Swamp navigation methods, traversing, and gear

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Harvester
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Swamp navigation methods, traversing, and gear

Unread postby Harvester » Tue Sep 15, 2020 8:10 am

Ok Y'all first off, I'm a new member and am so glad I found the Hunting Beast site, it truly is a breath of fresh air with so much misinformation on cable TV shows, and a lot of hunting mags littered with so much marketing and gimmicks. It seems you spend most your time trying to weed through the B.S. just to get to the meat and potatoes.

Ok to the subject :D

I am planing my first out of state hunting trip the last week of October to my home state of Indiana and am planning on hunting public land that is a mix of river bottom, marsh/swamp, and agg. I've never hunted swamp and was hoping to get some insight on methods of traversing and navigating through the swamp/ cat tails / marsh areas. What kind of gear and clothing are y'all using such as boots, waders, etc. and overall methods and tactics. This hunt I am going on will be a week long and am hoping to be capitalizing on pre-rut activity. This is a completely blind hunt, in that I've never stepped foot on the land and have only done some aerial photo scouting for access/ pressure and potential bedding. Any information that will help me and others on this topic would be helpful!

Thanks


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Re: Swamp navigation methods, traversing, and gear

Unread postby Zephyrus » Tue Sep 15, 2020 12:29 pm

bumping cuz i would like more info on this too
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Re: Swamp navigation methods, traversing, and gear

Unread postby venisonassassin » Tue Sep 15, 2020 1:55 pm

As far as boots go, I have some good quality hip boots (Cabelas and Lacrosse brand) and, where I hunt most of the time, I practically live in them in the fall. That and a good stout stick so I don't lose my balance in the muck. Good treestand, I use lone wolf for, oh, the past 25 or more years or a saddle depending. Sometimes sit on the ground. Study some good ariel maps like google earth or onx. don't discount a paper map and a compass. Hope that helps some.
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Re: Swamp navigation methods, traversing, and gear

Unread postby venisonassassin » Tue Sep 15, 2020 1:56 pm

venisonassassin wrote:As far as boots go, I have some good quality hip boots (Cabelas and Lacrosse brand) and, where I hunt most of the time, I practically live in them in the fall. That and a good stout stick so I don't lose my balance in the muck. Good treestand, I use lone wolf for, oh, the past 25 or more years or a saddle depending. Sometimes sit on the ground. Study some good ariel maps like google earth or onx. don't discount a paper map and a compass. I love adventure hunting like that!... Hope that helps some.
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Re: Swamp navigation methods, traversing, and gear

Unread postby ThePreBanMan » Tue Sep 15, 2020 2:09 pm

I have a Garmin GPS 64s. I would assume lose my peanuts then be without it deep in the woods. Do you know if you'll have cell service?

I would start by suggesting carrying a compass and a paper map of the area. From there figure out if you have cell and can use an app such as US TopoMaps or OnX. That will have a lower buy in cost than a Garmin. The screen on the phone is a lot nicer than the Garmin GPS too. However - the Garmin will be a LOT more accurate. You can also change batteries if they die. You can put the maps/overlays you want, not what a cloud service decides to serve up. They have some nice advantages. But they require a little tech savvy to get the custom maps on, and they cost several hundred dollars.

It all depends on your woodsmanship and comfort level though. Some people are fine having at it with just a compass. But a compass won't tell you where you are. It just tells you where you're facing. So finding your way back to a trail in the bush in the dark can be a challenge if you don't know where you are relative to it.

I tend to want something better than that myself.
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Re: Swamp navigation methods, traversing, and gear

Unread postby PK_ » Tue Sep 15, 2020 2:29 pm

One foot in front of the other. It’s going to suck no matter how you slice it.

If you know the vegetation and tree type/size relative to water depth you can cut out a lot of wasted time and running into dead ends.

I do not like wearing waders in unknown waters. Sink in them a few times and you will know what I mean. Bad situation...

