Deer hunters, my season starts today. I've got my truck loaded and heading to deer camp. It's only hour and 15 minutes away. Gonna be there for three weeks bow and gun hunting. Jo Daviess county in NW illinois. Buddies coming in from Minneapolis area, Indianapolis area, and Moline Illinois area.

How has your season gone so far? Post those big boys here.

I don't bow hunt anymore and firearms season starts the 16th of this month. Good luck to all. I need to get something besides fish in the freezer.

Good luck to everyone and be safe. I will be hunting next weekend in the Crosby, Mn area, then for a week up by Palisade, Mn.

Gunning next weekend. Up north by Sandstone, Mn.
But have been Bow hunting since Sept. Have seen some nice bucks and one fight.
Seen 13 of them this morning. Mostly Does couple buck one 10pt another looked about the same but was to far for a positive ID count. They just need to come in a little close they like to hang out 60+ yards way out of my comfort zone with a bow.
I hunt in the Metro zone in a very good area :)

Anyone hunting up in the bwca area this yr?

Deer numbers are way down in the 2 counties I hunt in Michigan. The only positive in that, is bucks have to do more traveling to find does. I've been sitting dark to dark since Oct. 25th. It finally paid off, got a nice 8 pt. yesterday. Gun season opener is the 15th of this month. And ah yes, deer camp, how do you describe it to someone who hasn't experienced it? Good luck, and more importantly, good times to all!

yogi59weedr were in Jo Davies are you? My Lease is in Woodbine (Scoutcamp Rd) and another member Canoe42 is in Elizabeth. We meet at Dually's in Elizabeth Friday gun opener for Rocky Mt oysters and Ruben egg rolls on the house! Email me and we can swap numbers and maybe get together. Lot of deer in my area no booner bucks on cam yet. Was out Sunday doing final sets ,lots of doe around all day

My first archery buck! Harvested from southeastern MN last weekend.

Have to be lucky to beat last year's deer!!

Sounds good. Our property in around Mossback and Bethel ..
Was at main street jugs last night. I'll send text

Jugs has a really good fish fry on Friday nights I'm sure you're probably aware of.

If love deer hunting this youtube channel is excellent.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzlnaIrdxwJITyrESOReqxg

I am not going Saturday for gun opener as I coach football and my team has made STATE!!!!!!

I'll plan on being there. Going into Jugs tomorrow for the fish fry and oyster on the half shell.

Going to state. Yahooooo.
Great job coach

schuetpa: "If love deer hunting this youtube channel is excellent.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzlnaIrdxwJITyrESOReqxg

I am not going Saturday for gun opener as I coach football and my team has made STATE!!!!!!"

What team do you coach Schuetpa? Congrats!

I can't wait to get out on the stand Saturday AM

Dassel-Cokato

Yesterday morning, Northeast Iowa. Archery shop thinks he'll go between 170-180. Always hunt with my daughter, she missed her chance but I stuck mine, man do we love spending time together in the woods. Good luck to all you other hunters out there!

scotttimm: "Yesterday morning, Northeast Iowa. Archery shop thinks he'll go between 170-180. Always hunt with my daughter, she missed her chance but I stuck mine, man do we love spending time together in the woods. Good luck to all you other hunters out there! "



My favorite times were with my older daughter hunting and fishing. She got a couple deer and caught tons of fish. My younger daughter is trying to position herself to be able to do some of that but her and I focused on the house while she was here. Daughters...sons... hunting and fishing is a great way to teach some good life lessons while building a special bond.
We’re doing terrible in our area!

scotttimm: "Yesterday morning, Northeast Iowa. Archery shop thinks he'll go between 170-180. Always hunt with my daughter, she missed her chance but I stuck mine, man do we love spending time together in the woods. Good luck to all you other hunters out there! "

very very nice. You got the nutrients etc. to grow big racks down there.

nice one scott, dropped off wife at choir practice last night and a heavy 8 point, right down the street walked in front of me and made me stop for it. honked my horn, and was total love-sick and tired. their tired :)

Our season went very well in the SE MN valleys. For four hunters, we got four animals on opening day. We got one respectable 8 point, one nice 9 with a split brow tine, a large 8 with a very nice rack and a large body, and one doe to round out the count.

