4/10/12 Scout
- Singing Bridge
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4/10/12 Scout
Today was a great relief, in that I was able to spend time in an area that I've really wanted to get prepped for the upcoming season. I had located a couple of very remote swamp islands that contain buck bedding. The main exit trails from each island (they are about a hundred yards apart and very small) actually end up merging together onto a point of cedars that jut out into the tagalders and muck. The merging trails are twenty yards from a mature white pine where I slapped up my Wolf Sticks to go up and take a look. With no trimming allowed on public land there, I needed to know exactly where I would put my stand with the best height possible. It ended up being about twelve feet up- in cover this thick and nasty you take what you can get. This stand has a lot of potential when the wind takes my scent just off of or away from the islands.
From past experience I figured I'd better take a closer look at the transition line where the super dense tagalder marsh cover butts up against the point of cedars... and sure enough, a "squirrel trail" of a run was clearly visible in the heavy cover paralleling the edge. I cut a fresh set of extra large deer tracks in the muck following this trail. Back up the tree I went, trying to find a window for an arrow. The only possibility was moving a dead tree top away from the edge- which worked, as back up in the tree I noted I could slip an arrow through that window. Both of the primary exit trails from the islands have fresh deer hair floating in the water and muck, as heavy shedding by the bucks continues.
I finished by logging in my GPS coordinates for the stand, while walking a plot trail out to my access point. This spot has REALLY been bugging me that I didn't have it ready to go... The bucks on these islands are pretty good for the heavily pressured public land they live in.
Anyone else have spots that are still "bugging" them??
From past experience I figured I'd better take a closer look at the transition line where the super dense tagalder marsh cover butts up against the point of cedars... and sure enough, a "squirrel trail" of a run was clearly visible in the heavy cover paralleling the edge. I cut a fresh set of extra large deer tracks in the muck following this trail. Back up the tree I went, trying to find a window for an arrow. The only possibility was moving a dead tree top away from the edge- which worked, as back up in the tree I noted I could slip an arrow through that window. Both of the primary exit trails from the islands have fresh deer hair floating in the water and muck, as heavy shedding by the bucks continues.
I finished by logging in my GPS coordinates for the stand, while walking a plot trail out to my access point. This spot has REALLY been bugging me that I didn't have it ready to go... The bucks on these islands are pretty good for the heavily pressured public land they live in.
Anyone else have spots that are still "bugging" them??
- Swampthing
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Re: 4/10/12 Scout
Good post, I like how you add a plot trail to stand. I have started doing the same the last few seasons as well. I think it's often overlooked but it's another tactic in my opinion. It's really speeds up the entrance or exit in those twilight hours.
I too have many spots that are bugging me to investigate. I had really high hopes of an unbeleivable spring scouting session. It just has,nt came together as i hoped for. I'm scrambling to add 2 bedrooms in my basement . But this weekend I'll be back at it hard .
When are you suspecting this particular bedding area is getting used Bridge ?
I too have many spots that are bugging me to investigate. I had really high hopes of an unbeleivable spring scouting session. It just has,nt came together as i hoped for. I'm scrambling to add 2 bedrooms in my basement . But this weekend I'll be back at it hard .
When are you suspecting this particular bedding area is getting used Bridge ?
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Re: 4/10/12 Scout
I have 4 spots "bugging" me. Two in N.Minn and 2 in N. Wis. I need to get into all 4 spots yet this spring and pick tree and prune some. Taking care of one this weekend and N.Minn at end of month. Sure is nice to have extra time this year with the early warm-up!
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!
I have a spot that is bugging me. I found it 3 springs ago while on my first ever marsh buck bedding scouting trip. it is heavy hunted CWD public. I was following a dredged dike through a large area of tamaracks. There was a deer trail on the spoils-ridge that follwed the dike. Fresh four finger tracks on that trail led me to a couple impressive rubs about ten yards from the edge, where the tamaracks met a large cattail marsh. as i examined the rubs a deer jumped up and tore across the cattails. I didn't see the animal but found a bed under a tamarack. It didn't seem real heavily used but admittedly i didn't know what i was looking for. Looking at an arieal, it makes sense that a large buck would bed there as it is the hardest to reach spot on the map. I have never hunted there because of the difficulty of reaching the spot. This spring I revisited the spot and again found big fresh tracks (again kicked him out of his bed). This time it was a 3 1/2 finger track. I found two well used big beds and again some fresh tall rubs near the beds. I have a far better idea now what a mature buck bedding area looks like, and this is it! The main food is crops and oaks about 1/4 mile south across the cattails. But. there is a water/muck filled ditch that bisects the cattails that has kept me out. I know of the perfect dead tamarack tree that i can get into about thirty yards out of the tamarcks but i have to get there somehow.
