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Posts: 4
| Hi all - First off I just want to say I'm a newbie to the website and have learned a lot reading people's posts throughout the last few years. Thank you!! I've only been musky fishing for about 3 years now and hope to contribute more once the learning curve is more in line with a lot of you. My first musky was a 50 inch fish (very lucky) and ive been addicted ever since. In the last few years, with a lot of time spent on the water, i mean alot, i have managed to put only about 8 fish in the boat myself and a few other musky for friends ive also introduced into the sport. That being said I've been a die hard bowhunter since I was 12 so about 15 years now. Just curious for you musky/bow hunters how you manage your time spent in the fall? It's seem to me the better musky fishing conditions seem to make for bad deer hunting times and vis versa....its very hard to pick on what I want and/or should be doing between the two with all the the weather, moon, ect conditions and only having limited vacation time. Since I've started musky fishing I can't tell which one I like more. The one thing I do enjoy more about musky fishing is being able to put the fish back in the water to live another day and for someone else to catch/enjoy the experience. I appreciate any tips!
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Posts: 283
| If there's a cold front get ur butt in the treestand...I'm an avid bow hunter and a heck of a lot better at that than musky fishing. I've tagged out many times early season on big bucks by patterning them then hunting them on cold fronts. Then u have the rest of the year to musky fish. I pretty much only hunt evenings until the pre rut or first major cold snap in late Oct. Fish the mornings thru mid day, shower and then get in the tree for an evening sit. During the rut if possible all day sits in the tree
Edited by jkslayer135 9/12/2017 10:34 PM
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | ^^ all a good plan but who wants to ruin a perfectly good bow season by tagging out early? To the OP I am torn every fall since where I hunt is a long way from most the places I fish. But last few years it's been getting easier to get off the water and get in a tree around the 24th of October. And once in the tree I have very few pangs about not being on the water. |
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Posts: 104
| I've been going thru the same delima for a while now and have tagged out early to get back on the water and regreted it down the road. I'm going to try a new approach this year. Plan is to fish until turn over (late October) and the give up fishing for two weeks (mid November) to hunt the rut. If you fish September and October hard you should have enough success to be satisfied to sit in the stand guilt conscious free during the rut. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | Don't muskie fish at all. Spend all of your time in the tree.....
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
I'm with Propster on this one... I will fish up until mid-late October, then I switch it up for the bow. I have had very little luck in november in the boat, and I'm not one who likes to troll very much when things are cold enough to ice up line guides, so the late fall trips before ice up have me in the woods rather than in the boat. I am sure I am missing some great action windows for fish, but by then, I'm ready for the change-over and enjoyment of being in the woods (bird hunting, bow hunting, and rifle in November), and taking some time preparing for ice fishing. So...by Mid-late october, the boat is getting put away for the year, the ice fishing stuff comes out for work, and the bow or shotgun in hand for some fall delicacy.
Steve
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Posts: 633
Location: Madison, WI | Musky fishing is great, bow hunting is better. Early season I will split my time between the two but by late October or the first sighting of a big buck, it's almost impossible to get me out of a tree. I tagged a 150" deer Oct 15 two years ago and I thought it was finally my chance to musky fish in the late fall. I ended up still hunting the rut even though I only had a doe tag because it turns out I enjoy that time in the woods much more than freezing in a boat. |
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Posts: 252
| Pretty easy for me to take an 8 or 10 pointer within walking distance of my house every year, so, I'm satisfied with that. I was a die hard bow hunter for about 25 years, but now I concentrate more on musky fishing. My interests have leaned more toward fishing over the last 10 years or so.
Although..., my Son and I have been drawn for the KY elk hunt for the third time now, so that has been kinda digging into my musky seasons.
Of course, the deer and elk provide meat and all those ignorant muskies are providing are pictures and scratches on my hands. |
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Posts: 1416
Location: oconomowoc, wi | after oct 15th.. tree first/boat second. |
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Posts: 3147
| And you forgot the most important point,,bow hunting you get to EAT what you get!!! |
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Posts: 770
| Man i know ive got a dang good chance at landing a fish every fishing trip..... i dont know whats wrong with my deer sense but i cant get a buck to walk by me in a tree stand to save my life! Now if i had the land/knowledge to sit in a treestand and see a handfull of deer in an evening then i might consider it. But i have wasted alot...ALOT of time sitting in a treestand wishing i was muskie fishing because there arnt deer moving (atlest not that i can see from my stands)
Edited by T3clay 9/13/2017 8:36 PM
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Posts: 6
| Bowhunt 11/1 -11/21
Fish the other 49 weeks of the year. I've been bowhunting for 17 seasons, and hunt less almost every year. hunt where the big boys live, do your homework and good things will happen |
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Posts: 119
| If you have a hard time managing your bowhunting vs fishing time never start playing with birds and dogs!! It’s getting really hard to leave the pup at home to go Musky fishing when I know we could be chasing grouse, woodcock, pheasants or ducks together!! So much to do in the fall and so little time!! |
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | If it gets hot out fishing. Cool I go bird hunting. I enjoy both fall is a ruff time. |
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Posts: 841
Location: Southwest PA | I tend not to over think either. If I end up bow hunting, great! If I end up muskie fishing, great! I do tend to have a 50/50 split for my weekends, with Saturday in the stand and Sunday on the water. Add in the week day evenings after work when permitting and I'd say I still fish more anyways. This is what makes fall so incredible for me. Regardless of which option I elect to choose, I never have a regret. That being said, I am regretting my work and fishing this year being my excuse for letting myself be less diligent on scouting for Fall. I'm rambling now, I'm just glad I have two wonderful selections to fill my weekday evenings and weekends with. HAPPY FALL EVERYONE!!! |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | That would be ideal to live near your bow hunting and muskie fishing so you can go after work. I used to do so much variety in the fall before I got addicted to muskies. Used to grouse hunt, fish fall run steelhead, big walleyes, pheasant now n then, bear hunting ... fall is too short by about 6 months if you ask me. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | We used to do a Customer Appreciation Event here in Northern Wisconsin where we rented a resort on the Eagle River Chain and used our Employees as guides ... Customers would be able to decide what they wanted to do in half-day segments and choose between Musky Fishing, Golf, Bow Hunting or Grouse Hunting and then we would gather in the evening for a cook-out on the deck of the lodge. It was a fantastic event and one that still pays dividends in the relationships built as a result. Nothing beats this time of year in the Northwoods ... |
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | There's not enough time in the day to get it all in.... That is the bad part about fall... Anyone want to come sub for me for...oh....say....about 2 Months?
