What am I doing wrong?

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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PUBLICbowhunter
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What am I doing wrong?

Unread postby PUBLICbowhunter » Mon Feb 22, 2016 7:00 am

Maybe this is a dumb question and debating asking for a long time but my problem is I cant find a public cattail marsh to hunt. I've watched the videos and been to the workshops but can find anywhere to put any of my knowledge to practice. I live along the Mississippi and would think there has to be some cattail marshes big enough to hunt.

So my method has consisted of searching miles and miles and for hours on Google Earth and Bing Maps trying to find a large chunk of cattails, I've studied the All Outdoors Atlas and Field Guide for Wisconsin but have found one. I'm willing to travel to try and hunt a marsh but I guess need help finding one.

What are some tips you guys use to find cattail marshes if you don't live right next to them? Any and all help will be appreciated!


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Hawthorne
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Re: What am I doing wrong?

Unread postby Hawthorne » Mon Feb 22, 2016 7:06 am

Good question. Some county's hold alot of them. My main county I hunt has very little mostly high ground farmland but one county north there's miles of it. I think if you find a bunch of lakes in an area there's usually big cattail marshes near. Im only speaking for Michigan could be different in some states.

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matt1336
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Re: What am I doing wrong?

Unread postby matt1336 » Mon Feb 22, 2016 7:09 am

Use the same principals- points, security, hard to get to places, transitions- you'll find deer and bedding.

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venisonassassin
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Re: What am I doing wrong?

Unread postby venisonassassin » Mon Feb 22, 2016 7:10 am

You guys have hills over there. Come to southeast WI, we have tons of cattail marshes.
Jeff G
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Re: What am I doing wrong?

Unread postby Jeff G » Mon Feb 22, 2016 7:11 am

If your cyber scouting change the map dates. In the fall of the year they are easy to find

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PUBLICbowhunter
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Re: What am I doing wrong?

Unread postby PUBLICbowhunter » Mon Feb 22, 2016 7:19 am

Yeah I tried switching the dates on Google but no luck yet, just frustrating I guess. Cattails look so fun I cant wait to find one!
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jmaas07
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Re: What am I doing wrong?

Unread postby jmaas07 » Mon Feb 22, 2016 7:43 am

Dan had a good tip at the workshop, get on the DNR website and call the local biologist and ask for locations of public catail marshes

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Re: What am I doing wrong?

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Mon Feb 22, 2016 7:52 am

Get ahold of your local duck hunters, Ducks Unlimited, etc.

Find the ducks, they go with bucks... Marsh bucks, that is.

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john1984
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Re: What am I doing wrong?

Unread postby john1984 » Wed Feb 24, 2016 6:17 am

What about Van Loon Lake??

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justin84
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Re: What am I doing wrong?

Unread postby justin84 » Wed Feb 24, 2016 6:31 am

I've gotten better at knowing what they look like on aerials from looking at maps of areas I know for sure are cattails. Once you know an area has them, look it up and when you see what it looks like, especially in winter/spring it becomes easier to ID.

I was just reading a conversation on another website about an area so out of curiosity I looked on google. Everyone's talking about the big areas of woods and how much pressure they get. I noticed there's a ton of cattails, some if not most overlooked. Guess where I'm going scouting next.
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TN Whitetail Freak
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Re: What am I doing wrong?

Unread postby TN Whitetail Freak » Sat Feb 27, 2016 10:42 am

I read your post and im thinking, if you dont have cattails you dont have them, you dont have to have cattails to hunt beastly....same technique goes to any land....ive been successful in cypress swamps and hill country and id venture to say you've probably stepped over a bed and not know it....


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