Well tomorrow I have the afternoon off and i am going to attempt to navigate about a mile of marsh dike in my 18 foot canoe. I am a little worried the canoe is too long to easily steer.. we'll see. If I can get in i should have a great set up. if I can't make it in I may buy a shorter canoe/kayak. Also, i been thinking about a way to carry in a makeshift bridge that I could assemble made out of ladder tree stand segments. Somehow i need to get in there!
Well tomorrow I have the afternoon off and i am going to attempt to navigate about a mile of marsh dike in my 18 foot canoe. I am a little worried the canoe is too long to easily steer.. we'll see. If I can get in i should have a great set up. if I can't make it in I may buy a shorter canoe/kayak. Also, i been thinking about a way to carry in a makeshift bridge that I could assemble made out of ladder tree stand segments. Somehow i need to get in there!
- Singing Bridge
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Re: 4/10/12 Scout
Swampthing wrote:Good post, I like how you add a plot trail to stand. I have started doing the same the last few seasons as well. I think it's often overlooked but it's another tactic in my opinion. It's really speeds up the entrance or exit in those twilight hours.
I too have many spots that are bugging me to investigate. I had really high hopes of an unbeleivable spring scouting session. It just has,nt came together as i hoped for. I'm scrambling to add 2 bedrooms in my basement . But this weekend I'll be back at it hard .
When are you suspecting this particular bedding area is getting used Bridge ?
These beds appear to be used most of the year- including right now. There are fresh tracks and lots of hair in the beds themselves.
I sure hear you about having the time to get scouting done- putting a couple of bedrooms in is a lot. I think we all do the best we can based on what our priorities are at the time.
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Re: 4/10/12 Scout
I always have a few spots I need to get checked out... The list never ends.
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Re: 4/10/12 Scout
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- headgear
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Re: 4/10/12 Scout
Sounds like a great spot SB!
Oh yes I have a few spots that are still bugging me, scouting has gone well this spring. You never get out as much as you want to but I have had a productive spring. I will try and post up some pics once I finish scouting.
One spot that I plan to hit this weekend has really been bugging me, its been on my radar for a couple of year now but I kept putting it off because its further out than most of my spots. Well I recently discovered it is a bow only area, so it shot straight to the top of my list. Its not a huge area and I think it still sees plenty of pressure but there has to be some bucks in there.
Another area I hope to hit is a large public swamp, I had an encounter there on a blind hunt last fall that peaked my interest. I never saw the deer but plenty of large tracks in the area.
Now that I think about I have another half dozen spots that are bugging me to but not enough time to get after all of them.
Oh yes I have a few spots that are still bugging me, scouting has gone well this spring. You never get out as much as you want to but I have had a productive spring. I will try and post up some pics once I finish scouting.
One spot that I plan to hit this weekend has really been bugging me, its been on my radar for a couple of year now but I kept putting it off because its further out than most of my spots. Well I recently discovered it is a bow only area, so it shot straight to the top of my list. Its not a huge area and I think it still sees plenty of pressure but there has to be some bucks in there.
Another area I hope to hit is a large public swamp, I had an encounter there on a blind hunt last fall that peaked my interest. I never saw the deer but plenty of large tracks in the area.
Now that I think about I have another half dozen spots that are bugging me to but not enough time to get after all of them.
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Re: 4/10/12 Scout
I have a ton of spots that I'd still like to check out, but with a 2yr old daughter and a son expected to be born here in the next month, my time to scout is pretty limited! And having just moved to MI, I really end up doing a lot of blind hunting and scout a spot or 2 thoroughly when time permits.. It's tough for sure, and in MI it is just that much more difficult because of the pressure the public land receives. Maybe in 20 years I'll have some spots nailed down. haha
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Re: 4/10/12 Scout
blackwolf wrote:I have 4 spots "bugging" me. Two in N.Minn and 2 in N. Wis. I need to get into all 4 spots yet this spring and pick tree and prune some. Taking care of one this weekend and N.Minn at end of month. Sure is nice to have extra time this year with the early warm-up!
