Tuesday, September 30, 2008 p.m.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008 p.m., 59 degrees, mostly cloudy, wind NW 9 mph, sunset 6:56 p.m. (Hunting close 7:26 p.m). With the wind being from the NW, I figured my best option was the Ridgeback stand. Yesterday, I had checked the cameras (see attached- a nice 8 pointer and the tall 6 pointer), and it appears the only time that the bucks are moving through is before or after shooting light. I arrived at my stand at 5:00 p.m. I wish there was more to report, but that was it. Nothing! Totals: 0 deer

September 27, 2008 pm

Saturday, September 27, 2008 p.m., 64 degrees, mostly sunny, wind North 2-5 mph, sunset 7:12 p.m. (Hunting close 7:42 p.m. Ryan checked all of the baits this morning and nothing has been going on. Too bad. We decided to shoot our bows in the afternoon. At 4:30, we decided to go back to the baits that were set up by Falk lake for our last bear hunt of the year. Unfortunately, nothing worked for us. Now it is back to Cannon Falls for me and back to Madison for Eric. Hope the bucks will start moving more this week with the cooler weather we are expecting. Stay tuned for more updates. Buckslayer out

Kansas Whitetails

Well I got a chance to make that storied trip to Kansas for a 3 day hunt this weekend. Got in late Thursday evening and was in the stand first thing Friday morning. I hunted the river stand and had 2 does come by at 10 yards and a big buck at 75. That evening I sat in a pop-up blind on the river hoping to catch them going to the beans at dark but scored a goose egg.



Saturday morning, snuck into a new stand. This stand is on a ridge with a bean field behind me and tall CRP grass in front where they head to bed. I was in early and saw three deer in the beans, the big bodied deer was heading towards me and fast. I knew he was a buck by his size, but it was still early and I knew he was a shooter when he was about 10 yards away, I drew but he closed the distance too fast and decided to rub his rack in my tree. I couldn't believe it, I was at full draw and knew I had that shot, unfortunately I didn't. I believe I grazed him and he bolted, we tracked him 2 hours later and he was bedded. He jumped ran without hesitation and no significant affects from the shot and was gone. My brother and I searched for a long time for a blood trail and found nothing. I hope he lives to see another day and I am pretty convinced he will.



So I took to the same stand that evening reluctantly but had an encounter with another nice 8 pointer, probably score 130 and about 10 does. Good evening, but no shooter.



Sunday morning, one small buck a bunch of does from the same stand. My brother and I climbed down around 8:45 and were heading back to the truck when I spotted a few bucks, it was early season muzzleloader and he was ready. One small buck ran by at 30 and then the bigger buck took the same course and he made a great shot, double lunged him and dropped in his tracks. I will attach a picture of the nice Kansas 11 pointer, had to weigh 300 lbs live weight, huge body, we estimated he was at least 5 years old by his teeth and body size. So all in all a great trip, wish we had two bucks instead of one.

Friday, September 26, 2008 p.m.

Friday, September 26, 2008 p.m., 76 degrees, mostly overcast, wind S-SW 5-10 mph, Sunset 7:00 p.m. (hunting close 7:30 p.m.). After sleeping in this morning, Eric, Ryan, and I all hung some news stands over some bait stations that Ryan had put out earlier this week. We shot our bows and then went back to the hotel to shower up. At 4:45 p.m., we all set up along Falk Lake about 250 yards apart. None of the baits are being hit as the weather has been unseasonable warm and there has been an unbelievable acorn crop that has dropped late. We were all still optimistic. Our optimism was fruitless as none of saw any bear. Totals: 0 Bear

Thursday, September 25, 2008 p.m.

Thursday, September 25, 2008 p.m., 72 degrees, wind S-SW 15-20 mph. Sunset 7:07 p.m. (Hunting closes 7:37 p.m.). After a good morning hunt in Cannon, Bob and Eric took off for Clearbrook, MN. After making a few stops, we rolled into town about 4:00 p.m. After a quick shower, we were off to hunt with my buddy Ryan. Ryan was kind enough to be doing the baiting for us for the last few weeks. We dropped off Eric first, freshened his bait and left. I got to my stand around 5:15 p.m. Once I got to my stand, I realized that I had forgotten my video camera back in the truck. For Eric, at about 6:00 a big doe came out. At 6:40, four more does came into his shooting lanes. He only wishes that he was back in Wisconsin where it is "earn a buck." Totals: O Bears for all three of us.

