Bush 'islands' in farmland

[Jays toyz]

Last year I discovered hunting islands in AG fields. Anyone else find some of these extremely game rich areas? My one and only day of doing this on my last day hunting this area last year got me opportunities on 2 moose and an Elk. Because I suck, I capitalized on zero of those but I know where I'm spending my time this fall.

[calgarychef]

I used to hunt a spot and it bordered the big bush so I hunted the bush but always sat and looked a one of those islands. One day I wandered over to it and the place exploded with deer. I set up a pit blind and it became my supermarket.
I could always go and fill a doe tag or two.

[Grizzly Adams]

A lot of these "bush Islands" have sloughs in the middle, something to consider hunting waterfowl.

Grizz

[Bearbreath]

For sure. One farm i hunt has a bush island (pretty good size)that I’ll see more animals come and go in a afternoon than a few days in the 300s. Has long as there is more bush near by those islands can be dynamite.

[Sooner]

Been told by many experienced farm land hunters that some of the best game hid in the smallest islands or strips of land.

[kurthunter]

Very true

[James M]

Most of the bucks I have mounted are from small islands in a massive wide open field. 80% of my kills are done this way. I’ve been on several 30-60 second hunts in tiny islands that you can see through. Have a guy push it and you’re golden.

[kilgoretrout]

Oh oh the secret is out ...... now where are we going to hunt

[58thecat]

yup learnt this many moons ago hunting in Saskatchewan....now the secret is out damit…..funny how the locals don't talk much bout this but man when you pull into their yards they got some big racks randomly laying around or nailed to a barn/shed etc.....then if your lucky you get an invite into their house...WOW...where ya get them...locally around here....huh...nothing but flat azz nothing and "island" patches...

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

yup learnt this many moons ago hunting in Saskatchewan....now the secret is out damit…..funny how the locals don't talk much bout this but man when you pull into their yards they got some big racks randomly laying around or nailed to a barn/shed etc.....then if your lucky you get an invite into their house...WOW...where ya get them...locally around here....huh...nothing but flat azz nothing and "island" patches...

On the prairies, about the only cover around, Where are they gonna go ?

Grizz

[Sledhead71]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

On the prairies, about the only cover around, Where are they gonna go ?

Grizz

If you think the Prairie is flat, you have obviously not hunted it....

[35 whelen]

Don't get to hunt it much but the southern Prairies of Alberta is one of my favourite places to hunt lots of terrain far from being flat

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[Dewey Cox]

Don't tell anyone about bush peninsulas.

[Bushmaster]

Nothin' to see here folks, move along....nothin' on farm land....

[Puma]

Originally Posted by Sooner

Been told by many experienced farm land hunters that some of the best game hid in the smallest islands or strips of land.

Absolutely, check every one. You'd be surprised who is bedded down in that little strip of bushes.

[dave99]

I grew up hunting farmland bush islands by driving a circle around them and watching to see what busted out. Shots came often, but hits were few.

Other than driving or pushing Bush, what techniques do you fellas prefer to hunt these gems of game density?

Does getting the wind right and still hunting work well? Or just sitting at dawn and dusk to intercept when game moves in or out of the island? Curious on everyone’s strategy.


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[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Sledhead71

If you think the Prairie is flat, you have obviously not hunted it....

It's relatively flat, if you insist. .

Grizz

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by Puma

Absolutely, check every one. You'd be surprised who is bedded down in that little strip of bushes.

Experienced it first hand in Camp Wainwright one year. last rifle season. Lots of snow & cold. My son and I were walking a trail above the Battle River. Wide open space to the west of the river, we were on the east side. One patch of dark grass in the middle. I had taken a baseball sized rock from the side of the road and I threw it down the hill and into the trees along the river.

2 Mule deer does bust out of the other side and we watch them run west. Out of the corner of my eye I see something move south of where the deer ran. One of the biggest WT bucks I have seen in the base stands up from the tall grass spot. He was a km away and huge from that far. Hiding in the wide open.

I will never look at a clump of grass in the base the same way again. Or should I be out in farm land.

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by dave99

I grew up hunting farmland bush islands by driving a circle around them and watching to see what busted out. Shots came often, but hits were few.

Other than driving or pushing Bush, what techniques do you fellas prefer to hunt these gems of game density?

Does getting the wind right and still hunting work well? Or just sitting at dawn and dusk to intercept when game moves in or out of the island? Curious on everyone’s strategy.


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Damn! The game you just have not seen by driving. We’ve all see the deer that just lay down and disappear. Ask any bowhunter how they do it...Get there first and wait them out.

[bertha]

Originally Posted by Bushmaster

Nothin' to see here folks, move along....nothin' on farm land....

wow...amazing pics

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

On the prairies, about the only cover around, Where are they gonna go ?

Grizz

you would be surprised how they travel the low ground...coulee's...but will hold up in a wee little island....

[calgarychef]

I watched a good whitetail in southern sask. it was beside a road allowance and when it saw our truck it backed down into the ditch and disappeared. There was no place to disappear to! But he did, and I walked that tiny ditch and there was no way to leave but leave he did and I never did find him.

[dave99]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

Damn! The game you just have not seen by driving. We’ve all see the deer that just lay down and disappear. Ask any bowhunter how they do it...Get there first and wait them out.

To be clear, it has been 20 years since I last hunted this way. I agree that the set up before sunrise and wait is a far better approach.


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[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

I watched a good whitetail in southern sask. it was beside a road allowance and when it saw our truck it backed down into the ditch and disappeared. There was no place to disappear to! But he did, and I walked that tiny ditch and there was no way to leave but leave he did and I never did find him.

I've heard stories about them crawling out on their knees. Neighbor shot a real Goodie. Bedded down in the grass and was going to let him walk by. A gust of wind revealed antlers, game over.

Grizz

[buckbrush]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

I watched a good whitetail in southern sask. it was beside a road allowance and when it saw our truck it backed down into the ditch and disappeared. There was no place to disappear to! But he did, and I walked that tiny ditch and there was no way to leave but leave he did and I never did find him.

The only think I don't mind about guys hunting from their trucks is watching all the animals they don't see as they drive around the coulee tops and bush islands. Some of the biggest deer I've seen have been in small bush.

[303 Hunter]

Originally Posted by buckbrush

The only think I don't mind about guys hunting from their trucks is watching all the animals they don't see as they drive around the coulee tops and bush islands. Some of the biggest deer I've seen have been in small bush.

Exactly! I believe that you see more game on foot than you do in a vehicle.
I have seen guys driving quads around bush and a four or five deer dash out when they weren’t there.

[Passthru]

Love seeing the deer play hopscotch from bush island to bush island. Good place for a stand if there is any sizeable trees in it. Or just inside the tree line closest to the nearest bush island to hit a staging area

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by Passthru

Love seeing the deer play hopscotch from bush island to bush island. Good place for a stand if there is any sizeable trees in it. Or just inside the tree line closest to the nearest bush island to hit a staging area

If there’s no treestand trees, I dig a pit blind.

[Passthru]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

If there’s no treestand trees, I dig a pit blind.

For sure. Do what you have to to get into position.

[58thecat]

a few phone calls and ya can round up a few good'ol boys to push bush....Milo Hanson shot a little buck a few years ago using that technique...just saying.

nothing like a piece of hot apple pie, hot coffee and a battle plan put forth....