lunch with parents and up in trailer park stand with crossbow for the evening shift.  New seat I made the other day fits good anyhow.  Crossbow makes a good tape measure for straight measurements but won’t work for chest girth. 

[WNYTRPR]

1 hour ago, turkeyfeathers said:

It hasn’t been from lack of effort / hours. I hunt hard every year but this year is brutal seeing anything over 75 pounds. More hours than ever. Got a good wind this afternoon at least. Bummed on missing Costanzas run . 3 deer usually my number. This year zip and rounding third base 

Just kill 2-1

[TheHornHunter]

Ive snort wheezed in a couple as well, bigger bucks. One came 300 yards across a field and I couldnt get a shot

My buddy has really good luck with big bucks and snort wheezes. I must suck at it because they never respond well


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[Steuben Jerry]

Fourth sit of the bonus week but first sit where I’ve had any cell signal. Figured I may as well be cozy in the box. I’ve had deer within 150 yds every outing but just small bucks and last-light doe groups. 

[TheHornHunter]

One of the factors in rattling IMO is deer density/buck:doe ratio.  I think you and I hunt in very different areas HornHunter!

Both definitely impact it and I’m sure being in a high deer density area like I am helps. But our buck:doe ratio sucks and works against us for rattling. We’re somewhere between 4-5 does for every buck so more than enough to go around and not be too competitive. I’ve actually been rattling less the last couple years because of that. Most of our 4+ year old bucks are rarely broken up and seem relatively shy so I’m growing more skeptical about their desire to fight over a single doe when there’s so many around. We have a few older bully bucks that are broken up each year and that’s usually who I’m targeting with rattling. Now the Midwest is a whole different game, when you get closer to a 1:1 ratio like Kansas the bucks will literally fight to the death and rattling works much better. It’s just another tool in the tool box and I’m still perfecting it. Lots of variables to consider with it but I rarely leave home without my antlers from 10/25 to 11/25 even if I don’t use them most of the time.


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[TheHornHunter]

In after the 9pt again. Found two big fresh sets of tracks into this timber block that are probably from this morning. Good luck to everyone out!


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