whitetailassasin wrote:I strictly hunt gratiot state game area and shiawasee state game area and early how its usually 10-15 hunters per but once late October thru gun season hits its at least double or triple that. It makes for tough sledding. Weekends are pounded but weekdays can be very productive. Bridge I'm pretty sure we discussed this before and I think you have hunted some of these grounds.
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I have hunted Shiawassee for ducks, never for deer... but you're giving me ideas.
I've been giving some thought to places for Dan to hunt in lower Michigan- he likely has his own ideas. But to aid him I think of looking for:
* limited access
* public land
* large marsh area
* legitimate chance at arrowing a mature buck with a big rack
In my region, I keep coming up with Shiawassee National Refuge and Shiawassee State Game area. These areas are limited access drawing for bow hunting (if I understand it correctly the State Game Area was by drawing in 2013 as well). Combined they have nearly 20,000 acres of cattails, big rivers and flooded timber. Outside of the refuge system there are agricultural areas. Hunters have pulled bruiser bucks out of these limited access areas over the years and Dan will go where nearly no one else will... One of my mentors, when I began bowhunting, was drawn for the National Refuge when I first started bowhunting. He arrowed a monster 12 in December and was horrified when it ran out onto the river ice... it broke through and the current tugged it under and he spent the rest of the hunt searching unsuccessfully for the buck- he was crushed.
I think Dan should consider applying for these drawings- anyone else with input on Shiawassee? Even if it took a couple of years to draw, what a hunt for HB TV it would be.