Setting up in water

[kdawg_901]

Had a neat scouting trip into the marsh this weekend. I ended up being a little slower than I thought I would be and defiantly did not get to primary locations yet. That said I marked quite a few beds and kicked a deer out of the bed pictured, which was super cool.

Currently the water Im going through is about thigh deep. Trees that Ive found that I may set up in are completely surrounded by water. Can I expect it to dry out to a point where their may be some dry land around these trees? Also does anyone have experience setting up in a tree like this? how would you handle hauling your bow up? Do you just let it get wet? Seems like that might not be the best idea.

[Rich M]

Can't see your pictures - a lot of guys hunt in water down here in FL. Probably a good spot to hunt multiple times as there is no ground scent.

You need to figure out how to keep your bow/gun dry (hang it on something?) as you climb/set up.

[kdawg_901]

Boy I suck at images on this forum. I just updated the links hopefully those should work.

[john1984]

I'm guessing it will dry out unless you get a ton of rain before season

[Dave.Bechtel]

I have hunted one marsh very similar to your pictures. It seems like your setting up in the middle of a lake but I've had good success. Depending on the amount of rain, it might dry up a bit. The location that I hunted was a low land drainage that would have almost NO water one day and then after a couple of rain storms, it is a lake.

[dan]

I like it when guys have there state under there name when they set up, its easier to answer a lot of questions... In the north you don't find many trees completely surrounded by water, but in the south you do... From your pic, im guessing your north and that water will dry up.

[kdawg_901]

Ill make sure I update that when I get a chance. I'm actually in the southeast between Milwaukee and Find du lac.

[Dewey]

I hunt in flooded timber like that all the time. Being spring the water may drop a little by September but chances are it will still be plenty wet. Usually I can find a tree with enough of a hump around it that I can get set up easier otherwise before climbing I just hang my bow on a branch at ground level so it stays dry then pull it up. I see big bucks moving thru that stuff often. Good way to get rid of other hunters too. That’s why the bucks are there.

[tgreeno]

I have an idea of where those picture are from. And I was out the recently and the water was extremely high for that area. I've been hunting there for the last couple of years.

If it is where I think it is, the water will go down quite a bit. I think the high rivers just north of you are causing the high water now.

[kdawg_901]

Thanks fellas, great info. Im guessing its gotta go down. Does anyone have a good idea of a summer timeframe a person could go out and see how far it drops? I think Id like to avoid over scouting it, but Id take a trip right up to the edge of where Im entering to see if I need to push further in case of other hunters. This place seems like it will see quite a bit of pressure on the dry parts for sure.

[john1984]

Thanks fellas, great info. Im guessing its gotta go down. Does anyone have a good idea of a summer timeframe a person could go out and see how far it drops? I think Id like to avoid over scouting it, but Id take a trip right up to the edge of where Im entering to see if I need to push further in case of other hunters. This place seems like it will see quite a bit of pressure on the dry parts for sure.

July

[kdawg_901]

Thanks fellas, great info. Im guessing its gotta go down. Does anyone have a good idea of a summer timeframe a person could go out and see how far it drops? I think Id like to avoid over scouting it, but Id take a trip right up to the edge of where Im entering to see if I need to push further in case of other hunters. This place seems like it will see quite a bit of pressure on the dry parts for sure.

July

Thanks

[PK_]

Use one of those accessory hook straps to hang your gear while you put the stand/sticks up. Use a bow sling instead of a pull rope or tie the pull rope off high enough to keep the bow hanging safely above water.

[kdawg_901]

Thats a good call, I could fit one of those in a pocket pretty easily.

[Swampbuck]

A screw in step or screw in bow holder. I just screw them in around chest height and hang them on there while climbing then pull the gun or bow up after