#2010903 - 07/29/10 11:08 AM
No terrain features?
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8115
Loc: Tennessee
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So, we spend a lot of time talking about terrain -funnels, points, saddles, etc.
I like to spend as much time as possible closely studying topo maps for areas I hunt. The topo map will generally tell me the hot lists of areas to investigate.
That being said, my question has to do with swamps and bottom land. When you have no contoured terrain features to rely on, what do you look for?
In anticipation of a potential relocation to South Louisiana next year, I'm focusing some time on hunting swamps and lowlands this season to prepare myself. In the past, I've tended to stick to the high ground with terrain features. After scouting some swamps this Spring, I admit to being intimidated by the lack terrain. There are games trails, or better yet, tracks, every where. Often times, there is no reason for a deer to walk by a given tree as opposed to another. I'm not one to count on luck and I also understand that there are swamp hunters who consistently take trophy white tails. Obviously there are some keys to bottom land success, but I know not what they are.
_________________________
It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2010916 - 07/29/10 11:21 AM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Poser]
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stik
TnDeer Old Timer
16 Point
Registered: 03/12/99
Posts: 18420
Loc: lenoir city,tn
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i'm a hillbilly. got no clue.
_________________________
experienced hunters know its not just a bushy white tail, its a big middle finger.
nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught
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#2010942 - 07/29/10 11:42 AM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: tndrbstr]
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T-Bone
4 Point
Registered: 01/17/02
Posts: 272
Loc: Collierville, TN
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I have hunted flat, featureless bottoms and deer do wander more but the will follow any shallow ditch that runs through the woods.
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#2010956 - 07/29/10 11:51 AM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Poser]
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BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
Non-Typical
Registered: 03/11/99
Posts: 59548
Loc: Nashville, TN
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That being said, my question has to do with swamps and bottom land. When you have no contoured terrain features to rely on, what do you look for?
Habitat features that funnel deer movement.
_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
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#2010970 - 07/29/10 11:58 AM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Poser]
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BlueMarlin
4 Point
Registered: 06/04/07
Posts: 131
Loc: East TN
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Hunted in FL for over 20 yrs. Look for habitat features, fence line funnels, thick sectons of woods, shallow ditch crossings, etc. Good luck.
_________________________
Sieze The Day!
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#2010974 - 07/29/10 12:02 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: BSK]
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DUCK37101
"Link" Police
16 Point
Registered: 08/29/05
Posts: 18867
Loc: McEwen, TN.
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Food sources and cover. Deer NEED both. There is always a method to any deer habitat that has the deer traveling from one to the other.
_________________________
You Can't Take It With You.....So Don't Go.
IN GOD WE TRUST!
"The Constitution does not just protect those whose views we share; it also protects those with whose views we disagree."
- Ted Kennedy
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#2011020 - 07/29/10 12:52 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: DUCK37101]
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Still-n-Quiet
10 Point
Registered: 07/18/06
Posts: 4603
Loc: San Antonio, TX
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I've hunted the bottoms of the Obion river for many years now. What I've learned is that does and young bucks are apt to appear from any direction, but a few more than others. Hunting the creek crossings is profitable, as is the "points" of thick cover. The bucks seem to try to slip from thick patch to thick patch, or travel in the sloughs; that is, when they bother to come out for the very thick stuff. Deer "trails" are harder to find outside of the creek crossings and thick corners.
_________________________
Mike
"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes..." (Romans 1:16)
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#2011087 - 07/29/10 02:42 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Still-n-Quiet]
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Bayou Buck
8 Point
Registered: 05/11/09
Posts: 2151
Loc: Spring Hill / Perry Co
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I've hunted Southeast Louisiana until last year when I bought my place in Tennessee. The best luck I have had with locating travel routes of deer is when the pressure is on them hard. In my area every December it seems like all the deer use the same trail to exit the hunter accesible strips of woods and go into the marsh. They also like to travel along the edges of big sloughs and small canals.
Ridges are the best places to hunt if you have alot of land and limited pressure. Some of the best places are usually only accessible by boat though.
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#2011093 - 07/29/10 02:53 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Bayou Buck]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8115
Loc: Tennessee
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Yeah, I was reading about some cool sounding areas in LA:
Sherburne Wildlife Management, Attakapas WMA, Teche National Wildlife Refuge, Mandalay NWR, Thislewaite WMA and Achafalaya Delta WMA.
Its sounds like you need a boat to access most of these areas. Can you get by with a canoe?
_________________________
It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2011104 - 07/29/10 03:03 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Poser]
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Bayou Buck
8 Point
Registered: 05/11/09
Posts: 2151
Loc: Spring Hill / Perry Co
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Yeah, I was reading about some cool sounding areas in LA:
Sherburne Wildlife Management, Attakapas WMA, Teche National Wildlife Refuge, Mandalay NWR, Thislewaite WMA and Achafalaya Delta WMA.
