Swamp Buck Bedding

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Paca
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Swamp Buck Bedding

Unread postby Paca » Sun Oct 14, 2018 1:31 pm

I own an 80 which sits in the middle of a 2000 acre swamp in waupaca county,wi. Every year at least one B&C buck gets shot around my property. I have around a 7 acre high/dry island at the southern end(this is the only high ground deep in the swamp). Multiple mature bucks frequent this high ground, especially during the first 2 weeks of November. I usually able to have a harvest opportunity on at least one 4 plus year old buck every year. I don't hunt the property the first half of gun season. The remainder of the gun season and muzzle load season is very good. The lack of pressure turns the property into a buck magnet, and I'll see a 3 year old almost every sit. Usually more than one.
Some of the neighboring land has high pressure during gun season. There is a landlocked 20 next to me that isn't hunted. There isn't many people going deep in the swamp and bow hunting.
The habitat is a mix or marshy red brush, tag alders, mature tamarack stands, immature tamarack stands, 120 year old cedar stands, black ash stands, balsam and marsh grass. On my north end there are food plots 100 yards from my line. East-west, there are ag fields .25-.5 miles away. Only acesss is from the south. I can get to my highland without spooking a deer.
Now here is my question. I want to improve on locating buck bedding. When the hunting pressure is on, I can guess on general areas the older bucks go to. I just can't figure out where the bucks are bedding right now. Historically, I have minimal mature bucks on cams until the rut on. I've set up trail cams on the trials inside the bedding area, mature buck movement is unpatternable.
I do know where rubs will be in the same spots almost every year. I suspect this is where a buck will bed. There is just so many random cozy humps a buck can bed on. I'm interested in what the hunting beasts have?


cattailcrusher
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Re: Swamp Buck Bedding

Unread postby cattailcrusher » Sun Oct 14, 2018 2:18 pm

Just my two cents but there are a ton of possibilities on why bucks are only showing up early November/ Gun season.

First do are you apply any pressure from bow hunting in the weeks/months leading up to gun season? The reason I ask is because 80 acres out of 2000 acres is a very small area when put into a larger perspective. It may seem like a lot when you are the only person hunting it but it only takes 2 maybe 3 hunts if your lucky before the deer realize you are in there. Also do the properties around you experience any pressure from bowhunters?

I know you mentioned having trail cameras on the 7 acre island, you didn’t mention how many times you are going in to that area to check them, but I would suggest maybe put the camera’s on the outskirts of that bedding or even farther away so that 7 acre bedding area receives as little human pressure as possible. Or no cameras at all since it sounds like you already know the area really well, where seasoned rubs are, etc..

As for where the bucks could be bedding right now, there are many possibilities, mainly food and pressure come to mind to determine where they could be bedding. You mentioned there are some food plots and ag fields on neighboring properties. But depending on the pressure on those neighboring properties will determine if the bucks are bedding there or not.Those two options could play a big role on why bucks aren’t bedding on your property. Another possibility would be if there are any oak trees in the area, it doesn’t take many oaks for a buck to become really comfortable and not move to far in daylight if they are bedding close to those oaks.

Im also interested to see what other members suggest for you!
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headgear
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Re: Swamp Buck Bedding

Unread postby headgear » Sun Oct 14, 2018 2:21 pm

Sounds like you have a nice spot there, hard to say with the bedding, any open water that might create a thermal effect? Any areas a little thicker or harder to access than others that they could be bedding in? Hard to guess without a map to get a feel for the area.
UofLbowhunter
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Re: Swamp Buck Bedding

Unread postby UofLbowhunter » Sun Oct 14, 2018 2:32 pm

I think if i was you i would pm dan, he was charging a small fee for map scouting. You can have him look at it send him a blankmap and a map with what you know marked on it! Now if he is still doing that, cause i know he is super busy with sticks videos and the forum, might have quit doing that. I dont know, But worth a shot, or you can post in a map in the land manament forum and some other guys will draw up some stuff as well! Good luck hunting, it sounds like a great spot to play the cards right and shoot a big buck every year!
Bucks,ducks, turkeys,and bass!


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