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JOHN
SOEHN
The Back 40
Slow Start
Sun, October 23, 2011
Although deer harvest numbers are close to normal, things sure seem slow in my neck of the woods. Heat, wind, and standing corn have combined to make for very little deer movement. Movement has increased slightly these past few days, but nothing to write home about. At my place, it seems as though all things deer are a little behind schedule this year. Until a few days ago, I saw very few rubs and no scrapes at all. I checked most of the old scrapes that tend to get opened up every year, and to date, none have been touched, but I have found a few new scrapes in new places. So what’s been going on at your place?
Comments
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My area stinks too John. Hopefully in another week????
Posted by Marc Anthony on October 23
That’s what I’m hoping for too. I did see something cool though. Driving to my property yesterday morning, my son and I had a young 10-point run in front of us. I locked up the breaks and the buck slammed head first into a barbed wire fence and got himself hung up. Poor guy was frantic and thrashing all over with his rack and neck all tied up. As I got out of the truck to get my bolt cutters to free the buck, he got himself loose. My son just said, “Thank God. I really didn’t want to do that. He would’ve killed us.” Looked like he was OK, just missing a wad of hair that he left behind.
Posted by Treehugger on October 23
I hunt in Knox county and they were moving pretty well on friday and saturday. Friday evening a killed a nice 9 point and a doe and saw a bunch of smaller bucks. The buck I shot was grunting and scent checking does.
Posted by jcurri on October 23
I’ve been thinking the same thing regarding sign! I’ve just started to see significant scraping in last few days! Last year I was seeing big rubs and scrapes in late september!
Posted by LandGuy on October 23
I hunt in 3 counties (Woodford, McLean and Cumberland)and have seen only a few “weak” scrapes and no rubs. I was really getting concerned until I read this article. Hoping things pick up this week.
Posted by Cooper on October 23
Lots of field edge scraping and some inner woods scrapes, but all in the last 5 days. This is in southern IL.
Posted by shootist on October 23
Haven’t seen much since opening week. Last year in my area it picked up Oct 28th. We are a little early yet.
Halloween is always just about the trigger day, weather permitting
Posted by SpikeBuck on October 23
Shot a pretty good 11 pt last week but was one of the few deer I’d seen since opening day. Action had been super slow. This weekend action started and watched bucks come into the grunt/rattle sequence 3 times. Saw more action in past 48hrs than first 3 weeks combined and I hunted hard opening week. Even saw a buck run a doe hard for 15 min. I know that’s early and not the norm but tells me things are ready to pop ASAP! Good luck to all. Get in a tree or in your ghuillie! I hunt west central Illinois.
Posted by Mallardmike on October 23
My scrapes appeared just this past week in Peoria county…have 3 within 50 yards of each other, with only nightly visitors. Only one rub spotted so far. Yesterday morning had good movement up until 11, then went dead so left at 1pm. This afternoon I didn’t see anything moving. I think they were all swimming to beat the heat.
Posted by maddad on October 23
Saturday morning the action was decent. Nothing too much, but my son and I each saw deer. One deer each…both smallish bucks. Driving home from a Rivermen game just a little while ago I saw two very small bucks dogging a doe around a picked bean field.
Posted by Treehugger on October 23
I hunt up in south central Wisconsin and I have had rubs up there since the middle of September. Every weekend I keep finding more and more rubs and scrapes. This was starting to get me thinking that it was getting really close to the rut until this weekend. All the does are in large groups with fawns and a small 8 point and a monster 10 I have been seeing were in a group together and neither of them felt threatened by the other. I don’t know what to think. Then I had another small 8 come in on a tee to 20 yards from a couple light grunts. Either they are getting close or are still far away I cant tell.
Posted by Mr.Bass1984 on October 24
On the way to one of my stands saturday evening I encountered a scrape that was freshly urinated in. From the stand I saw 2 does that were running wild followed by a few grunts. Right at dark I finally saw what I think was the buck chasing the does. All I could tell was it had a big body. Saw quite a few scrapes and rubs over the weekend so the activity is finally heating up.
Posted by buckbull on October 24
lots of chasing going on here near champaign, il.
Posted by drewbert41 on October 24
Lookin’ good in Macon Co. Lot’s of 2.5 yr old bucks cruising. A few larger bucks showing up on trail camera at night. Very windy a couple weekends ago. Things should really start heating up now…
Posted by Walston on October 24
Rattled in 4 bucks yesterday morn - 3 the first sequence and 1 the second. One being a big 8pt that worked a scrape and thrashed some bushes at about 50 yards. Coyote trotted through and spoiled any consideration of me shooting one of the two bigger ones had they got close enough. The third of the three was a 2yo 8pt that trotted straight in to the rattle stopping less than 10 yards away. Second sequence brought a year and a half trotting in to range. He wandered around then seen a doe behind me and ran her around for about a minute. He cruised by again a half hour later. Seen another deer in distance and gave a few grunts by mouth and he turned and came into range, another year and a half. Saturday in the same spot I seen nothing then yesterday afternoon about 150 yards from the same spot I seen nothing.
Posted by WhitetailCrazy on October 24
Going out this afternoon. Hopefully something happens.
Posted by Treehugger on October 24
I know down here in Fayette co. things are slow but the weather just won’t stay the same. A few shooters I’ve seen but that was out of my truck and very early like 3-4 pm.
Posted by OvercupArcher on October 24
marion county… saw two mature bucks out of the stand pushing does over the weekend
Posted by jordn88 on October 24
We are a little early. Oct 30 thru Nov 5th we will see heads roll
Posted by SpikeBuck on October 24
I agree SPIKEBUCK. Another week or so. Absolutely no movement tonight…not even a squirrel. I walked by two new scrapes that I found a few days ago and both were freshly hit. Gonna try to get a camera on each of them soon so I can see what and what time they’re being hit.
Posted by Treehugger on October 24
Off to work! Probably see a bunch on the way there lol!
Posted by Andy Meador on October 25