Florida Public Land

[Dragsmack]

Hi guys! I just finished hunting my first year and are now hog hunting/turkey and deer scouting. I have been hunting the edges of swamps and cypress bay heads. I have seen lots of hogs and a few does, but no bucks or scrapes or rubs. The swamp edges are fire breaks that can be very wet a lot of the time. Luckily, I have not seen as many hunters back there as I thought I might.

I wanted to have as many options as possible for next year, especially if things get very wet, so this past weekend I scouted an area of higher ground and sandier soil. It was planted young pines too small to hunt from, but there were several small oaks that were big enough. I found tons of deer scat throughout this area, but unfortunately a couple tree stands also. Would you guys in there? Should I stay on swamp edges? Usually the planted pines I find dont have oaks in them. Are they worth hunting without oak trees being there?

Thanks?

 

[Bogle]

Hi guys! I just finished hunting my first year and are now hog hunting/turkey and deer scouting. I have been hunting the edges of swamps and cypress bay heads. I have seen lots of hogs and a few does, but no bucks or scrapes or rubs. The swamp edges are fire breaks that can be very wet a lot of the time. Luckily, I have not seen as many hunters back there as I thought I might.

I wanted to have as many options as possible for next year, especially if things get very wet, so this past weekend I scouted an area of higher ground and sandier soil. It was planted young pines too small to hunt from, but there were several small oaks that were big enough. I found tons of deer scat throughout this area, but unfortunately a couple tree stands also. Would you guys in there? Should I stay on swamp edges? Usually the planted pines I find dont have oaks in them. Are they worth hunting without oak trees being there?

Thanks?

I would tell you to avoid the pines and the oaks inside them at all cost. Sounds like easy access which will attract others. Stay in the swamps and find the higher ground inside the swamp. It will only get better if we get more water as it will concentrate the best bucks in the best area. Look for that second transition line inside the swamp as most guys hunt the first one.

 

[ImThere]

I would find the deer escape routes from the pines/ oaks. Where do they go when the pressure is on


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[bigjoe]

i would hunt all of it. Looking for trails and areas where deer are. The swamp may be best when deer are pressured in the pines. But if you were are a deer, where would you want to hang out; on dry land or water? I would definetly try to find the high ground in the swamp.

 

[Dragsmack]

I would tell you to avoid the pines and the oaks inside them at all cost. Sounds like easy access which will attract others. Stay in the swamps and find the higher ground inside the swamp. It will only get better if we get more water as it will concentrate the best bucks in the best area. Look for that second transition line inside the swamp as most guys hunt the first one.

Great points! Thank you! Have you been able to identify high ground in a swamp on google earth, or boots on the ground?

 

[Dragsmack]

I would find the deer escape routes from the pines/ oaks. Where do they go when the pressure is on


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Lol...I found some nice trails coming out of the Pines going down into the swamps and was thinking that might work! Thank you!

 

[Dragsmack]

i would hunt all of it. Looking for trails and areas where deer are. The swamp may be best when deer are pressured in the pines. But if you were are a deer, where would you want to hang out; on dry land or water? I would definetly try to find the high ground in the swamp.

Have you had any luck in featureless pines? I thought they might get ignored by other hunters and provide some cover and unmolested area that was dry.

 

[Bogle]

Great points! Thank you! Have you been able to identify high ground in a swamp on google earth, or boots on the ground?

Yea, you can but the further south you go the harder it is in my opinion since everything is flat and very similar in land features. Use the “history feature” on Google Earth to see winter time photos. Lone pine trees in a swamp will often indicate dry areas. Boots on the ground is the single best way to do it. I scouted an area two weeks ago and the secondary transition line wasn’t noticeable from an aerial photo but it was very noticeable one you walked it. All the deer I jumped and all the sign were along the secondary transition. It went from palmettos that we’re knee to waist high to chest high and higher, this is where they were.

Think about it from a deers perspective, survival is the main thing with food and breeding after that. Would you go to an area knowing there was danger there? Maybe, but it would only be after dark. However, you may choose to go to a place where you haven’t seen or smelled danger and then go to the food source at night. Pretty hard to sneak up on a buck in knee high water without making noise - where would you go?

