Hunting A Creek

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Rancher43
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Hunting A Creek

Unread postby Rancher43 » Wed Aug 30, 2017 5:05 am

Gonna be stepping foot on a new area of public land that has a decent sized creek running through it. The majority of the surrounding woods are hills with different stages of planted pines along with a few oak bottoms. Instead of trampling through the woods itself I'm thinking of walking the creek looking for crossings and whatever other sign I can find.

Is there any threads or podcast on hunting creeks? Thanks!


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tgreeno
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Re: Hunting A Creek

Unread postby tgreeno » Wed Aug 30, 2017 5:22 am

These thread should help. Also try searching oxbows. You should find some more good stuff.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=41343&p=608494&hilit=oxbows#p608494

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=39543&p=575327&hilit=oxbows#p575327
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Abishai
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Re: Hunting A Creek

Unread postby Abishai » Wed Aug 30, 2017 5:33 am

Creeks for entry/exit routes work well. Bill Winke loves them for this reason. If you're going to hunt near the creek, look for "S" curves which will usually have lower banks and be a possible crossing spot. If the creek walls are steep these can be pretty good spots for high deer traffic. Many creeks are positioned in bottoms where winds typically swirl, so hunting them without getting busted can be a bit difficult.

Best of luck!
“If you consider an unsuccessful hunt to be a waste of time, then the true meaning of the chase eludes you all together.”– Fred Bear
Rancher43
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Re: Hunting A Creek

Unread postby Rancher43 » Wed Aug 30, 2017 8:52 am

Thanks guys! I'm excited to put boots on the ground in this area.
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Mschmeiske
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Re: Hunting A Creek

Unread postby Mschmeiske » Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:06 am

Ive always been curious about creeks myself. Primarily during rut? It seems they like running ridges from what everyone on here says, but would a creek be a good spot to set up on during the rut?
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bowfreak8
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Re: Hunting A Creek

Unread postby bowfreak8 » Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:57 pm

I've had good luck hunting near creeks during the rut. Bucks seem to use them quite a bit for travel. I read an article once that stated bucks not familiar with an area tend to use the creeks for travel. IDK if that is true but I have seen numerous big bucks using creeks.
Rancher43
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Re: Hunting A Creek

Unread postby Rancher43 » Thu Aug 31, 2017 12:19 am

bowfreak8 wrote:I've had good luck hunting near creeks during the rut. Bucks seem to use them quite a bit for travel. I read an article once that stated bucks not familiar with an area tend to use the creeks for travel. IDK if that is true but I have seen numerous big bucks using creeks.


Your seeing them using creek crossings or actually walking the creek or the bank along the creek? I'll look for the creek crossings now and look to set up down wind of them for starters.
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Re: Hunting A Creek

Unread postby BA-IV » Thu Aug 31, 2017 12:34 am

I'm going to go in blind and hunt a few oxbows in some creeks this year as suspected bedding areas and go from there. Be the first time for me hunting a creek this way.
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Re: Hunting A Creek

Unread postby cbigbear » Thu Aug 31, 2017 12:43 am

Rancher, how wide are the creek bottoms you're targeting?
Rancher43
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Re: Hunting A Creek

Unread postby Rancher43 » Thu Aug 31, 2017 1:07 am

cbigbear wrote:Rancher, how wide are the creek bottoms you're targeting?


Guess about 30yds wide, that's my guesstimate from looking at a map. There's PLENTY of oxbows also
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bowfreak8
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Re: Hunting A Creek

Unread postby bowfreak8 » Thu Aug 31, 2017 1:45 am

I've seen both. It kind of depends on the creek. If it's a narrow creek with tall sides they tend to walk just on the first flat but if it's a wide shallow creek they seem to walk right in the creek. One of the creeks I hunt and see them walk in is not completely full of water. It kind of winds around and has a nice flat dirt area that floods when the creek gets high.
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Re: Hunting A Creek

Unread postby Rancher43 » Wed Sep 06, 2017 2:01 pm

bowfreak8 wrote:I've seen both. It kind of depends on the creek. If it's a narrow creek with tall sides they tend to walk just on the first flat but if it's a wide shallow creek they seem to walk right in the creek. One of the creeks I hunt and see them walk in is not completely full of water. It kind of winds around and has a nice flat dirt area that floods when the creek gets high.


From what it looks like on the map there is plenty sandbars with little water. Some roads end kinda close to it but I plan on hitting the creek and following it a ways till I find a good crossing then climb up the banks and have a peek around.


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