Deer Bedding after a long flood

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greygunner07
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Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby greygunner07 » Sat Jan 05, 2019 4:00 am

Hey Everyone! This is my first year going from hunting stationary stands that we've had for years to using beast tactics and I've already had a dramatic increase in the amount of deer I see.

Earlier this season I located several buck beds along the creek and have narrowed down the primary beds for two large bucks that I have been after in a string of oaks that follow the creek. But, the rain Georgia has been getting over the last several weeks has put most of this area under 1'-2' of water. I'm looking to get some advice for what others have seen the bucks do when primary bedding gets flooded. I cant imagine the bucks bedding in water and it's pretty flat land so there aren't any significant dry spots (at least that I have found) along that creek. Are transition lines next to the edge going to be my best bet or has anyone seen deer completely move out of the swamp and head for the pines?

Trying to post a picture but I cant seem to figure this out?

Thanks in advance!


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ghoasthunter
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:19 am

alot depends on pressure if its low the deer just might bed on the edge deer are not afraid of water especially big old bucks when every other deer moves out some of the big ones will be stubborn if there is high ground big enough for a buck too lay on he could be there. im hunting two bucks right now like this standing water a foot deep for miles and the big bucks are bedding on humps in the thick swamp that are only a foot higher.
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby greygunner07 » Wed Jan 09, 2019 5:48 am

Thanks for the info! Turns out you were right. With temps in the high 60's i decided to wade back in the swamp and ended up bumping two bucks on one little built up area about 30'x15' surrounded by waist deep water. Now I just have to figure out a way to hunt them before season goes out :think:
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:24 am

greygunner07 wrote:Thanks for the info! Turns out you were right. With temps in the high 60's i decided to wade back in the swamp and ended up bumping two bucks on one little built up area about 30'x15' surrounded by waist deep water. Now I just have to figure out a way to hunt them before season goes out :think:

i passed a big 5 year old half rack last night in the swamp im hunting he was ten feet from me standing in chest deep water. pick the path of lest resistance on predicted direction of travel. i was setup about 150 yards from the bedding mound and had him under my tree at last light. hardest part i had was getting my bow on the ground without submerging it in the water along with all my other gear. id get right back on that bed with all the water alot of your ground scent is gone and the bucks are normally very confident on there bedding in water. i hit the bed i was hunting 3 night in a row before i connected the first night i bumped the buck going in.
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:09 am

ghoasthunter wrote:alot depends on pressure if its low the deer just might bed on the edge deer are not afraid of water especially big old bucks when every other deer moves out some of the big ones will be stubborn if there is high ground big enough for a buck too lay on he could be there. im hunting two bucks right now like this standing water a foot deep for miles and the big bucks are bedding on humps in the thick swamp that are only a foot higher.

I found a lot of these myself. Almost impossible to hunt effectively and the bucks know it.
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:10 am

Dewey wrote:
ghoasthunter wrote:alot depends on pressure if its low the deer just might bed on the edge deer are not afraid of water especially big old bucks when every other deer moves out some of the big ones will be stubborn if there is high ground big enough for a buck too lay on he could be there. im hunting two bucks right now like this standing water a foot deep for miles and the big bucks are bedding on humps in the thick swamp that are only a foot higher.

I found a lot of these myself. Almost impossible to hunt effectively and the bucks know it.

took me 2 hours too cover 200 yards in hip boots the other night one good thing is there are a lot of bears in the swamp as well so the deer are kind of used too hearing other animals out there as long as i get in early enough the deer have some time too settle down
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:23 am

ghoasthunter wrote:
Dewey wrote:
ghoasthunter wrote:alot depends on pressure if its low the deer just might bed on the edge deer are not afraid of water especially big old bucks when every other deer moves out some of the big ones will be stubborn if there is high ground big enough for a buck too lay on he could be there. im hunting two bucks right now like this standing water a foot deep for miles and the big bucks are bedding on humps in the thick swamp that are only a foot higher.

I found a lot of these myself. Almost impossible to hunt effectively and the bucks know it.

took me 2 hours too cover 200 yards in hip boots the other night one good thing is there are a lot of bears in the swamp as well so the deer are kind of used too hearing other animals out there as long as i get in early enough the deer have some time too settle down

I agree it can be done and do this myself often but a majority of guys out there would never have the ambition to pull it off. Most are afraid of anything over ankle deep. Mature bucks seek out this stuff and it’s amazing how many think bucks would never live in flooded timber with 2-3 feet of water. I posted pics while hunting in stuff like that any guys couldn’t believe bucks live in there but they do very well. Scouting out those higher humps especially now that everything is flooded is huge for future hunts in similar conditions.
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Wed Jan 09, 2019 10:42 am

Dewey wrote:
ghoasthunter wrote:
Dewey wrote:
ghoasthunter wrote:alot depends on pressure if its low the deer just might bed on the edge deer are not afraid of water especially big old bucks when every other deer moves out some of the big ones will be stubborn if there is high ground big enough for a buck too lay on he could be there. im hunting two bucks right now like this standing water a foot deep for miles and the big bucks are bedding on humps in the thick swamp that are only a foot higher.

