Late Rut Cruiser - Big Buck Looking For Does | Bowhunting Whitetails w/ Bill Winke

[@RS-ms1bz]

Isn’t it crazy how a specific buck can just seemingly vanish for such a long time and then show up out of thin air like that?! They are truly masters of their domain, that’s for sure!

[@DavidGonzalez-ek3zh]

Bill...love how candid you are. And share the challenges we encounter hunting good bucks with bow! TY for great footage

[@ianwadsworth3401]

it’s nice to hear such an established hunter that i’ve followed pretty much my whole life run through the same set of question of what to do.

[@scottclark1168]

Man that's awesome you finally laid eyes on him,getting closer,hope you get him good luck

[@PBAdventures146]

Man, he looks GOOD on the hoof!! I thought maybe it was your first time seeing him while hunting and the last time being 25 months ago it practically is! What a tank. If you get this guy, it would have to rate near the top, at least for the viewers. What a struggle to get him! I'm quickly watching every video to see what's happening! You're getting closer!!

[@bill-winke]

I appreciate it. I think he has been around all season long, just not moving much in daylight and avoiding obvious places. I will stick with it until I freeze out. Good luck and thanks for the comment.

[@Budget.bass.fishing]

Nice to see bill still get buck fever I could tell when the Jordan buck showed up he started freaking out a little.

[@bill-winke]

No doubt. I hope I never lose that feeling. That initial adrenaline rush is one of the best parts of bowhunting. Have a great day.

[@tedrickabus2087]

Bill, I would like to say thanks for your pod cast. It really shows the efforts that a hunter puts in to harvest a good buck. The fact that you post almost every day allows hunters to see that land owners don't just push the magic button and they have deer in front of them. I have been using the data I've gathered this season and what you have been saying to update other hunting buddies and the information has educated us all and brought about success for my friends. I truly appreciate you sharing your knowledge. Good luck. Hunt safe. Respect the game. Honor the tradition.

[@daronsmith2229]

Hi Bill. Thanks for being honest about the tough year your having. That doesn’t slow my interest at all. FYI I’ve got a farm in NE and a farm in KS. Found two big bucks who had locked up and died in Kansas. Life is tough in the wild…

[@bobbryant4292]

Man he has a ton of mass, i remember when you saw him 2 yrs ago, lol. Crazy how elusive those mature bucks can be. Good luck Bill, keep grinding. That farm seems so hard to hunt, seems like you cant get anywhere without deer seeing you with all the hills and valleys.

[@bill-winke]

Thanks Bob. I appreciate it. It is amazing that we had not seen that buck for 25 months! I think we will get him next year if he survives - probably late October. I know a lot more about him now, but by the time I started to figure him out (November), it was too late to make the moves needed without the risk of blowing him out - especially with a cameraman in tow. I will eventually get this farm dialed in. Access is really tough - getting in and out without alerting deer. It will require some creative thinking. Have a great day and Happy Thanksgiving.

[@bobbryant4292]

@bill-winke I have no doubt you'll figure it out, you always do. Looking forward to watching the journey. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

[@SchusterFishes]

Glad to finally see The Jordan Buck

[@tlegendz66]

Wow he is truly bigger this year! Goodluck Bill!!!

[@JayN4GO]

This wind chills me to the bone. I love it

[@bill-winke]

Some days I love it. Some days it just chills me! If you like it cold, it looks like next weekend is going to make you smile!

[@ChrisH-c2l]

Bill - you need the primos buck roar - it's awesome

[@RyanL88827]

Your dedication to stick it out in the stand is definitely inspiring Bill! Got my butt kicked on all day sit today, but in better spirits now watching this. If it was easy, it wouldn’t be so much fun though

[@hillingsonsllc4242]

Love your content, I have been flowing you since I was in my 20s and you rank in my top 3 of guys that are no bs and have helped me in my addiction of hunting bucks .. I really like the way you are doing this year day by day...

[@bill-winke]

Thanks. I appreciate the years of support. Have a great day and good luck.

