RE: trempeleau county trip
I was about 5 or so miles south of you around North Creek, from Thurs to Sun I saw no less than 10 different bucks and heard many more grunting at does, everything was kosher until that warm front hit Sun. I shot my doe Sun night but had to come back early to get her taken care of. 7/10 bucks I saw were ''teenagers'', 2.5 yo bucks. 3 of those were in my kill zone with shot opportunities. I think the big boys were holed up with the older does that come into estrous early. The doe I shot dressed at 168#. She come in on my right(I thought she was a squirrel) at 15yds. I had to turn 180 degrees and drew with her head behind a tree, when she stepped out at 20 yds, THWACK! I hit her a little far forward and high. Clipped one lung and severed her windpipe, she went 50 yds across the ditch and rolled down into the bottom.
I think this week and weekend will be better as the bucks will be cruising from doe to doe. It's difficult when the does aren't ready yet because the mature bucks know which does will be ready first and hole up with them. Good luck and try to pass on those ''teenagers'', there are ALOT of mature bucks over here. Try to be patient, and if your setup is right a mature buck will trot by during daylight.