I found a lot of these myself. Almost impossible to hunt effectively and the bucks know it.

took me 2 hours too cover 200 yards in hip boots the other night one good thing is there are a lot of bears in the swamp as well so the deer are kind of used too hearing other animals out there as long as i get in early enough the deer have some time too settle down

I agree it can be done and do this myself often but a majority of guys out there would never have the ambition to pull it off. Most are afraid of anything over ankle deep. Mature bucks seek out this stuff and it’s amazing how many think bucks would never live in flooded timber with 2-3 feet of water. I posted pics while hunting in stuff like that any guys couldn’t believe bucks live in there but they do very well. Scouting out those higher humps especially now that everything is flooded is huge for future hunts in similar conditions.

couldn't agree more its a cool bed im hunting maybe only 10 foot circle of dry ground under a rhododendron bush in a spice bush swamp the buck uses it on every wind got too be a hundred piles off poop on it from the same buck. ive noticed because of all the bears around the bucks out there really favor the water beds. think the bears avoid walking in the water i watched a bear come out in a different spot in swamp couple nights ago and he was sticking too walking on fallen trees and hopping from dry patch too dry patch. all the major buck beds have close too a hundred yards of solid water in every direction. just like zero human pressure creates big buck beds zero bear pressure does the same. i think guys forget there not the only predators out there and you need too think about them when locating beds just as much.
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Wed Jan 09, 2019 11:03 am

ghoasthunter wrote:
Dewey wrote:
ghoasthunter wrote:
Dewey wrote:
ghoasthunter wrote:alot depends on pressure if its low the deer just might bed on the edge deer are not afraid of water especially big old bucks when every other deer moves out some of the big ones will be stubborn if there is high ground big enough for a buck too lay on he could be there. im hunting two bucks right now like this standing water a foot deep for miles and the big bucks are bedding on humps in the thick swamp that are only a foot higher.

I found a lot of these myself. Almost impossible to hunt effectively and the bucks know it.

took me 2 hours too cover 200 yards in hip boots the other night one good thing is there are a lot of bears in the swamp as well so the deer are kind of used too hearing other animals out there as long as i get in early enough the deer have some time too settle down

I agree it can be done and do this myself often but a majority of guys out there would never have the ambition to pull it off. Most are afraid of anything over ankle deep. Mature bucks seek out this stuff and it’s amazing how many think bucks would never live in flooded timber with 2-3 feet of water. I posted pics while hunting in stuff like that any guys couldn’t believe bucks live in there but they do very well. Scouting out those higher humps especially now that everything is flooded is huge for future hunts in similar conditions.

couldn't agree more its a cool bed im hunting maybe only 10 foot circle of dry ground under a rhododendron bush in a spice bush swamp the buck uses it on every wind got too be a hundred piles off poop on it from the same buck. ive noticed because of all the bears around the bucks out there really favor the water beds. think the bears avoid walking in the water i watched a bear come out in a different spot in swamp couple nights ago and he was sticking too walking on fallen trees and hopping from dry patch too dry patch. all the major buck beds have close too a hundred yards of solid water in every direction. just like zero human pressure creates big buck beds zero bear pressure does the same. i think guys forget there not the only predators out there and you need too think about them when locating beds just as much.

ImageImage hears a pic from my stand the deer are bedding on these small bogs out there every year i get bucks using this swamp shooting is tight somtimes a ten yard shot is far but it sure can get exciting fast. i killed this buck couple years ago traveling too the same spot in the morning. its defiantly boring most days though all the other deer are out in thick laurel most of the time but the old bucks keep hidden. its very tough convincing yourself too stay in there you can go weeks without seeing deer. but you always can hear them walking around.
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby Deerslayer31 » Wed Jan 09, 2019 1:07 pm

Ghosthunter when ever you post about your hunting areas it sounds like you are hunting the same part of the state as me in nj. I live in Stockholm Sussex county right on zone 3,2, and 6 border. You are a very knowledgeable
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Wed Jan 09, 2019 1:26 pm

Deerslayer31 wrote:Ghosthunter when ever you post about your hunting areas it sounds like you are hunting the same part of the state as me in nj. I live in Stockholm Sussex county right on zone 3,2, and 6 border. You are a very knowledgeable
Guy.

i hunt most of northern nj i also hunt in PA and NY im born and raised in Montague twp Sussex county
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Wed Jan 09, 2019 1:31 pm

What I've found out the hard way this year in record rain fall is the creek bottoms got flooded. The pigs relocated and took over the premium doe bedding. Which resulted in the bucks completely dodging historical runs. Have yet to discover where everything went, still searching but as yet still a crap shoot. But can say with certainty where they were not bedding ;)
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby Bogle » Wed Jan 09, 2019 2:30 pm

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.
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby freezeAR » Thu Jan 10, 2019 4:03 pm

Thats my favorite terrain to find beds. I posted about a scouting trip with similar terrain recently. Here is a link.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=48480&p=735283&hilit=Freezear#p735283

I read a study on mature bucks in a flooded area and instead of vacating the area a large prcent (I beleive 80%) drowned.
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Re: Deer Bedding after a long flood

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Fri Jan 11, 2019 3:58 pm

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.
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