[@brian1110]

You’re getting warmer, Bill. Only a matter of time, luck and patience.

[@paulbernitt4280]

I love hill country in the snow. Beautiful! I'm guessing that buck walked the upper 1/3 of the east side of that ridge out toward the south tip to bed on the leeward side. With the same wind tomorrow, you have a good chance of catching him traveling there with the wind in your favor. I would move further toward the point on the leeward side of the hill tomorrow morning with a mobile set up and WHACK EM!. Get it done Bill. Looking forward to seeing you with your hands on the Jordan buck!

[@guardianminifarm8005]

Outstanding! Glad the Jordan buck came in. Good stuff....and a doe too. Enjoy. Thank you.

[@bill-winke]

Thanks. I wonder if he has been here all fall. My first sign of him was October 30, but it is possible he was here all along and just not making it to my cameras. Have a great day.

[@guardianminifarm8005]

@bill-winke We like our cameras but that don't cover every square foot. We checked our cameras a little earlier than normal today and didn't hunt for ministry purposes but we saw a young buck we haven't had on camera since October 20ish. Happy hunting.

[@stephenmanukas7601]

Bill you have got to try a Heater Body Suit. All other methods of trying to stay warm are just temporary. I sit dark to dark in windy single digits and never get cold. Only bad part is getting out of that toasty warm suit. It looks bulky but is really comfortable and just falls off and doesn’t interfere with your bow.

[@larrybulthouse455]

In my opinion Bill here in Michigan I bowhunted every day from Nov 1 thru the 14 I've got a great spot to bowhunt in ag land with a nice creek and a lot of hardwood hills ridges and hemlocks.Ive watched the does come into heat very sporadically and there are some shooters still here and there running does. Seems like it'll be an extended rut to me. I wish you well on the rest of your season

[@billkenyonbk]

Iv seen a lot of mature Bucks on the move on those kind of windy days. It’s always surprising to me. Thanks for the video Bill!

[@PhillipCole-w1e]

Love the updates I look forward to one each day

[@Addison_122]

Good work Bill- he’s there now, stay after him and you’ll cross paths. Just need a bit of luck!

[@bill-winke]

That's right. I try to hunt that ridge as carefully as possible accessing it from the side away from where I think he is living. We just need some luck - then I need to handle the moment! Have a great day.

[@SOKYRIDGERUNNER]

Bill you need a zip line off the big ridge! Lol sorry I do get a small bit of pleasure knowing even the Great Bill Winke gets perplexed like I do. I am quite jealous that you guys are still in the hunt. May have to hook those buggies together to pull that brute out of the thicket! As always appreciate your content and good luck gentlemen!!!

[@bill-winke]

Thanks for the comment and the support. Yes, it would likely take both of them to pull that buck! Have a great day.

[@TheEverLovingOutdoors]

Late Rut? Wild I'm just south of you and it's peak here.

[@whitetail229]

Well, hopefully that's a sign my target buck comes back to the property. He's been running does from my intel for a 4 mile radius. From other people's siting and camera pics. So far he's eluded an arrow already. Who knows how close he's come to falling! Good luck, Bill

[@tedrickabus2087]

Pretty open country. Makes me feel like my place should be okay soon. Got bedding near my property. Have does around all of the time, just need something with horns to show. Buy yourself an extinguisher grunt call. It's a very realistic grunt call. Luck will smile upon you soon.

[@akomara1]

It’s amazing how much the wind cuts through you. I’d rather it be 15 degrees cooler, at any given temp, than the wind blowing 15mph. I do like the wind for cover and consistent scent direction though. Good clothing and base layers are so important.

[@bill-winke]

Agree. Wind chill is hard for a body to deal with. Thanks for the comment.

[@brom226]

The does are back together and hitting food here in Indiana

[@bill-winke]

Starting to see that here too - just not the mature bucks yet. Have a great day.

[@gregbunn4642]

That's a good looking buck

[@whisperingoutdoors]

Oh yeah, any day now bub! Keep at it and don't second guess yourself! You know how that goes lol!

