Marsh aerial view over the years

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
Jeff G
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby Jeff G » Wed Jan 17, 2018 1:10 pm

Lopedog699 wrote:
Jeff G wrote:Johnny, watch that dark black area in your June photo. That is probly super deep and in winter with ice probly is very unstable. That's your tell tale hot spot in the winter.



Thats what ive been scared of going out into the marsh is there anything you can tell or look for that says stay off?
I have marshes along the woods transition. Then 20 -30 yards of marsh grass then the red or brown brush starts. Its where all the trails go but this brush areas are huge
Im just wondering if its safe enough to go out there
Im leary cause i really am by myself here and my wife and kids dont really know where im at


If catails don't grow...it's deep.
Usually the edge of islands are nasty.
Duck walk on the catails when navigating.
Never walk in the middle of a deer trail in the catails.
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tgreeno
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby tgreeno » Wed Jan 17, 2018 1:13 pm

Lopedog699 wrote:
Jeff G wrote:Johnny, watch that dark black area in your June photo. That is probly super deep and in winter with ice probly is very unstable. That's your tell tale hot spot in the winter.



Thats what ive been scared of going out into the marsh is there anything you can tell or look for that says stay off?
I have marshes along the woods transition. Then 20 -30 yards of marsh grass then the red or brown brush starts. Its where all the trails go but this brush areas are huge
Im just wondering if its safe enough to go out there
Im leary cause i really am by myself here and my wife and kids dont really know where im at


A quote from Dan..."A marsh is never 100% safe". And like Jonny has said..."Be prepared to get wet, and hope you don't". However if you are in the midwest and have had all these very cold temps. The marshes I've been in , are really good and frozen.
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Jonny
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby Jonny » Wed Jan 17, 2018 2:13 pm

Jeff G wrote:Johnny, watch that dark black area in your June photo. That is probly super deep and in winter with ice probly is very unstable. That's your tell tale hot spot in the winter.


Thanks for the tip. Walked over a couple open spots in a different marsh but that was after the week of brutal cold. Also had a spud bar with me as well actually. These spots didn’t have cattails so I spudded every other step just like ice fishing

My planned access is to skirt around this area for the offseason. Have a little more comfort come September when the water isn’t as chilly.
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Jonny
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby Jonny » Wed Jan 17, 2018 2:28 pm

tgreeno wrote:
Lopedog699 wrote:
Jeff G wrote:Johnny, watch that dark black area in your June photo. That is probly super deep and in winter with ice probly is very unstable. That's your tell tale hot spot in the winter.



Thats what ive been scared of going out into the marsh is there anything you can tell or look for that says stay off?
I have marshes along the woods transition. Then 20 -30 yards of marsh grass then the red or brown brush starts. Its where all the trails go but this brush areas are huge
Im just wondering if its safe enough to go out there
Im leary cause i really am by myself here and my wife and kids dont really know where im at


A quote from Dan..."A marsh is never 100% safe". And like Jonny has said..."Be prepared to get wet, and hope you don't". However if you are in the midwest and have had all these very cold temps. The marshes I've been in , are really good and frozen.


They have been good for me. A simple trick is to carry a spud bar and ice picks. Ice picks around your neck to pull yourself out, and the spud checks ice. I know my spud bar, 2 hits and water means walk right back the way I cam.

The other bad sign is if you feel like you are on a water bed. I’ve had that feeling twice. Once at the workshop where I dunked a leg, and other on Winnebago with over 2’ of ice. If there was any water under that ice I would have been swimming.

Just gotta be prepared. Keep your phone and gps in a zip loc bag, carry a lighter or two, have towels in your car, and be mentally ready for a dunk.
You have a monkey Mr. Munson?
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby Jeff G » Wed Jan 17, 2018 2:41 pm

Waterbed lol
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Dewey
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Jan 17, 2018 7:49 pm

Jonny wrote:
Lopedog699 wrote:
Jonny wrote:
tgreeno wrote:Jonny, this is the perfect time to get back in there. Aerial can only show you so much. Stuffs frozen. Get back there and see for yourself what it looks like.

There are definitely some islands & peninsulas, that look worth checking out.


It definitely looks good. I do know one other beast hunts the same marsh, but I'm hoping this will be my weekday hunting. Really a plus that all the best looking stuff is over a mile through cattails. I'll be out either friday or this weekend, provided something doesn't come up.

