Where would you hunt based on a picture?

[perchking]

I know - I know, scout scout scout. This is a portion of my fathers in-laws land in Washington county in SE Wisconsin. I am from the UP an really only hunt cedar swamps and big woods as a big field to me is about 2 acres:). I have hunting this property a few times and have seen some pretty nice bucks, but have not hunted this land in over 5 years. I typically sit over a swamp or in a funnel that connects woods to woods. Just by this pic alone and not scouting, where would you set up? All of the fields are leased out to farmers so everything should be cut by the time I get down there on the 22nd of Nov. I will say, the hunting pressure is pretty heavy around this land. Any input would be appreciated.

[paceman]

Looks like a really nice peice of land. Hard to tell what the terain is with this high level picture. Is it hilly, swampy, hard woods, thick woods... But I would look at hanging a stand near that hard wood point in that upper rectangular piece. It looks like a good funnel area between bigger woods. Does should feel secure feeding in that field north of you and the bucks should be cruising through checking them out. I see quite a few similar scenarios here. Points/funnels from woods to fields are excellent choices IMO.

[perchking]

Thanks for the response, I realize it is tough to just look at the pic and get a good spot picked out. The terrain is all of the above, it is in the middle of the kettle moraine which makes it fairly hilly (not bluffs) but certainly there are areas where it would be difficult to clime with a ATV. I have shot a few nice bucks on this property about 10-12 years ago, typically when opening morning hits and the neighboring hunters start blasting at everything they head to cover and I have been luckily enough to "intercept" them a few times:)

This land is just south of Fon Du Lac, if you have read any hunting magazines in the past 10 years you surly know of the bucks that have been harvested in that area. A couple of them topped the 180 mark, so the potential is there.

[nofishfisherman]

Can't see the terrain real well on that image but if there is a lot of pressure on surrounding land I'd do what you've been doing and try to find them while they are heading for cover. Try to find the thick stuff they are hiding in and hunt that.

Is the property hunted much? If not you'll have the advantage of the deer feeling more comfortable on the property versus in the shooting gallery on surrounding land.

One other thought I had is that it looks like there may be a few small water features on the land but not much water on surrounding land. The deer need to drink sometime so areas around the water might be worth a look.

[Stcloudangler]

Looks like a main Trail type area along here... multiple swamps connection

Anywhere along here would be my starting point

[ozzie]

That is the spot I was thinking but I dind't want to try to explain...I need to learn to use this computer thing!!! haha

[perchking]

thanks everyone, the property is not hunted unless I hunt it. I am sure there are folks that are finding a way in that is most likely why I collect about 5-10 stands from this property after season if I am around. The piece you are looking at is roughly 400 acres in size.

[nofishfisherman]

You could have a nice little side business on hsolist selling portable stands if you collect 5-10 from the property each year.

[perchking]

if I looked hard, I am sure I can find more.

[Archerysniper]

The funnel in the bottom right corner is where I would start

[Dave S]

I'll agree with a couple of the guys above. Somewhere along the 2 sloughs and maybe overlooking the field to the south.

I pulled up the location of this area on Google Earth and was able to get some pretty good detail, including the fallen timber on the north side of the 2 sloughs highlighted in blue in the above post. Appears to be from straight line winds?

[Bear55]

If we are talking Nov 22 that is pretty late and the land will likely have seen a ton of pressure. If it were me I would find out where everyone else has hunted, then go into zones that haven't seen a lot of human activity. If might be the worst looking spot in the area but it might be worth checking out. Also I would get close to any thick swamps or bedding areas, anywhere the deer would go to hide out.

[perchking]

If we are talking Nov 22 that is pretty late and the land will likely have seen a ton of pressure. If it were me I would find out where everyone else has hunted, then go into zones that haven't seen a lot of human activity. If might be the worst looking spot in the area but it might be worth checking out. Also I would get close to any thick swamps or bedding areas, anywhere the deer would go to hide out.

The private land should see no pressure before I get there because no one else has permission to hunt this land, just me. I appreciate all of the feed back, this year Wisconsin's season opens on the 23rd of Nov.

[Bear55]

The private land should see no pressure before I get there because no one else has permission to hunt this land, just me. I appreciate all of the feed back, this year Wisconsin's season opens on the 23rd of Nov.

Sorry perch, I must have misread your post when you mentioned pressure. You might be sitting on a gold mine if no one else will be in there.

[MinnesotaMike]

How can you collect 5-10 stands, maybe more if you look harder, if nobody if hunting it?

[perchking]

Please re-read my post and emphasize the word SHOULD when you read it. I know people sneak on the corners and the fence lines but overall there SHOULD not be a ton of pressure as the season doesn't open until the 23rd, get it now?

[InTheNorthwoods]

Oh man, there are a bunch of options. I was also able to find the property on a google map so I could zoom in a bit closer. What are the crops in? That would be a big indicator of where I'd start.

With that said, it looks like there is a field (likely in beans when the picture was taken) that is in the middle of the North - South line of the property (NE corner of the "bottom" segment of the property, SW corner of the "top" segment of the property). That field appears to have a number of woodlines/fingers that dissect the field(s) and that connect 3 larger blocks of timber. During November, I would be willing to bet that I could fill my tag on a mature buck either checking does or sneaking in for a daylight bite to eat if you gave me a week of sitting one of those woodlines/fingers. It looks like an epic funnel/runway situation. I'd also point out that in that area, you have several different spots to sit depending on wind direction. So much so, that you should be able to hunt that area no matter what wind you are faced with.

I'd likely start my scouting there.

[FISHINGURU]

I will only tell you if I can come with.

[bigbucks]

I would be interested in the SE corner of the small field that's N of the bigger field, immediately N of the E to W road. The road that kind of winds through the middle of the large part of the property. I would think that's a screened feeding area away from the road & there's likely trails along the tree lines. I assume those are at least old fence lines. Further East along the S side of that woods to the East could be good too, as there's a narrow tree line that runs behind the neighboring farm place & connects to the cover S of the road.

I would check out any of the spots where the woods narrow in somewhat hour glass shapes. If there's some hills involved there to, there could certainly be some very clear pinch points. You should be just past the peak of the rut, but the buck movement should still be pretty strong. They've been running like crazy after dark right now, but as we get a way from the full moon that should improve.

The previously mentioned spots also sound good. It's very hard to pick the best spot on a 400 acre parcel that has food & isn't hunted. You can probably pick the 5th best spot & still be in good shape...

[perchking]

Thanks everyone, the seasons opens on Sat. I am heading down tomorrow, to do just a little walking mid day to make sure my stands are still up and in decent shape. After I crack a 170"+ on sat i will let everyone know where I shot it:)

[perchking]

Wish I had better news but it was not a good year for me in either Michigan or Wisconsin so a hand full of little 1.5 and a few small 2.5 and baldies. Typically I see 15-20 deer a day in Wisco, this year I saw 8 all weekend. Adjoining land owner got a good one, I am thinking it is close to a 150 but that was about all i know close to the land. Back to work tomorrow, been off Since the 13th so the majority of my hunting is over and it is time to get back to reality. Cant wait until next year:)