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One more for the pros....

Jayo

Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2019
Messages
59
I understand boots on the ground, observation sits, etc. But because this is a mapping thread I want to post one more in the forum for people who don't mind looking at maps and giving their opinions. This 1500 acres. Swamp/Marsh and woods (some oaks). Primary food sources are going to be off the property to both the Southwest & Southeast. Basically across the road 500 yards each way. I've walked part of this property and plan on walking more over time. Late to the game on this property for this upcoming season and just setting up trail cams now. Won't have much time to walk most of it before October as it's out of State. I can access the property from all sides along the picture as it has road access. Bottom right corner (SE) has some private that i can't access from. Predominant winds are usually from the West & Northwest. A lot of the property is swamp/marsh. I put "green check marks" in all the little CRP fields. No crops in any of the fields.

Appreciate any tips/feedback. Thank you.
 

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When i start hunting a new property I always hunt shallow before going in deeper. Never know what, where the previous hunters did and the deer may have patterned the hunter instead of the other way around. In other words make the deer comfortable until you can figure them out.
Oaks early for sure if they are dropping acorns. Especially if they are close to bedding areas. Hopefully you have white Oaks not Red Oaks.
Early season with a west or northwest wind just from taking a couple minutes of looking at the map, I may setup in the North east corner by that lake and try to catch them coming to that lake for water when its warm and setup to the left of the lake as they come out of timber.
Also, in the North Central part it looks like a 2 acre or so field that has a drop off to the east into a larger field with a pond/marsh in the middle. I would setup in that stretch of woods in between those. With the winds you have it may be a perfect spot because its kind of a transition zone so to speak.
Not a very detailed topo map but find fingers and corners of tree lines. For whatever reason deer like to use those. And it looks like there are a bunch of those for you to choose from.
Saddles, ridges about halfway up the hills are a bucks favorite to look around before entering flat land. Doe's don't seem to care as much.
I try to pattern does early to get an idea ahead of the rut. For new property that is.

It looks like you have alot of options on that property though. I'm jealous. Honestly, If I had other people going to hunt this land I would look at it from a long haul perspective and hunt the edges of the property for a couple years before getting into the heart of the property. It would take a dedicated group of guys thinking on the same lines. If you are accessing with 4 wheelers and not willing to walk a long way, you may not see the potential in the long run. All the big bucks will move out. Take it for what its worth, patience wins in the end.

I'm not a property expert by any means but I've hunted long enough to figure a few things out. Im sure there are some better hunters than me on this site though that can really help you out more. Good luck next season.
 
Man, can I come hunt with you? Lol. What an awesome looking, diverse piece of property. Y’all will have a good time. Assuming some of that water is fairly deep, you can look/hunt the outside edges as a pinch like you would a outside field corner. Assuming the marsh is high then they can go wherever they want to go. The CRP edges are a good place to start looking. And anywhere where 3+ types of habitat come together, which I see a few at a glance. Not a ton of topo changes, I’d focus more on the habitat diversity mixture areas. You got lots of edges!
I’d look full zoom on google earth and see if you can see trails in the CRP or marsh, that can give you some jumpstart to heavier movement areas. Good luck, bet there’s deer all over it.


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Aloso, get the Huntstand App or something similar. They have topo views for your property in more detail that can give you a better idea of terrain changes. But that is only scratching the surface of what the App can do. I love it
 
Aloso, get the Huntstand App or something similar. They have topo views for your property in more detail that can give you a better idea of terrain changes. But that is only scratching the surface of what the App can do. I love it
This screen shot was from Onx.
 
Man, can I come hunt with you? Lol. What an awesome looking, diverse piece of property. Y’all will have a good time. Assuming some of that water is fairly deep, you can look/hunt the outside edges as a pinch like you would a outside field corner. Assuming the marsh is high then they can go wherever they want to go. The CRP edges are a good place to start looking. And anywhere where 3+ types of habitat come together, which I see a few at a glance. Not a ton of topo changes, I’d focus more on the habitat diversity mixture areas. You got lots of edges!
I’d look full zoom on google earth and see if you can see trails in the CRP or marsh, that can give you some jumpstart to heavier movement areas. Good luck, bet there’s deer all over it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks. I just looked on google earth and there are some heavy trails going out to those small islands on in the southeast part of the property. Could be real tricky getting in there but you can almost be assured bucks are using those islands. Thanks for the advice.
 
