The News Outside
Life jackets a must for boaters, Steve Sarley, May 21
DNR needs sustainable funding, Dale Bowman, May 21
Bowfrogging for trophy croakers, Don Gasaway, May 21
Parts of Johnson-Sauk park closed, Star Courier, May 21
Pros, cons of Hackmatack refuge, Northwest Herald, May 20
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April 2012
March 2012
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January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
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August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
Recent entries
- Pike County to Cook County in 24 hours May 21
- Products tested May 15
- Is it really time to lower the poundage? Apr 26
- Are you ready for a 3 buck limit? Apr 20
- The New Economy Apr 20
- Spring Hit List Apr 06
- Two guys try it from the ground Apr 05
- Oh, my aching feet! Mar 26
- Illinois needs to re-think conceal carry Mar 19
- An H.O. Feature Story Mar 08
- Just a reminder Mar 06
- An H.O. readers finished buck Mar 01
- Local Events Feb 29
- Deer still hanging on to antlers Feb 28
- Trail cam rotation reveals buck’s paths Feb 24
- What Really Stinks Feb 08
- Possible IDNR deer reduction agenda? Jan 28
- Already planning for next year Jan 16
- Mid-time recaps Dec 16
- Some simple ground hunting footage Dec 11
MARC
ANTHONY
Non-Typical Hunter
Already planning for next year
Mon, January 16, 2012
What a season. In 2010 I had an estimated 45 days in the timber and last year, a meager 11. I just couldn’t find the time to get out. I was able to get one of my tags filled in October, but couldn’t find the time to close the deal on another one. Two doe tags and one buck tag donated the the IDNR; I hope the money goes to good use 
The majority of the feedback I’m getting for the 2011 season isn’t good or bad. There were some monster bucks shot last season but the hunters I talked to mainly stated deer frequency was still a problem. I know in the handful of places I hunted, only a couple produced deer regularly. It was tough after the first gun season in the areas I hunted but got even worse with the added late season gun weekends.
I’m going to wait a couple of weeks and start my scout regime. I think this is the optimum time to check on the status of your local herd. It’s also a great time to see which bucks made it through the season! Keep an eye on those puppies! Remember to keep in mind if you see deer that have yarded together, that they are just that; yarded together! It can be deceiving to see a bunch of deer in late January leaving you to believe there are many deer left behind in your area. These deer are clumped up for protection and usually represent the deer from a far greater area.
I just got back from the ATA show in Ohio, so I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. I was able to check out some new products for 2012 and will be reporting on them soon. Until then, get ready for 2012!
Comments
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Marc, Im with you..My season NEVER stops….The thumb had me out this year but watch out 2012;)
Posted by WhitetailFreak on January 16
Scout now and don’t worry about bugs, brush and heat in Sept. Might find a shed or two as well..
Posted by SILO Bob on January 17
Maybe you could claim the cost of the tags as a donation on your taxes for last year? Wouldn’t that be great!
Posted by aerosmith16 on January 17
We’re already planning work on properties. Can’t wait to start getting ready for 2012 season.
Posted by OZ on January 17
Given that the deer are likely yarded up plus that since season just ended and the hunting pressure just got turned off, so they are probably still acting as if they are highly pressured, isn’t their behavior going to be very different now than it will be in a few months? I guess what I’m wondering is, aside from numbers and who survived, what do you hope to learn by scouting now that will be useful next October?
Posted by Murdy on January 17
I’m already dying for 2012 season. Guess I need to find another hobby.
Posted by jcurri on January 17
AEROSMITH16, that’s a great idea! Think the Gov. will go for it? LOL.
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MURDY, the reason I like to begin scouting now is because first, I like to see what survived, second, I like to look for sheds. After the rut, Your biggest bucks will often go back to their home turf, unlike some of the does and smaller bucks. If you find a big shed now, chances are he’ll be in that area early season. Third, this is a great time to go into the pre-rut areas and look for rubs from last season. Chances are, any mature surviving buck will be back in there come late October. Usually, when I find monster rubs, I have to tread lightly during the season with fear of kicking them out of that area. Now I can really get in there and scout without that fear. Fourth, any bedding areas from fall will still show signs of activity before the spring green-up occurs. Generally speaking, I’ll get a summation of the last season to move forward with this season.
Posted by Marc Anthony on January 17
Thanks for the info Marc.
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Since you brought up rubs, I ran across what looked like a fresh rub over last week end. I assume it was actually a buck using a small tree to loose a shed. Does that sound right to you?
Posted by Murdy on January 17
Glad to Murdy.
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It could be a fresh rub from a buck loosing a shed. I’ve seen them rub to loose velvet too. I’ve also seen rubs that look new, but really have been made months before. If you want, do a test. Look at it in a couple of months and see if it still looks new! Maybe that will SHED some light on that answer :-0
Posted by Marc Anthony on January 17