Is it my location or the wind?

[Backwoodsbeards]

I knew i should be IN the swamp... from looking at the trees from the edge none look very decent for hanging a stand in though... lots of low branches and stuff in the way. Also how do you guys move quietly through the thick stuff? It takes me an hour to move 100 yards through some of that. I know its only 5 days into the season but this type of hunting has my confidence pretty low. Ive always been a meat hunter and i know i can fall back into my old places to get doe but id like to start tagging mature bucks. Its definitely a lot more work and unfortunately i found out about this land just a month ago. Thank you for the welcome i found out about dan and then here from the wired 2 hunt pod cast.

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Few things;

1) Don't get discouraged, this type of hunting generally takes a few years to get a handle on. It definitely isn't easy but the challenge is half the fun.

2) If you haven't purchased Marsh Bucks and Hill country bucks DVDs from the store on this site, do so immediately, worth every penny.

3) Deer eat everything in big woods, don't need to worry about what they eat if you know where they sleep. Of course they will gravitate to acorns.

4) What is this?
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Is this a dyke running across the swamp? Does it get human traffic? This could be a mega rut funnel. If that is indeed a dyke cutting across that entire swamp I would put a cam up over it for the rest of season without checking it until after season or in pouring rain only, and hunt near the ends of it a couple times during the rut. Oh and I would remove these aerials from the internet. Unless it is a trail used by humans??

I know that probably never sees human traffic becauses its pretty insane to get to. But yes i believe it to be a dyke but its really hard to even see.

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[Country]

You need to penetrate that swamp, I have seen dan mark tons of maps like that and his dots will almost all be back inside that swamp where the secondary transitions are back on those little islands and such. That is where the bucks are most likely bedding and they are not making it to the main transition before dark. If they are not running the edge during daylight you either have to go in after them, or just back off and wait until rut. Jut my .02 without stepping foot in the area. Sounds and looks like a good spot, good luck!

Also, welcome to the forum!

PS, that yellow waypoint looks like a killer rut set IMO.

PK, could you elaborate on that a little? Curious. Thanks.

If you look at that pic the swamp transition running N to S, where that yellow WP is, is where the swamp comes furthers to the East, so any deer moving N to S or S to N on that side of the swamp is likely to walk by that waypoint. It certainly isn't a 'hard' funnel as deer could simply walk inside the swamp or out in the woods, but it is a type of setup I have had success with in the past.

Ahh, ok I see that now. Thanks.

[Backwoodsbeards]

Sat in the swamp after finding a well hidden trail with 4 finger tracks coming out of it near the bottom of the marsh. Ended up being a good observation stand because i could see almost all the marsh. Biggest deer ive seen with my own eyes, a 4 point (no brow tines) stood up 46 yards away in the clump i figured the bed has to be in. He stood up at 1 minute after sundown and just stood there for 20+ walked 8 yards in front of me after legal shooting. Im gonna back out for now and sit on a bed i know of right off the road on another spot and go after the big 4 this weekend if we have good wind. Thanks for your help guys. I seen 2 other bucks get up both about 2 mins before sunset. This deer is burned in my mind now though. Thanks for all your help

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[PK_]

That is freaking awesome.

It is not until you watch these older bucks get up and how long they linger near their bed and what little distance they travel before lights out that you understand how perfect your setup has to be in order to put them on the ground.

Good luck man.

[Jackson Marsh]

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