[@bill-winke]

Yes, I think this buck is going to kick my butt, but I will keep after him (at least enough to keep tabs on him to see if/when he starts hitting food). My guess is that next year will be the best chance (if he survives). Have a great day and Good luck.

[@brentbarnetthunting]

25 months?!?!? Shades of the Double G4 Buck when you guys didn't see him for a very long period of time. You'll get him, Bill!

[@bill-winke]

Yes, I hunted that buck 50 straight days in 2010 and never saw him. Have a great day.

[@brentbarnetthunting]

@ How are you mentally able to stick out a situation like that? Great episode today sir!

[@chuckparson6712]

At this point I think the deer have us patterened far better than we have them patterened 😂 I'm not having much luck this season at this point either 🤔 I've had a few opportunities but it just didn't work out in my favor, but I'm pretty hardheaded and refuse to give up😂

[@mitchellgenz1373]

Nice looking buck.

[@gordonmcnaney1280]

Well at least you saw him

[@bill-winke]

Exactly. It was good after all this time to finally see him! Maybe a bit closer next time!

[@TheTacticalHouse]

I saw my big buck right after that cold front and winds started on Wednesday evening. He walked up the trail head about 100 yards away. I was hunkered down under a cedar tree on the ground. I couldn’t call him in because he kept looking right at me. Took him 15 minutes to cover 45 yards. He was being very leery.

[@troybrake5686]

I sat all day after my shooter showed on cam again at 3 am and I got skunked! Seen a few groups of does so wasn't a bust! I have to get this deer he's the biggest I ever tried to hunt! He's a big bodied 8 point and over 150 I think! He's has a giant frame and the tines to match!

[@bill-winke]

That is a great deer, Troy. Worth the sacrifice. Good luck.

[@troybrake5686]

@bill-winke definitely bill, I have had him on camera more than any other bucks around there, especially now the rut is fading off, so I think he is local from what little information I got on that farm. I just got permission to it a couple weeks ago and hung a camera the 11th and had him show up the 14th and had him doggin does for a few days and now he's checking scrape and a quick bite and he heads back off the mnt somewhere, so may slip hunt tomorrow were it's rifle season and I need to scout the rest of the farm so I can really get after this deer, I have only been hunting the top of the mountain were it's flattened out, I have no clue were he comes in and out and it's limited cause it has rock walls most the way around it with a few log rds coming in and out and drains! My buddy killed a giant 160 public deer today after work slip hunting these wet conditions!

[@alexpinnow6509]

What a great looking buck Bill!! Do you think he got hit high possibly? He appears to have a weird hump that goes above the back of his neck in that glancing video from distance.

[@Longbowwoman]

Thanks for all the great videos! Question. What brand of fleece jacket are you wearing? Thanks!

[@bill-winke]

That stuff is made by Code Of Silence. Here is the link: www.codeofsilence.com/ It is nice stuff.

[@craigwagner327]

You said if it wasn't so windy you were going to try to call buck in. What is your best go to when trying to call a deer in that you see just out of range. A few grunts? A few bleats? What works best?

[@bill-winke]

Usually, I just grunt louder and louder until I can tell he hears it and then give him one more softer grunt to zero in on. That has worked really well over the years. I couldn't see this buck. I think he heard one of my grunts by the way he looked, but then he just kept going. Sometimes you just can't call them if they have somewhere to go. I seriously doubt that buck has ever heard a grunt call before so I am sure he didn't shy away from it. In that wind, it is hard to say exactly what he heard and didn't hear.

[@craigwagner327]

@bill-winke ok thanks bill. Good luck this season

[@craigwagner327]

Do you have much luck using doe bleats to get them to come in or just stick with grunts?

[@ethan_stubbs]

It was only a matter of time! Great hunt

[@bill-winke]

Thanks Ethan. It is still going to take a ton of luck. But at least I am in the game. Good luck to you.

