October Lull and Wisconsin public land

[longbow fanatic 1]

I have sure had some uneventful deer hunting in Wisconsin this year. Lots of starting holes through the woods where I expect to see deer. This time of year can be very challenging. Believe me, I'm not the kind of hunter who has to kill a deer to enjoy the hunting experience. I do, however, enjoy seeing deer. Sometimes I think if I'm not seeing deer, it's a failure of my scouting and woodmanship skills.    Public land hunting, though, is a completely different when it comes to patterning whitetail movement. C'mon November!

[Paul Shirek]

I live in WI and hunt public land and it has been a tough season for me so far... Just keep remembering that you only need about one minute to turn your bad season into a great one. Where I hunt, deer numbers are actually up a bit but still lower than they should be. Hoping the rise continues... Not fun to see nothing day after day...

[Cyclic-Rivers]

My little brother had been seeing deer regularly for the first month.  about 2 weeks ago, he stopped seeing all deer. this is private land in Central WI.  

Things will turna around soon.  Good luck!

[eflanders]

Where I am at in NE WI it has been very quiet too.  I am not even seeing the deer that usually move through my yard on a daily basis right now... On the land that I hunt, there has been little to no movement during the hunting hours either.

[ChuckC]

I hunt public lands in Columbia and the abutting Counties (Madison and north) and I have seen a ton of sign. .  but no deer since the opening weekend.  Scrapes all over the high land.  Its gonna happen. .  soon.

ChuckC

[Bernie B.]

Deer are starting to move in SW Wisconsin.  After a slow couple of weeks, I've had deer around me my last three outings on our property.

Friday evening I had a doe come by followed by a pretty small fawn.  I so want to use my doe tag but thought the little guy still needed his momma.  To my surprise a few seconds later I heard grunting coming from where they had just walked through.  Out comes a decent six point with very dark antlers.  Pretty, but not quite what I'm looking for yet.

Saturday Morning I was in another stand and had a nice sized doe approach broadside at eight yards.  I definitely wanted to shoot her but heard deer movement coming from where she had been.  So, thinking there could be another buck that was following her, I waited to see what would show up.  Within seconds two very large fawns followed her trail - shucks, I was hoping for a buck so the young ones got a pass too.

The time is coming!

Bernie Bjorklund

NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin

[ChuckC]

I am going out again tomorrow afternoon.  Hoping for a few sightings.  I will drive up to the UP Thursday afternoon and hunt there for 4-5 days.  Hoping to see some movement up there.

ChuckC

[old wi bowyer]

I hunt private land in western Wi.& since the Oct.11

I have been out 11 time & have not seen a deer. It

has taken up from last year as I went from Oct. 25

to Dec. 27 with out seeing a deer and in that time  

I think I only missed 3 days of hunting. I have

been bow hunting since 59 & it is getting to a

point that Wi. deer herd is sinking like a rock.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Yep, it sounds like I'm not alone. Thinks are bound to improve. Good luck everyone!

[Hopewell Tom]

Last 2 weeks here in Nova Scotia has been very quiet. Lots of night time activity on the trail cam, but daylight sightings are just picking up. Private land though.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Originally posted by old wi bowyer:
I hunt private land in western Wi.& since the Oct.11

I have been out 11 time & have not seen a deer. It

has taken up from last year as I went from Oct. 25

to Dec. 27 with out seeing a deer and in that time  

I think I only missed 3 days of hunting. I have

been bow hunting since 59 & it is getting to a

point that Wi. deer herd is sinking like a rock.

Wow. Thats tough! I thought I had it hard. Good luck. I hope your luck improve in 2013.

[ChuckC]

its time.  better is now.  Our weather has been hot and crappy, bad with skeeters,  The last ten days or so the wind has picked up, its been rainy, the weather is cooler, nighttime lows are in the 30's and very soon to be in the 20's.

Things are changing even as we speak.  Old WI, get out there and get er done.  Post some pix.

BTW, do you know John McDonald ? (old time bowyer).

ChuckC

[frassettor]

Good luck, I know what you mean with the lull"!  

[Steve D]

Most of Wisconsin public land is tough hunting do to increased hunting pressure and other uses by folks,plus the low deer numbers. Stay at it, if you have scouted an area and has sign you should get into something soon. As mentioned opportunities on public land for most part are few and far between though. Its just
the way it is.

[Easykeeper]

Wisconsin is probably similar territory to Minnesota, very tough on public land during the middle of October.  Don't get burned out now, save some energy because in a week or so it will start to pick up and from Halloween until the start of rifle season even heavily pressured public land can produce as bucks start roaming.

Starting next weekend, find a nice funnel along the downwind side of a bedding area (cutovers, sloughs and tamarack bogs here) and hunt hard.  Mid-week hunts are best (obviously) but even on the weekends you can get some action.

[Burnsie]

Seems I'm always in a "lull" area.

[DEATHMASTER]

With the cold nights this week and cool days it will change the deer i hope.
GREAT time to be out in the woods.

[Builder]

A lot of crops still in, leaves for browse still on trees, and very warm compared to the last two seasons is what I believe is helping to contribute to the lack of deer.
I hunt western Wisconsin private land and we haven't seen much of anything for Bucks, mostly Does and fawns.
It is more like a normal year so usually about the Halloween weekend it starts turning on.

[Joshua Polland]

It is definitely a little slow here in Monroe county but I'm seeing 2-5 deer every other time out on public land. Of course if I go out to my buddies that has crops near it then the sightings go up. I'm just waiting for his call saying the corn has been cut. I'm visiting the in-laws this weekend that way my wife will be happy prior to the next few weeks.

[old wi bowyer]

Well the lull lasted till Nov. 7 total seen till then was 2 spikes, 1 basket 8 pouinter, & 4 does & 2 fawns. On the 8 saw 3 does at 12:30 PM, 1 doe & forky at 1:20PM , 9 turkeys at 1:40 PM, & a 10 pointer at 2:20 PM, Game over, Boy that has been a tough season but endurance payed off.