RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

only 9 more dayz damn it seems like the season is still another month yet. i really do think that we'll do good as everyone was saying. we all have great looking places, and from what i here we all have some dandies out there. i've been shooting A LOT every day for the last 2-3 weeks, (hope i don't wear out the cables lol). dough boy, my dad and mom aint see'n to eye to eye with him being at the cabin all fall, but she too knows that it's the boyz time of year.

-Hoyt

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

Man, Im getting pumped up even more, not too much longer...

I will definitly be cheching on this thread often throughout the hunting season.

Heres the thing guys, I have never shot a buck with my bow, and while I dont want to shoot a spike, or tiny little fork, Im not gonna pass on many decent bucks if I have the chance

That said, I hope to find a big one, and take him out, weve been seing this one nice 10 pointer that i figure could go 130's...

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

We are all getting pumped. The upcoming season is all I can think about. I walk through the house with catalogs showing my wife the the new equipment I've ordered and she just looks at me as if I've completely lost my mind. She couldn't care less about the 12 pointer I've watched on tv or how this guy just rattled in a buck accross a corn field. But knowing how little she cares I still am forced to point these things out to her. I think that maybe this time of year I have lost my mind. I love it.

H80Hunter, don't worry about trying to stick the biggest buck in the state. This season is still about going out and enjoying the sport that we love. I think as far as the contest goes a team with a handful of healthy bucks will do better than a team with one or two monsters. Stick to whatever plan you have for the season. Don't let the contest dictate the way you hunt. It will only lessen your overall enjoyment of the season.

What is everybody taking with them into the field on their first day of hunting?

For me it's a day pack with handheld Garmin gps, camera, Scent Killer autumn formula, bug spray, Bushnell binoculars, Bushnell Yardagepro rangefinder, A-way grunt call, rattling antlers, hydration pack, climbing stand, deer sleigh, mesh face mask, Colorado River gut knife, field dressing kit, lunch, paperback book and much more I'm sure I'm forgetting. Overkill I'm sure for so early in the season, but how could I leave any of it at home? I hope there's room for me in truck after I pack for the day.

Just a few more days for our Wisconsin team mates. And if memory serves me correctly, Vanden10 is out on an Elk hunt as we speak. I believe his deer season opens in just a few days as well. As for us Illinois boys, 3 weeks from today.

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

I may have Friday the 24th of Sept. off from work and school, so I may get a nice long weekend there...

I dont usually carry too much stuff, but Ill list it off...

Usually take whatever scent killer my grandpa stocks up on, (he usually goes to wal mart after the season when its cheap and stockpiles it), A primos adjustable grunt/bleat call, still looking to pick up an EZ-Hanger, Some sort of Mossy oak cargo style pants, Mossy oak long sleeve tee shirt if its not too cold for it, scent blocker face 3/4 mask

8 more days

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

8 days until the Wisconsin opener. I hope you guys are feeling lucky. :D I've got a few trailcam pictures of a nice 130 class perfectly symmetrical 10 point on my Wisconsin lease. Hopefully he makes the mistake of walking under me on opening morning.

Even though I'm not on your team anymore, I'm still going to intrude on your thread and post with you guys. My HuntingNet teamates are too busy working to post much. Suckers. [8D]

Opening day I'm gonna have my bow, a grunt tube, some Scent Shield, a bottle of water and a granola bar, and my digital video camera. Can't be lugging too much stuff around the woods while it's still in the 70's.

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

I will take with me my Bushnell binoculars, Primos grunt tube, fox pee cover scent, and of course my bow. My brother in law was over at the farm we hunt and what he told me had my heart racing!!! There are a couple of apple trees on that farm, and he said he saw a 12, 10 and an 8 pointer, all feeding on apples. The good news is one of my stands is approx. 75 yards from the apple trees. BRING IT ON!!!!

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

Hello Fellow BIG10, team members.

From what I read only a couple of us in the big 10 are able to hunt right now as most of your opening days are just around the corner. I wish all of you the best and hope all your final preparations are coming together for you smoothly.

I wanted to report a little on what is going on in my hunts thus far. Our season opened August 30th. I have 5 areas I hunt. and about 3 stand sites in each area..each area has approximately 6-8 bucks I have watched and of course there are more I havent seen... also my areas have elk in them... I am predominately targeting whitetail bucks right now but if the right bull shows up I will work him and get on the ground if needed to get after him.

