Does size matter?

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oldrank
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Does size matter?

Unread postby oldrank » Tue Dec 23, 2014 5:29 am

I am looking at some of ur guys videos n bed photos n seeing ur marshes look very big. We have cattails but most of what I hunted this year are small lakes with cattail growth around the outside. Maybe totalling 20 acres of cattails. What would u say is the avg size of marsh areas u hunt ? Anyone wanna post up some aerial photos of some marshes u have hunted ? Maybe old stuff u dont hunt any more would b cool. Id like to see n compare to what I hit this yr.

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hunter_mike
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Re: Does size matter?

Unread postby hunter_mike » Tue Dec 23, 2014 9:08 am

Smaller marsh areas (80-150 acres) seem to go dead as soon as they get ice thick enough for people to walk on. Only takes a couple days of hunting for guys to walk all over it. Anything with running/open water going through it that people cant cross easily allows for some deer to stick around.

My limited observations.
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Dewey
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Re: Does size matter?

Unread postby Dewey » Tue Dec 23, 2014 9:31 am

The marshes I hunt range from a few thousand acres to over 30,000 acres. Not sure what you could expect from a smaller 20 acre marsh but I would guess it's all about hunting pressure. If it's an overlooked spot that nobody else hunts then your odds are much better finding quality bucks.

I PM'd you some examples of marsh areas I have hunted.

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Re: Does size matter?

Unread postby oldrank » Tue Dec 23, 2014 10:02 am

Wow Dewey... I guess that puts it in perspective. .. the public area I hunt is only 1800 acres. Even the largest marsh areas around here are only maybe a hundred acres. Thanks for the responses.

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fishlips
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Re: Does size matter?

Unread postby fishlips » Tue Dec 23, 2014 10:11 am

I have also noticed water levels affecting pressure levels in the marsh. Dry years allows more people out there and can make hunting spots you scouted under normal or wet conditions not so good.

Overall though small generally means better chance someone has found that spot and pushed deer out. Given the choice id go for a larger marsh more times than not over a smaller one

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Re: Does size matter?

Unread postby Dewey » Tue Dec 23, 2014 10:17 am

fishlips wrote:I have also noticed water levels affecting pressure levels in the marsh. Dry years allows more people out there and can make hunting spots you scouted under normal or wet conditions not so good.

Overall though small generally means better chance someone has found that spot and pushed deer out. Given the choice id go for a larger marsh more times than not over a smaller one

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I agree. Low water levels does bring more pressure but it also gives the deer so many more places to bed. Found in those conditions they just head out in a sea of cattails and bed wherever they want. I prefer high water because it makes bedding so much more predictable.

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Bucky
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Re: Does size matter?

Unread postby Bucky » Tue Dec 23, 2014 10:56 am

1000 acres ++++
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Re: Does size matter?

Unread postby dan » Tue Dec 23, 2014 11:28 am

Most of the ones I hunt are thousand acre plus... But I have had success in small cattail pockets, pressure is the key. They go to cattails to escape danger, if there is pressure in the small cattail area there might not be bucks bedding there.
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Re: Does size matter?

Unread postby oldrank » Tue Dec 23, 2014 1:01 pm

Looks like I need to find some larger marshes for next yr. I still had pretty good luck hunting the smaller marshes but they burned out quick n got hit hard by other hunters after gun opener. I did some cyber scouting when I got home from work n found a nice marshy area of public a little north. .. the marsh was 1500 yrds by 800 yrds... still not huge but bigger then what I hunted this yr.

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Re: Does size matter?

Unread postby fishlips » Tue Dec 23, 2014 2:10 pm

Bucky wrote:1000 acres ++++

I started to think about this one a little more. I have a couple of public spots close to me that are less than 600 acres. Once you cross off the really easy to access stuff, there really isn't a lot left for them to hide. I have found bedding on both of these properties, but based on my hunting observations these are seasonal beds that get burned out pretty quickly by pressure.

Looking back I think that these properties are probably good for a 2 year old and maybe a 3 year old but my timing has not been very good and I probably hunted them too much thinking they would produce something that didn't live there.

Not saying that these properties or other smaller properties dont produce, I am just thinking the amount of pressure these pieces receive make them lower percentage hunts than a larger piece with decent cover.

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Re: Does size matter?

Unread postby JohnnieU » Tue Dec 23, 2014 4:44 pm

I hunt a property with a small cattail marsh of less than 10 aces. The one willow tree point with a redbrush island at the end is the best bucking bedding on the whole property and second most used doe bedding area, although the does bed under the trees and the bucks at the end of the point. The bucks seem to head there first and almost avoid going deep into the adjacent upland woodlot. After attending Dan's Scouting Workshop I walked out to that point and found beds in the predictable spots that Dan pointed out in the big marsh. The area is heavily pressured, so that might be a factor too, but I am now convinced the biggest bucks prefer not bedding in the woodlot.


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