Wisconsin Rut Watch
#35
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MN - hunt Wisconsin
Posts: 88
I have had bucks come into the decoy setup to fight, have had a buck bump a decoy and so on. But, I still think the top thing a good decoy setup does is
KEEP THE DEER"S EYES ON THE DECOY!
Can't stress that enough. I had a deflected arrow go over the back of a buck that came into the decoy. Instead of running away, the buck bounced off 30 yards, looked back at the buck, and came back in. (couldn't get a second shot).
Here is my suggestions:
- You could use a buck by itself.
- You could use a buck and a doe.
- I often use just a buck. Right now, this is what I would do.
- I would use a buck and a doe together starting the 11th.
- This is critical - Make sure you wash the decoy in scent free soap. Put in plastic garbage bag or similar until you get to the woods. Handle only with latex or simialr gloves, and then spray scent killer all over the decoy.
- Use buck urine to add realism. But, put the buck urine on a wick and on the ground, not on the decoy.
- If using a buck and doe set up, take the legs off the doe if you can and lay the doe down about 30 yards away facing away from you quartering away straight upwind. Put the buck facing the doe quartering into you. This should bring the deer scent checking between you and the decoys.
- Use doe-in-heat on a wick, or just doe urine. I actually have had better success with just doe urine.
Good luck!
#36
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MN - hunt Wisconsin
Posts: 88
I have had great luck and a lot of fun with decoys over the past years. It doesn't always work, so be patient, but when it does, you will have a blast.
I have had bucks come into the decoy setup to fight, have had a buck bump a decoy and so on. But, I still think the top thing a good decoy setup does is
KEEP THE DEER"S EYES ON THE DECOY!
Can't stress that enough. I had a deflected arrow go over the back of a buck that came into the decoy. Instead of running away, the buck bounced off 30 yards, looked back at the buck, and came back in. (couldn't get a second shot).
Here is my suggestions:
Good luck!
I have had bucks come into the decoy setup to fight, have had a buck bump a decoy and so on. But, I still think the top thing a good decoy setup does is
KEEP THE DEER"S EYES ON THE DECOY!
Can't stress that enough. I had a deflected arrow go over the back of a buck that came into the decoy. Instead of running away, the buck bounced off 30 yards, looked back at the buck, and came back in. (couldn't get a second shot).
Here is my suggestions:
- You could use a buck by itself.
- You could use a buck and a doe.
- I often use just a buck. Right now, this is what I would do.
- I would use a buck and a doe together starting the 11th.
- This is critical - Make sure you wash the decoy in scent free soap. Put in plastic garbage bag or similar until you get to the woods. Handle only with latex or simialr gloves, and then spray scent killer all over the decoy.
- Use buck urine to add realism. But, put the buck urine on a wick and on the ground, not on the decoy.
- If using a buck and doe set up, take the legs off the doe if you can and lay the doe down about 30 yards away facing away from you quartering away straight upwind. Put the buck facing the doe quartering into you. This should bring the deer scent checking between you and the decoys.
- Use doe-in-heat on a wick, or just doe urine. I actually have had better success with just doe urine.
Good luck!
In my area (Polk County), I use a light rattle sequence early in the morning or late. If it is 2 hours or later past sunrise, or more than an hour before sunset, I use buck grunts, such as regular or tending, or I have used fawn bleats and doe-in-heat grunts.
This last Tuesday, rattles and doe-in-heat both worked well, and I brought in 5 different deer, one a nice shooter that I could not get in the right position.
#38
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MN - hunt Wisconsin
Posts: 88
Congrats! Nice deer. The body looks a little lean....is it just the angle of the picture?
A beauty! I am hoping the colder weather forecast for later this week get's the big ones moving. This 60 degree stuff is annoying. Now, we are just happy to have "normal" temps!
I am HOPING that the forecast does not change. They are already changing the outlook from rain and snow to dry now.
Ugg.
What part of Wisconsin?
#39
The body was kind of lean but long, he weighed 190. Probably a 3 1/2 year old deer. And yeah the warm temps sucks, we pretty much had one stand by water that was amazing over the weekend, but everywhere else wasn't very good. Shot in Buffalo County, 15 min. from Arcadia.
#40
Was out tonight saw a buck and a doe come out around 445... grunted, he looked, kept eating, again, same thing. I knew there were about 8 doe in the other field across the fence.
Didn't seem interested in anything to do with the rut or chasing, he didn't seem to want to fight or chase, but he must have a scrape along the back of the field cause when he came out he started messin with some branches on a small tree.
What's your guys thoughts on this?
Didn't seem interested in anything to do with the rut or chasing, he didn't seem to want to fight or chase, but he must have a scrape along the back of the field cause when he came out he started messin with some branches on a small tree.
What's your guys thoughts on this?