This is a little different than most topos I've seen posted here. So here's my hunting area... The red shaded areas I cannot hunt, everything else is fair game. Where would you hunt? I actually also hunt a little off the map south and SW of the lake, I just couldn't get the map centered right where I wanted it...
About 70 acres on the E of the lake are private, the rest is public.... but there's no good access to any of the land, our lake has no public access...:D I enter by boat, canoe, or by my boots... sometimes I'll cut a 1/2 mile off by taking the golf cart. I live in one of the black dots on the East shore.
Griz, the site in section 18 was next on my list to scout:D The problem with all the north sites in section 12 is that it's a 2+hr sneaky commute. I scouted up there this spring, Very Moosey and beautiful!
Looks a lot like the lands I hunt. Got a satellite image too? I'd like to see what those marshes look like.
Here are the places that I would definitely be checking out. Depending on how deep that river is, I would think the two red dots near the river would be a MAJOR water body crossing spots. The other two spots have funneling deer to you written all over them. Just my 2 cents.
The funnel at the north end of the outlet (your red dot, right next to my yellow) has be good in the past. I video taped augustice taking his first deer ever there last Oct. That stretch of land is about 55-70 yrds deep, and works well if the water is low. Too much rain and it turns into some good rapids, and traffic comes to a halt. Of course, the deer don't hesitate to swim across at any point of the lake. I've seen a deer swimming (seemingly in circles for fun) near the "H" of Mitchell...
Opps, I didn't even see that yellow dot there. It almost looks like a letter in the label on the map. What about the other red dots. Have you ever been in those areas?
The east dot in section 18 is next on my list. The dot to the far north I haven't been to in a few years. That swampy pond can be so shallow that the canoe bottoms out, but it should be good this year with all the rain we've had this last month. The other's I haven't been to either due to the long commute to get there or proximity to neighboring properties... but I'd like to. Due to the nature of the resort business, I'm very limited to the "away" time I can have to scout through the spring and summer, so I do a ton of in season scouting and scouting by snowshoe in the winter.
Tough hunting for sure! I would look for young clearcuts. Also blowdown areas will be like a clearcut for new growth. The funnel areas would be good during the rut especially between doe groups. I know your rifle season is during the rut but I know you can still hunt with the bow. outside of the rut I would find the buck bedding areas and set up near them. One place I have found to be good bedding areas is the swamp islands especially in areas like yours where there are wolves. Another spot that is good for bucks to bed is a little hard to explain but I'll try. Steep drops down into thick cover (thick brush or high grass swamps) tend to have bucks bedding near the top where they can watch everythng below. Add to that spot some thick cover above them (thick brush or even a few blowdowns) and it's the perfect spot to find a buck. Since the wind usually comes from the north or west I have found that these spots facing downhill to the south east are the best spots. I hunt with a rifle not that far from your area so I'm sure things should be pretty much the same. Good luck!
Thanks magicman! Unfortunately (or rather, fortunately) there aren't any clearcuts or blowdown areas near me. But lots of thick swamps:D I only bowhunt MN now, but I dawn a blaze vest and carry my bow during the rifle season. Where in the area do you hunt?
I hunt about a half hour ride from you. I would still get out and check those steep ridges for beds. Unfortunately, this is best done in the springtime before greenup. another thing you can do is if you get snow during the rut is find a big track and backtrack him. They have a tendancy to make the same swings in search of does. I know you have to give up hunting time to do this but it's the best way I know to set up on the travel route of a shooter buck.
Yeah, I've found three different ridge-lines that are covered in rubs and scrapes... Man I'm getting pumped for the season!:D