We then spent a long time going to have samples taken for CWD testing. It was not well set up. It took about 1 hour and 45 minutes in St. Charles. The organization of the "line" had some people grumbling as well. The DNR will have to do much better or hunters might just decide to skip that important and required new part of the hunt. I hope that the process will improve with some experience for the DNR and the hunters. I have heard some more positive experiences from other stations.

Most important, we got together with family and friends and remembered our hunting partners who have left us. It is always my hope that my boys benefit from time with family and from learning more about the connections between today's world and the land and ways of life we have always used.

scotttimm: "Yesterday morning, Northeast Iowa. Archery shop thinks he'll go between 170-180. Always hunt with my daughter, she missed her chance but I stuck mine, man do we love spending time together in the woods. Good luck to all you other hunters out there! "

Very nice! Congrats!

Wife shot a small buck opening weekend of Wis bow I shot a doe yesterday
afternoon.

Just got back from 8 days in Montana mule deer hunting we killed 2 out of 3 the third guy missed on two nice bucks.

I am going to try hard to kill a buck with the bow this week but at 9 above for temps.

I am not to happy to hang around in a tree.

Wis gun opener starts Saturday before thanksgiving gearing up for that also.

With 3 and a bear in the freezers another one or two doesn't matter buck there are always people I can give it to.

Being from Texas we have all kinds of exotic animals from around the world roaming free. They can be hunted year round. I took this Aoudad Wednesday. They make an incredibly great sausage. 99 links is what this animal produced. My wife and I eat Aoudad twice a week.

Hunting by Cook this year for the first time with a friend. He recently bought a cabin the was moved in from the BWCA years ago...Ely resort I believe. I got my buck early the first morning. It Has been really cold the last couple of days. 30 degrees later this week will feel balmy. It’s been fun hunting something different than what I am used to.

hobbydog: "Hunting by Cook this year for the first time with a friend. He recently bought a cabin the was moved in from the BWCA years ago...Ely resort I believe. I got my buck early the first morning. It Has been really cold the last couple of days. 30 degrees later this week will feel balmy. It’s been fun hunting something different than what I am used to. "

Good for you,I don't think there is a lot of deer up there? See any others and how are hunters doing up there?

Got this fella early the second morning. The best part of the hunt was I got to listen to him and a friend do some light sparring several times before I ever seen them.

OldTripper: "Got this fella early the second morning. The best part of the hunt was I got to listen to him and a friend do some light sparring several times before I ever seen them.


"

Nice Mule deer! Where abouts you hunting?

Yes use to hunt mule deer in Montana when a either sex license was $20 and bought it over the counter and in town they gave change back often in silver dollars(no we didn't get there by horse and buggy). Still have some of those. Mule deer hunting is my favorite.

OldTripper: "Got this fella early the second morning. The best part of the hunt was I got to listen to him and a friend do some light sparring several times before I ever seen them.


"


I like the suppressor what caliber and what rifle are you using.

I shot a big doe on Saturday morning. Funny thing is, I called her in with a buck grunt call and she came looking for me. Did the same thing a couple of years ago. Both bucks and does respond to the grunt, but sometimes bucks will wait until it's too dark to see before running to me...

Zwater: "OldTripper: "Got this fella early the second morning. The best part of the hunt was I got to listen to him and a friend do some light sparring several times before I ever seen them.

Nice Mule deer! Where abouts you hunting?"

I'm was hunting in western Colorado, south of Montrose in Unit 65.

riverrunner: "OldTripper: "Got this fella early the second morning. The best part of the hunt was I got to listen to him and a friend do some light sparring several times before I ever seen them.

I like the suppressor what caliber and what rifle are you using."

