Heat and Marsh Bucks

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James
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Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby James » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:02 pm

I'm hearing a lot of guys complaining about the upcoming hot weather weekend here in WI and MN. I'll be out in a public swamp Friday night attacking a buck bed that I'm really excited about. There is a great little mini pond just north of the bed that the buck will have to pass me to get to first.

Over the years of hunting marsh bucks I've come to enjoy the hot weather. The big bucks will still move, not far from bedding but they'll be up before dark.

Anyone else hitting the marsh bucks in the heat!?


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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby dan » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:07 pm

Was out with Mario tonight and he almost got a 150/160 class 10 point an hour before dark, and todays high topped 90... It was 88 opening day, and I had 4 go past at 5 pm, over 2 hours before closing... Hogwash on hot weather stopping early season movement.
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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby Dewey » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:21 pm

James wrote:I'm hearing a lot of guys complaining about the upcoming hot weather weekend here in WI and MN. I'll be out in a public swamp Friday night attacking a buck bed that I'm really excited about. There is a great little mini pond just north of the bed that the buck will have to pass me to get to first.

Over the years of hunting marsh bucks I've come to enjoy the hot weather. The big bucks will still move, not far from bedding but they'll be up before dark.

Anyone else hitting the marsh bucks in the heat!?

Yup. Going in light....two sticks and my saddle. Friday-Saturday-Sunday. I expect zero hunting pressure. Just the way I like it. 8-)
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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby James » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:45 pm

Dewey wrote:Yup. Going in light....two sticks and my saddle. Friday-Saturday-Sunday. I expect zero hunting pressure. Just the way I like it. 8-)


The tree I’m headed to will be a 2 sticker as well..
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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:59 pm

I'll be out Friday and Sunday most likely.
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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby burtle » Thu Sep 21, 2017 6:03 pm

dan wrote:Was out with Mario tonight and he almost got a 150/160 class 10 point an hour before dark, and todays high topped 90... It was 88 opening day, and I had 4 go past at 5 pm, over 2 hours before closing... Hogwash on hot weather stopping early season movement.



This!

I was out scouting from the road the other day. 140-150" buck in the middle of a bean field around 2-3pm in 90 degree heat.

They've gotta eat, drink, move, and explore.

Tons of guys around here say its a waste of time hunting in the heat. Hey, more power to them. Gives us better odds.
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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Thu Sep 21, 2017 10:01 pm

Heat and weather is saving lot of deer this year. We are 100% humidity here and guys are just not going. Or not going as much.

One buddy especially ...he is all about the weather. He has killed bunch big deer. If it's hot...he does not hunt as much. If hunting is truly about having fun and enjoyment...suppose I cannot blame him.
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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby Whitetailaddict » Thu Sep 21, 2017 11:42 pm

I think weather specifically temperature impacts how far a deer will move but these deer will move regardless. I've been surprised with some of my encounters the past two years in hot weather. I will say i don't blame people for not hunting for two reasons. One being it can be miserable for the non die hards and two most likely they don't have bedding nailed down or hunt private where they don't need to hunt close to beds. In either case these people are right in that they likely won't see much movement so they're best off not hunting at that time.
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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Thu Sep 21, 2017 11:43 pm

I'll be in the big woods with my thermacell :whistle:
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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby Bigburner » Thu Sep 21, 2017 11:48 pm

Hit it all the time. You have no choice if you want to hunt with zero pressure. Greenhead flies taking chunks out of you and skeets all around and a tee shirt drenched in sweat. I'm there! I'm hoping to hit a marsh spot Friday if the forecast holds out.
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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby Kokes » Fri Sep 22, 2017 1:01 am

James wrote:I'm hearing a lot of guys complaining about the upcoming hot weather weekend here in WI and MN. I'll be out in a public swamp Friday night attacking a buck bed that I'm really excited about. There is a great little mini pond just north of the bed that the buck will have to pass me to get to first.

Over the years of hunting marsh bucks I've come to enjoy the hot weather. The big bucks will still move, not far from bedding but they'll be up before dark.

Anyone else hitting the marsh bucks in the heat!?


great post James, and a great reminder to stick to it and get out there....season don't open till Oct 1st so I will be along for the ride following your journal, dans journal and the live from the field thread...keep at it fellas I'm having fun following your early season hunting so far!
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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby fishlips » Fri Sep 22, 2017 1:19 am

I witnessed it during Wisconsin's opener last weekend. The first deer I saw were moving around 6. While I was packing up shortly after 6:30, I jumped a # of deer getting out of the woods. I was surprised they were moving that early in the heat.
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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby JoeRE » Fri Sep 22, 2017 1:52 am

You guys are onto something I have been studying. I am realizing that deer move differently in hot weather they also bed differently. Most of what gets hunted every fall are cooler weather beds and patterns and that is the main reason guys are getting skunked when its hot out. Its not because the deer are not moving. You are hunting in the wrong spot.

I have been hanging some cams in the coolest spots I can find the last couple seasons and am consistently seeing MORE activity in those areas when its hot out. Why? Because that is where the deer head to stay cool. In the hills its thick canopy and north slopes. In swamps it seems like it is closer to larger areas of water - that applies to other areas too. Last year I was hunting in northern Wisconsin in the center of a tag alder and tamarack swamp in early November. It was 75 degrees in the area but I bet it was at least 5 degrees cooler where I was hunting. I am going to start taking a thermometer out on scouting and hunting to see just how big of differences there are. I was seeing bucks on their feet all day long in the swamp while guys hunting around the edges were only seeing activity first and last light when it was coolest.
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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby stash59 » Fri Sep 22, 2017 2:03 am

Not worried about deer movement. Seen em moved plenty early in super hot weather mid summer. Why should it be all that different now.

My problem is the heat sucks the life right out of me at the moment. Plus I'm still recouping from opening weekend. But I'd love to be out there sweating and cussin the skeeters. If I could. Just like you guys.
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Re: Heat and Marsh Bucks

Unread postby justin84 » Fri Sep 22, 2017 2:30 am

JoeRE wrote:You guys are onto something I have been studying. I am realizing that deer move differently in hot weather they also bed differently. Most of what gets hunted every fall are cooler weather beds and patterns and that is the main reason guys are getting skunked when its hot out. Its not because the deer are not moving. You are hunting in the wrong spot.

I have been hanging some cams in the coolest spots I can find the last couple seasons and am consistently seeing MORE activity in those areas when its hot out. Why? Because that is where the deer head to stay cool. In the hills its thick canopy and north slopes. In swamps it seems like it is closer to larger areas of water - that applies to other areas too. Last year I was hunting in northern Wisconsin in the center of a tag alder and tamarack swamp in early November. It was 75 degrees in the area but I bet it was at least 5 degrees cooler where I was hunting. I am going to start taking a thermometer out on scouting and hunting to see just how big of differences there are. I was seeing bucks on their feet all day long in the swamp while guys hunting around the edges were only seeing activity first and last light when it was coolest.


We saw the same thing the last couple of weeks in Wyoming. We had highs in the low 70s up at 8500 feet and the sun was HOT! They were in bed early, daytime activity was in the shady, cool timber and the first spots that had deer in the evenings were the areas where trees were casting shadows. And the temperature difference in and out of the sun was dramatic.


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