Tracking Mature Bucks with Todd Havel Pt. 1

Todd Havel from Wisconsin is the guest on this podcast. He's spent decades hunting and tracking mature bucks in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. The conversation we had went into enough detail that it made sense to split into two parts. In the first part, Todd talks about his experiences tracking, and breaking down the habitat and tendencies of older bucks. Todd has witnessed them doing things differently than other deer. They spend most of the year in a tight area, but tracking during the rut gives a great opportunity to locate what otherwise would be a hard-to-find deer. 

We discuss habitat features, sign that might be left, and tracking skillsets, with several examples. For instance, what happens when there isn't any snow? How far will a mature buck travel in a day? What do they do before bedding down? How do you practice being able to take a quick shot? Even though some of the topics are tracking specific, there are many parallels that can be applied across the board for hunting older bucks in the northern timber. 

 

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