It's a SRT Arms Titanium Shadow XL TI in 30 cal.
It's a Radical Firearms upper in 300 Blackout and a Rock River lower.
It's not as quiet as you might think. You still hear the supersonic crack of the bullet. My buddy heard me shoot and was about 75 yards away.
For the little Blackout round the deer was double lunged and only walked about 15-20 feet after the shot.

Pinetree: "hobbydog: "Hunting by Cook this year for the first time with a friend. He recently bought a cabin the was moved in from the BWCA years ago...Ely resort I believe. I got my buck early the first morning. It Has been really cold the last couple of days. 30 degrees later this week will feel balmy. It’s been fun hunting something different than what I am used to. "


Good for you,I don't think there is a lot of deer up there? See any others and how are hunters doing up there?"

I think there are plenty of deer. Between the cold on the full moon just not a lot of movement during the daylight hours. We see lots of fresh tracks left overnight and they are there at night on the trail cams. The were no shots heard tonight for the last 3 hours of the day. Found this old relic deep in the woods while exploring today.

Up to date statewide harvest numbers harvest totals

Came home on Monday am.
4.5 inches of new snow.our group since Halloween took two doe, and two bucks 10 and 11. I've Seen some bucks but not what I'm looking for. Going back up on Thursday am. 4 hip surgery since March 29. Not getting along in the woods too good. Looking forward to meeting flatlandpaddler and canoe42 at Duallys on Friday night of gun season...I'll be wearing a bright orange Illinois sweat shirt. Go illini...

Stay tuned to a more detailed report.
Seen some awesome stuff.

I will look for that orange "Illinois" sweatshirt but go Gophers! I will be wearing a tan Flying moose ball cap. If you can get a seat at the bar when you get there,better opportunity to get plenty of fresh hot Rock Mt Oysters !

Flatlandpaddler: "I will look for that orange "Illinois" sweatshirt but go Gophers! I will be wearing a tan Flying moose ball cap. If you can get a seat at the bar when you get there,better opportunity to get plenty of fresh hot Rock Mt Oysters !


"Wish I could meet with you guys. Maybe next time

shot this guy with the bow last Thursday at dark...couldn't track him..picked up the track at first light and found this at first I thought was coyote s that got him but a mnt lion was spotted there that morning...I did not know this till after a few days. was able to salvage some meat and the head..my first buck with the bow so I am happy about it anyway

Shot opening morning near Mille Lacs on public land.

someguy: "Shot opening morning near Mille Lacs on public land. "

Nice deer. Congrats!

brantlars: " shot this guy with the bow last Thursday at dark...couldn't track him..picked up the track at first light and found this at first I thought was coyote s that got him but a mnt lion was spotted there that morning...I did not know this till after a few days. was able to salvage some meat and the head..my first buck with the bow so I am happy about it anyway"

I had a pack of coyotes completely consume a deer over night.

Luckily you were able to recover as much as you did.

blutofish1: "Flatlandpaddler: "I will look for that orange "Illinois" sweatshirt but go Gophers! I will be wearing a tan Flying moose ball cap. If you can get a seat at the bar when you get there,better opportunity to get plenty of fresh hot Rock Mt Oysters !



"Wish I could meet with you guys. Maybe next time "

Anytime Tony! Would love to have you out.

I agree Tony. Just got my new rod tip from St. Croix . My winter project.

Only three? Sigh. I was hoping for four.

Our season was pretty poor deer wise. But getting out there, the exercise, the time spent with family and friends... what a good time! I didn’t hold up the best. But I had a couple good days. Tony is a great guy to hunt with! Still got a week to go, but most everyone had to go back to work. I’m lucky, I can do my work between hunting.

nctry: "Our season was pretty poor deer wise. But getting out there, the exercise, the time spent with family and friends... what a good time! I didn’t hold up the best. But I had a couple good days. Tony is a great guy to hunt with! Still got a week to go, but most everyone had to go back to work. I’m lucky, I can do my work between hunting."
I hunted for about 6 days hoping for a buck.but very happy shooting a nice doe Friday.

