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Live from the tree!
- Thread starter redsquirrel
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2014
- Messages
- 3,406
Man some of you folks hunt some serious cold.
Prill87
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2015
- Messages
- 437
I think G2 was on it too.
Quantico closed off a large recreational area after several decades of use for UXO. Suddenly it became unsafe lol.
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There is nowhere this is more true than the military.
kenn1320
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2015
- Messages
- 2,753
DIYSaddler
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2015
- Messages
- 632
essdub
Well-Known Member
That's what I need to do
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Took the muzzleloader out this afternoon. I had a big one at 70-80 yards but he didn't get there until 5 minutes before quitting time and it was just too dark. 10 minutes earlier or a bit closer and it might have happened. I feel good though, 1 week after our main gun season ended and I got on a mature buck. Must be doing something right!
Swampfox
Well-Known Member
A field pic of my platform and steps in the front of my pirogue. They fit below the gunnels unlike my climber making it much easier to maneuver through the swamp.
Wow, that is a different type of area to hunt. I wouldn't even know where to start. And I'm sure you have nasty snakes.
A field pic of my platform and steps in the front of my pirogue. They fit below the gunnels unlike my climber making it much easier to maneuver through the swamp.
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X2 where the heck do you start and nasty snakes lol im out hahaha
Rccordrey
Active Member
I would like to hear about some of those hunts.
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I've started learning to hunt the swamps in GA. It's definitely different.
Swampfox
Well-Known Member
Ahh yes the snakes, I like to tell people if you don't look for them you don't even know they're there. I've literally killed thousands and they're always more, so now days I just conserve energy and preserve the silence.
Getting started is the most difficult, this is 30,000 acres of public land which all looks similar to what is shown in the pic. Topo maps are useless and arial photography is not much better. Best method is to just inundate yourself into this jungle. Once there its still overwhelming because the best terrain feature is under the water. This is because the water is roughly waist deep and while deer will navigate this they prefer the shallower water, which is knee deep. These knee deep areas have a harder bottom making it easier to traverse. Much like cows, deer will take the easier route when possible. Finding these features takes years of scouting and a good memory to find again (gps has helped tremendously with this).
In regards to tracking, the first shot is of the utmost importance. It has to be a shot which will inhibit the deer from traveling. Front shoulder shots are common and followed up with additional shots if needed. I fear tracking, probably my weakest attribute as a hunter. I've only lost one deer(~15 years ago) and it still haunts me. This is why I have implemented tactics much different than high land hunters. After the shot I immediately listen for water sloshing and if i hear it as a deer running, I'm in hot pursuit. I follow the running deer until I can no longer hear it. At this point, what I'm looking for is blood, muddy water, or possibly a trail where the duckweed is pushed apart. This is very time sensitive features which must be capitalized on if a recover is to be made. I don't necessarily fear pushing a deer, The noise of it running helps to key me in a where it is and to stay close behind. An injured deer normally doesn't run for miles in the water like they will other places. They get exhausted much more quickly and would rather go for a little ways and then lay down. I can often get close enough for a repeated shot before they jump. But if not I am dedicated to go through whatever terrain need be to make a recovery.
Getting started is the most difficult, this is 30,000 acres of public land which all looks similar to what is shown in the pic. Topo maps are useless and arial photography is not much better. Best method is to just inundate yourself into this jungle. Once there its still overwhelming because the best terrain feature is under the water. This is because the water is roughly waist deep and while deer will navigate this they prefer the shallower water, which is knee deep. These knee deep areas have a harder bottom making it easier to traverse. Much like cows, deer will take the easier route when possible. Finding these features takes years of scouting and a good memory to find again (gps has helped tremendously with this).
In regards to tracking, the first shot is of the utmost importance. It has to be a shot which will inhibit the deer from traveling. Front shoulder shots are common and followed up with additional shots if needed. I fear tracking, probably my weakest attribute as a hunter. I've only lost one deer(~15 years ago) and it still haunts me. This is why I have implemented tactics much different than high land hunters. After the shot I immediately listen for water sloshing and if i hear it as a deer running, I'm in hot pursuit. I follow the running deer until I can no longer hear it. At this point, what I'm looking for is blood, muddy water, or possibly a trail where the duckweed is pushed apart. This is very time sensitive features which must be capitalized on if a recover is to be made. I don't necessarily fear pushing a deer, The noise of it running helps to key me in a where it is and to stay close behind. An injured deer normally doesn't run for miles in the water like they will other places. They get exhausted much more quickly and would rather go for a little ways and then lay down. I can often get close enough for a repeated shot before they jump. But if not I am dedicated to go through whatever terrain need be to make a recovery.
Swampfox
Well-Known Member
I call this one " They do live here"
Swampfox
Well-Known Member
The highest ground in the previous picture is about 2 miles east and west, and about 5 miles to the north. South is just more swamp for a long ways. What i call islands are little mounds with diameters of less than 10' where cypress trees roots have pushed up and created a place to get out the water. On these mounds you can find scrapes at times but not too common. These deer will sleep on logs,cypress knees, or just about anything that affords them a few inches above the water line. When hurricanes come and put 5+ feet of water in here they will get on floating grass mats to ride it out.
okie_edward
Well-Known Member
That's great stuff! I've seen guys in SC and GA heading into swampy areas to hunt and always wondered how the deer use that habitat.