I've made it up to northern Wisconsin the last few weekends chasing bucks with my bow. The first weekend was really windy and the deer weren't rutting much so we did quite a bit of scouting and a little hunting. I had a nice 10 pointer come in to my stand and stop right behind a little pine tree. One more step and I would have had him but as the big ones often do he looked around and then looked right up at me and took off.
The following weekend I was in the woods again and saw lots of small bucks running in groups. It looks to me like they are in the pre rut. there were a few scrapes and rubs around but the weather was quite warm. It was nice to sit in but I think it kept the deer movement down alot.
One day I saw 11 different bucks in the state forest I had opportunites at 2 smaller ones but decided to pass. A nice 8 pointer came by but stayed out of bow range. They were grunting and running around but still grouped up. The next day I put my buddy in the stand I was in because he had his son with him and hadn't seen much the day before and the nice 8 pointer came in at 30 yards. My buddy missed low.
After that 30 yd miss he was out practicing the 30 yd shot off of his deck. I guess he had been out there for about 15 - 20 min. when he returned to the deck and notch another arrow. Some noise caught his attention and when he looked a wall hanger 8 pt was standing there 15 yds out. It turned and headed into the woods. So he ran down the deck steps and tried to head it off and nearly did but the deer never offered him a shot. He said it was probably around a mid 140 class deer. Very nice.
I guess that proves the old saying, it's better to be lucky then good.