North Country Is Not Best Choice for Deer Hunt
I am recommending that Wisconsin deer hunters who have an option to hunt in central or southern Wisconsin stay away from Wisconsin’s northland. With a long tradition of hunting the Boulder Junction area in Vilas County, my family will be hunting north. But it will not be an easy hunt, in particular for more elderly hunters or hunters not in good physical condition.
These Vilas County photos were taken by Ellis November 14.
With my brother John Ellis who continued his bow hunt last weekend, I traveled to the cabin on the Manitowish Chain and walked to my far-back deer hunting stands. After a difficult two hour walk with snow at about 12 inches and to the knees, I returned to the cabin with a soaking wet tee-shirt even though I had dressed light. Due to significant wolf tracks and accompanied by our two dogs, I also carried a shotgun for grouse and a 9 mm sidearm in the unlikely event of unwelcome visitors. The dogs were walking in my own track by the end of our trek. Deer sign in the more desolate spots was light.
My family is taking snowshoes for the hunt and I urge you to do the same. My brother Steve Ellis is hunting Iron County and his snowfall for this bow hunt was several inches more than ours. Winchester, as another example, has 22 inches. OWO bear man Mike Foss tells me that Bayfield County is your basic nightmare. Deer in Vilas and Bayfield are already hanging closer to plowed roads I’m sure because they find it easier to walk, as we do. (Ellis Note: Foss has since sent an article, photos and videos of Bayfield County. Link to that on this website under “Deer Hunting”)
Simple tradition often trumps the desire for venison in dictating where Wisconsin hunters choose to spend their 9-days of November. For that reason, we thank Wisconsin avid outdoorsman and Omro resident Tom Nigl for submitting the story, “The Light of November”, that we link to here. I also offer Tom and his family my sincere condolences for the loss of his cousin, Mike Nigl.
A good friend of the Ellis family submitted a trail camera photo of a buck that you have to see to believe. You will find this boy between Superior and Racine, but keep that quiet.
This Wisconsin buck was caught on trail camera this week and submitted by a Wisconsin hunter and Ellis family friend.
Did you pick up your new copy of On Wisconsin Outdoors in any of 264 Wisconsin Kwik Trip stores? I had mine already, but I did start my hunts in Kwik Trips stores the last several weeks. I told my brother Jim on the phone as he went for his Minnesota hunt that I just bought an egg, cheese, and sausage croissant breakfast sandwich and asked him if he ever tried such a masterpiece. He dared me to try an angus cheeseburger. I did try it. No, I’m not 5 pounds heavier; I burned that off in Vilas County. Now you try it. You’ll be back. Kwik Trip is your place during the 9-day hunt. You won’t find a better one-stop shop.
Thanks for connecting with On Wisconsin Outdoors. Is your rifle sighted in? May your decisions before squeezing the trigger be correct decisions. May your aim be true and your kill be fast.
Shoot straight.
Dick Ellis