Its sounds like you need a boat to access most of these areas. Can you get by with a canoe?
I mostly hunt private land and we use pirogues to cross some canals to escape the pressure. Alot of these management areas and refuges are thousands of acres of swamp and I doubt you will be able to get far enough in with a canoe.
Another tip in my area is find out where the hogs are not and you will find the deer. If there are alot of hogs in the area there most likely wont be as many deer.
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#2011124 - 07/29/10 03:25 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Poser]
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Football Hunter
18 Point
Registered: 10/22/07
Posts: 24550
Loc: Wilson Co/Perry Co
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there is always a funnel of some type
_________________________
The best day to plant a tree,IS TODAY!
You wont know,if you dont go!
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#2011125 - 07/29/10 03:25 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Bayou Buck]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8115
Loc: Tennessee
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Thanks for the heads up. -good information. Given the swamp conditions, thoroughly scouting that much terrain sounds daunting, But hard to pass up a better paycheck in this economy.... Will also apparently need to look into purchasing a boat.
_________________________
It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2011226 - 07/29/10 06:01 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Poser]
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Braggin Rights
Spike
Registered: 10/30/08
Posts: 59
Loc: Houma, LA
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Be prepared to put in a lot of hours without seeing deer. Hunting in South LA is flat out tough! We just don't have a lot of deer here period and everyone hunts! Mandalay NWR is about 10 min from my house. Don't waste your time over there. Stick with these (Tensas NWR, Three Rivers, Red River, Lake Ophelia, Buck Horn, Thistlewaite is getting better). Stay near the MS river/delta if possible. Hope this helps. Sorry for the negative post, Good Luck. Hey the fishing and frogging is the best around.
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#2011250 - 07/29/10 06:39 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Braggin Rights]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8115
Loc: Tennessee
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Again, thanks for the info. Is the public lands turkey hunting good down there?
_________________________
It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2011254 - 07/29/10 06:42 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Poser]
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Winchester
Non-Typical
Registered: 12/05/03
Posts: 25229
Loc: TN
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edges, breaks, etc will most always exist to some degree, and the Sign is even more important in these type situations, let the deer tell you where to go!
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#2011276 - 07/29/10 07:15 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Winchester]
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Braggin Rights
Spike
Registered: 10/30/08
Posts: 59
Loc: Houma, LA
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Sorry, never hunted Turkey. Usually fishing aroung that time. Winchester is correct "let the deer tell you where to go"! My friends and I have had great success over the years public land hunting in Louisiana. When you make it down here and you want some more info just let me know.
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#2012101 - 07/30/10 03:45 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Braggin Rights]
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Hillbilly Hunter
Killbilly
16 Point
Registered: 07/15/05
Posts: 16982
Loc: Branchville
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All land has terrain features. Subtle features are used in flat land. No land is perfectly flat.
_________________________
...they never call me by my name, just Hillbilly...
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#2012107 - 07/30/10 03:56 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Poser]
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bobthebowhunter
10 Point
Registered: 11/20/07
Posts: 2997
Loc: Knoxvegas
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The only other place I have hunted is OH. There is no terrain where we were at. Just flat and mostly crop land. We would hunt the small patches of woods that narrowed into fence rows. Mostly hunted what i call structure funnles as opposed to terrain funnels. River bottoms were the best, but it was hard to get permision in those areas.
_________________________
"I have two guns....one for each of ya."
ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!!
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
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#2012608 - 07/31/10 06:02 AM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: bobthebowhunter]
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bowriter
Non-Typical
Registered: 08/31/02
Posts: 40299
Loc: Lebanon,TN USA
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I gew up hunting swamps of LA. There are always terrain features. You just have to learn to recgnize them Youll get it figured out.
_________________________
Constipation has ruined many a good day. Not as many as stupidity, though.
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#2012637 - 07/31/10 07:24 AM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: bowriter]
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Bottom Hunter
16 Point
Registered: 12/29/06
Posts: 15480
Loc: Hatchie Bottoms
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If I may add a few things......
Most of my 36 years of hunting has been done in Bottomland.
Since I don't know exactly what type areas you hunt...mature woods, clearcuts...etc. I will discuss most every aspect....imagine that..lol.
First.....there are always certain things to look for , even when everything looks the same. For example, even in swamps deer tend to travel areas that may be just a foot or less higher elevation than the surrounding area. Maybe a small ridge that runs through a swamp will be like a sidewalk for deer. The ground is usually firmer for better footing and last to flood, so deer may prefer to walk it.
Secondly......look for pockets of sunlight.Deer love sunlight, especially on cold days. many mature Bottoms have little ground cover and vegetation because the sun never reaches the ground, but in clearcut areas, new vegetation draws deer like flies. Clearcuts where there is no canopy , but there is thick cover are superb places to hunt. Deer love the sun hitting their backs and the cover shields the wind and new vegeation provides food.
