cattails sloughs

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chas3r
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cattails sloughs

Unread postby chas3r » Sat Jan 09, 2016 7:41 am

Here in ND we have a lot of sloughs but there aren't many trees to hang a stand in I was wondering what beast members do to overcome this. Do you sit in the cattails, or the grassy knolls in between them also would it be better to have a tripod or something to sit in the cattails but be able to get above them for a shot. Thanks in advance for any information.

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Jeff G
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Re: coattails sloughs

Unread postby Jeff G » Sat Jan 09, 2016 7:57 am

large wooden ladder.
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Re: cattails sloughs

Unread postby chas3r » Sat Jan 09, 2016 8:09 am

I should add that these sloughs are only about five acres in size on average and most of the time the cattails are about 5 feet high

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Re: cattails sloughs

Unread postby Jeff G » Sat Jan 09, 2016 8:15 am

chas3r wrote:I should add that these sloughs are only about five acres in size on average and most of the time the cattails are about 5 feet high

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We hunt catail marshes in WI and the cattails are taller than that. We use the step ladder. Works great. sink it down into the ground and it is rock solid. Make sure to have some brush or something behind you to break up your silhouette. It allows you to see into the cattails much easier.

Size of the slough does not matter. I have seen bucks bed in a 10ft circle of grass in the middle of an open crop field (overlooked spot).
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Re: cattails sloughs

Unread postby chas3r » Sat Jan 09, 2016 8:24 am

Thanks for the advice Jeff I like your idea. I have also seen bucks in small places I kicked a nice nine point out of a half acre slough and got him with my muzzleloader.

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Re: cattails sloughs

Unread postby Jeff G » Sat Jan 09, 2016 8:25 am

chas3r wrote:Thanks for the advice Jeff I like your idea. I have also seen bucks in small places I kicked a nice nine point out of a half acre slough and got him with my muzzleloader.

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Congrats :clap: :clap:

remember to watch the wind where you set up your ladder.
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Re: cattails sloughs

Unread postby Lockdown » Sat Jan 09, 2016 8:40 am

If you're in wide open cattails, you can make a ground blind work in the right situation. It's not an easy set up to be successful in, especially regarding mature bucks, but it can be done.

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If you want me to draw up a diagram or two for what I have done in the past, I can. The toughest part about one of these sets is blending in. If you're on private land, cut some branches during summer/early fall when the leaves are still attached and brush your blind in with them. The leaves will stay on well into winter, if not longer.

The name of the game is breaking up your outline.

If you're going to do this near buck bedding, do it early so they have plenty of time to get used to it.

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chas3r
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Re: cattails sloughs

Unread postby chas3r » Sat Jan 09, 2016 8:54 am

Yes these sloughs are very much so in the wide open and mostly on public ground so if I'm looking at this right I should set up just inside the cattails edge. Our sloughs are not as wet and swampy as most they usually have a decent amount of dry cattails before you get to the water

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Re: cattails sloughs

Unread postby chas3r » Sat Jan 09, 2016 8:56 am

Lockdown wrote:If you're in wide open cattails, you can make a ground blind work in the right situation. It's not an easy set up to be successful in, especially regarding mature bucks, but it can be done.
A diagram would be great thanks
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If you want me to draw up a diagram or two for what I have done in the past, I can. The toughest part about one of these sets is blending in. If you're on private land, cut some branches during summer/early fall when the leaves are still attached and brush your blind in with them. The leaves will stay on well into winter, if not longer.

The name of the game is breaking up your outline.

If you're going to do this near buck bedding, do it early so they have plenty of time to get used to it.

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Re: cattails sloughs

Unread postby 9pt » Sat Jan 09, 2016 9:09 am

Lockdown wrote:If you're in wide open cattails, you can make a ground blind work in the right situation. It's not an easy set up to be successful in, especially regarding mature bucks, but it can be done.

Image

If you want me to draw up a diagram or two for what I have done in the past, I can. The toughest part about one of these sets is blending in. If you're on private land, cut some branches during summer/early fall when the leaves are still attached and brush your blind in with them. The leaves will stay on well into winter, if not longer.

The name of the game is breaking up your outline.

If you're going to do this near buck bedding, do it early so they have plenty of time to get used to it.

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Lockdown, I would be interested in seeing a diagram of a ground setup in cattails.

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Re: cattails sloughs

Unread postby Lockdown » Sat Jan 09, 2016 9:18 am

chas3r wrote: if I'm looking at this right I should set up just inside the cattails edge.

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Yes just inside the edge, but that doesn't mean any edge or the outside edge. In the pic I posted, that was in the middle of a frozen slew that had several pockets in the middle. I chose a spot that pinched the deer down. They'd follow the open spots as much as possible. I was located in between a refuge and a standing corn field.

Make sure there is a reason you pick the edge that you pick. I wasted a lot of hunts in the past sitting near pinches such as a cornfield that pushes up against a slew. It can be the best looking funnel in the world, but if you're relying on random movement like I was, you're going to be in for some slow hunts.

Let's say you're in that same funnel but there is thick bedding to your left and a green soybean field to your right, now you're in business.

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Re: cattails sloughs

Unread postby Lockdown » Sat Jan 09, 2016 9:20 am

I can draw something up for you, but it might be a day or two. Date night with the wife tonight and company coming over tomorrow.

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Re: cattails sloughs

Unread postby Lockdown » Sat Jan 09, 2016 9:27 am

Lockdown wrote:
Let's say you're in that same funnel but there is thick bedding to your left and a green soybean field to your right, now you're in business.

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Better yet, maybe you have buck bedding on a point out in the cattails. In open farm country a cattail blind might be the only option. Major lack of trees/brush where I'm from, and seeing that you live in SE North Dakota I assume you encounter the same problems.

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Re: cattails sloughs

Unread postby chas3r » Sat Jan 09, 2016 2:28 pm

Great information thanks

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Re: cattails sloughs

Unread postby chas3r » Sat Jan 09, 2016 3:43 pm

another thing i was wondering was when you are set up in the cattails do you usually draw your bow before the deer gets to you or after it passes just wondering what other people do

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