Victory Basin Wildlife Management AreaLocation: northeast VermontSize: 4,970 acresZIP: 05824
“You could easily have Victory Basin to yourself,” Buck says of this remote bog on the Moose River. But bring a friend: one of the most successful tactics here is a small-scale deer drive to get bucks up and moving. Tracking also works well, especially during the rifle and muzzleloading seasons, when snow is almost a sure bet. Age is the primary factor in buck size: Thanks to light hunting pressure, bucks routinely reach 4 and 5 years old. Old haul roads crisscross the remarkably flat area, and scrubby red spruce and balsam firs provide most of the cover, with some hardwood slopes on the periphery.