Thirdly......travel corridors can be chosen based on several things. one is water crossings. if there is a river, creek or sloughbed running through your area, deer will choose (most often) the widest , less steep place to cross. IMO.
Deer like to travel near cover during daylight hours. most all the trails that I find that cross large spans of mature timber seem to be used primarily at night, thusly are of no help to you or me. Look for trails near thickets and any sort of vegetation.
And lastly........getting started in a new place is never easy. What some hunters do that is a mistake, IMO, is go look at a place about the same time every day. In order to get a better overall view of the land and how you perceive the deer are using it, you must go look at it at least three different times...morning, midday and evening. IMO. Also, remember that you may be scouting it in the Summer or Fall and the deer may not be in the same travel patterns as they will be during hunting season.
Always be aware of those pockets of sunlight....especially during the midday hours. On cold days, deer will seek these areas out...IMO. During warmer days (archery) deer may indeed not seek them out unless they are feeding...Maybe go to your place one day around lunch and walk around. Look for places that the sun hits the ground and remember that you may need to think about what this will be like after the leaves are gone.
I guess the best way to end this rambling is to say that IMO deer have a purpose in every step that they take. Finding out what that purpose is makes hunting so much fun.
Oh and one last thing...aerial photos are your friends...lol.
good luck ....
_________________________
There are some people who always seem angry and continuously look for conflict.
Walk away; the battle they are fighting is not with you, but with themselves.
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#2012897 - 07/31/10 01:12 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Poser]
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huntwriter
4 Point
Registered: 10/10/05
Posts: 354
Loc: BC, Canada
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So, we spend a lot of time talking about terrain -funnels, points, saddles, etc.
I like to spend as much time as possible closely studying topo maps for areas I hunt. The topo map will generally tell me the hot lists of areas to investigate.
That being said, my question has to do with swamps and bottom land. When you have no contoured terrain features to rely on, what do you look for?
In anticipation of a potential relocation to South Louisiana next year, I'm focusing some time on hunting swamps and lowlands this season to prepare myself. In the past, I've tended to stick to the high ground with terrain features. After scouting some swamps this Spring, I admit to being intimidated by the lack terrain. There are games trails, or better yet, tracks, every where. Often times, there is no reason for a deer to walk by a given tree as opposed to another. I'm not one to count on luck and I also understand that there are swamp hunters who consistently take trophy white tails. Obviously there are some keys to bottom land success, but I know not what they are.
No matter where you hunt there are always terrain features that dictate deer movement, in some areas these features are just not as obvious as in others. Even Saskatchewan - flat as a pancake at first glance - has terrain features.
_________________________
"Wouldn’t it be wise for us to be more tolerant of each other and pick our battles with the ones that really threaten our way of life?"
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#2014408 - 08/01/10 09:38 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Hillbilly Hunter]
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Boone 58
16 Point
Registered: 06/23/04
Posts: 13533
Loc: Food Plot
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Well i know you are correct but have you ever been to Kennett missouri?....not only flat for miles upon miles but the ugliest territory i have ever laid eyes on! lol.....
_________________________
Romans 10:9-13
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Carpe Diem.
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#2015091 - 08/02/10 02:23 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Boone 58]
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Still-n-Quiet
10 Point
Registered: 07/18/06
Posts: 4603
Loc: San Antonio, TX
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Well i know you are correct but have you ever been to Kennett missouri?....not only flat for miles upon miles but the ugliest territory i have ever laid eyes on! lol.....
Sure have! My Dad was born in Braggidocia and went to Deering High (as did my Aunt and Uncle). VERY flat! Good deer hunting in those areas, or least used to be, I haven't been in ages.
On a humorous note, when I was younger and visiting that area, I looked around and was shaking my head. My sister asked what was them matter and I answered, "I don't get it. I don't see a hill anywhere in site!" She said, "So what?" And I replied, "Well, why in the world would they call it the 'Boot Hill' then?" It was a accent issue, obviously.
_________________________
Mike
"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes..." (Romans 1:16)
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#2015297 - 08/02/10 06:29 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: Still-n-Quiet]
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pass-thru
10 Point
Registered: 10/10/04
Posts: 3046
Loc: va beach
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There is always micro-terrain. A deer doesn't care what a topo map looks like. Mico terrain affects a deer just as much as the larger features that are easier to spot on a map.
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#2015321 - 08/02/10 07:01 PM
Re: No terrain features?
[Re: pass-thru]
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102
10 Point
Registered: 08/01/02
Posts: 3650
Loc: Tennessee
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The difference between a good hunter and a GREAT hunter is being able to recognize and understand deer movement.
There are always "least factors" and terrain features in ANY habitat.
Slight changes in elevation, warm spots, cool spots, good listening spots (for deer), travel corridors, etc.
102
_________________________
God, Family, Job, Bowhunting
Luck is where Opportunity and Preparation MEET!
When in doubt...back out!
SCAPAS.stay calm and pick a spot.
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