Bucks are getting cranked up in S. Wisconsin

River-X

5 year old buck +
These last few days has showed a major jump in buck movement. Aided by some slight rise in pressure and a cool off as well I assume. I have witnessed several groups of bucks hounding does in open fields and two bucks in the woods who were trying to fend each other off a doe that they were following as well
on Friday afternoon I had a big 5.5 yo ( I think ) chase a doe flat out running down the fence line that leads behind my house at 3:00 in the afternoon. I got geared up and jumped in a stand back there and sure enough a bunch of deer came out to feed at 4:30, a small buck was hounding does all through the plots and at 5:45 that big 5.5 yo came out with that doe. Two nice bucks came into the field and tried to move in on her and he backed them down and out easily. He stood by her as she fed, made a scrape, and eventually just followed her back into the woods and she never ran from him. Looks like she must be an early doe but there was no mistaking what they were up to.
 
The buck i shot Saturday was bedded down with a doe guarding her. I don’t put much thought into it with young bucks but this thing was a 5 1/2 year old. Not his first rodeo.


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Exactly how I assess sightings as well. I probably wouldn’t have put much stock into it until I saw the mature buck unhinged full tilt trying to keep up with the doe and a couple hours later they were still together and he wasn’t leaving her.
 
This guy was working that doe that I was telling you about. He may be a 6 yo, I’m not 100% sure on his age. He is my number 1 target this year.4303FD21-0462-4C23-A954-B5BBDEED7695.jpeg892E13C0-C542-402D-9E81-5833C59CB58D.jpeg
 
This guy was working that doe that I was telling you about. He may be a 6 yo, I’m not 100% sure on his age. He is my number 1 target this year.View attachment 38008View attachment 38007
Holy god. Can you adopt me? I’m 41 so I don’t require much but beer and steak and hunting rights
 
LOL! I’m only a few years older, so maybe that would be a bit odd. But maybe we could work something out.
 
I’m afraid to show you his buddy. You will think I’m nuts for not whacking him, but he isn’t quite as pretty as this one.
 
Show him.
 
The last picture I got of his buddy was on Aug. 25, but I spotted him out the back window twice last week. He’s big, just got a little funky shape is all.F93581EE-FCFB-4A17-9502-AABA1F54DE34.jpeg9C00856A-AB49-404D-9CC6-5AF1B379DF79.jpeg
 
Dandy bucks! I got pictures of a doe with her tail up with 2 bucks trailing her at 10am yesterday. One buck was mature too. I’m in west central WI.
 
I live right off a highway and have seen at least 5 small buck killed on it in a 15 mile stretch. that's usually the telltale sign that it's heating up around here
 
I live right off a highway and have seen at least 5 small buck killed on it in a 15 mile stretch. that's usually the telltale sign that it's heating up around here
3 small dead bucks on my 30 mile commute last week...this week there were 4 doe and 1 shooter along with 2 more small bucks....bad sign for them..good sign for us
 
The winds of change are a blowing... I had a 2 year old wanting action last tuesday, but they weren't interested.

My buddy had a great decoy encounter last wednesday. buck slobbering, eyes rolled back, hair stood up, etc... But it got down wind of the deke and somehow smelled where he'd handled it. #1 target buck for the farm too.T_00006.JPGT_00003-3.JPG
 
This is why I don't post trailcam pics here lol

I am definitely jealous of you guys with the size, age and genetics of your deer.
 
This is why I don't post trailcam pics here lol

I am definitely jealous of you guys with the size, age and genetics of your deer.
I think you're safe around here. Its like everything, you only see the rare, few best of the best from everyone else. You don't see all the 4 year old 122" 8 points and forkies that we have to go thru to get to these.

I think I'm a better habitat guy/farmer than I am hunter. I have no problem getting pictures of deer that I'd like to kill, but getting them killed is kind of a let down to be honest. Growing them and chasing them is most of the fun.

Now if I could only find a way to not have to actually work, I could chase these even more.
 
Movement overall in SW WI has definitely picked up since the frost last Friday. Big boys still mainly moving at night. Seeing chasing now as well. Was actually trying to think of something clever to type along the lines of "why do I even work", glad you beat me to the punch Roy.T_00005 (1).JPGT_00021.JPGT_00012.JPGT_00003 (1).JPGT_00020.JPG
 
so there are 2 scrapes in the field below my house in a little corridor between a few apple trees that still have fruit on them...i have had 12 different bucks in the past week hitting them at night..just waiting to get some daylight pictures of them...also getting some more visitors to the brassica plot (mostly does and 2.5 year old bucks)...one more cold front will send them running all willy-nilly I think
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