ghoasthunter wrote:Bogle wrote:I hunt GA as well and the rain has been ridiculous this year, most I have ever seen. They still have to bed some where and I have found that it is still in the general area somewhere. This year I have noticed them bedding closer to areas that they might not bed if not forced to due to the water ie...... Field edges, food plots, orchards, parking areas. etc.....With that said; I still find them bedding on the downwind side of dry areas in the thick transitions. Keep in mind most accesses points are from dry areas so they can smell you coming in if you dont plan out your approach. Also, bedding that close to a field or food source (not a normal bedding area) and feeling the pressure of hunting season they may stay bedded longer.
This year I have been taking two HAWK gear hooks with me when wadding in. I make sure that I have them attached some where, where I can get to them with out taking off my sticks/platform/stand etc..... When I get to my tree I screw both hooks in a near by tree and hang my sticks/platform/stand on one and my bow/gun on the other. This way I have two hands on my gear while standing in the water and dont have to worry about dropping anything. I then take the sticks off and start putting them on the tree.
some swamps i hunt i found there is more dry land deeper in this can be very frustrating on flood years. the mature bucks dont feel comfortable bedding on edge with other deer and end up even deeper. a guy hunting the edge may think the big ones are not around but in reality the bucks are traveling even farther at dark and never getting close too the edge till well after dark. ive watched mature bucks travel hundreds of yards threw chest deep water exiting swamps very cool too watch.
I don’t think I ever shot a marsh buck that DIDN’t have wet legs along with black muck at least to his knees. Big bucks live in that stuff more than dry land if given the choice.