Mike, it sounds like you had a very eventful hunt this past weekend. Passed on a good young one, I'd hold out if I were you as well. Lets see...Iowa and the rut..for the next month! yes I would pass!I think the electrition may have already...been in there..its going to get nuts here in a few weeks. Everyone and their dog rifle hunts the heck out of Thanksgiving week. Oh well, I'll try to be were the big boys are hanging out and hiding out. I look forward to this months hunting but even more the Dec..when things quiet down in late archery season.

Saturday ..I had two shots go off about 200 yards from me. I think it may have been mr electrical. I saw his pu-tracks in there over by the neighbors gate. Who knows..

Mike - sounds like you're having a lot of action, hope you can seal the deal on one of those big Iowa brutes. I'm locked up in this office like a caged rat.

Troy - it's no less safe in PA with the bow than it is with the rifle - either way, you just try to find an isolated woodpatch or escape route and sit there waiting for deer, hoping that nobody opens fire in your direction. I'm sure it's a lot like where you're at. Nothing says "Hello! Good Morning" like the report of a 300 Ultra Mag about 80 yards up over the bank. Invariably, at the crack of a rifle, I almost jump out of my treestand. You're just never expecting that. Just tie off with the harness and go about business as usual. Prepare for the orange invasion, and try not to over-react when people do stupid stuff (shooting at illegal bucks, shooting without seeing what's beyond their target, driving deer away from you, walking right through your setup,hunting from the quad, shooting from the roads,taking a dump, shooting at random objects, etc...) Oh yeah, we've got some real nobel prize winners.

A few years back, I did have a guy shooting at a button fawn that was walking directly under my stand (okay, maybe 10 yards out). He fired one time, missed, then was cycling the pump to bring a follow-up shot. I started screaming like a maniac, and then he stopped. He was an older guy who says that he didn't see me up in the treetop, despite the orange vest and hat. I should have known it was coming, because I saw him posted up on the ridge, and I saw the deer come through. Then, all at once, I saw a flash of orange as he scrambled for his rifle and got a rest off the tree. I just kinda stood and swung myself behind the tree just as he fired. Fun.

Haaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaa ...you kill me quick..

On a good note, I am hoping to get out tonight for a couple hours.. If the wind is not blowing trees over like yesterday...I'll hunt that bedding area stand. If the wind is nuts...this afternoon...I will be on the ground...

Seen the six point on Mon. and just got wet on Tues. going out Wed. AM to see what I can muster up. I have a huge urge to put down a good buck, the problem is I have not seen a real good one. Normaly I am tickeled to catch a glimps of any buck, this year I am looking for mr. big. I was pumped yesterday to get out, took out the video camera and everything, rain and wet is all I got. Man I wish I could get out in the PM. I love to hunt them, just can not get the time.
I am set up in a prime spot, rubs everywhere and scrapes on the field edge, fresh too. I have never put much time into this area in the past but it looks too good this year to ignore. Gun/bow starts the 15th, and I do not see much hope for that part of the season. I hope to get it done soon so I can catch up on some sleep.

Good luck gentlemen! Go team XX

Gentlemen, went out this morning, and got a little damp. It sprinkled intermittently, and was unseasonably warm. I didn't see a deer and got out around 8:30. Not a good day for deer movement. Almost had to go hand-to-hand combat with a rogue squirrel, but he knew that I was ready to bring the pain, so he backed down. Apparently, he had issues with me taking over his tree. I was fully prepared to unleash the fury on that little rat and show him who is really at the top of the food chain. Three days and counting...

My buddy is on vacation, and was hunting around the ridge, he just called me and said he saw three bucks go roaring past dogging a doe whose tongue was practically dragging the ground: one huge shooter, and two little trailers.

I'm not worried yet - lots of bucks in full chase mode. The big boys are up and running.

Posting this one from home guys! I finaly got to see Mr. Big. I will be able to look at him every day too. This buck is beautifull. 10 point with a sticker at the base to make 11. I have not weighed him yet but a rough measuremet puts him in the 130's. 22 inch beams, 16 inch spread, 8 inch tines. Took him to the deer check station and they aged him at 4.5+. I have to drum up a digital camera and take him back to the field for some pics. The DNR guy said this was the nicest buck he has seen and had been doing this for 6 years. I will get to the story and pics a little later, I have 5.5 hours to get some sleep and 1 hour drive to work, get the kids from school......... Good luck to all of you.
Mark

Congrats AR, sounds like a great buck!! Hurry with the pics.

Whoa - big Congrats Mark! Like Dave said - pictures pronto!Have you seen that buck before? Rifle/Bow/Shotgun?

Hey guys, I just scored huge - found out that I have a whole week of paidvacation that I haven't burned yet - must be used by 12/31 (which won't be a problem).I am giving a double silent fist pump at my desk right now. (PUMP PUMP) So, I would have taken tomorrow off too, but I have some things already scheduled. Anyway, that means I'll get all-day Friday & Saturday for archery. Then, I'll use 2-3 days for deer camp (if I still have a buck tag), and I'll take one day off for bear hunting. By the way, Ryan, if you're interested in bear hunting, shoot me a PM.

Congrats Mark - sounds like a nice one!

Quick - I had one encounter with tiny (he is the little guy that lives in the tree next to my stand) I thought he was going to jump on my shoulder (maybe assisting as a look-out) - I had to chase him back arround the tree twice with my bow.

We certainly have a bumper crop of bushy tails this year - and 75% of them think they are Matt Hughes tearing arround picking fights the entire day.

Good luck with the bonus 2 day pass!

lol, Matt Hughes grew up less than 20 minutes from here, and Gretchen Wilson, too. Wonder if they tell people they grew up less than 20 minutes from me??[&:]

Anyway...I am going hunting again in the morning. I had to pick up the little guy from practice earlier and saw at least 6 deer heading towards my woods, they were headed towards my fender, but I had to hit the brakes. 2 doe tags for archery and a buck tag left, next Friday is shotgun/pistol/muzzleloader season here in IL. Anything that survives that onslaught comes out much, much wiser.