Hunting creeks

[Walleye10]

First off I wanna introduce myself I'm new too the group, I've spent endless hours going through some of the old posts and just finished watching a few of dans dvds. I've been hunting swamps and marshes for awhile now but could never figure out all the pieces. But thanks too all of you guys I've learned a lot. Now I'm ready too start putting some foot work in and find the beast bucks. So Im wondering if I can get a few tips on hunting creeks I don't see a lot of info on that subject. The creek I'm going too scout next week is in some very remote woods it's approximately 6 miles from road A too road B. Now the creek has a lot of old fallen trees laying down within the tall swamp grass with some small 5x5 feet sized islands. Is there anything that I should really focus on such as points or the small islands. I'm going too try too post a pic of the intended area of hunting

[Cuzzinfish]

My first question would be...

What's the topography like in the surrounding area? You could look at a Topo online in combo with aerials and try to locate potential bedding and funnel areas nearby. It might give you a better idea how deer would use that creek.

[dan]

I would treat that creek area like marsh... Look within the grass for small islands, points coming out of the woods, brush within oxbows, lone trees, etc.

Welcome to the BEAST!

[Walleye10]

Thanks for the advice. Hoping that the area holds at least 1 mature buck

[PUBLICbowhunter]

Walk the transition line from marsh grass to the woods, I am positive you will find the sign you need to help you key in on some bucks. Goodluck and welcome to the beast!

[Twenty Up]

Welcome to the Beast!

I've found a couple buck beds along swamps just off of creeks. It's hard to describe but there was an island surrounded by a flooded timber swamp that was roughly 200 yards from a decent sized creek (100' wide) The swamp in it's main channel was around +4' deep and the swamp around it was about 3' deep so the bucks were very rarely harassed by the wild dogs/coyotes in the area.

It really depends on the creek, I wouldn't necessarily focus all of my efforts on the edge of the creek because the water levels always rise & fall. Try looking for something consistent like a swamp, larger islands or something that you can have confidence that it will be there during most years.

[naternate]

I know its not a typical beast setup (hunting a specific bed) but I see a potential funnel for the rut. I think it would depend on a few factors. Biggest thing would be how wide the woods is between the creek and that other body of water. Too wide and it won't work. The other factor would be what is on either side of the funnel. Could catch bucks cruising down the edge of the creek in the rut looking for does. That other body of water could potentially be funneling deer from the east into that creek bottom as well. I love hunting creeks and that sounds like an area with potentially low pressure

[PK_]

That area I would scout from the high water line (where the trees end) to the waters edge. I would expect the best beds to be surrounded on two or three sides by water with nothing more than a little bush or an old down log providing 'structure' or cover/shade.