Well, it was a fun deer season. I was fortunate to take a great buck in the UP, and another nice one during IL gun. I went back to IL and tried to fill my bow tag, but just didn't have any encounters with any of my target bucks. I did have a good buck show up in late season in the UP, but the day I planned to hunt him, I already had a cellular pic of him with only one antler left.
Gun season weather was good up here this year, so a lot of bucks were harvested in our areas. I was skeptical at how many bigger bucks would be around next year, but I did end up seeing more 2.5 year old bucks still alive in late season than I expected, so it gives you hope for next year!
Now it's time for offseason, when the real work really happens. Scouting, new spots, new stands, soil tests, food plot work...it's all enjoyable. Talk to you soon!
2022 Illinois Shotgun 10 Pointer
December 10, 2022
Here is the video of this year's IL gun buck! We've still got plenty of season left here in the U.P. so we'll see what the rest of December brings!
December Illinois Buck
December 5, 2022
Shot a nice buck in Illinois a few days back during their 2nd Gun Season. Turned out to be a good deer to take, as he had a nasty broken foot. I should have a video of the hunt posted here soon. For now you can see pics on the Buck Pole. Now it's time to buckle down for the U.P. Late Season! I don't have any target bucks in mind at the moment, but usually some new deer will pop up here and there when they start to migrate, so we'll see what happens! Good luck to those of you still hunting, and if not, I hope you had an enjoyable season! The weather was good for gun season in Michigan, and I know a lot of hunters were successful. I'll check in again soon!
U.P. Buck Recovery Video!
November 16, 2022
Ok! Here is the video and story of my buck taken on 11/7/22. This buck showed up at one of my spots last November and appeared to be a decent 2.5 year old buck. I saw him on the last day of gun season and elected to pass him, and did again throughout late season. We found both of his sheds in early January.
I never saw him again until one trail cam image on September 1st. I couldn't believe how much height he had put on in one season, but it was definitely him. I never saw him again until on my cellular camera on October 1st. I was surprised and frustrated that I was in the wrong spot when he magically appeared in daylight on opening day of bow season. After that, the cat and mouse game was on.
His appearances were very sporadic and never regular. I was hoping he would start showing up more frequently as the rut approached, which is when he had shown up during the previous season. After late October, I only had a couple of pics of him, both in the middle of the night. I did have one pic of him at a new food plot I created this summer that I hoped might be a good place to kill him this year.
We had great hunting conditions on 11/7, and I decided to try the new food plot that I hadn't hunted since opening day. I saw pretty good deer movement that night, but really wasn't expecting to see him in daylight, as I had put in 13 hunts for him this year and never laid eyes on him yet. Just a bit after sunset, a doe looked down in the far corner of my plot and I saw a buck approaching. I looked through the binoculars, he lifted his head and I couldn't believe I was finally seeing this buck in person. He slowly worked his way straight at me. My camera tripod was set up to shoot/film to my left, but he started veering to my right. He stopped and started working on a Hodag licking stick that I had set up at 30 yards. I had no way of filming him unless I switched around my tripod and opened an additional window, but I just couldn't take that change with him facing me at 30 yards. As he prepared to leave, he was no longer facing me but still quartering to me. I knew that was the only shot opportunity I was going to get, and I was comfort taking it at that point.
I knew I better wait until morning to be safe, but I did see some blood at the shot site that gave me confidence that I hit one lung, liver and guts on the way out. In the morning that plan was to just track a bit and peek over the ridge where he disappeared the previous night. Fortunately, he was right there in the morning! 192 lbs dressed and one of my nicest Michigan bucks ever. It's amazing to me how big a 3.5 year old buck can get here in the U.P. An old timer once told me, 'if you want to shoot big bucks, don't shoot small bucks'. That line seemed so simple it was almost silly, but the older I get, the more truth I see in that. Good luck and happy hunting!
Big U.P. Buck Down!
November 9, 2022
Had a hunt to remember on 11/7/22! I'll post more story details and some video footage next week, but CLICK HERE to check out pics in the meantime of a beautiful U.P. buck that I hunted hard for this year. I hope that you are enjoying your outdoor time as well and I'll check back in with some video soon. Have a great day!
November
November 2, 2022
The season so far started off cool, but then has been unseasonably warm in the second half. Illinois was the worst hunt we've had down there with temps in the mid 80's, so deer movement was slow to non-existent. Hunting has still been fairly fun in the U.P., just trying to find a shooter in daylight. Once these temps drop next week, deer movement should really start to ramp up. Hope you are getting out and enjoying the season!
2022 Season Preview / U.P. Deer Blinds
September 23, 2022
Fall is upon us again! Last winter started off mild, but then got a little long and severe through March and April. A lot of deer looked a little rough when Spring came, but it doesn't appear that we lost a large amount of deer from the winter.
Reports and observations in Keweenaw County still seem that the deer numbers are a bit down up there.
Numbers seem pretty good through Houghton and Baraga Counties. Iron and Ontonagon seem okay, but high predator numbers continue to be an issue there.
So far this year we are seeing average to below average fawn production, a good amount of yearling bucks, and an above average number of 2 year old bucks. There are likely 3+ year old bucks around, but they often do show their faces until we get deeper in the Fall.
Many of you know that we hunt out of Banks Blinds a lot, especially in Illinois. We've had a hard time getting them up here in the U.P. as there were no dealers up here. Now that has changed. This year we started 'U.P. Deer Blinds', and we are now a registered dealer for Banks Outdoords. These blinds are incredible, and very well suited to U.P. Hunting conditions. Sales have already been good this year, and we have many more blinds ordered and on their way. We make it a point to give everybody a very good deal on Banks Blinds. CLICK HERE to see the website, and check out the video below to learn more about Banks Blinds.
Looking forward to another season of adventures and I hope you all get out and enjoy the great outdoors!
2021 Deer Season Wrap Up
January 5, 2022
Deer season is over! It sounds like it was a pretty decent season for most of the Upper Peninsula. Deer numbers seem good in a lot of areas, and a lot of buck were killed on local buck poles. Lots of young bucks and a few big ones here and there. It does seem to me that a good amount of bucks still made it through season so hopefully some older ones will slip through the cracks for next year. Winter is off to a relatively mild start which always bodes well for our deer herd. Hope you all enjoyed your time outdoors and we'll check in again soon!
December
December 10, 2021
Illinois gun was tough this year. Temps were in the mid to high 60's 3 of the 4 days, so deer movement was very suppressed. We passed some bucks that normally I would not, because I was after a specific buck that gave us the slip again this year. Next year he will be 7.5 years old!
It looks the Michigan gun season was productive in most of the U.P. Lots of bucks being entered on local buck poles. It looks like people are shooting more 2.5 year old bucks now, and less yearlings. I'm getting my Iron County late season spot in gear, and hoping to find a decent buck wandering back into his winter habitat. Will keep you posted!
Hope you had a great season, and good luck if you are still out there hunting!
Genesis Video
November 17, 2021
Here is the video of my recent U.P. harvest! Feels good to get a buck harvested in the Upper Peninsula again! Good luck to everybody hunting, there is still a lot of season left!