I look back and even this year, I kind of hope I don't get a deer right away. I love being in the woods goofing off. Especially nice sunny days when the sun hits me in the deer stand. Down here we had very little sunshine. Sometimes it may sound weird-the lucky hunter is one who gets to stay in the woods for awhile. I am amazed tho,around Brainerd many hunters quit by noon the first Sunday,they had enough being outdoors.

For most people around Brainerd it looks like the harvest will be just a little down from last year. Longville area a little slower yet. From Brainerd to Longville is like only 50 miles but winter is like 2 weeks longer overall and a little harsher,plus a few more wolves,but they also seem down some.

Dicemaker still waiting to here from you and see if you got your usual monster buck down by Alexander.

Busy week, just seeing this now, some really nice deer in here!

opening morning I saw 40+deer within 100yds of the stand by 10:30 when I got down to go get mine (took him at about 9) Just picked him up from the processor on Wednesday, he was a good size boy, ended up with 93lbs of boneless meat.





OldTripper: "
It's a Radical Firearms upper in 300 Blackout and a Rock River lower.
It's not as quiet as you might think. You still hear the supersonic crack of the bullet. My buddy heard me shoot and was about 75 yards away.
For the little Blackout round the deer was double lunged and only walked about 15-20 feet after the shot. "

I shoot in a shotgun and pistol zone and I’m seriously considering shooting my Noveske 300blk pistol, it’s damn accurate and although I haven’t got the final ballistics on hand I suspect it will be around 80-85% of the energy my slug gun has @ 100 yds but more reliable in the accuracy department.

What are you running for a load? What is your barrel length and any idea on velocities you are seeing?

Wow that is one big deer if you got 93 pounds boneless. Your very fortunate to see that many deer. Take me 10 years to see that many. Just curious what county-don't worry never will be going there. Also a lot of bucks in that number?

I did 4 12 hour "shifts" on stand and 4 morning or evening hunts around Glenwood and one morning hunt in Eagle Bend. I saw at least 50+ deer sitting on stand. Saw a few 'huge' deer driving out to the stands in the morning. Mostly fawns and spike bucks. My 2 older brothers cashed in on some bigger bucks this year! We would kid one brother about always 'weeding out the gene pool' He finally has a wall mounter now! The most deer I have seen in many years! Still have my bow tag to fill!

dicecupmaker: "I did 4 12 hour "shifts" on stand and 4 morning or evening hunts around Glenwood and one morning hunt in Eagle Bend. I saw at least 50+ deer sitting on stand. Saw a few 'huge' deer driving out to the stands in the morning. Mostly fawns and spike bucks. My 2 older brothers cashed in on some bigger bucks this year! We would kid one brother about always 'weeding out the gene pool' He finally has a wall mounter now! The most deer I have seen in many years! Still have my bow tag to fill!"

Well keep us up to date,love hearing the stories and truely the amount of deer your seeing. Feel very fortunate. You should.

Pinetree: "Wow that is one big deer if you got 93 pounds boneless. Your very fortunate to see that many deer. Take me 10 years to see that many. Just curious what county-don't worry never will be going there. Also a lot of bucks in that number?



"

He was a heavy SOB, I normally dont weigh my meat but after picking him up I was like 2 full boxes and they are both heavy as hell. I’d say normally a big buck gets me 35-40lbs of trim, this one went 62, 18 for the two roasts, 13 for the tenders and back straps, oddly the tenderloins seem kinda on the small side compared to normal.

I hunt near Alex, groups of 6-8 does rolling through are fairly common, almost always a buck bringing up the rear, I saw 2 big boys that never gave me a clean shot, then the one I took, then one more nicer buck after I took mine, probably 4-6 crappy bucks mixed in there as well.

8 pointer up in the Ely area; 7:30 yesterday (Sunday 11/17) morning.

Harv: "


8 pointer up in the Ely area; 7:30 yesterday (Sunday 11/17) morning. "

Nice deer, Always liked the big woods hunting.
I hunted down the Wolf lake road in 1969 and shot one of my biggest bucks ever.
Than not sure if it was 1976 or 77(around than) I hunted past the wolf lake road gate and up the logging road to Phantom lake and north.
I was walking thru a semi grown cutting and all over there were rubs on trees all over-Moose. About a hour later I hear this clanging of antlers hitting trees and brush. Here walks out the 3 biggest moose I ever had seen-all had like a double shovel like a monster Alaska moose would have there. It was quite a spectacle.