When i start hunting a new property I always hunt shallow before going in deeper. Never know what, where the previous hunters did and the deer may have patterned the hunter instead of the other way around. In other words make the deer comfortable until you can figure them out.
Oaks early for sure if they are dropping acorns. Especially if they are close to bedding areas. Hopefully you have white Oaks not Red Oaks.
Early season with a west or northwest wind just from taking a couple minutes of looking at the map, I may setup in the North east corner by that lake and try to catch them coming to that lake for water when its warm and setup to the left of the lake as they come out of timber.
Also, in the North Central part it looks like a 2 acre or so field that has a drop off to the east into a larger field with a pond/marsh in the middle. I would setup in that stretch of woods in between those. With the winds you have it may be a perfect spot because its kind of a transition zone so to speak.
Not a very detailed topo map but find fingers and corners of tree lines. For whatever reason deer like to use those. And it looks like there are a bunch of those for you to choose from.
Saddles, ridges about halfway up the hills are a bucks favorite to look around before entering flat land. Doe's don't seem to care as much.
I try to pattern does early to get an idea ahead of the rut. For new property that is.

It looks like you have alot of options on that property though. I'm jealous. Honestly, If I had other people going to hunt this land I would look at it from a long haul perspective and hunt the edges of the property for a couple years before getting into the heart of the property. It would take a dedicated group of guys thinking on the same lines. If you are accessing with 4 wheelers and not willing to walk a long way, you may not see the potential in the long run. All the big bucks will move out. Take it for what its worth, patience wins in the end.

I'm not a property expert by any means but I've hunted long enough to figure a few things out. Im sure there are some better hunters than me on this site though that can really help you out more. Good luck next season.
Thank you. I appreciate the help. I'll check out that field that drops in the pond/marsh area.
 
Thanks. I just looked on google earth and there are some heavy trails going out to those small islands on in the southeast part of the property. Could be real tricky getting in there but you can almost be assured bucks are using those islands. Thanks for the advice.

Yes tricky, and you need to find out if the islands are the only thing not wet, if so then they are probably bedding on them and not the outskirts of them. So have to learn if it’s a bed or food island then hunt accordingly. Seeming how it’s close to season and not tons of scout time, I’d start with sitting close to the trails that are leading into/out of the islands and see how they’re used.

Happy hunting this season!

Just curious, what state is this?


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Yes tricky, and you need to find out if the islands are the only thing not wet, if so then they are probably bedding on them and not the outskirts of them. So have to learn if it’s a bed or food island then hunt accordingly. Seeming how it’s close to season and not tons of scout time, I’d start with sitting close to the trails that are leading into/out of the islands and see how they’re used.

Happy hunting this season!

Just curious, what state is this?


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Yep, that is what I plan on doing. I won't be able to actually get to the islands as I believe it gets too deep to walk through. I'm assuming it's bedding but won't be sure until I hunt it. Property is located in Northwest Wisconsin.
 
Yep, that is what I plan on doing. I won't be able to actually get to the islands as I believe it gets too deep to walk through. I'm assuming it's bedding but won't be sure until I hunt it. Property is located in Northwest Wisconsin.

Got ya, I see Hunting Beast and he seems to have a lot of small mounds that they bed on outside the island. Her in Florida, if hunting our coastal marsh islands, the islands are the only hump, so the deer are bedded on them, some have some oaks to feed on, but then the deer move off and back to the mainland in the evenings. Anyways, I like to just stay off of them and hunt as the deer work to or from, keep human intrusion off the small bedding area. I bet you’ll have some success , or at least good encounters.

Update the thread in a few months with some kill pics!


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Got ya, I see Hunting Beast and he seems to have a lot of small mounds that they bed on outside the island. Her in Florida, if hunting our coastal marsh islands, the islands are the only hump, so the deer are bedded on them, some have some oaks to feed on, but then the deer move off and back to the mainland in the evenings. Anyways, I like to just stay off of them and hunt as the deer work to or from, keep human intrusion off the small bedding area. I bet you’ll have some success , or at least good encounters.

Update the thread in a few months with some kill pics!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Agreed. I've never hunted marshes/islands before. Just hardwoods. I've seen that too as it seems like Infalt likes to target islands. It will be fun to try and learn how to pattern them. Will report back for sure.
 
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