Going to Wisconsin

[Nick87]

Yah six in one hand half a dozen in the other. Something new is always exciting. Are you planning on hanging some stands?

 

[Horse]

Okay cheeseheads, I could use some wisconsin insight.

I'm going to Wisconsin this fall for deer. My issue is it's basically entirely up to me when I go and I'm not entirely certain how to plan it out. I have in laws land to hunt on.

Should I go out for archery rut? Should I go out for gun? Should I go out and straddle the archery/gun dates and do a couple days of both? Primary reason to straddle the dates is I can keep thanksgiving week a little more intact to be back at home with the rest of my family, and i think i'm looking to go out for 4th season mule deer at home.

Obviously, i'm asking my in laws these questions and they have good answers. But i'm looking for some good keyboard warrior input as well.

Really the only primary thing to consider is that I will have a wyoming general elk tag. That blacks out the entire second half of october and all of september (calculus changes dramatically should I fill the elk tag with my bow).

rut is like end of october right?

would it even be worth trying a couple days of archery before the gun season starts? Or just go out with my gun for 4 days? Thing to consider there... it's a whole family show for gun season, so it's busier. Part of me like's the idea of testing my willpower and patience for long rut sits in the stand while i'm not competing with the rest of the family for good spots.

What part of the state/county is familys land? Theres general rut dates , but there can be 4-5 better days in central wi vs more northerly. Also , how much land they have to hunt? What are they saying about neighbor pressure?
To me bowhunting is actually trying to outsmart a cruising buck in more of a natural behavior . Gun sesson is hoping, neighbor misses and your in right spot when he crosses the line. So amount of land and what neighbors are doing is a factor in your hunt you wan.

 

[beagle001]

If you’re hunting more open land, I’d lean Halloween into November. If you’ve got the cover, November 9-13 are my absolute favorite days to hunt

 

[NoWiser]

I’d want to be hunting Halloween and the following week.

 

[TOGIE]

Yah six in one hand half a dozen in the other. Something new is always exciting. Are you planning on hanging some stands?

They’ll have multiple stands ready to go for me. I’ll just be showing up to play haha

 

[Nick87]

Not to be the safety guy like TT here but a hunter safety system vest and life line (the ones you hook on at the bottom and run all the way to the top) are money well spent. Imo. Maybe they already have something like that setup for you idk. I won't go up without one anymore.

 

[Sdbeaupr]

I’d agree with everyone else, first 10 days of November is great. I actually find that in my experience, I grew up north of there in Michigan, but peak rut was middle of November, but here’s the thing, I don’t think you wanna hunt the “peak.” That’s when all the does are in estrous, and lockdown can start. What you want is the time right before that when all the males are going crazy, but still pattern-able, which is the first 10 days of November, especially if it’s cold. That’s my two cents, the rut might be timed a little different down there, but I bet it’ll be great!

 

[schmalts]

am i reading this right? because i'm a "new buyer" i only have to spend 80 bucks on an archery deer tag? half off? or is that just an archery permit and i have to buy a deer tag?

but the gun license is only 80 bucks?

160 is cheap anyway, which is what i thought it was?


View attachment 269393

Yeah not every state has a license welfare system..... Even at full price it's cheap

 

[RobertD]

I’d agree with everyone else, first 10 days of November is great. I actually find that in my experience, I grew up north of there in Michigan, but peak rut was middle of November, but here’s the thing, I don’t think you wanna hunt the “peak.” That’s when all the does are in estrous, and lockdown can start. What you want is the time right before that when all the males are going crazy, but still pattern-able, which is the first 10 days of November, especially if it’s cold. That’s my two cents, the rut might be timed a little different down there, but I bet it’ll be great!

This this this

Catch em when they're just getting warmed up. 100% the best time to find a good buck, is when they're starting to increase movement leading up to the rut, not at the ruts peak

 

[TOGIE]

i'm thinking, after much of this input, to book flights for halloween and come back on the 5th of november. if we can pull it off maybe we'll just take that whole week off work instead for the trip oct 30th thru the 3rd and have those shoulder weekends for travel.

i'd love to dedicate a full week out there. we'll see what we can handle, wife, baby, MIL and probably SIL will be coming so they can hang out with their family while i'm out with the guys.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Samesies as everyone else, very end of Oct and first 10 days of november is the time to be bow hunting. Don Higgins and others commonly refer to Nov 7th as "the day" on average for rut activity to lead to best hunting. I'm jealous of WI for having that timing left to archery hunters where as here in MN we frequently have firearm season open first weekend in Nov.

