Wisconsin Rifle Season

Dang, thats a great big one! Was that the last game cam pic? Thats some cool character on that guy! Congratulations! I hope he’s going on the wall!
 
One cousin shot a nice 2 year old buck, and my wife shot a good doe. Lots of deer sightings opening day, and had a shooter right at shooting light in the brush, then a coyote spooked a bunch of does and the buck dipped out the back door.
 
I've ruined myself by hunting in the west to even like the Wisconsin gun hunt. I like archery season but my land becomes a refuge most years and some people can't understand the concept why. I try to only take mature deer and half the neighbors are brown is down. Any young bucks i can save are some of the few that will make it to 3.5 years or older
 
I've ruined myself by hunting in the west to even like the Wisconsin gun hunt. I like archery season but my land becomes a refuge most years and some people can't understand the concept why. I try to only take mature deer and half the neighbors are brown is down. Any young bucks i can save are some of the few that will make it to 3.5 years or older
Agreed. It is hard to get out there after you have been on a western deer hunt earlier in the year. I've spent 4 days on MN public land and haven't turned up a buck or doe yet. I did bump a moose.

Hunting Wisconsin starting tomorrow and gonna go through Saturday, all on public forest land. I am hoping to turn up a yearling but it will probably be a tough hunt.
 
Agreed. It is hard to get out there after you have been on a western deer hunt earlier in the year. I've spent 4 days on MN public land and haven't turned up a buck or doe yet. I did bump a moose.

Hunting Wisconsin starting tomorrow and gonna go through Saturday, all on public forest land. I am hoping to turn up a yearling but it will probably be a tough hunt.
The rut might be pretty good coming up. Even the muzzy hunt should have some rutting since the first round of estrus does was pretty late it seems. between hunting feedback and road kill it is about 10 days later in the season. If you can find an area not trampled by the pumpkin patch you might be surprised what you will see. many many times I have seen more bucks the second weekend of rifle than the first.
 
We had a slow season but ours was because of a bobcat problem. We're 10 miles from the ILL border. Still saw lots of turkeys and enough deer to keep it interesting. We typically do better later in the season and muzzy hunt which I'm the only one to take advantage of. Last year we killed 4 bucks over 20" wide and we saw a few in that class this year but for one reason or another no shots.
 
I've ruined myself by hunting in the west to even like the Wisconsin gun hunt. I like archery season but my land becomes a refuge most years and some people can't understand the concept why. I try to only take mature deer and half the neighbors are brown is down. Any young bucks i can save are some of the few that will make it to 3.5 years or older
This is me as well and sums up my neighborhood.
 
I've ruined myself by hunting in the west to even like the Wisconsin gun hunt. I like archery season but my land becomes a refuge most years and some people can't understand the concept why. I try to only take mature deer and half the neighbors are brown is down. Any young bucks i can save are some of the few that will make it to 3.5 years or older
I’ve come full circle on this. While I agree that western hunting is more fun, there is something special about the tradition of deer camp. Maybe it’s from seeing my buddy go through a bad fallout from his hunting crew and land- really damn good land- that makes me appreciate what I’m part of. Do young bucks get killed every year? Yeah, and that is a little frustrating, but I’d venture to say we have more fun and a better overall experience than many others.
 
I love Wisconsin and everything it has to offer. I used to think about hunting out west but honestly, I've become so interested in what my state has to offer, I am perfectly content chasing bucks, duck, grouse, and small game right here and when I'm not hunting, I'm fishing or shooting trap. This place has everything I love.
 
Heading back out tomorrow to try again. Missed a doe with my boy with me, have until Sunday to find a buck to tag. Hopefully bucks will still be on the move
 
I love Wisconsin and everything it has to offer. I used to think about hunting out west but honestly, I've become so interested in what my state has to offer, I am perfectly content chasing bucks, duck, grouse, and small game right here and when I'm not hunting, I'm fishing or shooting trap. This place has everything I love.
But it doesn’t have elk mule deer or antelope 😁
 
And it must not have many walleyes cuz every weekend of the summer and winter I see Wisconsin folks in ND fishing 🤔
 
And it must not have many walleyes cuz every weekend of the summer and winter I see Wisconsin folks in ND fishing 🤔
I'm not a walleye fisherman. Love eating them, though. Love to fish for bass, gills, crappie, and perch...plenty of these around. I should have also stated that I am a teacher so when the hunting fun starts, I go back to work so maybe I've convinced myself over the years that hunting out west is not a viable option so my attitude is just concentrate on what you do have vs what you can't have. I honestly love my state and the opportunities it provides. I feel very lucky in that regard.
 
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And it must not have many walleyes cuz every weekend of the summer and winter I see Wisconsin folks in ND fishing 🤔
I can relate. The state of Illinois must have nothing to do in it. There are Illinois plates 24/7, 365 days of the year in what seems like every part of the state of Wisconsin for every outdoor activity offered. And they tend to drive like shit.
 
I can relate. The state of Illinois must have nothing to do in it. There are Illinois plates 24/7, 365 days of the year in what seems like every part of the state of Wisconsin for every outdoor activity offered. And they tend to drive like shit.
Don’t you guys have a name for those friendly Illinois boys? :)
 
Hit the woods until yesterday. Opening morning at 7:30 i heard my son shoot and I got a wonderful text.

“dad, I just dropped a buck.”

normally exciting but this was especially so. He’s been hunting for 4 years and hasn’t shot a buck. He’s had everything go wrong that can.

he got a spiker coming over a red pine ridge to hide for the day. We were so excited.DDB9D99A-D742-4157-A5D0-2FC7083ED219.jpeg
 
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