Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

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Net Guy
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Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Net Guy » Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:18 pm

Hello,

Probably an impossible question to answer but what the heck, I'll ask it anyway. :D My question has to do with deer trails in tamarack or cedar swamps and the correlation between winter and fall timeframes. Let me explain. With all the water frozen in the swamps now, the deer can go everywhere. However, when everything is water that might not be the case. Will they use roughly the same path in the fall as when it was frozen in these swamps?

The reason I ask is trying to pick out the right kill tree in these swamps can be difficult, and every foot can matter when setting up for the kill. I know many beasts like to set up on converging trails from bedding areas, but I'm curious how people pick kill trees in these swamps that get flooded? When everything is water, it can be tough to tell what are deer trails or what is just water cutting between the tamaracks or cedar trees. BigStick and I found a boatload of well-established deer trails in a swamp on Monday, but are wondering if we should use these trails to help pick out kill trees or if we should wait till it's thawed out?

Curious what you guys think.

Thanks!


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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Dewey » Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:42 pm

Bucks aren’t afraid of water.....only hunters are. ;)

I have set up trails cam in water that is almost waist deep and got big bucks traveling through it on a regular basis. It’s all relative to the hunting pressure. Wherever people don’t go the bucks will frequent there and if it’s deeper water they don’t mind one bit.

I have noticed there is a pretty big difference here. Does and fawns seem to take the easier routes. Pretty obvious they are not as extreme when it comes to survival. I rarely get antlerless deer on those same cams.
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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Net Guy » Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:58 pm

Dewey wrote:Bucks aren’t afraid of water.....only hunters are. ;)

I have set up trails cam in water that is almost waist deep and got big bucks traveling through it on a regular basis. It’s all relative to the hunting pressure. Wherever people don’t go the bucks will frequent there and if it’s deeper water they don’t mind one bit.

I have noticed there is a pretty big difference here. Does and fawns seem to take the easier routes. Pretty obvious they are not as extreme when it comes to survival. I rarely get antlerless deer on those same cams.


Thanks, Dewey. We’re definitely not afraid to hunt in water, in fact, looking forward to it. :D Are you picking any kills trees in these swamps during winter months, or do you wait and use the intel from your cams? We found a bunch of well-defined trails on the ice coming from the bedding and wondering if we should pick out kill trees based on these trails? Or will they be vastly different when it’s all water?
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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Dewey » Thu Feb 22, 2018 1:55 pm

Net Guy wrote:
Dewey wrote:Bucks aren’t afraid of water.....only hunters are. ;)

I have set up trails cam in water that is almost waist deep and got big bucks traveling through it on a regular basis. It’s all relative to the hunting pressure. Wherever people don’t go the bucks will frequent there and if it’s deeper water they don’t mind one bit.

I have noticed there is a pretty big difference here. Does and fawns seem to take the easier routes. Pretty obvious they are not as extreme when it comes to survival. I rarely get antlerless deer on those same cams.


Thanks, Dewey. We’re definitely not afraid to hunt in water, in fact, looking forward to it. :D Are you picking any kills trees in these swamps during winter months, or do you wait and use the intel from your cams? We found a bunch of well-defined trails on the ice coming from the bedding and wondering if we should pick out kill trees based on these trails? Or will they be vastly different when it’s all water?

I don’t run cams much but when I do is never to determine an exact spot to sit but more to just get a general idea what’s around. I fine tune after I find the beds and then go from there. Finding the beds in flooded timber or swamps is the challenging part. For the most part the trails are pretty much the same as winter. I pick out trees in the winter. Of course knowing where the beds are is key. Without that tidbit your just guessing. Good to hear you already know that.
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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Net Guy » Thu Feb 22, 2018 2:12 pm

Glad to hear that we can start planning our attack based on trails we see now and won’t be wasting time. The trails were well used and we were able to follow them from primary bedding. More importantly, we were able to follow some nice tracks from the buck beds.
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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Tim H » Thu Feb 22, 2018 3:26 pm

