Snow tracking during gun seasons

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Dewey
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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Nov 25, 2015 11:20 am

What I found interesting was how Larry Benoit talked about in his book how he would keep dogging a buck after he caught up to one. They would run a bit and then slow down, run a bit and slow down........ He mentioned how some would get mad that he kept on them and the buck would tear apart trees out of frustration that they couldn't lose him. That is some hardcore tracking and determination there. 15-20 miles in a day seemed pretty common and he said one of his sons did over 40 miles in one day. :shock:

The buck that Larry tracked for 13 days was an awesone story. He truly is a legend. 8-)

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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby SamPotter » Wed Nov 25, 2015 11:32 am

Dewey wrote:What I found interesting was how Larry Benoit talked about in his book how he would keep dogging a buck after he caught up to one. They would run a bit and then slow down, run a bit and slow down........ He mentioned how some would get mad that he kept on them and the buck would tear apart trees out of frustration that they couldn't lose him. That is some hardcore tracking and determination there. 15-20 miles in a day seemed pretty common and he said one of his sons did over 40 miles in one day. :shock:

The buck that Larry tracked for 13 days was an awesone story. He truly is a legend. 8-)

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Those guys know how to get it done. I do think the 40 miles part might be a bit of a stretch, but no doubt they covered some serious ground.

Bucks do get a little unsettled when they can't shake you. A lot more of it is a mental challenge more than a physical one. Every tracker will tell you about the buck they would've killed if they just had 30 minutes more of daylight... You start to notice where the buck is making a mistake or two and you start to think it's just a matter of time...

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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby cedarsavage » Wed Nov 25, 2015 12:14 pm

SamPotter wrote:
headgear wrote:
cedarsavage wrote:I was in pursuit from first light til now about 3 hrs. Kicked em out of some still warm beds a couple times, and finally lost them to a no trespassing sign. I think this might be easier in a low density area I almost lost the track a bunch of times near other deer trails.

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Ya it would be pretty hard to track with property lines around, you really need some serious space to work with. However on smaller acres you might be able to follow some tracks towards known bedding and put a stalk on them. I've actually tried this a few times but no one was home.


I tracked and shot a 10 point with a ML in Connecticut once. I had actually tracked him the week before, so when I picked his track up in the same spot coming off a field I was excited. The track went up onto the same mountain laurel and oak ridge I had first jumped him on the week before, so I was ready to shoot when he jumped from his bed and made the mistake of running away at an angle that was barely quartering away. I don't make a habit of shooting running deer, but he was so close and presented such an open target, the shot just seemed to happen on it's own. Hit him right in the ribs and he died on down the hill 150 yards right on the property line to a nature preserve.

It can be done on smaller parcels, but you only get one chance. In the big woods you can jump then several times throughout the day and still kill them.


That's a cool story. I kept thinking I was gonna have to get lucky n look up at the right time to get a shot. It was hard to stay on the right track when they went through other trails

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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby cedarsavage » Wed Nov 25, 2015 12:16 pm

Dewey wrote:What I found interesting was how Larry Benoit talked about in his book how he would keep dogging a buck after he caught up to one. They would run a bit and then slow down, run a bit and slow down........ He mentioned how some would get mad that he kept on them and the buck would tear apart trees out of frustration that they couldn't lose him. That is some hardcore tracking and determination there. 15-20 miles in a day seemed pretty common and he said one of his sons did over 40 miles in one day. :shock:

The buck that Larry tracked for 13 days was an awesone story. He truly is a legend. 8-)

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Yeah that's pretty BA less than 1% of people would have it going on mentally to be able to stay focused like that. I'm gonna have to re read that book

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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby DeerDylan » Wed Nov 25, 2015 4:22 pm

You guys got me thinking now. I've got a ny buck tag. I'm going to look at some areas for the coming weeks. I might make a couple weekend trips to Eastern NY if I find a big piece of public.

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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby mnbowfisherman33 » Wed Nov 25, 2015 5:23 pm

Last Sunday a buddy of mine and I gave it a shot on the last day of rifle season here in MN. I missed a nice ten pointer last year with a muzzleloader track hunting and since then I've been hooked. My buddy and I struggled with the snow conditions and how powdery it was. The tracks weren't clearly formed and there were lots considering the snow was several days old. We ended up kicking up a spike buck and he kicked up a larger buck that was bedded near him. We had the spike dead to rights in a cutting let him walk. We did have some fun with him by throwing a few grunts at him. It perked his curiosity and he came trotting in to see what was up. I think having a grunt call with could certainly come in handy in some situations.

