BIG WOODS guys click here

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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PK_
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Re: BIG WOODS guys click here

Unread postby PK_ » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:51 am

Rage,

Would those 'wide crown' oaks be more likely to produce on a bad crop year?


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justin84
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Re: BIG WOODS guys click here

Unread postby justin84 » Tue Jun 23, 2015 7:06 am

KLEMZ, those pictures are helpful, thank you! This diverse type of land in these pics is exactly what I'm used to hunting; it's everywhere up here.

When you said the area marked yellow would likely be a buck bedding area only if the area was inaccessible, is that because pressure would be non-existent?
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Re: BIG WOODS guys click here

Unread postby KLEMZ » Tue Jun 23, 2015 12:06 pm

justin84 wrote:When you said the area marked yellow would likely be a buck bedding area only if the area was inaccessible, is that because pressure would be non-existent?


Exactly. Of all the buck beds I have found in this terrain, the ones that have the biggest sign (4 finger tracks, large clumped droppings, big beds) are consistently in an area that most hunters won't venture into very often. To my surprise (and delight), that does not always translate into a 2 mile trek deep into the forest! I have found these bedding areas 100 yards from a road! BUT, the layout of the land is such that hunters rarely enter into the woods in these areas.

Finding likely spots via cyber scouting, and then walking the land, is a tough proposition in this terrain... there are SO many good looking transitions to walk, and there is SO much land! The only way I have found the bedding areas of the biggest bucks, is by walking transitions....finding 4 finger tracks showing repeated travel in an area... and only THEN studying my maps and scouting (in detail) all likely bedding terrain within 800 yards in any direction from the repeated sign. Admittedly, this is still a big area, but once you learn what you are looking for, you can walk directly to the bedding area! Its CRAZY!!...thank you Dan Infalt for letting me understand that!

Another thing to mention here is that the average Joe hunter would walk right thru a big woods pig bedding area and not even realize it. In fact, that was ME 5 years ago! Northern Wisconsin deer numbers are extremely low right now, so if you are looking for rubs and scrapes and trails to clue you in to a big bucks bedding area....well, good luck with that!! It is my opinion that tracks are the ONLY reliable sign to guide you to a Northern Wisconsin pig. That, and an understanding of bedding tendencies. (again, thanks Dan!)... Then, confirmation via big poop and big beds. (by the way, don't expect to see beds worn to dirt here, rather, learn to identify where a bed should be, and then search for hairs thru different layers of debris to give you a historical timeline that proves bedding is consistent in this spot.

One more thought, in order to learn about what big buck beds look like, I highly recommend finding a marsh to scout. No other terrain has such predictable bedding.. via maps.. and such defined bedding areas.. via sign (visual). I know this has helped me a ton.
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justin84
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Re: BIG WOODS guys click here

Unread postby justin84 » Wed Jun 24, 2015 2:41 am

KLEMZ wrote:Finding likely spots via cyber scouting, and then walking the land, is a tough proposition in this terrain... there are SO many good looking transitions to walk, and there is SO much land! The only way I have found the bedding areas of the biggest bucks, is by walking transitions....finding 4 finger tracks showing repeated travel in an area... and only THEN studying my maps and scouting (in detail) all likely bedding terrain within 800 yards in any direction from the repeated sign. Admittedly, this is still a big area, but once you learn what you are looking for, you can walk directly to the bedding area! Its CRAZY!!...thank you Dan Infalt for letting me understand that!


This has been the hardest thing about hunting the big woods. I have been overwhelmed by the amount of land available and have limited myself to high ground and locating trails off of old logging roads. There is no shortage of rubs and scrapes, but I am almost never seeing bucks. The bucks I have seen I wasn't prepared for and they got away.

I'm pretty sure I could hunt a different spot every night! I feel so much better about the upcoming season after reading some of these threads on the big woods, edges, etc.
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Thermals
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Re: BIG WOODS guys click here

Unread postby Thermals » Wed Jun 24, 2015 3:30 am

KLEMZ wrote:
justin84 wrote:When you said the area marked yellow would likely be a buck bedding area only if the area was inaccessible, is that because pressure would be non-existent?


Exactly. Of all the buck beds I have found in this terrain, the ones that have the biggest sign (4 finger tracks, large clumped droppings, big beds) are consistently in an area that most hunters won't venture into very often. To my surprise (and delight), that does not always translate into a 2 mile trek deep into the forest! I have found these bedding areas 100 yards from a road! BUT, the layout of the land is such that hunters rarely enter into the woods in these areas.

Finding likely spots via cyber scouting, and then walking the land, is a tough proposition in this terrain... there are SO many good looking transitions to walk, and there is SO much land! The only way I have found the bedding areas of the biggest bucks, is by walking transitions....finding 4 finger tracks showing repeated travel in an area... and only THEN studying my maps and scouting (in detail) all likely bedding terrain within 800 yards in any direction from the repeated sign. Admittedly, this is still a big area, but once you learn what you are looking for, you can walk directly to the bedding area! Its CRAZY!!...thank you Dan Infalt for letting me understand that!

Another thing to mention here is that the average Joe hunter would walk right thru a big woods pig bedding area and not even realize it. In fact, that was ME 5 years ago! Northern Wisconsin deer numbers are extremely low right now, so if you are looking for rubs and scrapes and trails to clue you in to a big bucks bedding area....well, good luck with that!! It is my opinion that tracks are the ONLY reliable sign to guide you to a Northern Wisconsin pig. That, and an understanding of bedding tendencies. (again, thanks Dan!)... Then, confirmation via big poop and big beds. (by the way, don't expect to see beds worn to dirt here, rather, learn to identify where a bed should be, and then search for hairs thru different layers of debris to give you a historical timeline that proves bedding is consistent in this spot.

One more thought, in order to learn about what big buck beds look like, I highly recommend finding a marsh to scout. No other terrain has such predictable bedding.. via maps.. and such defined bedding areas.. via sign (visual). I know this has helped me a ton.


You hit the nail on the head about marsh beds. From the way I seen it. It is prob the easiest terrain to hunt, I just wish I had some to hunt but the core fundematals are the same no matter where you I go.

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Re: BIG WOODS guys click here

Unread postby stash59 » Wed Jun 24, 2015 5:12 am

Great thread guys. I've hunted bigwoods in Northern Wisconsin and Montana. I love the feeling of it being me against the animal. Without any other human influence. Just wished I knew then what I've learned here on the Beast. Hopefully when I regain my health I can experience this again. Only being a thousand times wiser.


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