Were to find deer in this forest

[NaturesRespect]

I will be hunting the Cedar Creek Natural History area in about 3 weeks from now. Our youth hunt is having a orientation the day before the hunt and also that same day is when we will scout and hang stands for the next day when we hunt. The area is Anoka/Isanti county and from looking at bing maps and using birds eye view the area is mostly coniferous. Im use to hunting south eastern MN with deciduous forest. Were would deer be roaming in a swampy coniferous forest area? Whats should i look for? Only have 2 spots picked out to scout from bing maps and they look like areas with deciduous trees.

[matchset]

i've spent a lot of time in that area! and its great!!! you're in for a treat!

look on Google. the first thing that really jumped out at me was the Cedar Bog Lake. North North east of it... there is a big funnel between two "brown areas"

now, south of hw 24, there is a service road that heads south.... all those "fingers" off to the west are great funnel areas. anyone of them would make great stand sights.

good luck!

[MUSKY18]

In the areas that we hunt with coniferous areas, they are mostly used as bedding areas, as they provide great wind breaks and are easy for the deer to get out of the elements. Look for trails that are leading out of the area into what would be considered their feeding areas. The edge of the swamps where it transitions into the grass and forest will be good travel routes to check out and look for sign. In the past these areas have always worked the best for us.

[PerchJerker]

I agree, look for funnels and edges on your arial views, then scout those areas on the ground for deer sign

[Bear55]

It sounds like there are some big deer in the area and that is what I would be after. If it were me I would skip all the funnels and field edges because that is where the other hunters will be. I would hunt on in the swamp or even out on one of those little islands of high ground out in the swamp. The cover also looks good near the creek. With other hunters in the area they are going to be moving around and pushing deer, the big guys are going to take cover in the thick nasty stuff that no one else is willing to go into.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

[NaturesRespect]

i've spent a lot of time in that area! and its great!!! you're in for a treat!

look on Google. the first thing that really jumped out at me was the Cedar Bog Lake. North North east of it... there is a big funnel between two "brown areas"

now, south of hw 24, there is a service road that heads south.... all those "fingers" off to the west are great funnel areas. anyone of them would make great stand sights.

good luck!

that first funnel looks great!!!!!

as for other hunters its only our archery club that will be in the area at that time (october 3) and its not alot of people from what i had heard from my frands. around the north western tip of the property i hear the people who work on the land spotted a 8 point that would score around 177 inch, plus my teacher/instructor that put the hunt together said theres also alot of deer spotted in a area that is along the woods edge. They have names for the spots that they see deer roam so i guess we will check them out the day we go scout. I have my eye set on that funnel that matchset mentioned, but the story of the 177 inch 8 point eagers me to go all the way to the north end of the land as well

[NaturesRespect]

one more week! cant wait to see the land and scout for stand spots.

[BuckKiller]

I agree, look for funnels and edges on your arial views, then scout those areas on the ground for deer sign

ditto funnels are always a good start. If you can find a good ridge between two swamps it would be perfect

[Bear55]

Nature

Remember funnels are great rut stands but the deer aren't rutting now, you want to hunt food or bedding areas this time of year. If you are specifically after a big buck hunt that staging area back in the woods away from the field edge. If it were me I might scout a swamp edge until I find some nice tracks and setup right on that trail but be sure you scent isn't blowing into his bed or he will camp out there until after dark.

[Archerysniper]

one more week! cant wait to see the land and scout for stand spots.

I can tell you to look towards the alfalfa field on the private land off of 56 I hunted the land to the east of it tuesday night and yeasterday morning all the deer were leaving the field and heading west back into the U land there are 2 big corners when your head east off of 65 the first one curves to the right and just before the one that goes to the left look in that area for a stand and also once you get around the 2 corners and before you get to the bean field is also a good spot. If you are going to morning hunt try to stay away from the road a ways they have been heading back into the U at around 5:30 am and coming out at around 7:20pm.

[NaturesRespect]

archerysniper... drove around the area you were telling me about and it looks like theres not really any crops growing there just looks like grass and prarie grass. were u go east from 65 onto 56 before the 2 turns in the road you were telling me about theres corn and bean fields. maybe that straight road has more potential

[TRM]

NR, the deer are pounding the acorns in there now, Look me up at the orientation on Fri. and I will help you locate some good spots.

[NaturesRespect]

NR, the deer are pounding the acorns in there now, Look me up at the orientation on Fri. and I will help you locate some good spots.

sweet man thanks for the tip. idk how i wuld find you at the orientation friday but ill ask

[Archerysniper]

NR, the deer are pounding the acorns in there now, Look me up at the orientation on Fri. and I will help you locate some good spots.

Yeah I wasn't going to put the map with all your honeyholes on here.

Nature you are in good hands and listen to what TRM has to say and were to go, you should see plenty of deer and get some shooting especially now with the full moon gone. Bring lots of sharp broadheads and tags. Also don't forget your camera and take lots of picks.

[TRM]

slow down a little bit there "AS" .... I will do my best to put him on deer but we all know that it is called "hunting" and is never easy. last weekend i put 3 kids on deer and we had some clean misses But they did have opportunity and all seen deer. also their were some nice bucks seen.

NR I will be late on Fri. Prob about 9-9:15am I beleive that it starts at 8am

[NaturesRespect]

man it was one fun weekend. tho i saw no deer i had fun being with everyone. hunted the funnel matchset was telling me about and the trails ther just did not look active enough. ended up hunting it saturday morning for about 3 hours wen we called quits and scouted for better areas. did not want to bother the other hunters so we did not go too far in to were they would be. ended up going to the 2 corners on 56 that archerysniper was telling me about, found a great trail on the south corner on 56 looks to be somewhat pretty active, was wet and a little swampy in some parts of the trail/woods but you can definateley see were deer have stepped. hunted the trail saturday night from 4 til sunset and saw nothing, hunted it this morning from 6am til sunrise and saw nothing.

wish i had more time to scout for better areas, i was kind of rushed on scouting day.

[Archerysniper]

Did anyone on the hunt get a deer or any shots.

[NaturesRespect]

2 male deer is what i heard. sounds like one lost deer and some missed shots and lost oppurtunity shots plus some deer sightings. i left early...

[Archerysniper]

Well I hope you and the rest of the hunters had a good time glad a few deer were taken.