[@joeceb2444]

This is the most REAL depiction of Bow Hunting I have ever seen.. It’s an unforgiving Sport…The Jordan Buck..Grunt once till he stops…that’s it…he knew something was up when you persisted…He can’t afford one error in judgment..Great show

[@GBCRoy]

What do you like to use as a grunt call? Starting to bow hunt a lot more and I think i ought to pick one up! Hope you get a shot at the Jordan buck.

[@bill-winke]

I have had really good success over the years with the Primos Hardwood Grunter. You can blow it loud on windy days and it doesn't turn into a duck call. Most of them are pretty similar otherwise. Good luck.

[@tonynienas169]

Yikes, was that grunt tube frozen? It's sounded awful, I would've walked away too.

[@bill-winke]

I blew it hard because of the wind. They tend to get screechy when you blow them hard. It was so windy I was not sure he could even hear it. I could see him when I was calling so it was hard to read his body language.

[@DavidGonzalez-ek3zh]

Btw...what are those 4 wheel carts called/manufacturers? Happy Thanksgiving 🦃

[@bill-winke]

David, those are called Xidar Spyders. I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving too.

[@DavidGonzalez-ek3zh]

Looked them up...wow $8K...thx again

[@elimckee4908]

Do you have trouble with your wind swirling at the scrape tree? I have 2 acre food plot that is set up similar to your bottom by the scrape tree, just a smaller version. My wind blows in every direction when I hunt around it.

[@bill-winke]

It works well there as long as the wind is from the NW and then it just funnels right down the valley. Any other wind is trouble down there. Good luck.

[@PassionfortheWildandWonderful]

When do you think Fox will be hitting scrapes again?

[@bill-winke]

I am not sure if they will, at least not with the same intensity they did earlier. They haven't been freshening scrapes here on my farm for at least two weeks, probably longer. I doubt they really get back into it again. Scrapes are great in mid-to-late October and maybe into a the very first part of November and then they pretty much go dead. Have a great day.

[@MollyDogg1234]

Well, I'm fairly certain now that you've seen him on the hoof, it's only a matter of time until you concoct some sort of plan that allows you to send an arrow through him. This ain't your first rodeo! Haha

[@dakotaboy]

Wow you need a new grunt call

[@bill-winke]

The wind was roaring. I had to make it loud.

[@mikefox7204]

Bill- what type of buggies are you all riding?

[@bill-winke]

Those are called Xidar Spyders.

[@paulshiaras9071]

Ask Thor he will know where to sit 😂

[@bill-winke]

He should know. He travels every inch of that ridge every day!

[@adamhocking7682]

Bill- how do you get out of a stand like that when you have deer in the field?

[@bill-winke]

The Scrape Tree? We have hunted it twice and have gotten lucky both times in that the deer stayed in the upper end of the field and could climb down slowly and quietly and once on the ground we are hidden by the roll of the land. If they get within about 100 yards, though, we will not get out without spooking something. That is always the hardest part of hunting near food sources - just getting out at the end of legal time. The only method that has worked for me every time is to have someone drive in with a vehicle or ATV and run them off so we can get out. That does work well and the don't seem to hold onto that scare for long - they come right back out and are there the next evening as if nothing happened. I have had people say they tie a long string to a paint can filled with rocks and pull it hard out of the brush to spook the deer. Anything that spooks them other than you in the blind or stand is better than you spooking them. Good luck.

[@ShaneLewis-n2o]

I was bless last sat evening to have a 6 pointer walk out kinda wide I think maybe you could help me he measured 19.3 inches inside spread is that big?

[@bill-winke]

That is big, Shane. Congrats! Great buck.

[@ShaneLewis-n2o]

@ thank you I was for sure on size on hoof look big or wide , I wish I could put pic on here lol

[@nowayhunting]

How are you liking your Stealth Cam cameras? I used Spypoint one year and they are absolute junk! Last year I bought Stealth Cam Fusion X Pro. Best camera I have ever owned and used. I recommend Stealth Cam cameras to all my friends and they love them too!