Great to see everyone's pics and read their stories. I finally got back to deer hunting after 2 years away and central Missouri didn't disappoint. And being able to hunt with a great friend made the day that much better and easier to drag out of the woods.

Got this guy 2 weeks ago Sunday (yesterday). First buck with the Bow.

Its interesting over the years I checked the % deboned meat vs dressed weight of deer. Seen other studies also. It averages 34%. I think the bigger deer you might push it up close to 40% and a percent either way.

My deer gun season is most likely over before it got started.

Cut the tendons on my right hand trigger finger and middle finger.

deboning a bow kill.

Heading to hospital this morning for surgery this after noon.

I am very right handed so it has really slowed me down

Will report back in a couple of days

yogi59weedr: "I'll plan on being there. Going into Jugs tomorrow for the fish fry and oyster on the half shell."

Dave thanks for posting haven't had time to let yogi know it's sat not Fri

Laid this guy down Nov. 8th. Not my biggest, however first buck since 2014. Got 2 doe also. I'm thankful for all the fresh meat. PA bow season ended this past Saturday, gun season starts the 30th, and I'm tagged out. A happy hunter here.

riverrunner: "My deer gun season is most likely over before it got started.

Cut the tendons on my right hand trigger finger and middle finger.


deboning a bow kill.


Heading to hospital this morning for surgery this after noon.


I am very right handed so it has really slowed me down


Will report back in a couple of days"

Usually I cut myself gutting or deboning. This year I got lucky. My brother cut himself gutting once and than he got a bad infection. Clean your cuts good.

Wi. gun opener this weekend. Good luck gang. Minnesota.....I believe you finish up this weekend?? Keep posting your stories

riverrunner: "My deer gun season is most likely over before it got started.

Cut the tendons on my right hand trigger finger and middle finger.


deboning a bow kill.


Heading to hospital this morning for surgery this after noon.


I am very right handed so it has really slowed me down


Will report back in a couple of days"

That's terrible. Good luck with your surgery, and recover quickly!

It's 800pm. We just got here. I guessed we missed ya.

Sorry we missed you You Yogi. We did have a successful weekend in JoDaviees County. Canoe42 put down 2 does Sat afternoon and I took this 3.5 yo 9 point Sun morning

How's your healing, RR?

riverrunner: "My deer gun season is most likely over before it got started.

Cut the tendons on my right hand trigger finger and middle finger.


deboning a bow kill.


Heading to hospital this morning for surgery this after noon.


I am very right handed so it has really slowed me down


Will report back in a couple of days"

sorry to hear this, godspeed on your recovery
I hope this is not taken the wrong way, but this is what I meant earlier
it's not about the quality of equipment

BTW, I mounted my 50mm scope on my .22LR marlin 60 with Leopold scope rings that allow using the sights , total cost of the setup = just under 30 bucks,yes, that includes scope!

gawd I love this setup

I am lucky in that I can shoot a rifle with either eye etc.. I know some can not.
Hope you get well soon.

More pictures people! I am going through 'High speed beef' withdrawl here!!

My buck this year.

Mickeal: "My buck this year. "

Very nice deer. Our you allowed more than one a year in Texas if you want one? Also is there much public land to hunt? Just curious.
Lot of good eating.

My lake house pet
Don't know if he will make it to becoming a trophy. He keeps tearing the side mirrors off of vehicles.

AmarilloJim: "

My lake house pet
Don't know if he will make it to becoming a trophy. He keeps tearing the side mirrors off of vehicles."

Mule deer are my favorite to hunt. They are impressive.

Pinetree e-mail sent. Did you get it?

Mickeal: "Pinetree e-mail sent. Did you get it?"

No ,try again I will look for it. I can email you and you can reply if not successful.