 

[Dragsmack]

Yea, you can but the further south you go the harder it is in my opinion since everything is flat and very similar in land features. Use the “history feature” on Google Earth to see winter time photos. Lone pine trees in a swamp will often indicate dry areas. Boots on the ground is the single best way to do it. I scouted an area two weeks ago and the secondary transition line wasn’t noticeable from an aerial photo but it was very noticeable one you walked it. All the deer I jumped and all the sign were along the secondary transition. It went from palmettos that we’re knee to waist high to chest high and higher, this is where they were.

Think about it from a deers perspective, survival is the main thing with food and breeding after that. Would you go to an area knowing there was danger there? Maybe, but it would only be after dark. However, you may choose to go to a place where you haven’t seen or smelled danger and then go to the food source at night. Pretty hard to sneak up on a buck in knee high water without making noise - where would you go?

One of the things I was worried about hunting in the cypress bay heads and swamps was making too much noise going in. Do you think it is ok to travel through water to get to hunting spot in swamp?

 

[Bogle]

Yes, absolutely you can, but most likely only in the evening. Depending on what you find scouting, you will probably need to go in around 10_11 am, take your time and be set up and ready for your evening hunt by 1-2.

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[Dragsmack]

Yes, absolutely you can, but most likely only in the evening. Depending on what you find scouting, you will probably need to go in around 10_11 am, take your time and be set up and ready for your evening hunt by 1-2.

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I am not sure that I follow your reasoning. Where are the deer during the day and the night. I would assume the swamp during the day and more open areas at night. If I travel through the swamp middle of the day, wouldnt I spook them. I think I am missing something!

Thank you!

 

[wmahunterfl]

chest high palmettos provide cover (bedding) and protection from predators.
cypress swamps provide cover, bedding and protection from predators.

Deer will slip out of these areas in a more open area where the vegetation is lower to feed at night. What Bogie is saying is stay in bed in the morning and go in the woods about 10 - 11 o clock and sit the rest of the day. This gives you plenty of time to slip in the woods quietly, and get setup for the afternoon hunt when the deer are coming out of the bedding area. Yes there are couple of hours of no activity, but some deer move during the middle of the day for a quick snack or a new position when most hunters have left the woods.

 

[Bogle]

I am not sure that I follow your reasoning. Where are the deer during the day and the night. I would assume the swamp during the day and more open areas at night. If I travel through the swamp middle of the day, wouldnt I spook them. I think I am missing something!

Thank you!

What WMA said. You have to be where deer are moving during daylight hours in order to have a shot.

 

[Buchholz06]

As a newbie in Florida, really good info in this thread. Thanks guys.

 

[Twenty Up]

While I’ve never hunted Florida, I do hunt South GA a lot so I understand the terrain to some extent.

My best luck has been hunting the edges of swamps or pine thickets with any form of elevation change. Even 5-10’ could produce a mature buck bedded on the edge, does seem to prefer the highest points in those areas. Edges of recent clear cuts that turn into briar patches etc and hardwoods also produce great bedding.

Hogs seem to push more deer out than anything so if you’re specifically after deer I’d walk past any hog sign.

 

[Tjraley2]

Hi guys! I just finished hunting my first year and are now hog hunting/turkey and deer scouting. I have been hunting the edges of swamps and cypress bay heads. I have seen lots of hogs and a few does, but no bucks or scrapes or rubs. The swamp edges are fire breaks that can be very wet a lot of the time. Luckily, I have not seen as many hunters back there as I thought I might.

I wanted to have as many options as possible for next year, especially if things get very wet, so this past weekend I scouted an area of higher ground and sandier soil. It was planted young pines too small to hunt from, but there were several small oaks that were big enough. I found tons of deer scat throughout this area, but unfortunately a couple tree stands also. Would you guys in there? Should I stay on swamp edges? Usually the planted pines I find dont have oaks in them. Are they worth hunting without oak trees being there?

Thanks?

I grew up hunting similar terrain in southern Alabama. I had the most success hunting the real young clear cuts, older pines with thick understory, pine ridges that taper off into the swamps, and the edge of swamp/pines on the piney side.

Those piney woods look featureless, but there’s a lot going on there. Key in on preferred browse in there too.