I was just really curious about the patch of water that showed up. My path of interest takes me around it, but I will have to hunt it in stages otherwise I will blow up everything day one if I go all the way in. I'll have more aerials in my journal later once I scout it. Should be better than the other stuff I was pretty much wasting time on :pray:

Just need the cold weather to hold out, and some time off school. Need a couple days to scout all of this.


Good luck johnny.
Im really curious how you make out cause im kinda in the same boat.


It's more of trying to cut my teeth at this point. I'm young and graduating in about a year, and looking to move away from home a bit. Might never hunt this property after this season, so its a great chance to make mistakes and learn things. Just trying to have fun, and keep the pressure on myself low.I'd be happy to be the guy who shoots a spike 2 miles out in the marsh and spends all night dragging.

Do that once and let me know how it works out for you. :lol:

Betting your standards will go WAY UP after that first 2 mile marsh drag. I have some spots, one that's 3.5 miles, where unless it's a Booner I'm not shooting.

A 2 mile nasty marsh drag is equivalent to 10 miles on flat dry ground. Packing out is a far better option.
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Dewey
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Jan 17, 2018 7:58 pm

tgreeno wrote:
Lopedog699 wrote:
Jeff G wrote:Johnny, watch that dark black area in your June photo. That is probly super deep and in winter with ice probly is very unstable. That's your tell tale hot spot in the winter.



Thats what ive been scared of going out into the marsh is there anything you can tell or look for that says stay off?
I have marshes along the woods transition. Then 20 -30 yards of marsh grass then the red or brown brush starts. Its where all the trails go but this brush areas are huge
Im just wondering if its safe enough to go out there
Im leary cause i really am by myself here and my wife and kids dont really know where im at


A quote from Dan..."A marsh is never 100% safe". And like Jonny has said..."Be prepared to get wet, and hope you don't". However if you are in the midwest and have had all these very cold temps. The marshes I've been in , are really good and frozen.

I have broken thru marsh ice during some of the hardest winters even after long stretches of -20 temps. Some areas never really freeze and ice thickness varies so much. The marsh peat is decaying plant material that generates heat. If you stick your hand down deep in the much even on cold days you will feel the warmth. I know plenty of “hot” spots in the marsh that never freeze no mater how cold it gets.
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby Jonny » Thu Jan 18, 2018 1:00 am

Dewey wrote:
Jonny wrote:
It's more of trying to cut my teeth at this point. I'm young and graduating in about a year, and looking to move away from home a bit. Might never hunt this property after this season, so its a great chance to make mistakes and learn things. Just trying to have fun, and keep the pressure on myself low.I'd be happy to be the guy who shoots a spike 2 miles out in the marsh and spends all night dragging.

Do that once and let me know how it works out for you. :lol:

Betting your standards will go WAY UP after that first 2 mile marsh drag. I have some spots, one that's 3.5 miles, where unless it's a Booner I'm not shooting.

A 2 mile nasty marsh drag is equivalent to 10 miles on flat dry ground. Packing out is a far better option.


I'll always try anything once :mrgreen:

And I'm not necessarily in the best position in my career to have standards. Maybe in a couple years with a few more notches in my belt. Can only be young and dumb for so long :lol:
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby wolverinebuckman » Thu Jan 18, 2018 4:33 am

Dewey wrote:I have broken thru marsh ice during some of the hardest winters even after long stretches of -20 temps. Some areas never really freeze and ice thickness varies so much. The marsh peat is decaying plant material that generates heat. If you stick your hand down deep in the much even on cold days you will feel the warmth. I know plenty of “hot” spots in the marsh that never freeze no mater how cold it gets.


This tripped me out this year. We had bitter cold for weeks and yet as I walked through the tall grass and trees my boots broke snow and brought up water. It was only a couple inches deep and I'd have figured it had been long since frozen. Definitely an eye opener!
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby stash59 » Thu Jan 18, 2018 9:12 am

I'm really curious what caused the change. Nature usually doesn't have that much squareness to things. There's a man made look to it all IMHO.