I hear you, blackwolf- keep us posted on how the spots turned out.
KLEMZ wrote:I have a spot that is bugging me. I found it 3 springs ago while on my first ever marsh buck bedding scouting trip. it is heavy hunted CWD public.
Also, i been thinking about a way to carry in a makeshift bridge that I could assemble made out of ladder tree stand segments. Somehow i need to get in there!
Sounds like a great spot, KLEMZ. The access that has "kept you out" may end up being key to a great buck bedding area.
- Singing Bridge
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Re: 4/10/12 Scout
headgear wrote:Sounds like a great spot SB!
Oh yes I have a few spots that are still bugging me, scouting has gone well this spring. You never get out as much as you want to but I have had a productive spring. I will try and post up some pics once I finish scouting.
Sounds like you have done very well this spring, headgear. Definitely get the pics up if you are able, great stuff.
mibowhunter wrote:I have a ton of spots that I'd still like to check out, but with a 2yr old daughter and a son expected to be born here in the next month, my time to scout is pretty limited! And having just moved to MI, I really end up doing a lot of blind hunting and scout a spot or 2 thoroughly when time permits.. It's tough for sure, and in MI it is just that much more difficult because of the pressure the public land receives. Maybe in 20 years I'll have some spots nailed down. haha
mibowhunter- you sir, have a lot going on! I mentioned earlier that all any of us can do is our best with the time provided. Hunting blind can work even on heavy pressure public land if you put a lot of thought into it and show up prepared to execute.
I'm sure you are very excited about the future hunter that is on the way, congrats!
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Re: 4/10/12 Scout
Well, I took my canoe out to the marsh and was able to eventually negotiate to a spot where I could go no further. I could then walk thru the cattails to my ambush spot. There is no way that this would be a practicle approach come hunting season. BUT, I did discover a small beaver dam that is strategically located and just big enough for me to walk across! Now I have access to what I believe will be a great spot!
- jlh42581
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Re: 4/10/12 Scout
The hardest part here in PA is not having sundays to hunt. I know I have to have a log of spots close enough to leave work and get a hunt in. Other than that my hunting days without vacation would be 6 days of archery season.
Theres many spots that require too long of a drive for me to go during the week. I have a swamp in my mind I might go see sunday.
Theres many spots that require too long of a drive for me to go during the week. I have a swamp in my mind I might go see sunday.
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Re: 4/10/12 Scout
KLEMZ wrote:Well, I took my canoe out to the marsh and was able to eventually negotiate to a spot where I could go no further. I could then walk thru the cattails to my ambush spot. There is no way that this would be a practicle approach come hunting season. BUT, I did discover a small beaver dam that is strategically located and just big enough for me to walk across! Now I have access to what I believe will be a great spot!
Sounds good, KLEMZ... can't help but wonder how many beaver dams I've crossed during hunting and scouting sessions. Glad to hear you have an access that will work.
jlh42581 wrote:The hardest part here in PA is not having sundays to hunt. I know I have to have a log of spots close enough to leave work and get a hunt in. Other than that my hunting days without vacation would be 6 days of archery season.
Theres many spots that require too long of a drive for me to go during the week. I have a swamp in my mind I might go see sunday.
not being able to hunt Sundays is tough... especially with full work weeks. I wouldn't like that at all if I didn't have a reasonable amount of time to hunt after work. Hope you get the chance to check out the target swamp Sunday.
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Re: 4/10/12 Scout
I have most of my trees picked out but it there are definitely spots that are bugging me.
My engine gave way in my truck this weekend and I will be filming turkey hunting on Saturday so I don't have a whole lot of time. But your enthusiasm and effort scouting your swamps and sharing it with us on the Beast really is giving me the itch to get back out there one or two more times, and fine tune some setups.
Keep at it! And thanks for posting.
My engine gave way in my truck this weekend and I will be filming turkey hunting on Saturday so I don't have a whole lot of time. But your enthusiasm and effort scouting your swamps and sharing it with us on the Beast really is giving me the itch to get back out there one or two more times, and fine tune some setups.
Keep at it! And thanks for posting.
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