Scouted couple islands this weekend

[hoot]

Like I said in another post, I feel foolish posting here with all the wealth of info on this site. But here goes. Only way to learn.

Been really pounding the rubber since the river opened up trying to get this beast thing down. This weekend was no exception. After puttin new brakes on truck I decided to scout an island in local marsh that I haven't been to in a few years.  Last time I hit this island it was loaded with sign. Rubs, scat, nice tails etc. That was 5 yrs ago when the cattails were thick. 2 yrs ago a burn got away from Dnr and burned out this whole side if the cattails. I missed the biggest buck of my life that afternoon as they chased him out and into the tamaraks I was in. Anywho, cattails not as thick and neither is the sign. I found rubs but nothing like I use to. Hopefully after another year if growth this will thicken back up. 
I walked quite a ways before finding first bed. This section of the marsh is dotted with lil potholes of water with grassy knolls on a side or 2. Some have trees and cover while others don't. This bed was at the base of a large tree by one of these potholes. Fresh green grass was still matted down perfectly. Small bed. Guessin a yearling. Onward I go. Found a few more bedsites with hair in them on knolls where trees were. No rubs. Onward I go.
Finally found a good rubbed up trail leading to another pothole. Found his bed with hair in it. They sure are shedding. Finding clumps everywhere.
Stayed on the trail and followed thru cattails. Couple more trees with rubs. These are a lil bigger. The trail heads out into the cattails towards a couple lone trees I'm sure hold beds. Yup. There was a light trail parralleling the heavy trail and circled each tree before approaching. Each tree held a large bed.
The main doe trail went further into cattails towards a large grass island that I'll scout later. No trees there.
The problem with these pothole beds is they get hit by duck hunters. So I'd have to get in early season. I'll be hanging some cams down the trails they're accessing crops. I've been takng pictures of all my scouting and started transfering to Photobucket but am having problems getting them here. No computer and old iPhone doesn't seem to do it.
Here's a link to this last weekends pics if anyone is intersted. I'll have to figure out how to get an airiel view up.
http://s476.photobucket.com/albums/rr12 ... 20Uploads/

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[headgear]

Good scout hoot! It is a fun time of year for me, almost as much fun as the hunt itself and sometimes it can even be more fun to plan an attack or try and figure these big ol slobs out.

[dan]

Nice!

[JJWI]

Once you find a couple of beds and look over the areas and think about why they use these areas (access, wind, cover) you get a knack for knowing what to look for in a bedding area. By just knowing were even the does and other deer bed is a big advantage! Know your land, know your game! But a lot of times you will find a big buck sign or his bedding area and wonder if he is still around. The one way I have found to get an idea of what was killed in that area last year, is to go to the local registering stations and look at the pictures of the bucks that were registered. A lot of times, the people working there will know the story on how the animal was take and were! And are more than willing to tell you it!

[hoot]

I totally agree. I've been hunting this local marsh for about 28yrs now. I remember when I first started hnting it me and a bud spent one winter walking the entire marsh looking for islands and such. I pretty much know the bedding areas, both buck n doe, but just general "areas". I've always setup btween these bedding "areas" and food sources. I never really looked at the details. I think I got stuck into a lot of the hunting shows style of hunting which only works well on well managed low pressure props IMO. I can generally tag out on 2 1/2-3 1/2 y/o buck every year. But I want more. I know there's bigger and older deer in there. I get pics and sightings every year. I never thought of hunting specific beds. I think this site and learning this style is just what I'm looking for. I work my but off every year and now I want it to payoff. Lol. Since I live only minutes away Im out here a lot and know a lot of local hunters. I generaly know what's been shot around there. The local registration station is a gas station usually manned by some 16-20 something girl who 9 times outta ten just hands the person the tag cuz they don't wanna touch the deer. Lol. So they're no help.
Again, I am just blown away by the wealth of info here. Good thing it's not for all hunters. We'd run out of big bucks to kill! Lol