If there's snow and fresh deer tracks. I've been okay on the open stuff with ice.
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby ihookem » Fri Jan 19, 2018 3:35 am

There is a foot of ice on the rivers by me so it is as good as it gets , I think. I have not had any dunks at all. I have learned a long time ago , crossing the Flambeau River, if there is a deer trail you are ok. As for dragging a buck 2 miles? I would never do it. I dragged a doe out for .6 mi. last fall and it was about 110 lbs. Never again. I will go back and get my Boundary Water bags and cut it up right there , or at least cut the legs off. Never again , and this was my first marsh kill. My other plan is just drag it to the river 300 yds and canoe it back out. Althought, this would mean a .25 mi. drag away form the car, a .9 mi. walk back to the car , and a 2.75 mi. canoe trip both ways in the night. I'm to sure what way was easier .
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby Bedbug » Fri Jan 19, 2018 5:19 am

Jonny wrote:
tgreeno wrote:Jonny, this is the perfect time to get back in there. Aerial can only show you so much. Stuffs frozen. Get back there and see for yourself what it looks like.

There are definitely some islands & peninsulas, that look worth checking out.


It definitely looks good. I do know one other beast hunts the same marsh, but I'm hoping this will be my weekday hunting. Really a plus that all the best looking stuff is over a mile through cattails. I'll be out either friday or this weekend, provided something doesn't come up.

I was just really curious about the patch of water that showed up. My path of interest takes me around it, but I will have to hunt it in stages otherwise I will blow up everything day one if I go all the way in. I'll have more aerials in my journal later once I scout it. Should be better than the other stuff I was pretty much wasting time on :pray:

Just need the cold weather to hold out, and some time off school. Need a couple days to scout all of this.


I have great experience when swamps rise like that. What I see is hunters numbers decrease and deer numbers do not decrease.

There's a huge marsh in my county very well known for growing giants and heavily hunted. 2 years ago the DNR
Decided to dam and flood it. For waterfall.
The results were awesome.
deer Hunters gave up on the area. And I honestly think more deer moved into the area. They practically live in the water aside from tiny spots to bed on.
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby Jonny » Fri Jan 19, 2018 5:30 am

Bedbug wrote:
Jonny wrote:
tgreeno wrote:Jonny, this is the perfect time to get back in there. Aerial can only show you so much. Stuffs frozen. Get back there and see for yourself what it looks like.

There are definitely some islands & peninsulas, that look worth checking out.


It definitely looks good. I do know one other beast hunts the same marsh, but I'm hoping this will be my weekday hunting. Really a plus that all the best looking stuff is over a mile through cattails. I'll be out either friday or this weekend, provided something doesn't come up.

I was just really curious about the patch of water that showed up. My path of interest takes me around it, but I will have to hunt it in stages otherwise I will blow up everything day one if I go all the way in. I'll have more aerials in my journal later once I scout it. Should be better than the other stuff I was pretty much wasting time on :pray:

Just need the cold weather to hold out, and some time off school. Need a couple days to scout all of this.


I have great experience when swamps rise like that. What I see is hunters numbers decrease and deer numbers do not decrease.

There's a huge marsh in my county very well known for growing giants and heavily hunted. 2 years ago the DNR
Decided to dam and flood it. For waterfall.
The results were awesome.
deer Hunters gave up on the area. And I honestly think more deer moved into the area. They practically live in the water aside from tiny spots to bed on.


I know its a very popular place and it does get hit hard by deer hunters. Just looking on facebook, I see a couple guys use kayaks and climbers which leads me to believe that I have a chance by walking in the cattails, and hunting the thicker stuff a climber can't go. There is also a big swamp that looks very thick and nasty that I am sure holds deer judging by the trails going in and out on google earth. And its a 3 mile walk just to get to the swamp.

Especially for early season, walking in the water is actually kinda nice if you are expecting it. Feels nice and cool on the feet. Heres to hoping for a nice sloppy wet summer :P

I'll be getting out there hopefully tomorrow for a bit. Not sure how much scouting I will get done since I have plans with the lady in the morning, but even just a walk along the dike will be good right now.
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Re: Marsh aerial view over the years

Unread postby Bison » Tue Apr 17, 2018 2:41 pm

When I'm looking at aerials in my area I notice a lot of what appears to be deer trails through the marsh. What trails are the real deal vs something else? They can't all be deer? Some of them go to areas like the river or a pond like structure in the marsh. Then of course there are those that hit islands and vegetation transitions.


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