Day 1. I hunted the evening. I had 3 bucks feed out below me about 100 yards... ranging from 115 to 135 gross pope and young / boone and crockett inches... I just watched them. Not bucks I want to harvest

I had a small bull elk 3x4 rag horn) and several cows... (11 ) feed out under my stand that same evening..the small bull was trying to get some attention from cows but they weren't interested...he was chuckling but not bugling..

Day 2. August 31, I had two bucks walk under me at about 15 yards 1/2 before last shooting light... 125 and a 135 class grossing bucks, I passed.

Day 3. Sept 1 , a cow and calf fed out early.. about 6 pm. during the last hour of light one of the bucks I am targeting fed out below me about 75 yards... with his sidekick a smaller buck.. the buck looked great... 145 net inch 5x5 forsure... he is nice and wide, 19 to 20 inside... his g-2s are his greatest tines at 10+ inches on each side, his mains are probably 23ish... maybe 24 but I doubt it.. maybe .......the big boy started feeding my way... at 40 yards..I could have taken a shot..but elected not to as he was still feeding my way..I told myself ten more yards and hes a dead deer... at about 37 yards..he turned and noticed his little friend below him feeding out away from him into the clearcut... he turned...my heart sank as he swung back and followed the younger buck out and left me with my bow in hand..I thought...buddy its your lucky day... I really wanted a 30 yard shot on that buck since he was SLIGHTLY quarting toward me.. almost broadside...hes a dandy buck..an is easily 230+ lbs in my estimation.. he is a hawg body mountain deer for these parts..

Day 4. Sept 3rd... doe fawn, 3 younger bucks... 115-125 ish...range... fed behind my stand at 25 yards.. passed on em..

Day 5. Sept 4th...(different buck different area from the afformentioned 5x5) this typical that I videoed and am targeting... 5x5 was standing under my stand as I approached.. 3 hours before dark... I believe the low pressure system that moved in had em up and moving ... Deer and elk were everywhere on my hike in.. I counted 60 head of elk in private land owners oats patch below the mountain I hunt on... and all of them were out 3 hours before dark...this is not normal routine for these bucks or elk... anyway he, the 5x5 looks AWESOME.. hes pushing the high 160s..grossing typical.. should net in the mid to low 160s net ... after all deductions.. he may even suprise me and gross close to 170.. Hes got long mains.. 24s , and all of his tines G-2, G-3s and G-4s are 9+ inches..candle sticks all the way across..no short tines.. up to 11's on possibly on the 2's.... Hes 20+ inches inside... just a beautiful buck.. at 40 yards I really got to look him over..He looks alot like my 184 inch grossing buck from last season and he has the same kind of genetics..hes long out in his g-4s... as my last archery buck was.. he is from the same mountain as well... he went ahead and moved off and I waited a bit to slip into that stand... didnt spook him..but only saw a doe and fawn later that night...


Day 6. Sept 5th... Hunted a ground blind.. didn't see a thing..

Hunting again tonight... Gonna hunt the 145 inch bucks spot...and then the big boy 5x5 (160 class deer)... On Sat...

Good luck all.. !

Troy aka shed

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

WO sounds like you've already had on hell of a season shed. i can only wish to get a 160+ within bow range, but i donno that they are that big out by us. but it's still is possible. Unfortunetly, we haven't got'n either of the two nice ones that i showed off the trail camara, but i know their there. got really good hopes as to getting a doe the first day (but i can't jinks myself) after that, we'll be slay'n the big boys. and H80 i haven't got'n a buck with my bow yet either, and like DC said don't change your hunting attatude cuz of the teams here. i intend on passing on the little basket buck, but then again easier said then done. but i really hope i can resist. . . . . .having seen the bucks with more potential, that will help when it comes down to it.
good luck

-Hoyt

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

OH! ! ! as for gear goes. . . . . . .

SentLock- mask/gloves/hat/jacket/pants
Carbon Blast (if we still have some left)
Bow
fag bag- water/grunt call/rattle bag/candy bars/piss bottle (lol)/binoculars/ and what ever else it is i can't remember
stool(if i aint got one but the evening i have a GREAT ground blind)
and hopefully some luck

-Hoyt

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

fridays hunt... Didnt see a critter, not even glassing the valley below...very slow night for movement...