Marsh and cattails are pretty easy to navigate. Large river bottoms and swamps, even with a good sense of direction it is easy to go in circles. Get a gps or gps app and get real familiar with it. Carry extra battery/charger whatever...
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Re: Swamp navigation methods, traversing, and gear

Unread postby kdawg_901 » Tue Sep 15, 2020 2:37 pm

Couple of woodsmanship things iIl add

Pick visual landmarks that stand out when you walk in. A broken tree that stands out or the like. In some the places I go swamp and marsh the skyline can be distinct, such as a stand of timber that you can view in the distance.

A little harder in tall catails, if you plan on going into them Id have a compass. Know the direction that gets you out.

Good luck.
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Re: Swamp navigation methods, traversing, and gear

Unread postby Harvester » Tue Sep 15, 2020 3:32 pm

ThePreBanMan wrote:I have a Garmin GPS 64s. I would assume lose my peanuts then be without it deep in the woods. Do you know if you'll have cell service?

I would start by suggesting carrying a compass and a paper map of the area. From there figure out if you have cell and can use an app such as US TopoMaps or OnX. That will have a lower buy in cost than a Garmin. The screen on the phone is a lot nicer than the Garmin GPS too. However - the Garmin will be a LOT more accurate. You can also change batteries if they die. You can put the maps/overlays you want, not what a cloud service decides to serve up. They have some nice advantages. But they require a little tech savvy to get the custom maps on, and they cost several hundred dollars.

It all depends on your woodsmanship and comfort level though. Some people are fine having at it with just a compass. But a compass won't tell you where you are. It just tells you where you're facing. So finding your way back to a trail in the bush in the dark can be a challenge if you don't know where you are relative to it.

I tend to want something better than that myself.




I dont know if I'll have cell service, but I use OnX and will have map area downloaded. Will prob have another GPS app as well and I am packing in an portable usb charger for my all day sits.
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Re: Swamp navigation methods, traversing, and gear

Unread postby ThePreBanMan » Wed Sep 16, 2020 12:15 am

BusterHighman wrote:
ThePreBanMan wrote:I have a Garmin GPS 64s. I would assume lose my peanuts then be without it deep in the woods. Do you know if you'll have cell service?

I would start by suggesting carrying a compass and a paper map of the area. From there figure out if you have cell and can use an app such as US TopoMaps or OnX. That will have a lower buy in cost than a Garmin. The screen on the phone is a lot nicer than the Garmin GPS too. However - the Garmin will be a LOT more accurate. You can also change batteries if they die. You can put the maps/overlays you want, not what a cloud service decides to serve up. They have some nice advantages. But they require a little tech savvy to get the custom maps on, and they cost several hundred dollars.

It all depends on your woodsmanship and comfort level though. Some people are fine having at it with just a compass. But a compass won't tell you where you are. It just tells you where you're facing. So finding your way back to a trail in the bush in the dark can be a challenge if you don't know where you are relative to it.

I tend to want something better than that myself.




I dont know if I'll have cell service, but I use OnX and will have map area downloaded. Will prob have another GPS app as well and I am packing in an portable usb charger for my all day sits.


Sounds like you already got it figured out then.
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Re: Swamp navigation methods, traversing, and gear

Unread postby OhioPublicLand » Thu Sep 17, 2020 10:41 am

Hunting in swamps this time of year a bug net can be the difference between a good and miserable sit. Also a good wading stick to test out how deep the water is, not fool proof but could also keep you upright.
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Re: Swamp navigation methods, traversing, and gear

Unread postby Harvester » Thu Sep 17, 2020 10:57 am

OhioPublicLand wrote:Hunting in swamps this time of year a bug net can be the difference between a good and miserable sit. Also a good wading stick to test out how deep the water is, not fool proof but could also keep you upright.

Thanks
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Re: Swamp navigation methods, traversing, and gear

Unread postby Rich M » Thu Sep 17, 2020 10:31 pm

I sometimes hunt cypress swamps in FL and carry GPS and compass as backup. Already know which way I need to go if need to just get out, and from scouting, know how to access area. Often times walking around a swamp is easier than bullying thru the center.

Boots are typically a pair of green neoprene/muck type knee highs or full waders (all I got - don't own hip boots).

A bug head net is good - Wally world should have em for a buck or two. I find can handle most mosquito attacks except don't like em up nose or in eyes.


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