Swamp question for Dan or anyone else.....

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matlocc
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Swamp question for Dan or anyone else.....

Unread postby matlocc » Sat Apr 01, 2017 6:54 am

I have an area with many deer trails. the problem is the Phragmites grass. It is 12 to 14 feet tall and even in a tree set it is very hard to see the deer.
I want to add a pic but it says my form is invalid? How do I get the image to load? Here is a link with possible stand locations (I think)
http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l608/matlocc/bay.png?t=1490900236


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hunter_mike
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Re: Swamp question for Dan or anyone else.....

Unread postby hunter_mike » Sat Apr 01, 2017 7:55 am

Image
“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”
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Re: Swamp question for Dan or anyone else.....

Unread postby dan » Sat Apr 01, 2017 8:02 am

To post a picture just post the image address like you did, and highlight it and click the button in your post that looks like a picture. It will add the IMG's on each side of the address which will save as a pic once submitted... There are stickys posted with instructions at the top of the announcement forum.

phragmites can be tough, I would hunt in the trees right where they exit the phrag's or I would nock down the phrags in july along shooting lanes.
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Re: Swamp question for Dan or anyone else.....

Unread postby KLEMZ » Sat Apr 01, 2017 8:51 am

One thing I have noticed with bucks bedding in phragmites is that I think they do not like to walk thru the thick phragmite stalks (because of their racks).. but absolutely will do it in order to be secure. What I see is if you find mature buck bedding in the phrags, you will usually find a trail that BEE LINES from the bed to the nearest edge that still offers security. It's like the sooner they can get out of this stuff the better! I think there is some opportunity for a hunter to take advantage of this impatience from a big racked buck.

Setting up like Dan suggested on that BEE LINE trail would be a good idea.
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Re: Swamp question for Dan or anyone else.....

Unread postby Lastcast#1 » Sat Apr 01, 2017 9:52 am

Even without roads or coordinates this photo is highly recognizable Matloc...Perhaps you may be revealing your intentions to those who may want to join you.

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Chad
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Re: Swamp question for Dan or anyone else.....

Unread postby UofLbowhunter » Sat Apr 01, 2017 1:05 pm

Have you been scouting boots on the ground in the area to confirm your deer are there for sure?
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matlocc
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Re: Swamp question for Dan or anyone else.....

Unread postby matlocc » Sat Apr 01, 2017 3:40 pm

I hope people join me, I can't figure out how to hunt it. State land and tough to hunt. Yes there are deer, just invisible, you can't hear anything if there is a breeze, seeing them in the swaying reeds is tougher.
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Re: Swamp question for Dan or anyone else.....

Unread postby UofLbowhunter » Mon Apr 03, 2017 9:26 am

I have phrags in about every wet area i have scouted this year, one thing that i have noticed, in my areas,is they will use beaver paths some. One day scouting a island in a big slough i found some tracks cutting into the slough, so i dove in, near chest deep water( i had chest waders on) pushing the limits of my waders in open water, lost sight of the trail they used. Over at the other side closer to island i noticed a kind of well used path though phrags but paralleled with island for a ways and got deeper in phrags. It was the only hint of a trail i found, was a trail that led to about 5yrd diameter beaver hut. Looking around i found track of a doe track through the tons of beaver tracks. Leading away to the island on a diffrent trail, at the end, the deer tracks started to show up again. My point, if theres any hint of a trail around close, They could be using it , even if it is alil out of the way, but useable with ease! But whats said in the other post i have found the strait direct trails to bedding as well. When scouting close to phrags it helps to stop and scan the area some, when i scan the area sometimes i notice the phrags sometimes thin out in spots or there may be a lil point of water of some sort or land feature futher out in the phrags, these could be where they enter. I also walk right at waters edge when scouting(i have picked this up by learning)there is most of the time,at normal water pool,there seems to be a dirt mud line at edge, this is how i have found my trails and backed up my cyber scouting in phrags edges around islands. It is tough scouting And tough to travel, but they do use them. Dont give up on them to easily,there may be just a few limited trails in around a big area like that but i bet they use them in these few select spots.


Now in your picture i see sevral trails in multible directions. Check the islands wooded lines of trees in the middle, on both sides. If these red dots are your possible stand sites, I can see where the bedding could be close to there, if there is beds,U could be to close or may be not. I would say you need to follow those trails out till you find the beds(which is probably a must first) so you can then determine where set up needs to be!! With out knowing the beds and how those deer are traveling these trails, your set ups are probably a shot in the dark. Pay close attention to direction of tracks. U may find one trail going in one way and another trail coming out, this could be you entance and exit. Now you seeing the deer in the phrags im alil clueless. Im really not to experienced in that yet!! But dans suggestion of clearing a shouting lane in them would probably be best. He has a thread or a storey where has done stuff like this somewhere on the beast. My guess the surrounding islands and at the end of the points of the wooded lines would be probaly where the bedding would be unless theres a hiden dry hump in the phrags somewhere. Scouting for the beds can only give you the right answer! Then find your ambush spot!!
Bucks,ducks, turkeys,and bass!
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Re: Swamp question for Dan or anyone else.....

Unread postby Lastcast#1 » Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:12 am

Biggest piece of advice I could give is scout the pressure first and foremost.You want daylight movement.This area gets hammered.Find out where the other guys are hunting and adjust accordingly..The deer certainly are..This will force you to walk right by sign that may appear to be promising..Mark all known stand sites, there are many..Take a look at your map and think how the deer may be avoiding these areas. Many of the berms and islands out there might have a small thicket or possibly a high spot downwind..I bet you will find these spots will contain the most sign, and hold the best chance for movement during daylight. If you play around with google earth and zoom in and out, you will find quad trails that run perpendicular to many of those points. Easy access equals plenty of company..There are more open areas in the frags than you may think..

Find where the pressure is and or be the first to apply it! :)

Good luck. Certainly a good population of deer to work with.

Regards,

Chad
matlocc
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Re: Swamp question for Dan or anyone else.....

Unread postby matlocc » Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:09 pm

Chad, you seem like you know the area! I walked to the spots I marked and found old stands in the trees. A wooden ladder with a board, an old lock on and a ground blind. I did find a nice bedding area out on a small island but I couldn't tell directions because the trail was under water. I bet there are quite a few guys in the area because of ease of access. I am gonna keep scouting though.

Chuck
matlocc
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Re: Swamp question for Dan or anyone else.....

Unread postby matlocc » Thu Nov 21, 2019 6:24 am

This is awesome! Dan hunted this spot in the 2019 Michigan public land challenge!


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