Tell me about Gravel Roads !

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Bearman13
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Re: Tell me about Gravel Roads !

Unread postby Bearman13 » Fri Aug 20, 2021 10:50 am

Freelance Bowhunter wrote:I use ozonics in my truck it cures everything.



I’m not surprised.


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Re: Tell me about Gravel Roads !

Unread postby john1984 » Fri Aug 20, 2021 11:17 am

I hardly ever see any bucks while driving on the side of a Gravel road. Only does and fawns. Never a bear.
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UntouchableNess
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Re: Tell me about Gravel Roads !

Unread postby UntouchableNess » Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:22 pm

Used to be a lot of road hunters here. I thought I should take a picture of the gravel road and start a line of “Road Hunter Camo” clothing. Maybe someone should run with it, tongue in cheek.
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Re: Tell me about Gravel Roads !

Unread postby Dewey » Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:51 pm

Dust from gravel roads sucks. There’s dust in every nook and cranny of my truck from scouting/hunting Iowa last year. They don’t believe in pavement on those old farm roads. Let’s put the notion to sleep there are no big bucks near gravel roads. I saw way more than I can count over the years. :lol:
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Re: Tell me about Gravel Roads !

Unread postby Swamp Stache » Fri Aug 20, 2021 3:25 pm

Gimme the dirt! I got more miles of gravel on my truck than tar I bet. Also I find it easier to check for tracks after a rain on gravel...
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Re: Tell me about Gravel Roads !

Unread postby homelessadam » Tue Aug 24, 2021 1:58 pm

Everyone will have different opinions on this but I’ve had bears on baits while cars are driving by on gravel less than 100 yards away in Minnesota. Never seen one flinch and our group has killed many nice boars off baits close to roads. There’s very little hunting pressure and obviously no dogs in that area so I’m sure that makes a difference.

In zone C where I hunt in Wisconsin I try and hide baits better because of dog training before season and a lot more hunting pressure and hunters that will find your baits. But zone C sucks. I doubt a bear would run from a car driving by them there either as long as you’re in heavy enough cover.
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Re: Tell me about Gravel Roads !

Unread postby 218er » Tue Aug 24, 2021 3:16 pm

I like using roadways as a barrier to prevent bears from circling the stand. Based on predominant winds you can find spots that become basically bulletproof. I had a spot last year 30 yards off a busy asphalt county highway that had fairly constant bears into October. In 2019 I shot a bear 30 yards south of a very lightly used gravel road. The site and stand were slightly up a ridge so evening thermals plus a predominant southern wind directed my scent downhill away from where the bears came from and towards the road. Check out some predominant wind data and try the west side or south side of a roadway and you might find a sweet setup.
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Re: Tell me about Gravel Roads !

Unread postby john1984 » Fri Sep 10, 2021 11:02 am

Dewey wrote:Dust from gravel roads sucks. There’s dust in every nook and cranny of my truck from scouting/hunting Iowa last year. They don’t believe in pavement on those old farm roads. Let’s put the notion to sleep there are no big bucks near gravel roads. I saw way more than I can count over the years. :lol:



Gravel roads in farmland zones might be different. I can't see far on these roads.

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Re: Tell me about Gravel Roads !

Unread postby Jonny » Fri Sep 10, 2021 12:11 pm

I remember a few years back hunting on an oak island in a swamp. Had a single cub come out and start rolling around on the island and playing. I was probably a good half mile off the gravel road. Couldn’t see headlights in the dark but could hear a car clear as day.

Well lo and behold, a car comes down kinda slow which is normal cause there was a big turn. That bear flipped and booked it into the swamp.

This was zone c in Wisconsin as well. Black river falls area.
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Re: Tell me about Gravel Roads !

Unread postby john1984 » Fri Sep 10, 2021 12:31 pm

I noticed a white truck hunting the same big bear. I think I know where his bait is. I repositioned my cam 2 days ago. Had medium size bear @ sunset. Had the monster (M&M) half hour after sunset , yesterday..

I don't think the bears like certain sounds, like crows and ravens Swooping down on the bait All day long. Even though I walk .75 miles to this site the Gravel Rd is only 400 yards away I'm guessing. A guy in a white truck is hunting him also.

I think M&M is waiting for the vultures to leave and the Gravel Rd to be quiet before they hit the bait. Idk

If he comes in while I'm there I seriously might die from a heart attack.
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Re: Tell me about Gravel Roads !

Unread postby UntouchableNess » Fri Sep 10, 2021 2:54 pm

Dewey wrote:Dust from gravel roads sucks. There’s dust in every nook and cranny of my truck from scouting/hunting Iowa last year. They don’t believe in pavement on those old farm roads. Let’s put the notion to sleep there are no big bucks near gravel roads. I saw way more than I can count over the years. :lol:

Iowa put roads on a 1 mile grid for the farmers to get their product to market. Maybe with the new infrastructure bill, we can upgrade all of them to pavement/asphalt. :whistle:
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Re: Tell me about Gravel Roads !

Unread postby KRONIIK » Sun Oct 10, 2021 5:46 am

UntouchableNess wrote:
Dewey wrote:Dust from gravel roads sucks. There’s dust in every nook and cranny of my truck from scouting/hunting Iowa last year. They don’t believe in pavement on those old farm roads. Let’s put the notion to sleep there are no big bucks near gravel roads. I saw way more than I can count over the years. :lol:

Iowa put roads on a 1 mile grid for the farmers to get their product to market. Maybe with the new infrastructure bill, we can upgrade all of them to pavement/asphalt. :whistle:


In parts of Northern Wisconsin, they used to spray down all the gravel roads occasionally with some sort of liquid waste from local paper mills.
I suppose it had elements of tree sap in it?

It kinda stunk, but it did seem to bind to the dirt and help keep dust down.

Not sure if they still do that?
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Re: Tell me about Gravel Roads !

Unread postby UntouchableNess » Sun Oct 10, 2021 6:19 am

KRONIIK wrote:
UntouchableNess wrote:In parts of Northern Wisconsin, they used to spray down all the gravel roads occasionally with some sort of liquid waste from local paper mills.
I suppose it had elements of tree sap in it?

It kinda stunk, but it did seem to bind to the dirt and help keep dust down.

Not sure if they still do that?


Dern tree huggers put a stop to spraying used motor oil on the gravel roads to keep down dust. Some neighbors pay to have an eco friendly coating put down in front of their homes. I've heard it is some similar plant processing byproduct, but not many paper mills around here. Road dust is free ag lime on my fields. :lol: ;)


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