Southeast Wisconsin Bowhunting...Is it worth it?

[shooter mcgavin]

Hey guys,
I see some of you guys live in S.E.Wisconsin and wonder if it is worth the trouble.
A place to stay is not a problem, own a house on Whitewater Lake.
Been small game and waterfowl hunting up there for 20 years.
Princes point,Turtle Creek, Kettle Moraine, know them well.
How about private land?
Wont do it this year, too much work (65-80 hrs a week) and not enough money. Staying in Illinois this year.
Thoughts and i dont take offense to the term F.I.B.

[BackWoodsHunter]

Ya ever see the pic of Dan with his wall full of bucks? I'd say thats a good advertisement for SE WI being as good as you want to make it. If you scout hard or can secure permission on good pieces of property there are good deer numbers and big bucks. The recent yrs of CWD hunting seasons have taken a toll on the herd but there are still some deer around. I don't spend much of fall in the SE part of the state I hunt further north but have some decent spots in SE WI the kettle moraine included. Good luck!

[Stanley]

I agree Dan isn't knocking those nice bucks down, because there aren't any deer in SE Wisconsin.

[matt1336]

It sucks! Don't waste your time. My cousin shot the only 200+ inch deer in SE WI last year. I doubt that there are any left.

[BigHunt]

It sucks! Don't waste your time. My cousin shot the only 200+ inch deer in SE WI last year. I doubt that there are any left.

ive seen more big bucks in southeastern than any other part of the state if you scout you shouldnt have any problem getting on a deer!, 200 inches is that "HIS" standerds or yours???????
every one has an opinon though, good luck man

[Dewey]

I think pretty much anywhere in WI is worth it and a trophy can be taken in any part of the state if you put in the hard work. I have hunted all over the state and always managed to get on at least one good buck everywhere I hunted.

[shooter mcgavin]

I agree Dan isn't knocking those nice bucks down, because there aren't any deer in SE Wisconsin.

I saw the picture of Dans barn wall so i know there are deer in S.E. Wisconsin so let me rephrase my question.
Are the public lands worth it or does it make more sense to try and find private land to hunt on.
Is the Kettle Moraine forest as good as ive heard.
As far as size standards, im not out to whack the biggest deer in the woods. Just dont want to hunt in a crowd.
Thanks guys!!!!!!

[BackWoodsHunter]

The private land is definitely better IMO because of less pressure but I'd say its pretty hard to find access to much private land and in the areas I have hunted most pieces don't have a lot of size to them. Not always true some farms are still pretty big but for a the most part a lot of them seem to be broken down smaller. I have hunted the Kettle Moraine a fair amount in Waukesha County around the eagle area. There is some decent hunting to be had. The problem in recent yrs has been the chronic wasting disease slaughter hunts. I went out there a few times during those gun seasons and its a zoo. If you can beat the gun hunts I'm sure some of the large oak ridges would be good early season. When the pheasant hunters get in there blasting away its a little tougher to find deer. I only know of one spot in there thats loaded with deer sign and no sign of any other humans.

Best of luck to you if you decide to head out onto the public. There are deer to be had just have to work for them.

[BigHunt]

I agree Dan isn't knocking those nice bucks down, because there aren't any deer in SE Wisconsin.

I saw the picture of Dans barn wall so i know there are deer in S.E. Wisconsin so let me rephrase my question.
Are the public lands worth it or does it make more sense to try and find private land to hunt on.
Is the Kettle Moraine forest as good as ive heard.
As far as size standards, im not out to whack the biggest deer in the woods. Just dont want to hunt in a crowd.
Thanks guys!!!!!!

i hunt kettle morian and shot a few buck out of it. if can put time in in the spring then you shouldnt have a problem getting on deer on public aculay im hunting the kettle opeing weekend at some beds i found this spring. i want to hunt them before my buddy or someone else gets to them before me

[Mountain Man]

Another reason to try it now or next season is that I believe the DNR lifted the earn-a-buck requirement for the CWD zone for the first buck killed. You could still earn additional buck tags in the CWD zone by shooting does. I'm not sure if you shoot a doe this year whether the EAB carries over to next year as an extra buck tag.

[DEERSLAYER]

Hey guys,
I see some of you guys live in S.E.Wisconsin and wonder if it is worth the trouble.
A place to stay is not a problem, own a house on Whitewater Lake.
Been small game and waterfowl hunting up there for 20 years.
Princes point,Turtle Creek, Kettle Moraine, know them well.
How about private land?
Wont do it this year, too much work (65-80 hrs a week) and not enough money. Staying in Illinois this year.
Thoughts and i dont take offense to the term F.I.B.

If I had a free place to stay (more or less free since you already have it) I would absolutely hunt there. You can find mature bucks on public land in SE Wisconsin. In fact some of Dan's bucks came from the public land there. I say go for it.

[matt1336]

It sucks! Don't waste your time. My cousin shot the only 200+ inch deer in SE WI last year. I doubt that there are any left.

ive seen more big bucks in southeastern than any other part of the state if you scout you shouldnt have any problem getting on a deer!, 200 inches is that "HIS" standerds or yours???????
every one has an opinon though, good luck man

Whom ever scored it from B&C said it was. The first guy who scored it at 199 3/8" I guess was wrong. B&C called my cuz last month and told him they scored it wrong and that it actually scores much higher. Gross score was like 216. DAn saw it at the Green Bay Deer expo this year. It's a SLOB. He shot it gun hunting though. But still in SE WI....I'm not sayn where but it was on public land! There's pics of the buck some where on this site. I think I posted it in some "how'd ya do this season" type of thread.

[DEERSLAYER]

... Gross score was like 216....I'm not sayn where but it was on public land!

Sweet! I love it when big boys like that come off public land.

[Kodiakman]

I see tons of great bucks every year. I almost hit a few with my car every Oct/Nov(haha), see them shining, very few on cameras. Maybe in the back of someone else's truck. Just never in mine. Which is why I am here because I haven't been going about this correctly. Even then I seem to see a big buck, just never anything even close to the realm of shooting distance, gun or bow.

But the CWD slaughter has put a damper on things for sure. I personally know guys that went out and wacked 12+ deer in one season. My wife's uncle took 13 the first year they opened it up like a free for all. If they were using all the meat themselves or even passing it around within their family I wouldn't mind that much. But 2 of them donate dam near every one of them. Kinda wish they would take up duck hunting.

[shooter mcgavin]

Thanks guys again.
Im probably going to take a week off next year,around october-November and be a gypsy for a week.
This year when im bird huntin with my dog, ill be sure to pay more attention to bedding areas, trails, and so on.
So anyone have a favorite public spot? Myself, i like Princes Point just out of Whitewater(Home of Frostys and Gus' Pizza Palace) and have an idea.
Theres a small river(The Bark) that flows thru the property that im thinking of using to my advantage to get further into the property. Got a canoe......