Fluctuations in water levels (cattail marshes)

[Hogie]

The 2017 public land spots I hunted were a success on the hill country stuff. Had a close call on a big buck that didn’t quite take the way out I thought. Bumped a satellite buck on the way in for that hunt, thought i messed it up. Learned a lot last year. However, I ran into some troubles with rising water levels in my area.

Has anyone had any marshes flood to the point where the deer seem evacuate? Seemed like everything I learned from the year before didn’t apply because the water level had risen too much. Are others dealing with these types of changes? I scouted other marsh spots throughout the season and found that a lot of the sign was old and under a lot of water. The rubber boots were a mistake the first day. I started using an old pair of hiking boots and light hiking pants. Any suggestions? Do I check water levels throughout the year and make decisions on if beds are being used?

[Jonny]

This spring all the beds I found were under a foot of water. If I hit a spot with no ice I was up to the boys. Jumped one deer and cut one set of fresh tracks out there. Only spot of dry land had the bed on it (shocker).

Just gotta note water levels and know how it effects bedding. Unfortunately it takes years of observations and note taking to be able to take a good guess.

I like higher water levels. Keeps the yahoos at bay

[Dewey]

I actually like high water years because it makes bedding so much more predictable. It really limits available bedding. This is where your scouting will pay off in a huge way. If you find those higher bedding spots and apply it to high water seasons you will have a huge advantage.

My largest marsh bucks were all killed during the deep water years. During dry years I struggle because bucks pretty much can bed anywhere. In extreme droughts I experienced over the years bucks were bedding right in the middle of large expanses of dry cattails because guys were pretty much going anywhere they wanted due to no water. When you have 10-20,000 acres of cattails where bucks can hide to avoid pressure you can see how difficult that could be.

I love high water because it eliminates pretty much all hunting pressure and the bucks know this. Believe me bucks do not care about water and betting some of the largest ones in big marshes rarely have dry feet during their lifetime.

[MN_DeerHunter]

I actually like high water years because it makes bedding so much more predictable. It really limits available bedding. This is where your scouting will pay off in a huge way. If you find those higher bedding spots and apply it to high water seasons you will have a huge advantage.

My largest marsh bucks were all killed during the deep water years. During dry years I struggle because bucks pretty much can bed anywhere. In extreme droughts I experienced over the years bucks were bedding right in the middle of large expanses of dry cattails because guys were pretty much going anywhere they wanted due to no water. When you have 10-20,000 acres of cattails where bucks can hide to avoid pressure you can see how difficult that could be.

I love high water because it eliminates pretty much all hunting pressure and the bucks know this. Believe me bucks do not care about water and betting some of the largest ones in big marshes rarely have dry feet during their lifetime.

Dewey was that you that had some trail cam pictures of bucks basically swimming through the cattails?

[PK_]

I actually like high water years because it makes bedding so much more predictable. It really limits available bedding. This is where your scouting will pay off in a huge way. If you find those higher bedding spots and apply it to high water seasons you will have a huge advantage.

My largest marsh bucks were all killed during the deep water years. During dry years I struggle because bucks pretty much can bed anywhere. In extreme droughts I experienced over the years bucks were bedding right in the middle of large expanses of dry cattails because guys were pretty much going anywhere they wanted due to no water. When you have 10-20,000 acres of cattails where bucks can hide to avoid pressure you can see how difficult that could be.

I love high water because it eliminates pretty much all hunting pressure and the bucks know this. Believe me bucks do not care about water and betting some of the largest ones in big marshes rarely have dry feet during their lifetime.

Exactly. They shut down our areas during high water because the deer are too easy to kill.

Just find the high ground. Deer don’t mind water but need dry ground to dry their feet otherwise they die.

[A5BLASTER]

Only thing I could add to this is this.

Our marshes are very different in LA compared to what you gents see up north but one of the first things I would look for is high spots out in the marsh that may offer just the smallest pinch of dry ground during high water.

Big bucks will use that every time.

Also and this may sound crazy but during high water times don't forget to check trees that have a severe lean to them are that or layed down but across other trees deer will bed up in the tree it's self to get out of the water.

Years ago friend of mine killed a big buck for the area we were raised in and it was bedding on a down cypress tree in the middle of a swamp in bout 3 foot of water, buck had to swim atleast 200 yards to get to dry land

[headgear]

In most cases dry weather is so much worse, they can bed anywhere and suddenly lazy hunters who won't travel in a little water get brave. The hunters get more mobile and the deer have more options. Give me some deeper water to help narrow down those bedding locations.