Going hunting this weekend, need help

AGCHAWK

11/2/06 11:37am

youngbuck91, I've never hunted Whitetail in Minnesota but I do it every year in Idaho (My whitetail hunt starts in a week). I will tell ya what I do and I imagine that it would also work up there but I cannot promise anything.

To start, it's a lot different than the Muley hunting I do. You're right, it takes a lot more sittin' and a lot less walkin' (If you're hunting in heavy cover).

My hunt starts during the early stages of the rut, or pre-rut, and runs through most of the rut itself. First I find heavy game trails, open meadows, and things like that that will also allow me cover (I hunt from the ground vice a stand...I'm not too fond of hieghts). During the pre-rut I use light scent markers that I generally will put out the night before. I also put a bit on my boots before I walk into the area to create a nice trail. Because it's the pre-rut I only do some LIGHT rattling with an occasional buck grunt and/wheeze thrown in and a bit more doe bleats (I rattle every 1/3 hour or so with grunts both during and inbetween rattle sessions). Then I just sit and wait. Normally during the pre-rut you'll get bucks that will come in more out of curiousity than lookin' for a fight but it works pretty well for me. Attached is a picture of my brother with the racks from the two Whitetail we took last year. I took mine (Right rack) during the pre-rut and my brother got his a week later using the rut techniques (Left rack).

During the rut I am MUCH more aggressive with my rattling grunting/wheezing and put out more scent markers than I do during the pre-rut. The bucks are lookin' for a fight at this point and I have had them litterally run into shootin' range thinkin' they've got a challenger.

Keep your eyes and ears open too! I had a buck about 4 years ago come right up behind me and I wasn't paying attention. He got about 20 yards from me before he spotted me (I was descented and I doubt he smelled me at all). When he saw me he let out a wheeze and grunt loud enough to turn me around instantly but by that time he was into the thick cover and I never got a shot.

Hope this helps. Again, I'm sure that the deer's behavior is pretty similar in either area and I also know that other folks use different techniques but these sure do work for me.

GOOD LUCK MY FRIEND!!!

13

bigbuck92

11/2/06 7:41pm

great bucks for both of ya. yours has a way heavy rack on it

11

OHIOFLATLANDER

11/6/06 9:43am

Nice lookin couple a bucks!! who mounted the horns? Nice job!!

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AGCHAWK

11/6/06 6:39pm

OHIO, My brother did the mounting for us.

Yea, it was a good year in Idaho last year. Tryin' to do the same thing right now although the weather is not cooperating (Raining like MAD for days now!!).

Passed on a small 2X3 but other than that We've seen nothing but does. In fact, the weather has been bad enough that I am toying with the idea of just dropping a big doe to fill the freezer and spendin' the rest of my vacation with the family.

I'll keep ya posted.

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waynedevore

11/13/06 6:15pm

Youngbuck, How did you do? You were right up in my neck of the woods. To bad I didn't see topic sooner I could have been some help.

mnmt

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youngbuck91

11/15/06 5:56pm

I did bad but others in camp did well. I shot at a buck opening morning and the gun magizine was messed up and wouldn't put a bullet in chamber. Then the next morning I was being filmed and i spotted a buck, but the camera man couldn't find him and it was too late. My dad got a doe. Older cousin got 2 bucks. Uncle got 1 buck. 4 deer out of 7 hunters. =D>

Here is a few pics.

Here is the cabin we stay...