Swamp Deer

Benu · Post by **Benu** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:49 pm

I went for a walk in the woods with my phoenix this afternoon, to explore and old atv trail. After a couple of hours the trail disappeared, due to fallen trees (more like a fallen forest), in a moment of haste I decide to break off and head on a NW shot through the bush, heading that way, I knew I would eventually hit the main road. What I didn't know was I would have spend the greater part of the next hour in a swamp. This was nothing new to me as I had done the same type of thing in August while doing some sight, but I did notice one similarity. There is a lot of deer scat, tracks and even beds surrounding swamps. I even found piles of scat deep in the swamp around mossy old tree stumps. Tracks in the muddy sections that were not covered in water.

From these two adventures, I have drawn the conclusion that deer like the habitat near and sometimes even in swampy wetlands. Actually to say swamp is maybe a mistake, more like a flooded old forest. I did not read this in any literature. Has anyone else found this to be true?

Only problem is I think I couldn't hunt in these areas, cause the trees were so thick, I don't think I could ever even fire a xbow safely. Plus I wouldn't want to track or haul a deer out of there.

Just some of my thoughts and observations.

VixChix · Post by **VixChix** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:53 pm

We have a stretch of swamp on our lot up north - it's almost impenetrable, and you'd need hipwaders to get into it. Tracks lead in and out of it. When there was thick enough ice in it, I've pushed up deer bedded in it. I won't hunt it as recovery would be pretty much impossible without a skidder. The trick is to catch them entering or leaving. Unfortunately I haven't been able to hunt there for the past 3 years. Someday, I'll unravel the secrets of the swamp!

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:46 pm

I am noticing the same thing
When the season started deer were on the edges now that some pressure is on they are going to the swamps and I am going in after them
VERY CAREFULY
I'll go and scout,wait a couple days,hang a stand and corn,wait a couple days,corn again,hunt the next morning.

We shall see

pdislow · Post by **pdislow** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 10:30 am

down here deer will go deeper in the swamps as the season and pressure progresses. i have a very lite aluminum canoe and have slipped in some fairly inaccessable places on a full moon tide and jumped deer that would be laying up sometimes on a clump of ground at the base of a tree that was not hardly any bigger than the deer. and yes recovery without a canoe would be a major pain.

Limbs and Sticks · Post by **Limbs and Sticks** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 7:20 pm

I hunt alot of swamps, some have good size dry areas some don't,everybody is right find the dry spots and you got him. old bucks will bed up on the edge of a swamp he'll see you comeing long before you get near him he can live in there until the season is over the does will come to him he don't need to chase thats why they get old

WES

cdup · Post by **cdup** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 7:34 pm

SWAMP? Welcome to my world! The higher the water, the better it gets. Deer die of old age in some areas down here. Some never probably come in contact with a human. It's hard hunting, but can be successful.

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 7:59 pm

i love bottoms, streams, creeks, marshes, and swamps... where most people dont go, I do... its hard work, but the prizes hang on the wall

thats where alot of pre season work come sinto play.. go in there after season when things are frozen and pick your spots. Granted things will thickin up with greenage. One of my buddies went to hang some stands with me and said I would nver kill a deer in these spots because its so thick... well ones getting mounted now

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 4:12 pm

i to hunt in swamps all the time its harder but well worth it that is where all of our deer head to when the season opens. lots of times the dogs will jump them out of the swamp in the morning

Cossack · Post by **Cossack** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 4:09 pm

Some time ago, when I was a bit more spry and energetic, we made a push through a cattail swamp with waders when we noticed all the tracks going into it. We jumped a bunch of deer. They ran trough 2-3 feet of water. We could see the cattails moving and water spraying but got no shots, as the deer would just circle or dodge between us. We actually saw where they had bedded on Muskrat houses.

MADMAX2 · Post by **MADMAX2** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:33 pm

I have a swamp behind my grandfathers that always has deer in it alot of the old timers would use the term swamp buck to describe some of the mature bucks that would stay in these areas very very hard to get into without making alot of noise I also noticed turkeys have moved in to this paticular swamp I hunt

myself and my brother scored are spring birds there.

beretta96D · Post by **beretta96D** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:49 am

When I hunted in Kemptville a few years back, I was introduced to a fitness finatic who's only goal was to hunt big big deer. His smallest rack is 10 points and all come from the swamp. He uses chest waders to carry his gear in, changes out and heads for his stand, morning and night. He said it's a major workout so he tries to stay in shape.

They called this area Hell's Gate, and nobody cares to go there because of the wader idea, tag alders, thorn bushes etc. He said if you want big deer, it's the best place to hunt if you can deal with the aggravation.

VixChix · Post by **VixChix** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:56 am

Yikes! I like to enjoy my time outdoors - the deer is just a bonus.

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