Need help on Northwoods WI hunting tactics

[BackWoodsHunter]

hey all i haven't been around posting much because most of my time has been spent in the woods. I learn more and more with each sit and now I've come to the beast for some help. I'm hunting the family farm in Harshaw, WI (north of Tomahawk) we own 120 acres but the surrounding areas are generally papermill land, forest crop, or something available to the public and lacking hardwoods trees. I'm looking for insight on huntin from the trees. Our land is all overgrown popple trees, very few pines and the hardwoods are tiny. I was wondering if anyone hunting out of popple trees has found a successful camo pattern so they don't stand out? the deer are hunted heavily from predators as well as hunters around us and it seems that I get busted on nearly every sit. Would sitting on the ground be a better option? I'm so sick of never having a good tree to sit in and standing out like a sore thumb. The deer only see black and white so whatever camo you put on you stand out against a wall of white popple trees.

[solocam88]

Predator Fall Grey would work good in that situation.

[adrenalin]

Predator Fall Grey would work good in that situation.

This is an awesome camo. I have used it all season even when you would think the white would really give you away, but it doesn't. I was going to suggest it also.

[dan]

I agree with Predator camo... But, I hunt popples a lot on pressured public bucks and I don't get busted much. How high are you hunting?

[adrenalin]

I should have added that I also hunt popples on the public about 60% of my sits, because they are the only tree available. Most are 6 inch diameter and my stand is only about 6 feet off the ground where I blend in with the thick brush. Early season I where regular military camo pants and a cheap long sleave tee shirt with some faded camo pattern. I don't get busted much.

[BackWoodsHunter]

too high I guess! i hunt alot out of a 16ft ladder stand. And i even have a stand in a multi-stemmed maple tree as well as a scotch pine. I've noticed that after hanging a stand once they find it over night and everytime I'm there they pick me out. Being mobile is the key I know I know but I think I'm at a weird heigh in the popples either need to make the scary climb to the top or stay lower than normal I guess.

[dan]

Thats what I thought your response would be... You need to be higher or lower in my opinion. Or at least find a spot with good cover behind your set up.

[BackWoodsHunter]

then a pit blind might be the way to go our land needed to be logged about 15yrs ago but no one ever took initiative so now we have thin stands of overgrown popples making hunting from the trees painfully hard have you had any success on the ground?

[DropTyne]

Definitly predator camo................ I know it sounds kind of stupid but I started to notice in pictures with alot of the bigger bucks in it that guys were wearing this stuff. Muddy and Solocam included. I was getting picked off alot in mossy oak (even leafy wear) and one time my buddy even sat across from me on a field and said i looked like a black blob. The open pattern that predator makes provides depth to the person. When you look at it close it looks like cheap stuff but in reality when you are trying to hide a larger object a larger pattern is needed (think of how big the camo pattern is on a tank in the military)....... on the same note you will notice that gound blinds using a small tight camo like a mossy oak will look like a black box but those that utilize open camo patterns like a Double Bull blend in much better. I personally dumped some money into a predator camo overhall on most of my camo this year and have found a definite increase in not getting busted or even looked at....... I even had a doe run within and stop 10 yards from me while I was walking in. She and I had a motionless standoff for about 30 seconds before she simply turned and casually walked away. I know that camo is not going to save you in all situations but I believe in the patterns and have had too much good luck with it to doubt it. Mossy oak looks great to the human eye with all of the details and such but I'm not overly impressed with the outcome. Obviously choosing the right height and having a good backdrop are more important than camo pattern but in some questionable sets a good pattern wont hurt you.

[BackWoodsHunter]

is this stuff pretty expensive? i thought i saw somewhere a mossy oak or realtree skyline pattern any thoughts on this?

[headgear]

I also like predator camo but I think the reason you are getting picked off is the 16 foot ladder stands, you just aren't high enough to get out of their line of site. Go mobile and try getting up around 25 feet, if might be the key here. Other like suggested hunt low or off the ground with good cover.

[DropTyne]

Predator is no more expensive than any other camo out there. In some cases less expensive.

[Sam Ubl]

Predator Fall Grey!

Can't be beat, I agree... now I just have to go buy it.

[BackWoodsHunter]

if you go on their website they are closing out a bunch of stuff...if only I wasn't a broke college student

[DropTyne]

Deception patterns are great both the Green Deception and Grey Deception. Pretty much the same as Fall Grey and Spring Green.