Sat hunt. I moved deeper in the woods towards the big 5x5s bedding area... the daylight is really getting shorter and the bucks arent hitting the feed 'till after dark now... 1 small buck walked by at about 20 yards he was a 3x4 1.5 year old ..I sat and listened to about 5 different cow elk cow call back and forth to each other below my man made ground blind approximately 100 yards.. for about 1 hour... I cow talked to them hoping a bull would talk, but no bull ever made a noise so 1 hour before dark I shut off the cow calling and waited it out for feeding bucks to come my way..

right before last shooting light a deer moved up the ridge towards the clearcut just to the right of me about 50 yards out.. never did see him or her. Sounded heavy hooved and definately didnt sound like the one doe and fawn I have been frequently seeing in the area.

Hunting tomorrow evening again, have to work in the A.M.



As for gear, I shoot the bowtech liberty 80, with AC/KINETIC arrows, topped with 100 grain steel force HELLFIRE heads. I wear scent lok ( two sets of the liner systems) rubber boots and the full liner system from head to toe, I cover that with a superlight weight three d leafy suit, the only thing exposed is my eyes. I spray down with Vanishing hunter by Hawgs limited. I use Leuopold windriver 10x42 semi compact binocs, and the bowgrunter plus , hands free, social deer call.

elk, I use the berry bugle and hoochie momma cow call.

Good luck all, I Know you guys are looking forward to being out there !


Troy aka shed

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

I took my son squirrel hunting this past Saturday,and we had a blast!!! It was the first time he had been with me when I had a loaded gun. His mother was a nervous wreck when we left the house Saturday. Anyway, we got 2 really nice fox squirrels, and I decided to walk around just a bit to see what was shaking as far as sign goes. This property is where I do the majority of my deer hunting, so what happened next got me SOOOOO excited!!! We had just walked out into the field, and headed towards an area where I have a stand. We walked maybe 20 yards when all of a sudden here comes not 1....not 2.....not 3........but 4 NICE bucks running approx. 40 yards right in front of us. After I picked up my jaw from the ground, my son says, "Dad, look at that buck!!!", the 4th deer was a monster!!! I counted at least 6 points on his left side, and his rack was way past his ears!!!! His body was huge!!!! All I could think about on our walk back to my blazer was how big he was!!!! October 2nd could not get here fast enough!!!:D:D

RE: Team 10
 

SW Iowa Hunter sneaks in to size up the competition... Finding none he causually walks back out.:D

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

The word is not "causually" walks out.....I believe the word you are lookin for is "running scared"!!!! Mr. SW Iowa knows what everyone else knows.......BEWARE OF THE TEN!!!!! He probaly went to the bathroom to clean his shorts out when he saw what he and the others will be facing!!!!

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

Can you believe that joker from SW Iowa has the nerve to come in here, trying to talk smack!!!! He has no idea who he is messing with!!!!;);) Let's just hope I can back up my big mouth!!!![&:][&:]

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

:D

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

(Jeremy, Nice picture.. I have the same portrait in my home..)

Hunting log.. FRIDAY, cowtalked with some cow elk.. no bull showed up, waited on some bucks to leave their bedding area and come through... one did right at last light..I need to move even closer to the beds...

Sat, hunted a clearcut stand.. nothing

Sunday ... Had one younger buck feed about below my ground blind.. no shooters...

Daylight is getting shorter and the feeding movement is much closer to bedding areas..time to move some set ups... Elk should be screaming soon this coming week..

Good luck to all,
Shed

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

Has anyone on our team started hunting yet?

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

I start this weekend... shot my bow today for what might be the last time before then because of school/work, but I am ready for it...

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

yup saturday is the big day, i've been out shooting the bow like none other. thats about all that'll take the edge of the season off. but i'll porbably hang it up within the next day or two. good luck to everyone

-Hoyt

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

The wife has given up. She realizes that it is going to be almost impossible to get me to start any more projects around the house. Once hunting season starts, I am pretty worthless for about 3 months. She has learned to accept this, HOWEVER once the season is over, the "honey do" list comes back out!!!;);) I am shooting my bow extremely well, but I have a problem with my kisser button that will be easily fixed. Good luck fellow team members.....let's kick some BUTT!!!!!

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

this is going to be so much fun to read once we all start hunting

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

Well team 6 is getting ready to post the first buck of the contest. An 8 pointer from what I hear. No pics have been posted yet. can't wait to see it. Can't wait till we knock down some of our own.

It's getting so close. Can you feel it?

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

Team 6 may have drawn "first blood", but we will conquer!!!! October 2nd seems sooooooooooooooo far away!!!! BUT, I will be ready!!!!

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

Well everyone, I leave tonight after work, and wont be on the site till monday

dont worry though, when i return i will give a blow by blow account of my opening weekend

good luck all you wisconsin people this weekend, and hang in there those of you waiting for oct. 1st, i never though the 18th would come but its freakin here...