Thursday, September 25, 2008 am

Thursday, September 25, 2008 a.m., 58 degrees, mostly sunny, wind south 15-20 mph. Sunrise 7:06 a.m. (hunting opener 6:36 a.m.). After a nice hearty breakfast, Eric and I left for our stands. After the action last night, I decided to send Eric to the apple tree and I went up to right field. As I was about to get into the stand I kicked up a big deer that was 15 yards to the NE of the stand. At 7:20 a.m., two bucks, both 6 pointers came in behind me (west) on trail and stopped 6 yards away. Great video! I will post it later. That was it. Eric didn't see anything. We are leaving later this morning for Clearbrook, MN to do some bear hunting. Continue to check the blog for updates. Totals: Bob - 2 bucks, Eric - 0 deer

Wednesday, September 24, 2008 p.m.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008 p.m., 78 degrees, mostly sunny, Wind S-SW 2-5 mph, sunset 7:00 p.m. (Hunting close 7:30 p.m.) Eric just drove in from Madison after a great afternoon of fly fishing with grass hoppers at Copper Creek. He caught 6 browns, all over 13" with 2 being over 16." Before I even left the house Eric and I saw a doe and fawn about 25 yards north of the house near the upper food plot. I decided to send him to the ladder stand and I went to the apple tree stand. I was settled in by 5:25 and Eric was set up by 5:40. Taylor came a little later and settled into the food plot stand by 5:45. At 7:00, I heard what sounded like two bucks fighting 100 yards to the east of me. Sure enough at 7:15 the two bucks (both shooters) appeared in the creek bottom. They were not fighting too hard, but they sure were doing a lot of pushing and shoving. One was the big 11 and the other one was a nice 8 pointer. They messed around in the creek bottom and even splashed around in the creek until after shooting light. At 7:20, a doe and two fawns came down to the apple tree to the south and didn't leave until I got down at the end of the night. At 6:45, Taylor saw two does come from the SE into the food plot. At 6:15, Eric saw 3 does to the east of him. At 6:45, He saw two more does walking 50 yards east of him. That was it. Overall a good night. Totals: Bob - 5 deer, 2 bucks and 3 does, Eric - 5 does, Taylor - 2 does.

Saturday September 20, 2008 p.m.

Saturday, September 20, 2008 p.m., 84 degrees, wind North 2-5 mph, Sunset (7:19 p.m.) Hunting closes 7:49 p.m. Nate has to catch a flight back to Oklahoma tonight, so we both decided to hunt close to the house. I decided to try NW territory and Nate went to the Ridgeback stand. At 6:40, the mutant spike walked past me 30 yards to the south going west. I did get some video that I will post later. At 7:00, doe came through 70 yards to the south of me, going west to the bean field. That was it for me. At 7:05 p.m. Nate had 3 does pass him 30 yards to the north of him going west. That was it for him Totals: Bob - 2 deer, 1 buck and 1 doe, Nate - 3 does

Saturday, September 20, 2008 am

Saturday, September 20, 2008 a.m. 58 degrees, wind S-SW 2-5 mph, sunrise 6:57 a.m. (Hunting opener 6:27 a.m.) Bob decided to try something new and went to the VAT (Venison Assault Tower) and Nate went down to the apple tree stand. At 6:40 am, I had a deer snorting on the hill to the SE of me. That was it while I was sitting. I hopped down at 8:30 and walked over to the food plot. There were two does feeding and I was able to stalk within 15-20 yards of them before the finally suspected something and took off. Nate didn't see anything from the apple tree. Totals: Bob - 2 does, Nate - 0 deer.

Friday, September, 19, 2008 p.m.

September 19, 2008 p.m., 82 degrees, Wind S-SE 22 mph, Sunset 7:19 p.m. (hunting closes 7:49 p.m.). Well, the 009 guys have not had the best of luck thus far, so we decided to change things up a bit. Bob went to the apple tree (1st visit this season for me) and Nate decided to try his luck on the edge of Arlie's and my field. Nate thought he might be able to catch on out in the field right at dark. I got to the apple tree stand about 5:10 p.m. Nothing until dark for me. At about 7:30, there was a deer about 10 years behind me eating nuts. He never came out into the open, but I think it was a doe. Right at the end of shooting light a decent 120" 8 pointer came from the SE (creek bottom) and came up the hill towards me. He stopped and ate apples, we did get a picture as he walked by the camera. (see attached) He then walked over to my tree and proceeded to eat walnuts about 8 yards away. I actually had picked up some walnuts (on my way to the stand) and began throwing them at him and he just stood there and kept eating them. I texted Nate and asked him to come down and scare him off, so that he would not know that I was there. Nate was able to walk to withing about 20 yards of him, before he trotted off. Really cool.

