• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Official Team 4 Discussion Thread

First hunt of the year on the best private piece I have permission to hunt near me. Was not disappointed. 10 minutes on stand had a chip shot at a doe at 15 yards but gave her a pass as she kept doing the ol' "Who the heck is following me?" look-behind every few seconds. Nothing came down her trail but saw movement about 70 yards out, large body, but couldn't see it's head. It moved off to the north away from us. About 6:00pm had a small 5 or 6pt yearling at 30 yards. Watched him for a few minutes then he headed in the direction of doe bedding.

That was it until 7:00pm and as I was packing up and just had stepped off my top step to start descending it sounded like a herd of horses come crashing through the woods behind me. They ran to about 30-40 yards to my south, probably hitting my scent stream then abruptly stopped and her a quick snort. Heard them mill around for a few moments then got spooky quiet and then I heard a step 'tap tap tap'. Stood uncomfortably on my screw in steps for probably 5 to 10 minutes until I heard them move off in the direction of their bedding area.

Fun hunt!!
 
I am home this weekend doing family stuff, then Monday I take the gloves off. I am hunting locally Mon, Tues & Fri, then leaving to go rifle hunting up north Sunday for a week. This is the last week of archery before the gun hunt starts and can render a few of my spots unproductive. I really need to connect this week...

The up north rifle hunt is a crap shoot - the woods are huge and the resulting deer density is very low. Despite the challenge, I still wouldn't trade it for hunting small woods/mixed agriculture. There is just something about being in the North woods (for clarity, up here we don't really consider that to be "North" woods, but whatever, in the grand scheme of things its reasonably North). I start the week with 4 days on 1000 acres of private ground near (West) Algonquin Park. It's an unreal hunting property - but that doesn't mean it is easy. From there I go East over to the other side of the park (South East more accurately) for a public land hunt there at a camp with my close buddies. This is another fantastic patch of ground, but that camp tends to put a bit more energy into staying up late arguing while playing cards than getting up early and tracking deer...
 
Hello all. Glad some of you folks put us on the board. Sorry ive been absent. Trying to get honey dos done before things get to kickin. Did get to take a 5 day backpack trip for bear and deer last weekend here in Arkansas. Lot of miles and very litttle sign. No food in the wilderness. They are all on the edge of private eatin at the feeders looks like. But i made it into a saddle this afternoon. Had 3 nice bucks showing before dark last couple days. Maybe one will show. Headed to Iowa here in a few days. Bout to get serious.
 
Sounds like team4 is about ready to take the lead!! I haven't been out much....freezer is full. Going to try for a big one this year. Got a few plans on how to do it. Just need the wind to cooperate. Good luck everyone. Bowhunterchuck

Sent from my VS835 using Tapatalk
 
I took a weekend off and came down to lake Anna to catch some stripers. We just closed on a lot down here and this was our first chance to come down. I'll be back next week hitting it hard. Have several good rut spots that I haven't touched at all this year. Something's getting an arrow in November.
 
Had some great action at the private farm this weekend. Definitely heating up here in Michigan!

Had a nice doe at 15 yards but was acting bothered so I waited to see if something followed but no dice, and then in the miserable, cold rain yesterday called in a small 6pt with the bleat can. Gave me slight quartering away shot at 25 yards but he got a pass.

Got a bunch of family crap going on this week but should be able to make it out this weekend.
 
Guys I'm still out hunting about 3 or 4 times a week, just can't make it happen. Been seeing deer, just not the right ones. Decided to try some public tonight. After a hour hike I setup were I wanted to be. Only had a small spike come by at 10 yards. It will happen, I just got to keep moving. Good luck over the next couple weeks, the rut is definitely starting!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
Been slower than normal for me this year so far but the buck sign is really heating up. I start my annual first two weeks of Nov. vacation on Thursday so I'm pulling the camper to hunting camp and I'll be there until the 14th for some dedicated, full time bow hunting. I confident things will pick up. Really looking forward to it. Cell service is spotty so I'll be on/off for a while but wish you guys the best of luck!
 
I have been out all day the last two days. Yesterday went well. Today was a disaster. Got turned around in the dark on the way in, sweated myself out, my buddy fell into a swamp off a "log bridge"... Finally got climbed and ready - does came in on quartering wind, wind shifts Does blow me out hard. It was one of those days... I'm back at it Friday for one last archery hunt before I get my shooting iron out...
 
