I just spent 3 full days bear huntin' in the ANF.
I think I saw 3 deer...
When I was a kid there was herds of deer.
I think I saw 3 deer...
When I was a kid there was herds of deer.
#1 thing in the big woods pertain to where to start scouting, is stem count, thick areas, edges, hard changes in vegetation.
I focus on this 90% more than terrain. Often times when you find these thick areas they're pretty vast, acres, or even whole hillsides but not always. Once you find these areas look for terrain changes and features that you'd look for anywhere else. This is the easiest way to break the "big woods" down. Not every thicket will consistently hold deer, but they consistently hold more deer than open woods. Stem count, terrain, food, water.
Funnels can be created by anything from geology to stonewalls, water, fields, roads or other structure that force deer to be pinched through a small area. Some are visible on a map, and many can only be located with boots on the ground.
What a super summation of what to scout!!! Like it!!#1 thing in the big woods pertain to where to start scouting, is stem count, thick areas, edges, hard changes in vegetation.
I focus on this 90% more than terrain. Often times when you find these thick areas they're pretty vast, acres, or even whole hillsides but not always. Once you find these areas look for terrain changes and features that you'd look for anywhere else. This is the easiest way to break the "big woods" down. Not every thicket will consistently hold deer, but they consistently hold more deer than open woods. Stem count, terrain, food, water.
Those old logging roads and two tracks were purposefully placed to drag timber out and those were the "benches" and other terrain features that help funnel deer movement. Find the old roads, find the benches and saddles.I don't think it has been mentioned here yet, in the big woods, google earth historic imagery can be really useful. At the top, there is a slider that allows you to go back in time. Leaf off images, especially with snow on the ground, will help you find old logging roads and also edges where conifers meet deciduous. Sometimes, you can go back far enough to see clearcuts created and growing up. I wish OnX had this functionality, but it does not. Unsure of other hunting-specific apps. You can move points and polygons from google earth to Onx though.
Also, looking for saddles and funnels that are clearly visible on a map is a sure way to locate other peoples tree stands. If you can see it on a map someone else already has.