For Nate, at 7:00 3 does came out of the SW corner of my woods and fed into Arlie's alfalfa field. Five minutes later, 2 more doe came out and fed. At 7:15, two more does fed out into the field. That was it for him.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Friday, September 19, 2008 a.m., 58 degrees, wind south 10-20 mph, sunrise 6:56 a.m. (opener 6:26 a.m.) After giving the ladder stand the day off yesterday, I decided to give old reliable a try. I was settled in by 6:00, and 3 deer moved through about 10 yards to the south of me going east. It was way too dark to tell what they were. Nate started the morning in Right Field. After shortly after daybreak, and not seeing anything, he decided to move down to the Jolly Roger. At about 7:50, 3 does came off the neighbors to the south east. They moved to the NW and stayed out 40-50 yards. Totals: Bob 3 deer not sure what they were, Nate 3 does.

September 18, 2008 pm

Thursday, September 18, 2008 p.m., 81 degrees, wind S 10-20 mph, Sunset 7:14 p.m. (Hunting close 7:44 pm). Nate got in early (4:50) and decided to give it a try from Arlie's Nob while I went to the Ridgeback stand and was in by 5:05. Taylor got in late (5:50) and decided to give the food plot a try. At 5:30 a nubbin buck came from the north and ended up walking under my stand. Nate and I have decided to call him "Nutty" based on his intelligence and preferred diet. Stood around for 10 minutes then went to the SE. When Taylor walked in, he kicked him back up to me and the he decided to bed in my shooting lane at e 20 yards for 20 minutes. At about 6:10, the nubbin stood up and ran to the NW to get a drink with his brother 20 yards from me. Pretty funny. Right after dark, as I was about to get down and one came from the north about 15 yards west of me, but it was too tough to tell what it was. Taylor walked in, he kicked two does off of the food plot. Right near dark (7:30) a doe came back into the food plot and feed about 10-15 yards away. Nate had 2 does at 6:10 come by and feed behind him, then had the little spike to the due east slide by and eat some acorns behind him to the North. Then at dusk he climbed down and snuck around to the beans and saw 8 deer feeding in the clover/alfalfa. Totals: Bob - 4 deer, 1 doe, 2 nubbins, and one ?, Taylor - 1 doe in stand, and 3 on the way in. Nate - 3 deer in stand, 8 in the field.

Thursday, September 18, 2008 AM

Thursday, September 18, 2008, 58 degrees, Wind 10-15 S-SW. Sunrise 6:55 (opener 6:25). Nate, his plane, and all his gear (thank God) made it here safely from Oklahoma last night. After a healthy breakfast of bacon and eggs (thanks to Theron), we left for our stands at 5:45. Nate decided to go to the Apple Tree (good scouting and a food source) and after a long walk uphill I settled into Center Field. At 6:25, 2 deer, 1 was a doe and the other one I am not sure about came from the corn (south) and passed about 25 yards to the west of me going north. At 6:45, another doe walked right under right field and then went north west towards the food plot. That was it for me. Nate on the other hand had an eventful morning. At 7:00, Nate had a spike come down from west and stood around and ate apples and walnuts for 15 minutes then left to the north. At 7:30, two button bucks came from the south and worked there way up the hill and stood around around and ate apples for 30 minutes. Nate actually was bouncing walnuts off of their backs and they didn't spook at all. In fact they just turned and ate them after it bounced off of them. Pretty funny. Totals: Bob - 2 does and 1 - ?, Nate: 2 Nubbin Bucks and 1 Buck.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Wednesday, September 17, 2008 p.m., mostly sunny, 75 degrees, winds light 2-5 mph from S-SW. Sunset 7:21 pm (hunting closes 7:51 pm). I got into the ladder stand at about 5:20 pm. At 5:50, I was able to see two does behind me (west) about 50 yards away. They ended up circling me to the north and stayed about the same distance out. At 7:10, the little mutant spike buck came from the south east and walked past my stand to the south at about 10 yards. I should have had the camera on night vision so that I could have posted some video. Oh well. That was it. Totals: 2 Does, 1 Spike Buck

September 17, 2008

Attached are a few more photos that we have gotten from the trail cameras over the past few days. We can no longer use bait, so we are relying on mother nature with the apple trees and our new food plot. As you can see, we still have a small buck in velvet, but it looks like all the nicer bucks have hardened up. Nate will be arriving tonight from Oklahoma, so stay tuned. Hopefully we will be able to get some video soon.

