Learning Different Terrain - What's Best?

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nsmith253
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Learning Different Terrain - What's Best?

Unread postby nsmith253 » Fri Dec 03, 2021 6:22 am

For a newer guy who has close access to farm country and marsh, but also hill country and big woods within a reasonable distance what's the best approach? Do you get comfortable with one before trying to learn a new one? Or are there benefits to trying a lot of stuff at the get-go? Being able to hunt different terrain makes a more well-rounded hunter for sure, but I wonder about multiple learning curves vs. just one. On the flip side I don't want to become one-dimensional and build habits around what only works in a particular area. I've done a couple travel scouting and hunting trips and really enjoy it, so my ultimate goal would be hunting the higher pressure ground close to home early and late season and going elsewhere for the rest.

In WI you have a lot of diversity within 3-4 hours' drive, and I know that doesn't exist everywhere and time is always the limiting factor, but for those that feel pretty confident on their home turf; do you wish you would have hunted other kinds of terrain more when you were learning to target better bucks? Did you find that you had to "unlearn" a lot of assumptions before you could progress elsewhere? Or did your knowledge of buck behavior in your area cut that learning curve in other types of terrain?


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Re: Learning Different Terrain - What's Best?

Unread postby Tim H » Fri Dec 03, 2021 7:00 am

I think a lot depends on your goals and what you are comfortable with. There is nothing wrong with learning one and then on to another.

I grew up in bigwoods/northwoods which has mostly large tracts of hardwoods, pine forests, swamps, marshes, and some smaller hills. I navigated to other areas where the deer density was better. By doing so I was introduced to other terrains. I soon was hunting swamps, marshes, hill country, and farm country. From my previous knowledge and history I was able to apply it to other terrains. The principles are still the same.

I think once you get comfortable with one and feel really confident with it, that might be the time to learn another terrain. But that's not the only way to do it. I just think a person might want a good foundation before they start spreading themselves too thin.
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Re: Learning Different Terrain - What's Best?

Unread postby WIswampdweller20 » Fri Dec 03, 2021 7:04 am

I wish I had broadened my horizons earlier on. I believe too much time in the swamp resulted in some engrained tendencies and narrow minded thinking. I have been actively working to overcome this the last several years by pushing out of that comfort zone, but it can be anxiety inducing trying to break long established mindsets. To do all over again, I’d have made bigger and more consistent rounds and ultimately let the big bucks decide where I planned my sit more so than the terrain I knew how to read the best. That said, can’t be bad to get at least a tenuous handle on one type of terrain before tackling another, just don’t drop anchor too long if you’re of a mind to keep learning.
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Re: Learning Different Terrain - What's Best?

Unread postby Lockdown » Fri Dec 03, 2021 7:24 am

I spread myself too thin early on. Pick a few properties that you can get to know VERY well. I would cast a pretty big net early on while scouting (start now if you can) then focus on what looks best.

It’s very beneficial to know your properties extremely well because you need to know what to expect. If you don’t know what to expect, how do you know exactly what you’re looking at?

Be very thorough when you scout. I think that’s important early on. If you aren’t sure if a bedding area or certain section of property is worth your time, scout it and figure it out.

I spent quite a bit of time thinking “this is probably going to be marginal bedding at best.” Or “I’m betting there will be too much hunting pressure here.” but I scouted those spots anyway and I’m glad I did. It helped build confidence to figure out if I was right or wrong.
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Re: Learning Different Terrain - What's Best?

Unread postby nsmith253 » Fri Dec 03, 2021 8:50 am

Tim H wrote:I think a lot depends on your goals


Thanks Tim, that all makes a lot of sense. If I boiled it down my goal is to develop and execute a repeatable process to locate and hunt bucks that meet my standards. Right now I'd just be happy to consistently get on 2 y/o bucks and ecstatic to take a 3 y/o buck on public.

WIswampdweller20 wrote:I have been actively working to overcome this the last several years by pushing out of that comfort zone, but it can be anxiety inducing trying to break long established mindsets.


Very true, the third week of October I went and hunted a buddy's family property this year that's right on the boundary of Central Farmland/Northern Forest, hardly any public land around and the majority of pressure is during the 9-day Gun season, made me realize so much of what I've learned to do is hunting around other people to where I had a hard time putting together what the natural movement should be. Seems like it should be easier but it wasn't.

Lockdown wrote:I spread myself too thin early on. Pick a few properties that you can get to know VERY well.


I think I was headed in that direction and why I'm trying to re-evaluate. The last two seasons I had a couple of good encounters in one of my best public spots during rut, and rather than diving in post-season and learning it better and tightening things up, I stuck it in my back pocket and went to seek out new ground, thinking I had that to fall back on. That was a mistake because most of that new ground wasn't great, and by the time I got back into that spot this year it was a couple weeks later than I hunted it those past years, and with the drier conditions in the marsh things had clearly shifted and I didn't know it well enough to adjust. Spending more time on properties that have produced encounters in the past is a focus this winter/spring, for sure.
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Re: Learning Different Terrain - What's Best?

Unread postby WIswampdweller20 » Fri Dec 03, 2021 9:52 am

Maybe it’s better stated to just avoid any extremes, figure out what works at your learning pace and puts you in the best positions to achieve your goals. I will suggest that in order to truly master any property you need to know deer tendencies even more comprehensively than land features. I’ve heard Dan say, and agree, that once you see certain patterns that relate to the nature of the animal, you’ll see them play out in multiple diverse settings and it can often help you piece it together more easily on other properties- maybe even one you have a lot of history with. I’m paraphrasing of course. For example, in learning more about hill country, I discovered how the bucks were using slight elevation for visual advantage in some places I hunt in the swamp. For years I was convinced they were only bedded on the tiny islands surrounded by water and thick cover.
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Re: Learning Different Terrain - What's Best?

Unread postby adrenalin » Sat Jan 15, 2022 2:59 pm

My thought would be pretty simple. I would for sure learn whatever terrain is closest to home for quick hunts. Regardless of type. Then if you are able to do a rut hunt vacation pick the best potential area again within driving distance regardless of terrain and learn that also. The guys that have it made are the ones with the best ground close to home.


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