Where would you hunt in this swamp?
10-07-2011, 09:33 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 17
Where would you hunt in this swamp?
I've got a swamp that I just got access to. I have never really hunted swamp land, but was looking into this place because there are several really nice deer in the area. There is a good funnel to the left side of the swamp which is bordered by a large cutover and the swamp. There are also some islands in the swamp with some good sized hardwoods in them. What do you think you guys would do? Or where would you setup? You can only really access it by boat as well. Thanks for the input
10-07-2011, 10:09 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,445
The attachment shows areas I'd focus on. Of course if you see better sign elsewhere hunt it. Hard to say from here since I don't know what these deer are doing. Do they bed in the swamp or use it for escape cover? Is the general area pressured? Are they feeding in the cut-overs or in the hardwoods? Etc. Sounds like you will approach from the water, so plan a route to your stand that minimizes the chance deer will wind you, or cross your trail before you see them.
Last edited by UncleNorby; 10-07-2011 at 10:13 AM.
10-07-2011, 05:48 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 2,186
What is the "scale" of this drawing? I am intrigued by the hardwood flats in the swap. If these have good mast crops, and based upon my days hunting swamps in La. back 45+ yeas ago, deer will certainly find there way into these flats for food. Trick is getting in/out undetected. If you can ease into the flats off of the creek/bayou by boat quietly, that might be the ticket to slipping in as undetected as practical. I also like the area between the 3-5 year cut-over and hardwoods ..... this time of year I'd be looking for early dropping white oaks or swamp chestnut oaks, if there are, and see if you can find a trail(s) back into the cut-over. Would be a good bedding to food source trail to set up on.
I'd sure scout the "unscouted" area ASAP. I like that area just north of the creek/bayou, between the creek/bayou and the plowed field. What was in the field? Corn? Beans? Cotton? Peanuts ? Is it in winter wheat or some other winter crop now? If it has been planted with wheat or oats, should be a honey hole later in the season.
I'd sure scout the "unscouted" area ASAP. I like that area just north of the creek/bayou, between the creek/bayou and the plowed field. What was in the field? Corn? Beans? Cotton? Peanuts ? Is it in winter wheat or some other winter crop now? If it has been planted with wheat or oats, should be a honey hole later in the season.
10-07-2011, 09:54 PM
#5
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 17
The swamp is about 500 yards long and maybe 80-100 yards wide. The area with the heavy trails is only about 50 yards wide and I feel like it acts as a funnel for the deer. There are some oaks dropping right now, but the key for me is to get in there quietly...I haven't spent much time hunting swamps, but it always seems that a HUGE deer falls victim to someone hunting a swamp every year...not sure why it is such a big buck haven, but I only assume it can be because of the lack of pressure. Also, no hunting pressure is on this area so that is a bonus for me
10-08-2011, 08:05 PM
#6
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: central Wisconsin
Posts: 479
That is not too different from our land. We hunt the hardwoods (acorns) near the swamp. We always get a monster or two out of it every year. This is assuming no one walks around on the land during the day. If you go in together in a group and just drop off as you go by the stands and do the same at the end of the day the deer will maintain their normal patterns. If you have people wandering around on the land all day they'll just hunker down and go nocturnal. My two cents.