Wednesday, September 17. 2008

Wednesday, September 17, 2008 a.m. 58 degrees, light wind from west 2-5 mph (sunrise 6:54) opener 6:24 am. This morning I decided to go to the ladder stand after all of the luck that Bubba was having last night. I knew that I would have to get in early because it is so near to the bean field. I was settled in by 5:50 am. At 6:15, I could hear something coming from behind me and "mewing." I could barely make out the silhouette at 15 yards and it appeared to be a small doe. At 7:15, a small doe came from the east moving west about 40 yards to the south of me. I stayed until about 8:30 am. That was it for me. Totals: 2 Deer, 2 Does

Tuesday September 16, 2008

Tuesday, September 16, 2008, Temp 78 degrees, Wind S/SE 15-20 mph, mostly sunny, Sunset: 7:23 pm (hunting close 7:53 pm)
I went to Arlie's nob. Got to the tree at about 5:20. Nothing for this guy. Bubba was out in the ladder stand. Got in about 5:40. At about 6:30, a spike came through to the north moving from east to west about 30 yards away. At 6:40, Bubba saw one doe to the south moving from east to west. At 6:50, there were 3 deer (1 buck in velvet 6 pointer outside the ears) that stayed behind him. All about 20-25 yards away, but no shot. They stay around and mingled for 10-15 minutes. Right at dark, as Bubba was getting down 4 deer were out in front of him to the NE, too dark to tell what they were. Totals: Bubba: 9 deer - 2 bucks, 3 does , and 4 ?'s. Bob: 0 deer.

Monday, September 15, 2008 pm

Monday, September 15, 2008, Temp 65 degrees, Wind S/SE 5-10 mph, partly cloudy, Sunset: 7:25 pm (hunting close 7:55 pm)
I got home from work today right at 5 pm. The weather has been pretty lousy the past two days. In fact, we got rained out last night. Finally the skies have cleared and it was a beautiful night. I got into the ladder stand about 5:15. At 5:35 a doe and a fawn came through to the south of me about 50 yards away. They the worked back to the east. After about 25 minutes, the same doe with 2 fawns (1 nubbin) came through right under my stand. At 6:15 8 more does and fawns came from the north and passed on the trail about 10 yards away. One actually stayed for about 5 minutes and licked up the "Come Here Deer" that I had poured on a old stump. Pretty cool. Taylor went to right field and kicked up 5 does on the way in. Four of them were on the bridge. Nothing after that except coons. I did see 3 more does that came from behind me, probably the same ones as earlier. Totals for tonight: Bob 12 Does and Fawns, Taylor 0

9-13-08 Bowhunting Opener

September 13, 2007, Temp 55 degrees, Wind E 0-5 mph, overcast and misty, Sunrise 6:49 am (hunting opener 6:19 am) Bob went to the ladder stand. At about 6:55 I had one deer go through to the south of me about 70 yards away. Shortly thereafter, I had 3 deer behind me, but they never came through. Bubba was at the apple tree stand and saw 4 does and 2 fawns. Taylor was in Right field and didn't see anything but had a dog that was nearby that would not stop barking, so he moved down to the food plot. No luck there either.

Attached as some photos from the feeder. The big 11 and the tall 6 pointer have both harden up. There is a small 5-6 pointer that is still in Velvet. I guess my dream of shooting a big one still in Velvet is going to have to wait until next year. Keep you posted. Buckslayer out.

The eve of the opener 9-12-08

Well tomorrow morning can not come soon enough. I think we are all ready for the big day. Hopefully the rain will avoid us. I will be in the ladder stand, Taylor in Right Field and Bubba in the apple tree stand. I will try to post some video and an update tomorrow, so log on and check us out. Here are some photos that were taken earlier this week. Big 11 is still around. I only hope he cooperates tomorrow.

September 6, 2008

Well we have a few more pictures of the nice bucks. One is a beautiful 11 pointer with a sticker on his left G2. I would guess he will score 140+. There is a of pictures of the tall 6-7 pointer. I think he needs one more year, so I hope he will make it. There is a nice picture of it appears like a "hard horned" 8 and another nice buck in velvet.

We should be able to get a few more decent photos before they harden up. Stay tuned. Only one more week! Hope it stays cool.

Buckslayer

Sept 1, 2008 Continued

A few more that I thought you might enjoy.

Thanks for looking. Bob

Cam Tracker Labor Day

Well, the 2008 season is right around the corner. We have all of the trails cut, the shooting lanes are all cut out, the food plot is growing, a new stand was built and now we have some evidence of a few nice bucks.
Take a look at the attached. I would guess there are at least5 decent bucks that we have on film. Let us know what you think. More to come...stay tuned and check out our sight all year long for updates.

Bob