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Drilled 1st tree for Kestrel

Sipsey

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2016
Messages
615
Location
W. Alabama
The stream/swamp I hunt is normally a waiting game. The narrow log strewn waters make for tough traveling. We routinely fish it by floating downstream in a small flat bottom or canoe and have a waiting vehicle for exit. This is a 12 hr. venture. I found a small 2 1/2hp 4 stroke motor that weighs 26lbs. and has a slip clutch for the back of my old Coleman scanoe. I've chaisawed a few trees and am amazed how well I can travel. I've set up 4 ground blinds and 1 drilled tree. Right now the sloughs are dry and scouting is easy. I found a funnel between 2 sloughs & lots of bedding. I set it up for bow or gun and this will be the 1st Kestrel hunt. I found a fresh monster rub in the vicinity and have a big boy from 3 years ago on camera. Problem is a big rain can flood this whole swamp. I'm getting the earliest start ever so maybe I can get ahead of the flood season. I've studied this particular spot for 4 years now, in high & low water, it'll be the 1st time I get to hunt it. I'm giving it a week before I go in.
 
Its all about the adventure! the majority of my most memorable hunts have been the hardest and most involved.
 
The stream/swamp I hunt is normally a waiting game. The narrow log strewn waters make for tough traveling. We routinely fish it by floating downstream in a small flat bottom or canoe and have a waiting vehicle for exit. This is a 12 hr. venture. I found a small 2 1/2hp 4 stroke motor that weighs 26lbs. and has a slip clutch for the back of my old Coleman scanoe. I've chaisawed a few trees and am amazed how well I can travel. I've set up 4 ground blinds and 1 drilled tree. Right now the sloughs are dry and scouting is easy. I found a funnel between 2 sloughs & lots of bedding. I set it up for bow or gun and this will be the 1st Kestrel hunt. I found a fresh monster rub in the vicinity and have a big boy from 3 years ago on camera. Problem is a big rain can flood this whole swamp. I'm getting the earliest start ever so maybe I can get ahead of the flood season. I've studied this particular spot for 4 years now, in high & low water, it'll be the 1st time I get to hunt it. I'm giving it a week before I go in.
High water is my problem as well....75% of my presets are in low land with a small river that forks this way and that through it...most of the time pretty easy access / egress with my kayak but sometimes I could dock right at some of my trees....
 
High water is my problem as well....75% of my presets are in low land with a small river that forks this way and that through it...most of the time pretty easy access / egress with my kayak but sometimes I could dock right at some of my trees....
I can legally take a deer from my canoe, as long as I'm paddling, and flood conditions don't exist. We occasionally do this also, but water height has to be perfect in order to see above the embankments into the swamp.
 
I can legally take a deer from my canoe, as long as I'm paddling, and flood conditions don't exist. We occasionally do this also, but water height has to be perfect in order to see above the embankments into the swamp.

You have to paddle and shoot at the same time? Sure there is not a rule that you have to pick the banjo too?

Sometimes I wonder who writes game regulations.
 
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