Ihookem yes, a buddy and I bought a trailer and hunted Price Co. several years east of Phillips in the NF. We had some good spots over there, got a few nice ones, but moved on for the same reason Greg did. At least we weren't saddled with a permanent camp there. I tried that Flambeau river bottom one year and was able to cross it with chest waders which was kind of a surprise as dark and deep looking as it was. That river stopped everyone with Sorel boots though and I had it to myself. Other than Buffalo County., Price and Sawyer County were #2 & #3 for B&C bucks in the state, but that has probably changed by now with lots of bigger bucks farther south in the farming, private property areas.
Swag, yes I've hunted the U.P of Michigan and the Minnesota deer seasons because they open earlier than our Wisconsin gun season and catching the tail end of the rut made lots of difference in seeing deer and not seeing deer. I know that Illinois has some king size, well fed bucks down there, but I thought that it was shotgun only and all private and I'm a rifle guy that is kind of stuck in the public big woods by the cottage. Wisconsin guys that want to shoot big bucks would do better hunting the southern part of the state. My step-sons shoot really nice ones every year bow and gun on their dad's family owned land in the SW part of the state. The wife is talking about selling the cottage and if it wasn't for the accommodations there, I'd be somewhere better for the deer hunting.