[@bill-winke]

I have had good luck with them so far. I have both cellular and non-cellular models and both styles are working well. I have been really surprised how functional the Revolver is. I kind of wondered if it was a gimmick or if it would really work. Well, it does really work. No better way to tell what is using a food plot or the end of a field than with this camera. Good luck.

[@bkreativfilms]

What’s your thoughts on having a higher doe population instead? I feel like that creates more rutting opportunity with more does coming into estrus a different times of the month. Early, late, some won’t get bread early causing them to come in later movers early December etc..

[@HolezGT]

Then the bucks don’t have to compete with each other or look for does as hard. In my experience the areas with a high doe density has less rutting activity

[@Huntoutdoors1]

@@HolezGT actually thats not entirely true they will always compete he said larger doe herd not huge .His doe herd is quite low actually for that land mass . Side note now that stand he shot that doe out of in front of the others there are now poison to that doe group .

[@jrwstl02]

@@HolezGTI make sure my resident bucks have plenty of does to keep them happy. So, they don’t have to go searching for does over on the neighbors. (Where they would likely get shot as 3 yr olds) My #1 goal is survival of younger bucks. Even in the best circumstances, it takes quite a few 3 yr olds in the top of the funnel to get one 5 yr old out of the bottom. Yes, I see a less intense rut. But, bucks started chasing pretty good on Oct 28 and it’s been pretty steady rut activity with Nov 20 and 21 being exceptional days, multiple mature bucks cruising, searching.

[@usernamehere6061]

That grunt call is terrible lol. I believe if you only grunted once he would have came in. He heard first one and it half made him jump.

[@H_and_K_outdoors]

how do you hope to have an accurate shot in 20 mph winds?????

[@bill-winke]

Shot distance is the main thing. The shot can't be long. If the wind is a crosswind it has more effect on the tree than a head or tail wind. Also, the biggest thing may be the size of the tree you are sitting in. If it is small, it will move a lot and that makes it a lot tougher. Bigger trees are definitely better on days with a lot of wind.

[@H_and_K_outdoors]

Good points!

[@rickdotson7074]

What brand of buggies are you using?

[@bill-winke]

Those are called Xidar Spyders. Have a great day.

[@rickdotson7074]

@@bill-winke Thanks Bill, i recently purchased Code of Silence apparel. Great stuff. Good luck and have a great day.

[@tdk3514]

What state are you in Bill just curious

[@bill-winke]

This is Iowa. In the area where I grew up, which makes it more special for me.

[@timmytim6427]

I still think banging some antlers could make it happen for ya and at this point u got nothing to lose

[@bill-winke]

That is true. Maybe I will try that tomorrow morning. Have a great day.

[@timmytim6427]

@bill-winke Just wanted to say I was reading you and Hanback's Outdoor Life stories when I was a teenager trying to learn how to hunt and they really helped stoke the hunting fire within me. Those were the good old days good luck Bill

[@jmorrow8122]

What state are you in

[@bill-winke]

Iowa

[@HolezGT]

Not real cold high 20’s. lol I’d die if it was that cold

[@briankalmes6912]

Apparently according to Mike Tyson "Everyone has a plan till they get punched in the mouth"!

[@JJM2222]

Bill, don't you think he was what nudged the does to you? Maybe if you hadn't shot one, they'd have hung around. Heck, he may have seen them spook from the shot..

[@Huntoutdoors1]

Spot on and that doe group is now poisoned from that stand they saw and heard that shot .

[@stephenmanukas7601]

I thought the same thing. He was following those does. Shooting does in November is risky, even if you don't see a buck with them.