We followed the other bucks track for miles and never caught up. He drug us through some of the nastiest crap there is, spruce bog, tamaracks, 3 year old cuttings, cattails.... It was interesting to follow and the buck seemed to know where he was going at all times. After about 6 miles of tracking it was getting late and we gave up the track to start the long trek back to the truck. You learn so much from tracking about deer activity and movements I only wish I would have started doing it earlier.

Does anyone else hunt with a partner? I kind of like it. That way one can watch the track while the other keeps their eyes peeled for the buck.
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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby cedarsavage » Thu Nov 26, 2015 3:36 am

Had an encounter again today tracked a wily buck through the marsh into some remote islands,once within shooting distance of a tree I hunted Monday night. Got close enough to hear him a couple times, followed him back to dry land n lost him in the swamp, I heard a slosh and looked over to see a couple tamaracks n thought I bet he was bedded there, sure enough he was. I got on his tracks again and kept following him til I got stuck in the muck and had to sit down to get out, that was the fifth time I went over my boots and my feet couldn't take it anymore. Warming up in the jeep now.

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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby Dewey » Thu Nov 26, 2015 4:17 am

cedarsavage wrote:Had an encounter again today tracked a wily buck through the marsh into some remote islands,once within shooting distance of a tree I hunted Monday night. Got close enough to hear him a couple times, followed him back to dry land n lost him in the swamp, I heard a slosh and looked over to see a couple tamaracks n thought I bet he was bedded there, sure enough he was. I got on his tracks again and kept following him til I got stuck in the muck and had to sit down to get out, that was the fifth time I went over my boots and my feet couldn't take it anymore. Warming up in the jeep now.

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Sounds like a fun day. 8-)

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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby cedarsavage » Thu Nov 26, 2015 6:59 am

Dewey wrote:
cedarsavage wrote:Had an encounter again today tracked a wily buck through the marsh into some remote islands,once within shooting distance of a tree I hunted Monday night. Got close enough to hear him a couple times, followed him back to dry land n lost him in the swamp, I heard a slosh and looked over to see a couple tamaracks n thought I bet he was bedded there, sure enough he was. I got on his tracks again and kept following him til I got stuck in the muck and had to sit down to get out, that was the fifth time I went over my boots and my feet couldn't take it anymore. Warming up in the jeep now.

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Sounds like a fun day. 8-)

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Sure beats working. what do you guys wear for boots doing this

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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby Dewey » Thu Nov 26, 2015 7:19 am

In marshes or swamps I use knee high rubber boots or hip waders but neither is any good for quiet stillhunting or tracking. Best case is ice and lightweight boots this time of the year.

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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby Hodag Hunter » Thu Nov 26, 2015 7:35 am

Wear a good fitting knee high rubber boots in all terrain.

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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby cedarsavage » Thu Nov 26, 2015 10:18 am

Hip waders are in order after today's fiasco. Gonna have to get some light weight lace ups too. I think my big thing holding me up is not knowing when to back off the gas and start sneaking, hopefully that'll come with experience.

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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby KLEMZ » Thu Nov 26, 2015 11:46 am

I haven't gun hunted in forty years, but snow tracking big bucks sounds like the ultimate fun hunting experience!! I have been a bow hunter all those years, and a student of Dan and hunting mature bucks at their beds since the Blood Brothers days. I learned how to find the big buck beds in southern Wisconsin marshland, which then helped me to find the MUCH more difficult to locate Wisconsin north woods buck bedding areas in less time.

I am kind of thinking I should buy a muzzle loader liscense (not ready for a rifle just yet), and use my knowledge of mature buck beds in the spacious north woods, and systematically hunt each known bedding area. It seems to me that most trackers are waiting for snow, and then driving roads to find fresh huge tracks and then trying to catch up to that buck... essentially, relying on the rut to create enough movement that they can cross tracks with a mature buck.

How about using the knowledge gained here on the beast and simply finding the fresh tracks in the general area of PRE-KNOWN big woods pig bedding (instead of driving around for hours....although, possibly walking for hours), and then do a stalk on those fresh tracks, already knowing about where he may be laying. Sounds like just as much fun to me and possibly more effective?...thoughts?
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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby Hodag Hunter » Thu Nov 26, 2015 11:55 am

Klemz, yes your idea works ;-)

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Re: Snow tracking during gun seasons

Unread postby Dewey » Thu Nov 26, 2015 12:07 pm

Klemz, that's exactly how I got on the track of the big buck last year. This is in an area known for big bucks in past years but access it kinda tough and requires a long walk. Didn't take long to hook up with a large track and almost payed off for me after only one hour of tracking. I would much prefer starting in areas like this instead of driving around looking for tracks in areas that I already know well.

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