Late Season Marsh Advice

[nsmith253]

So I'm looking for advice on a public marsh spot I've only hunted once this year about 3 weeks ago in November and had a couple of buck encounters that day. This was my first foray into beast tactics. Some summer scouting uncovered this bed under a knurled tree in the cattails off of a mini point that's part of a bigger peninsula of hardwoods that sticks out into the cattails.



I did my best to draw a map showing the features and topo (innermost circles are the highest elevation). The Red X is the buck bed shown above. The lightly shaded stuff is brushier shrubs, small trees and dogwood to show the transitions between cattails and brushy stuff, and then brushy stuff and hardwoods. The swampy bowl on the West side has a thick inner ring of taller pine trees i tried to show (I really need to learn my vegetation species so I can be clearer)



The first sit I accessed in the dark through the cattails from the E to the hardwoods and then along the blue line and set up on a WSW wind. It was about 60 yards from the bed. I tried to show it's kind of a narrow finger with a ridge at the top that runs downhill to where the smaller bowl dumps into the woodlot. I got caught with my pants down that morning as a younger 8 point was headed back down to bedding late from the higher elevation he walked right down the finger on a B-line at eye level within about 7 yards and busted me as I clinked my limb on my climber (I've yet to shoot a bow buck so I would have been happy with him)

I sat all day and about 30 minutes before dark I heard something get up and start moving towards me in the marsh from the direction of that bedding area. I could tell by how slow he was walking it was a better deer. He got right to the base of where the brushy stuff meets the hardwoods at the bottom and stopped to stage. My sight line was obstructed by some trees and brush but saw a thick neck and the tip of his main beam. Definite shooter for me. It was then I realized what Dan means when he says you have to be ON THE EDGE, like actually ON it, not 35 yards back with no shot praying to all kinds of gods he keeps coming

Anyway, he sat there for about 15 minutes looking and smelling in all directions. He knew something was up and turned and went back down towards the bowl. With the evening thermals I believe my scent was running down the finger and then spilling into that bowl, rather than pulling to the swamp to my E like I had hoped.

So that was 3 weeks ago, and I want to throw one or two more sits at this area in the late season. I did not scout the tip of the point further North, nor did I scout the bowl or either sides of the "U" that form it to the West. What do the beasts think? Sit the same bedding area and move in closer to seal the deal?

OR

Push past it, burn that bridge and try to find something else hot? South and West of the map are private, I can only access from the SE corner through the marsh. The next two days I have to hunt it are calling for SSW and WNW winds, respectively.

[marsh journey]

From my experience if the mature bucks haven't been disturbed earlier in the season they will use their same beds or the immediate surrounding area during the late season just like in early fall. However all other facets must be in place.... ample food supply close by and protection from the elements. You will have to be extra careful not to be seen or heard with the foliage knocked down and with the cold still air sound really travels. I've often found sheds close to where their early fall beds were while scouting which tells me they are using the area all winter long. Hope this helps. Tim Nelson New Berlin Wi.

[Lockdown]

I wouldn’t pass that bed just because you hunted it once and got busted, especially if you’ve got time for multiple sits in the area. In my opinion people get a little carried away with the one and done thing. And in your case, you’re not solely targeting mature deer so that’s even more reason to try it again. Younger bucks will let you by with more.

[tundra@1]

from my experience, now I am talking SE Wis late season, Security and Cover, for bedding is the bucks number one priority. They will travel farther than you realize, to feed at night, but they will not cut short the good bedding areas............ entry is what makes it tough............. for late season I set up close,,,, I have blown a lot of spots, but at times I got lucky

[nsmith253]

Thanks all. Once this stupid anterless only season is over I'm diving back in.

[KRONIIK]

Not able to add any valuable advice to what others have given you, but I do want to compliment you on the great artwork in your hand-drawn map as well as the great photo of that bed at the base of a super-cool gnarly mossy tree!

[ihookem]

I hunt some public marshes in SE Wisconsin and there are almost no deer in the marsh. I walked 1.4 mi. yesterday and found 2 tracks on the ice . Today , I decided to hunt further in the marsh where there is a ridge. I thought maybe they were on the ridge and would walk to the fields come night time. Didn't happen . I noticed the deer slip all over the place on ice with no or little snow. They also dont like breaking through the ice at all. If they get caught by a few coyotes on the ice they are in trouble and likely know it. Also, last week , a week ago to day there was a lot of suspended ice in the marsh. walking through the marsh makes the ice break like a ceramic plate breaking on the floor. They know this and dont like it. Those are the only rings I can think of why there are almost no tracks in the marsh.ALso, I did see a few the last few days just outside the marsh in the hay and corn fields. There just may be no reason for the marsh at this time. As for hunting that spot again, I would ddi it. That buck stayed safe by being there and he knows it . At this point I would love to just see a deer.

[greenhorndave]

Good observations ihook... Thanks for sharing. We need some snow to change that game, particularly after the firearm seasons end.

[ihookem]

I took a 3.5 mi. walk in the marsh this morning for the late doe hunt. I found 3 deer tracks . One track was about 1 1/2" long do it is a fawn. There are almost no deer in the marsh by me. Other marshes may be different. I saw 3 hunters , two were way back there. I saw many coyote tracks , and the amount of raccoon tracks were legion! ( snicker)

[PK_]

I would go with option a

I wouldn’t burn past a bed that was holding a shooter until it isn’t.

[PK_]

The only real question is how to beat the thermals in that spot. He has a good little bedroom there.