Phragmites....marsh

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KLEMZ
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Re: Phragmites....marsh

Unread postby KLEMZ » Fri Aug 07, 2015 12:01 pm

UPbowhunter, your info on phrags is very enlightening. A few years ago, on this forum, phragmites were discussed and pretty much everyone agreed, big bucks don't bed in phrags. Well, since then I have found some mature buck bedding in Phragmites. In fact, I kicked one out of his bed in mid December, after months of hunting pressure. My take is that they use it as a last resort..because it is a pain to navigate thru (as a human, and as a buck with wide antlers). The trails I found from the beds were on a direct line straight out of the phrags(about 60-70 yards) to more open cover. And, the beds were on a very slight rise in terrain (1foot) next to some brush.

The unique antler wearing is very cool!! It never really occurred to me that the bucks environment might be readable thru his antlers. Learn something new everyday! Thanks!!


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UPbowhunter
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Re: Phragmites....marsh

Unread postby UPbowhunter » Fri Aug 07, 2015 12:27 pm

I can surely see it as a huge factor in bucks getting age under their belts when pressure gets hot. It is one of the best natural barriers I can think of. There is absolutely no possible way for any human to ever sneek up on a deer in our frag. Old timers here bring 12' ladders out into frag stands for posters on drive. Our frag goes on for miles here. People spend the night in the frags every year when they get turned around in it after dark. Amazing whitetail habitat.

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wickedbruiser
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Re: Phragmites....marsh

Unread postby wickedbruiser » Fri Aug 07, 2015 12:44 pm

UPbowhunter wrote:I can surely see it as a huge factor in bucks getting age under their belts when pressure gets hot. It is one of the best natural barriers I can think of. There is absolutely no possible way for any human to ever sneek up on a deer in our frag. Old timers here bring 12' ladders out into frag stands for posters on drive. Our frag goes on for miles here. People spend the night in the frags every year when they get turned around in it after dark. Amazing whitetail habitat.

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UP, I appreciate you taking the time to explain details. The wear on bone is pretty neat! You may have just got me hooked on hunting phrags. Is there a season you prefer hunting phrags more?
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UPbowhunter
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Re: Phragmites....marsh

Unread postby UPbowhunter » Fri Aug 07, 2015 10:12 pm

Like others have stated does bed in the frags more than bucks during the majority of the fall. So you can bet the later part of the pre rut and seeking are good times to hunt the frags. Last year I witnessed a mature buck pushing a doe around in a smaller frag stand, you talk about loud with them crashing through that stuff.
I think frag can be a great place for a mating pair to hole up, a buck could hear any other buck for some distance so there wouldn't be any surprises.
I think the biggest thing about big frag stands though is the deers ability to use it as a barrier much like water, for their safety. And that would explain why most beds are around the edges in open areas where a clump of trees have grown. Them loud, hollow stalks make some great cover.

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JakeJD
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Re: Phragmites....marsh

Unread postby JakeJD » Sat Aug 08, 2015 2:19 am

wickedbruiser wrote:Went to take a quick peek at a marsh that showed great deer trails on aerial and.....oh man! Phragmites 8 ft tall. Looking to hear experiences from other beast members. My only thought was scout the high ground transition and mark all exit trails to set up on.


justdirtyfun wrote:Frags have started moving into my area. I bet in 4 years they will take over lots of lowland I'm not looking forward to it.



Phrag moved into a couple of my river bottom hunting areas about 15 years ago. The State and other local agencies aerial spray the stuff every few years, but it always comes back by year 2 or 3. Most of the these river bottom areas were very sandy soil that basically only supported cottonwoods with grasses. There are a few junipers / russian olive thickets, etc. mixed in. But the vast majority of the land was very open, flat river bottom. Not exactly great deer habitat.

The phrag greatly improved the deer habitat and offers great bedding cover in an otherwise sparse, homogeneous landscape!

I find that does groups will bed dead center in large patches of phrag. The bucks seem to bed on the downwind edge of the stands watching the open river botttom downwind. When the bucks know they are being hunted, they will hold tight to the phrag and will not leave their security cover until dark. If they are aware of your presence, that makes it pretty tough to kill them.

But I am not hunting phrag marsh, so my experiences are not directly applicable to your situation.
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