Where is the buck 4: Public/Private split twist

[hunter10]

I decided to throw this map together to give others a chance to pick apart this section and learn about different tendencies between a public parcel and private in close proximity.

Intro:

The entire section is FLAT FARMLAND with mixes of swampy wet sections and hardwoods. ( very minimal elevation change, all corn/bean fields in the entire area). There is private land on the left and public on the right. these pieces are split by a gravel road. There is ATV trails running through them which turn into snowmobile trails in the winter. I have and do hunt both pieces but spend more time on the private. The public and the private get hit hard during turkey seasons and during the gun hunts for deer but I have seen a decrease in pressure during the bow season.

The previous "where is the buck" threads show mostly a virgin piece of land. I decided to put a twist on this section by adding in where other stands have been located as you can see in the picture.

I put up a trail camera and discovered 2 mature deer but never saw them or could find them during the season.. on private, I did not touch the public. The marsh area noted is a bedding area but due to the nearest stand to it, I am unsure if it will continue to be used.

The predominant wind for this area is NW,W.

The sign on private and public has shown that mature deer frequent the area... Lets try to find them!

[gjs4]

assuming you have a predominant west wind I would check the island on the north, the sw inside corner below your western stand and walk the edge of that swamp for clues.

[kurt]

Topo...I realize you said flat but if it goes from swamp to high ground to marsh there maybe a few small elevation changes that could attract bucks.

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[hunter10]

Kurt,

I am unsure of a website that allows detailed topos. There would not be anything over 2ft change throughout the whole place. The wet to dry, marsh to swamp etc is just dispersed throughout. No real hard transitions besides woods to field

[Hawthorne]

The public side I would scout along the road if its thick. Private I would look for any interior transition even if its where the understory is a little thicker than the surrounding area. Maybe scout along the ATV trails to see if deer are bedding watching human access.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Lockdown]

Hard to see transitions with the leaves on but here's my best guess



[ Post made via iPhone ]

[kurt]

The nOrth side of the private looks the best to me not hunted or pressured compared to the rest. So I also like roughly the upper two pieces lock down circled. I like swamp bedding too just a little high spot of a few feet but can't tell with photo.

Maybe a image of a different time on Google

[ Post made via Android ]

[Lockdown]

There will be beds in the swamp and marsh bedding but I didn't mark either due to the stands... Not saying they should be totally ignored.

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[Jed33]

I've had good luck on inside field corners, I would check the inside corner SE of the marsh.

[hunter10]

This is a better pic of the private showing some definition. The backdated pic of public showed nothing different

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[DaveT1963]

I really like the hard inside funnel in the upper NE right below the diagonal white line (ATV trails) as it is a natural funnel and probably gets overlooked by the proximity of the ATV trails? And there is another good inside corner in the SW. This picture is very hard to read with all the foliage. I would look for an aerial during winter months. As it is, I would rely more on boots on ground in this case then this photo.

[Sam Ubl]

I don't think the bucks are regularly bedding anywhere in the aerial image. Would need to see more land surrounding. Seems to me a spot the deer would frequent on night travel browsing the fields and acorns in the hardwoods. Even though you have a daylight image of them browsing on acorns, it's before the hunting pressure comes on hard and likely those deer would migrate out of there in a hurry once cars start parking and folks begin hunting it. It's a small piece, at least what's shown in the aerial.

[Lockdown]

I don't think the bucks are regularly bedding anywhere in the aerial image. Would need to see more land surrounding. Seems to me a spot the deer would frequent on night travel browsing the fields and acorns in the hardwoods. Even though you have a daylight image of them browsing on acorns, it's before the hunting pressure comes on hard and likely those deer would migrate out of there in a hurry once cars start parking and folks begin hunting it. It's a small piece, at least what's shown in the aerial.

A lot of truth to this ^^^^

That is why I picked the island and fence line areas. Those would be my first choice and they'll see some use with standing corn around them... That's when they'll be best IMHO.

If it were me I'd set cams (no bait) around the best bedding during the season. That will shed light on the situation for you.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[hunter10]

The ideas posted have been much the same as what I have observed. The north island I think would be good only with standing corn. I also have learned that I have never assumed the road edge of the public would be worth scouting. As for the bigger picture. It is continued broken wood lots all around which receive more pressure

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[briar]

This entire photo set along with the "other hunters stands" is very typical of what we see around here.