[@kevinfowler6065]

Two nights ago I shot a doe, something went wonky with the shot maybe a twig. In my minds eye I see an arrow kinda slapping the doe. I left the site came back 3 hours later. The tip of my arrow was intact but frayed to pieces. The insert and fixed blade broadhead were gone, like pryed out of the arrow. My lighted nock was also broken. With no blood visible on the arrow and none found on the ground in the next couple of hours, befuddled I gave up. This morning I got to my stand in the dark dark. About 150 yards from my doe incident two days before. I could hear something moving and getting closer. When gray light came I see a deer, laying curled up on my atv trail about 15 yards away. Watching till good light I thought it was dead. I readied my bow and squeaked softly, the deer picked up its head and started to get up, clearly an injured adult doe. I finished it. Yup it was the doe from two days previous, my arrow hit directly on her shoulder, and broke the shoulder and my arrow. I’ll pull the hide off her tomorrow and get the rest of the story from my broadhead. Saw a dandy this afternoon a few hundred yards away checking does in a field, they hardly paid him any attention. Maybe I can intercept him tomorrow. So glad the Jordan buck appeared! Good luck shoot straight.

[@bill-winke]

Thanks for the update Kevin and I am glad you got that doe and solved the mystery. Good job and good luck on the buck!

[@MikeSnedaker]

You over called that Jordan buck. You had on the first call, maybe. Too much after that pushed him off.

[@bill-winke]

Possibly. I couldn't actually see him. I only saw him lift his head up when watching the video later. All I could see from the tree was a dark object in the brush. He was about 150 yards away. With all that wind, it was hard to know exactly what he was hearing and what he wasn't. I am not sure if he would have done anything differently if I had stopped sooner. Maybe. Sometimes they just aren't callable - they have somewhere they want to go and the call doesn't pull them under those conditions. Thanks for the comment.

[@blakeensing7376]

Stop shooting does on every sit. He likely would have came right to you.

[@travisteuton1408]

I truly don't understand killing does when your deer density is so low. I would think a year or two of letting the females go would make hunting better. I like your show but having action for the camera makes it a lot more fun to watch and you have had a lot of shits where you saw nothing.

[@bill-winke]

Travis, I understand, but I can always increase the population later. You have not seen what I have seen in areas with high deer populations. They eat everything and bringing those populations down is a real pain. On this farm, I can still grow nice food plots and high quality habitat. One of my greatest attractions to this area was the low deer density. In areas with high density, just growing stuff can be really tough (impossible, in some cases, without fencing in your plots and habitat planting). I have owned two farms in high density areas and while that may be more interesting to the viewers, if you bear with me for a couple years you will be surprised what I will be pulling off this place. I am content to let the population rise slowly. That means I have to shoot some does. Have a great day.

[@Huntoutdoors1]

To be honest after 47 years deer hunting very similar deer areas and herd make up in the midwest, I would this late in the rut game never shoot a doe that is in a larger group in a fresh undisturbed tree stand. All it effectively did was alert and cause that stand to be a place those doe are no longer comfortable with .Also you are constantly saying you just are not see the number of deer you want and cant figure out why or whatever then shoot the first doe by you while after your target buck .To each his own but that's the kind of kiss of death for a stand in a situation with lower numbers that is never needed especially with the doe's already down elsewhere .Just my two cents sometimes less is way way more with lower deer numbers areas and big bucks around. Good luck

[@bill-winke]

Maybe, but I have shot a lot of does over the years under a lot of conditions and in this case, the other deer know something spooked that doe but they don't know what. They will be back. But, that is just a short-term issue. My goals for this farm are much longer-term than one season or even one buck. I would love to shoot him, but I would rather hit my other goals so that this property is on the right foundation long-term. I did an episode last year about why I am shooting does despite the fact that everyone seems to think I shouldn't. You can watch it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpCaeoJ8d5ibbKc I think this one is also interesting and sheds light on these same long-term goals: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d57Hd3avfMufmtE My goal is for this farm to be really good in a few years, that is more important to me than shooting that buck. Maybe I can do both, but if I have to choose, I am focusing on the long-term goals. Keep the herd from growing too fast and grow excellent habitat. Have a great day. Thanks for the comment.

[@ztowthatme]

what if you just walk straight down the hill

[@bill-winke]

Walking down is easy, walking up is another matter. You have to get there first and slipping in along the back of that ridge with the electric buggies is pretty foolproof.