A suggestion I would recommend is to pick a kill tree based on the wind you want to setup on that you won’t get busted and go from there. If you see a buck and he gets by you, stay on him another hunt and adjust your kill tree accordingly.
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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Wolfofmibu » Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:27 pm

You could always go back and check that area specifically when the snow and ice is gone , still won’t do harm to the area . Plenty of time to cool off!
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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby NH Teufelhund » Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:22 am

When you guys scout in the winter and spring do you use scent control? I am pretty sure this year I’m going into territory no hunter has probably ever gone in one particular swamp and I figure I should probably try to be as scent free as possible.
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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Tim H » Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:25 am

NH Teufelhund wrote:When you guys scout in the winter and spring do you use scent control? I am pretty sure this year I’m going into territory no hunter has probably ever gone in one particular swamp and I figure I should probably try to be as scent free as possible.


This time of year I don’t worry about scent control with scouting.
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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Rob loper » Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:55 am

Just consider the areas that are iced over. Deer dont like to and have difficulty traveling on ice. Me and dan discussed this alot during my days with him. Their hoofs just dont get traction too well. So imo the deer will probably areas in the higher ground during these times.
Just a thing me and dan talked over for late season.
Hope this helps
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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Net Guy » Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:56 am

NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:
NH Teufelhund wrote:When you guys scout in the winter and spring do you use scent control? I am pretty sure this year I’m going into territory no hunter has probably ever gone in one particular swamp and I figure I should probably try to be as scent free as possible.


This time of year I don’t worry about scent control with scouting.


I don’t worry either.
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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Net Guy » Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:02 am

Lopedog699 wrote:Just consider the areas that are iced over. Deer dont like to and have difficulty traveling on ice. Me and dan discussed this alot during my days with him. Their hoofs just dont get traction too well. So imo the deer will probably areas in the higher ground during these times.
Just a thing me and dan talked over for late season.
Hope this helps


Thanks. It is pretty funny watching a deer on ice. :lol: probably as funny as me on ice after a few beers. :lol: I think our strategy for this swamp will be to go back after the workshop and plan our kill. We’ve marked potential kill trees which was based on the trails that were established over winter on the snow and ice.

If the trails are still visible (still ice) we’ll setup based on them. If not (melted), we’ll do our best to see if we can identify trails. This area is flooded year round.
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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Lockdown » Fri Feb 23, 2018 2:34 am

If it’s me I’d prep trees for the layout of the trails as they are now. Dewey’s advice is solid I’m sure... chances are the trails will stay the same. Even if they do change the stuff you prep will be good to go after freeze up. If they change then go trim some more ;)

Options are a good thing to have. Nobody wants to waste effort but there’s no such thing as being too prepared.
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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Net Guy » Fri Feb 23, 2018 3:15 pm

Lockdown wrote:If it’s me I’d prep trees for the layout of the trails as they are now. Dewey’s advice is solid I’m sure... chances are the trails will stay the same. Even if they do change the stuff you prep will be good to go after freeze up. If they change then go trim some more ;)

Options are a good thing to have. Nobody wants to waste effort but there’s no such thing as being too prepared.


Sound advice. If Dewey’s says to do something it’s gold! Take it to the bank. :D :P
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Re: Trails in Swamps and Kill Trees (Winter vs Fall)?

Unread postby Jonny » Fri Feb 23, 2018 11:31 pm

Net Guy wrote:
NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:
NH Teufelhund wrote:When you guys scout in the winter and spring do you use scent control? I am pretty sure this year I’m going into territory no hunter has probably ever gone in one particular swamp and I figure I should probably try to be as scent free as possible.


This time of year I don’t worry about scent control with scouting.


I don’t worry either.


What’s this scent control you guys speak of? :whistle:
You have a monkey Mr. Munson?


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