MJH said:
I have been out all day the last two days. Yesterday went well. Today was a disaster. Got turned around in the dark on the way in, sweated myself out, my buddy fell into a swamp off a "log bridge"... Finally got climbed and ready - does came in on quartering wind, wind shifts Does blow me out hard. It was one of those days... I'm back at it Friday for one last archery hunt before I get my shooting iron out...
Click to expand...
I've had those days too....makes the good ones even more appreciated !!

Sent from my VS835 using Tapatalk
 
Okay ya'll we're in 2nd place right now in decent position. One good weekend and we can take the lead! I'm hunting a tough public land romp n' stomp this weekend but I've done my homework so we'll see....
 
@bowhunterchuck i am new to saddles this year. Previously I have hunted with an aluminum climber. I am in complete agreement that the saddles are better in every way, except one. With a compound bow, a shooting rest isn't a factor, but with a crossbow the shooting rest/bar can be used. With it, under the right angles etc, I am very accurate with my crossbow. The saddle for me, right now imparts more movement and less accuracy. Given my inexperience I am shortening my range to 30 yards - whereas with my climber, and its stability, I am comfortable shooting 40. This could change with practice.

What is your view (I believe you are shooting crossbow)
 
MJH said:
@bowhunterchuck i am new to saddles this year. Previously I have hunted with an aluminum climber. I am in complete agreement that the saddles are better in every way, except one. With a compound bow, a shooting rest isn't a factor, but with a crossbow the shooting rest/bar can be used. With it, under the right angles etc, I am very accurate with my crossbow. The saddle for me, right now imparts more movement and less accuracy. Given my inexperience I am shortening my range to 30 yards - whereas with my climber, and its stability, I am comfortable shooting 40. This could change with practice.

What is your view (I believe you are shooting crossbow)
Click to expand...
I do shoot crossbows....Excalibur grizzly. I agree with your comment about being more accurate with a shooting rail. I just made my farthest shot ever taking a doe at 42 yards.....from a 2 man ladder stand with a shooting rail. The crossbow saddle shooting is a completely different experience. Its really hard to explain because every setup is different. All I can say is PRACTICE. What I like to do is try every possible scenerio to find the most stable position for shooting accurately. Sometimes that involves using the tree to lean on or using my tree strap as a rest. You will be surprised at how stable you can get in a saddle. Last year I shot a nice buck at 40 yards from my saddle. It was a left side shot but I had to lean way out to clear the tree. I never felt more confident when the scope settled on his vitals....no shaking or movement at all. This year I had a big buck come in from behind me. I had to shoot from my right side leaning out as far as I could....everything felt great. Unfortunately he was 25 yards not 30 and my arrow went high. I practice these shots all the time when I get bored or cold while hunting...I focus on a leaf at 50 yards. If my crosshairs move off the leaf it tells me I can't shoot that distance or position and I move to 40 yards and repeat.
Hope this helps.
Bowhunterchuck

Sent from my VS835 using Tapatalk
 
bowhunterchuck said:
I focus on a leaf at 50 yards. If my crosshairs move off the leaf it tells me I can't shoot that distance or position and I move to 40 yards and repeat.
Click to expand...

Thanks chuck, that tip will help, as do the other comments. Practicing each shooting position (as obvious as that is) didn't occur to me.
 
Slow for me lately. Only been seeing small bucks at my best property. Starting to tempt me as the freezer needs to be fed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
No buck yet, but we spent hours looking in the wrong area. My son was hunting 200 yards away and saw the buck 40 yards behind him but, turned to get his bow and lost sight of him. I picked up the blood trail where my son saw him and started tracking the direction my son said he was facing. I kind of questioned it because it was headed back down almost in the direction he came from but, my son was sure and I assumed the bucks saw my son move and turned back down hill into the nastiest part of my property. We could only find blood for about 10 yards and lost it in this stuff:

woods.jpg

So after hours of crawling through this stuff I went back to where we started and realized that we were tracking it the wrong way. Somehow the buck went by my son at 10 yards when he turned to get his bow and he didnt see him. I found blood about 75 yards on to the neighbors, it was dark at this point and I lost it in about a 10 acre tangle of green-briers so I decided to back out, come home to call my neighbor to get permission. I am planning on leaving work early tomorrow and see if I can find him.

This is a pic of the buck, it's probably not my biggest rack but, the picture doesn't do the size of this buck's body justice this bucks chest is massive. Its the first thing I noticed when I saw him..

IMG_0236 (640x360).jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top