The impacts can vary widely based on property being hunted but straddling end of archery and start of firearm is less than ideal for a couple reasons. Besides being after IMO the best rut based timing for hunting, the orange army is likely to be stirring up the woods getting their stuff ready, setting up stands and deer camp, sighting in rifles, etc that puts the deer on alert.

i'm thinking, after much of this input, to book flights for halloween and come back on the 5th of november. if we can pull it off maybe we'll just take that whole week off work instead for the trip oct 30th thru the 3rd and have those shoulder weekends for travel.

i'd love to dedicate a full week out there. we'll see what we can handle, wife, baby, MIL and probably SIL will be coming so they can hang out with their family while i'm out with the guys.

That's a great plan. Especially hitting the weekdays when others are out of the woods.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Also, hate to be a buzzkill and you're probably aware but that area has been in the 20% neighborhood for CWD prevalence. Something to consider if you're concerned about your family eating infected deer.

 

[TOGIE]

Also, hate to be a buzzkill and you're probably aware but that area has been in the 20% neighborhood for CWD prevalence. Something to consider if you're concerned about your family eating infected deer.

i was wondering what the prevalence might be in that area and i'm not surprised it's around 20%.

probably will go ahead and try to get it tested if i shoot a buck.

 

[Henry22]

Those are great dates and it sounds like you have a solid plan. I don’t know how your stands will be set up, but be comfortable shooting from different positions. Sitting/standing and to the right/left/behind you. For example, if you’re right hand dominant and the deer typically come from the right, that’s going to be tough to shoot without moving. Especially if there are other deer around.

 

[RobertD]

The impacts can vary widely based on property being hunted but straddling end of archery and start of firearm is less than ideal for a couple reasons. Besides being after IMO the best rut based timing for hunting, the orange army is likely to be stirring up the woods getting their stuff ready, setting up stands and deer camp, sighting in rifles, etc that puts the deer on alert.

Counterpoint: Noisy neighbors can push deer onto property that isn't being/hasn't been hunted.

I don't know Wisconsin seasons and how exactly they line up with the rut, but I hunt one farm down here that gets really good specifically after the neighboring properties start hosting civil war reenactments and pounding forkies. So I think if @TOGIE is hunting a farm that sees low or zero pressure throughout the year, the pumpkin army may help more than hurt

 

[RobertD]

Man Togie you need to be careful messing with these whitetails, you keep it up soon you'll be drinking Mountain Dew, dipping Copenhagen and extolling the virtues of "Daddys 30-30" to anyone who'll listen. It gets in the blood fast I'm telling ya

 

[TOGIE]

Man Togie you need to be careful messing with these whitetails, you keep it up soon you'll be drinking Mountain Dew, dipping Copenhagen and extolling the virtues of "Daddys 30-30" to anyone who'll listen. It gets in the blood fast I'm telling ya

i'm feeling the tingles already just thinking about flights and buying some broadheads!

oral nicotine tho... that on again off again girlfriend of mine. problem is, don't even need these whitetails in my life for a can to show up out of the blue and when my wife finds it and asks where this came from all i can say is

 

[RobertD]

i'm feeling the tingles already just thinking about flights and buying some broadheads!

oral nicotine tho... that on again off again girlfriend of mine. problem is, don't even need these whitetails in my life for a can to show up out of the blue and when my wife finds it and asks where this came from all i can say is

View attachment 269479

"AH man, that damn Kevin left another one in my truck. Better leave it, I'll give it back to him tomorrow!"

Lol there have been similar conversations at my house

 

[noharleyyet]

Hunt gon' be a good thread...

 

[Treeshark]

oral nicotine tho

Yeah, that. I like to pretend I’m Josie Wales with squirrels, helps keep me entertained during slow times.