Hunting tips in Wisconsin

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I am new to bow hunting. I need help looking for deer signs in the woods. I have really no idea what I am looking for and have a hard time spotting or scouting a good site. I can see obvious signs like prints in the sand or dirt and deer droppings. I cant seem to find beeding signs or places or to assess more likely travel locations for the deer. Any ideas? I am in the La Crosse are of wisconsin.

Thanks,

Clinton

 

[schmalts]

get out now and look for sheds. Good time to see travel routes in the snow and often they are the same in fall if the snow is not too deep over were you are.
Look for white oaks in early october for the mast crop. Deer much prefere white oak over red oak acorns. Really you need to get out there and look around real good. In a few weeks when the snow melts off you should still be able to see where the bucks were making scrapes in the fall so get out and hike, and look around for sign. check those areas again in the fall.. a lot of them will be there again under the same licking branch. In your area there is a lot of farms, go knock on doors and see if you can get on some AG land. If one out of 10 say yes, well there you go. I hate to say it, but you can really only learn so much from reading anything but will learn a lot by getting out there year after year and making adjustments. BTW, make sure you don't ignore or be lazy about scent. Play the wind, dont sit or hang a stand in a good spot if the wind is wrong, deer smell you long before you see them spook and you will never know they were even coming your way before they winded you.

 

[174in]

That area of the state is some prime deer habitat.Find whear the does bed regulary and you will have a great spot to be on stand from oct.28-nov 8.I like trying to find ridge tops during this time of year mostly if you get a couple ridge tops that conect together.Natural funnels are also good spots and it dosnt take much to funnel a deer into range an example is a strip of timber or dry ground in swampy areas wich you should have plenty of being so close to the river.Sign will really stick out in the bottoms and swampy areas.good luck

 

[Bucnutz.wis]

Clinton,

Congrats on the new challenge !! Bowhunting is awesome and your in a great part of the state for trophy class Whitetails... but like Schmalts said, the best way to learn is by getting out there and experiencing things for yourself.

It will take time to learn, and there will be many disappointing hunts... but those are what make the successful hunts more enjoyable.

Deer can bed anywhere, but are most likely to be found bedded in the thickest part of the woods - a recent clear cut, thick swampy area, or brushy fence line might be good places to check out. Also, tall grassy areas next to thick cover are always good too.

Deer are sometimes (not always) easy to pattern. Look for runways after the snow melts, these will be the travel routes used last fall. Ridge tops,(like 174 mentioned), fence lines, creek bottoms, will be good starting places. Follow the runways - look for tree rubs, scrapes, beds, sheds, poop, licking branches, drinking areas, feeding areas, etc.

If you have ag fields where you hunt - check there too. Find last falls runways and check them later this summer when the crops are growing again. Invest in a field camera and put it on some of the runways you find to see whats using them.

Also, and perhaps most important - don't forget to practice, practice, practice. Then practice even some more. You don't want to go through all that work finding a good spot to hunt and not be ready to make a good shot when the moment arrives. Make sure your shooting lanes from your stand to the runways are clear and precise (no branches, etc) and, always expect the unexpected.

Good Luck !!

 

[schmalts]

I guess I have to add one more thing, Are you looking to kill a mature type of buck or any deer or doe?
Reason I ask is one thing a lot of guys do wrong is beat themselves and the deer woods up in the early season. If your looking for a bigger buck, kick back and relax until late October. Hunt acorns and fields but stay out of the best areas until that time when the rut starts. if you looked at harvest data, buck pools, contests, whatever you will see what I mean. 95% or better of all the real good deer are not taken until late Oct or later so don't stink up your best spots until odds are in your favor. Really, it was hard to learn that because of the urge to get out there but resist it and hunt some 2nd rate feeding sites instead and you will be better off. Then, when the rut hits, like Halloween weekend and later, the key is to sit ALL FRICKING DAY!! in the rut, mid-day is the best time for many areas, even more so for areas that have houses and farms around. Deer learn that during the week mid day is quite time and everyone is at school and work and there is less disturbance in the woods. The mid-day thing took me a long time to learn and get used to but results pay off and probably 1/2 of my last 8 bucks were take between 10-2 .
don't burn yourself out early, the best is last when bowhunting WI is concerned

 

[[email protected]]

Great Information

This is all great information. However, you are dealing with a real novice. I dont know how to tell a real rub from just a place where coons have scratched the tree or something. I have some places i can go but they are SO very swampy and nearly impossible to get to when its cold and still keep your feet dry and warm. I have been back there and I have seen some droppings, fairly fresh, and its really tough for me to get to cause it is soggy, swampy mess and its upto my thighs. It is very difficult to get to. I have a way to get to it, but it looks like I would have to actually walk on what appears to be the walk way or deer trail. Ideas?

 

[schmalts]

If you do not know what a rub or scrape looks like you should try to hook up with a friend that will show you. You can learn a lot more that way than reading from us. A scrape is a pawed out bare spot on the ground that the bucks piss in, a rub is pretty easy to tell from what a coon might do??

 

[Bucnutz.wis]

It sounds like you may have already found the bedding area... you just need to find where the deer are entering/exiting that big swamp. And then figure out where they will be moving to/from during archery season. Hunting the edge of that swamp could be your ticket if you play it right - especially during the rut.

Below is a link to a magazine I suggest you subscribe to, or at least bookmark and read the online articles. This will teach you a ton about deer and their behavior. You can apply the techniques you read about to your situation in your area.

Here is the link: http://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/GeneralMenu/