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

do we have a team captain? we need a captain to agree to rob's post on the additional rule #11.

if we dont have a captain we need to decide on one.

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

I was elected team captain when teams were first formed. The only Rule #11 I've seen is Is there a new rule #11?

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

no thats it david. i just didnt see where you replied to say we agree with the rule. sorry

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

No problem Shootem up870. I appreciate all the team members keeping their eyes open and keeping us all informed on things we may have missed. Less than 2 weeks for the opener for us boys form Illinois.
How are all of our teams members that have started their season doing?

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

David,

All is well here, I have Pat Ely and Youngfart both from huntnet out elk hunting this week, my whitetail hunting is on hold until they leave. We have had a great couple days, Sat I called a bull (spike) in for Pat. Pat's bull came to 12.5 yards as Pat leaned out behind a small pine to shoot the bull the bull jumped, spun and took off. Pat shot right over him. Sunday, Pat and Rocky and I had 4 different bulls going. We worked one good bull for almost 4 hours without ever getting a clean bow shot. He was a 5x5 maybe a 6x6, it was hard to tell in the thick fog we had all morning but I got a fair look at him.

We will be elk hunting until Sunday, then I will get back after the whitetails. Good luck to everyone else on team 10. We have a long season ahead of us, lets make the most of it the bucks will come.

Shed

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

hey everyone, just checking in again, sorry it's been a while. this weekend i saw maybe 20-25 deer total. sunday i stuck a doe at 20 yards to get my buck tag out at our cabin. later that night on some public land that a buddy and i hunted i hit a coyote at aobut 13 yards and tracked it for the last 30 minutes of light, and then again 2 hours tadya, but it seemed like the blood trail just stopped, so i didn't get it. it was really thick there, so that made it hard to track him down. we chased it maybe 100-150 yards give or take. i donno what was go'n on with it though, because i felt like i made a good shot on it, and i'd a thought that a 'yote wouldn't make it that far. oh well there's always next time. i'll add more when i get time, it's hard to do so with school, hockey, gurls, and the woods good luck everyone

-Hoyt

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

shed33

Tell Pat we are hoping he gets his elk. Make sure he doesn't get eaten by a bear, we need him for this contest once he gets back from his elk/bear hunting trip. LOL Remember this contest is just for fun. Should Pat not return, we know who's to blame. We will find you!!;):D

Seriously it sounds like you and your guys are having a blast and seeing some action. Goodluck on your hunting.

Tim

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

Sorry it took so long to report back, but I've been busy

Not much happened for me, I ended up taking a 42 yard shot at a doe on Sunday night and shot under her, but it wasnt on our "number 1" property, so i didnt worry about scaring the deer out of the area, i may have passed if I was going to hunt that stand much more...

My brother got a doe, he got really lucky, he gut shot it about as low as you can hit a deer, but it bleed REALLY good, and we tracked it through a cornfield, jumped it twice in the cornfield, and eventually recovered it after about 500 yards. (there was a thunderstorn coming and it was 75 degrees, so we didnt want to wait too long on the deer, plus we didnt know it was gut shot) we figured it was better to pursue the deer and risk losing it, than to let it sit, risk losing it, and risk it spoiling

but all turned out ok for us, it was great to get in the woods, and I know the deer will move when it isnt 80 degrees...

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

hey guys sorry iam just getting in here my puter was sick, I hope iam not to late, I had no other way to keep in contact. could someone let me know if Iam still in. Thanks..

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

Bowfreak-I think you might be late. It looks like you were replaced. You might want to get in contact with Rob/PA. He is in charge of the contest.

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

Sorry Bowfreak. There was a deadline about 2 weeks ago and they filled all who did not check in with alternates.

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

OK guys i have just about had it with this site. why can't i post a picture on here liek everyoen else with out using a host site ? why can't i get our team logo on my post like most of you have? can anyone help me out? i am pretty good with computers but just don't understand what i am doing wrong on this site. really starting to piss me off.

john

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

Check your PMs

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

hey guys how are we doin. my season starts in 8 days. (friday oct 1st). i have been waiting for what seems like years. how many people do we have hunting? hopefully this weekend i will go out to get my tags and some new leeches put on my bow. then whenever i borrow some of friend's buck pee im going to make a mock rub and scrape.

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

juct checking to see if my signature works guys

RE: Official Team "The Big 10 " (10) Thread
 

I have off tomorrow (friday) so I will be gone from tonight until monday morning

wish me luck