I have a little parcel of hunting ground in Illinois' golden triangle for big deer. Opening day usually sounds like small wars and uprisings going on around us. Yesterday was marked by maybe ten gunshots total on all the neighboring land. We saw a few deer, maybe eight total, but all "slickheads". I wonder if the nearly full moon is keeping our bucks nocturnal. We have dozens of trail cam pics of eight, ten, twelve pointers with good size and mass. Not even bow hunting to minimize disturbance. What are you seeing, hearing?
Few shots on opening day
- Thread starter PapaG
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FL-NC
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Our bow season started in late Oct and I took a nice doe 2 weeks ago with x bow. I went out 4 times and saw deer every time, but either they were out of range or too small to take. Went out yesterday to top off feeders and check batteries, and decided to sit (not hunt) with Mrs. Fl-NC until dark and just watch. Just before dark, saw a very nice doe on the blind she will be using next weekend during the Thanksgiving weekend early gun "teaser", when she will hopefully take a doe (her first). We have a week of ML season followed by general gun season starting first week in Dec. thru Feb., during which I will be hunting for this year's buck. The farm where I hunt I am allowed 2 does and 1 buck. Our rut happens Jan-Feb time frame here.
Patocazador
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I have hunted for at least 21 days this year and not seen a buck in daytime. They are on the cameras but always at night. Plenty of bears and turkeys but few deer during hunting hours.
There is a bumper acorn crop this year in that area and I have very few oaks on my place .. mostly pines. That's what I'm blaming it on.
There is a bumper acorn crop this year in that area and I have very few oaks on my place .. mostly pines. That's what I'm blaming it on.
mcb
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I saw six bucks last weekend. Missed a monster with the muzzleloader. Today is the first day of rifle season. Very windy, no deer yet. About to get down and start stalking.
ETA: I heard a shot, my nephew got a young 7-point.
ETA: I heard a shot, my nephew got a young 7-point.
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Duster340
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Shooter bucks seem to have gone nocturnal here in NE Wisconsin. At least that's what trail cams are showing. Nothing but squirrels moving so far this morning. Moving to a stand in the cedar wetlands a little later. Maybe they're in the thick stuff....it is hunting lol
Good luck folks
Good luck folks
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Day two, even less activity. I saw one good doe in four hours this afternoon. Had to cut it short and hurry home. Wife of fifty six years having some medical issues. Now in er waiting. Probably not serious but I'm insisting on her staying for answers.
Captcurt
Member
I heard a lot of shots opening day, but it has slacked off considerably. I have not seen ANY rut activity. No chasing, no trolling, and very little scraping. I have been out probably 20 times in the last month and have watched fields, woods and thickets and our deer are heavy on acorns and very nocturnal. I have plenty of bucks on camera, but 90% the pictures are at night.
MeanBean
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We're shotgunning in Massac county (very southern Illinois) this weekend. Thursday afternoon as we were setting up stands, we ran up on a buck chasing 2 does. He wasn't even paying us any attention. We saw lots of big deer, including some nice bucks at dusk. Fast forward to Friday morning, my BIL shoots a nice 8 pointer, 5 minutes after legal shooting. Another buck comes up and fights with the carcass for about 10 minutes. That was the last view of deer until dusk. We heard very, very few shots for opening day. This morning brought lots of movement on my side of the property (unfortunately they were out of range), then nothing until about 330PM. I took a 75 yard shot at an 8 pointer and missed. (I really like Brenneke slugs, but the drop a ton over 50-60 yards). Our hunting neighbor to the east took my guy down 10 minutes later. Some does were hanging around until another Buck chased them off. Then nothing. Not many shots today either, in my opinion. I am seeing rut behavior down here though.
redneck2
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When I used a shotgun, I used Remington Copper Solids. Around 1,800 FPS IIRC. Out of an 870, .i could hold tennis ball sized groups off a rest out to 125 yards. I hit a coyote at a measured 140 yards.
Be advised that the recoil resembles the kick from a mule.
stillquietvoice
Contributing Member
There were quite a rew shots here in Central NY opening day. Didn't see anything until almost 4:45,, decent buck saw me first, cold hands new gloves, and low profile safety kept me from getting a shot. Thumb kept slipping in the glove and over safety. Shot a spike horn Sunday afternoon, didn't even know I was there. Thursday morning saw a large buck running away from a larger buck. Didn't get a shot, too much brush to take a chance on a wounded animal.
earlthegoat2
Member
Not many shots heard and I have also not seen a buck in some pretty hard hunting where I am in GA. Tons of does and yearlings. I shot a doe and I may shoot a few more if it is an easy shot.
Even fewer shots heard comparatively in MI. A few bucks seen but very small examples. My dad and I shot 2 does each so maybe that will turn things around next year…or maybe not.
Just my own anecdote and has nothing to do with real data or wildlife management but whenever a good number of does are taken in the areas I hunt, the buck sightings seem to go up.
Either way, hardly any shots out there on the hotter first few days of the season.
Even fewer shots heard comparatively in MI. A few bucks seen but very small examples. My dad and I shot 2 does each so maybe that will turn things around next year…or maybe not.
Just my own anecdote and has nothing to do with real data or wildlife management but whenever a good number of does are taken in the areas I hunt, the buck sightings seem to go up.
Either way, hardly any shots out there on the hotter first few days of the season.
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