Anyone? Bueller?.......Bueller?.....
Steve
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Most of us that bow hunt and Muskie fish can relate to your issue. I have been guiding into the third week in October and shut it fishing/guiding just as turnover hits here in southern wisconsin. Then it's all about Me Time!!!
I head up to my hunting property which doesn't get hunted or touched until the Wednesday before Halloween. Hunt hard there, back home and Illinois until gun season starts. Then gun hunt the opener and come back home to sucker fish and bow hunt. If it's a good wind and cold I will bow hunt. If it's nice or perfect Muskie weatger I will fish.
Best advice is to hunt that October 25th till November 10th time frame hard core. Fish mid Sept till Oct 25th hard core. Late season bow around Christmas till the end of season is also great bow hunting. Ice fishing can cause problems here because first ice is magical. Can't miss out on that bite.
So plan your seasons around best opportunitys. Turnover on the lakes happens about the same time as pre rut. This makes it easy to hit the woods and get deep into big buck mode.
Yes you can do both. The people that don't bow hunt will never feel the rush of a 250 pound 160 class giant buck walking into bow range. No muskie has every got me going like giant bucks do. Not even my 57 x 27 incher.
Bow hunting rocks if you got quality land and can let big buck walk past you and watch them get huge. Problem is the older they get the harder it is to see them during hunting hours. Hence the thrill when it's about to happen. Love muskies and big bucks. Make time for both!!! |
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Posts: 841
Location: Southwest PA | Propster - 9/14/2017 1:07 AM
That would be ideal to live near your bow hunting and muskie fishing so you can go after work. I used to do so much variety in the fall before I got addicted to muskies. Used to grouse hunt, fish fall run steelhead, big walleyes, pheasant now n then, bear hunting ... fall is too short by about 6 months if you ask me.
That last sentence couldn't be any more true! |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | Ever since the deer (especially big buck) population went down where I hunt, it has been a very easy decision for me. |
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Posts: 399
Location: WI | I use the most scientific method ever developed. If the forecast afternoon high is over 55, or if there is a south wind (inc SW & SE), I go fishing. |
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Posts: 735
Location: Apparently where the Muskie aren't | Here's another question, new bow or new rod & reel? Leaning towards the bow because of all the places I can go in northern and central IL, and I can shoot it whenever. Then again norther IL public whitetail hunting isn't exactly easy. But neither is muskie fishing. Kinds puts me between a rock and a hard place. Hopefully I'll get the lucky numbers and I can get both |
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Posts: 36
| I solved this problem for myself I musky fish small rivers and creeks mainly I just throw the ol recurve in the boat with me during early season. Come Halloween I'm in a tree until our gun season comes in late Nov then its back to fishing. Missed a chance at a good bear last year during a tourney on Stonewall Jackson Lake because I didnt take my bow . |
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Posts: 321
| What is muskie fishing? |
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Posts: 1425
Location: St. Lawrence River | We dont have much of a bow season... i will keep fishing until thanksgiving or so. Maybe take advantage of our late musky season in December a little if its not bitter. Then blast one with the rifle. |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | dickP - 9/20/2017 8:06 AM
What is muskie fishing?
You just know how to compartmentalize better than most Dick. After 2 months or more on LOTW in the summer though i can see why you're ready to hunt a little! |
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Posts: 1000
| Grouse hunter.
I dedicate Sept to Muskies. Come October, I spend my weekends chasing the prince of the forest and muskies fall to weeknights.
With any luck, I'm so burnt out by the end of the season that I can last until May the following year. |
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Posts: 3147
| Tolle I'm with ya,,staying on vermilion TroyZ and partner got a 56 and 53 plus others one day,,we still went out grouse hunting next day.
You don't have to worry about moon or wind direction or what color just find em and blast em. |
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Posts: 1000
| happy hooker - 9/20/2017 6:28 PM
Tolle I'm with ya,,staying on vermilion TroyZ and partner got a 56 and 53 plus others one day,,we still went out grouse hunting next day.
You don't have to worry about moon or wind direction or what color just find em and blast em.
I'd probably have a pretty hard time doing that lol, but there's just something about getting in the woods and the adrenaline rush that comes from those things flushing. Good luck this season! |
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Bowhunters and Musky Hunters