Need a way to get across a creek

[martinhunter12]

I have a property that I can hunt and to get to the back of the property you have to cross a big creek. I believe it is about 20 yards wide. and i would say it is about 4 feet deep. We were thinking about building a bridge. In the middle put two posts in and they would kind of be like posts on a dock. Any other suggestions? thanks

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Rope and plank bridge?

[Doewhacker]

Waders

[ants]

Hip waiters. Ditch them on the other side and put them back on when you leave. I use to do that at a spot I hunted years ago.. Not too much fun in real cold weather but it works.

[martinhunter12]

Waders

Thought of that but i would prefer not to hunt in waders. Also if it starts to freeze late season it would be very noisy.

[Doewhacker]

Also not fun when you get a bunch of rain and its to fast and deep to cross.

 

Deer float though, thats the easiest part of the equation.

[Doewhacker]

Thought of that but i would prefer not to hunt in waders. Also if it starts to freeze late season it would be very noisy.

 

Carry your boots acrossed, we do this every season.

[martinhunter12]

Hip waiters. Ditch them on the other side and put them back on when you leave. I use to do that at a spot I hunted years ago.. Not too much fun in real cold weather but it works.

Problem is that the hip waiters are to small unfortunately, good idea otherwise.

[Doc]

What kind of current do you have during the spring run-off. You may be surprised at the kind of force current-driven ice can exert on bridge pilings. Any supports anchored out in the middle will have to be driven very deep into the creek bottom.

 

What would be the use of the bridge, just for foot traffic, or ATV, or something bigger?

[martinhunter12]

Also not fun when you get a bunch of rain and its to fast and deep to cross.

 

Deer float though, thats the easiest part of the equation.

Yes thats the other thing, the creek changes height and width very quickly. It could go up to 6 ft deep if heavy rain.

[Doewhacker]

I would be worried about a bridge washing out. Can you cut tree's down and lay them acrossed it?

 

Our creek is way to wide to do that unfortunately.

[martinhunter12]

I would be worried about a bridge washing out. Can you cut tree's down and lay them acrossed it?

 

Our creek is way to wide to do that unfortunately.

we thought of that also, and it just would not work. too wide

[Doewhacker]

What ever you decide, get used to being cut off from that part of the property. It sucks but there isn't a lot you can do about it, speaking from 15 years of creek crossing. Some years with the weather we just can't hunt that spot. I am so sick of it I don't want to go to our spot again.

[Doewhacker]

The one idea we always thought would work is a zip line.

[fasteddie]

The OP said the water is 4 feet deep . He would need chest waders .....

 

4 feet deep and 60 feet wide ... what about a John-Boat .

[Red]

Zip line lol. Buy a cheap kayak or canoe off of craigslist and leave it at the creek flip it up side down and lock it to a tree when your not using it

[martinhunter12]

The OP said the water is 4 feet deep . He would need chest waders .....

 

4 feet deep and 60 feet wide ... what about a John-Boat .

 

This was another option, but the only thing we did not like about this is that deer walk very close to the creek edges and the boat would be varying on location when we cross the creek and I fear the deer will notice it and get spooked? But this is our final option I believe.

[Doewhacker]

The OP said the water is 4 feet deep . He would need chest waders .....

 

4 feet deep and 60 feet wide ... what about a John-Boat .

 

Depends on current speed, we kicked that idea around too. A guide rope and a boat or kayak would be ok but then you have to secure it in the area ect. Our creek goes way to fast when its up for that, not sure about the OP. 

[philoshop]

I built an 11' canoe to get into nasty, inaccessible spots for hunting and fishing. Weighs 23#.

Ah, to be young again! Had a lot of fun with that!

I still have the canoe if anyone's interested?

[virgil]

What about keeping a little john boat or canoe down there?  Maybe set up a rope to pull yourself across if the current is an issue.

[Red]

You can also put a pulley up in the tree and raise and lower the boat quietly on each side and the deer won't know it's there

[martinhunter12]

I built an 11' canoe to get into nasty, inaccessible spots for hunting and fishing. Weighs 23#.

Ah, to be young again! Had a lot of fun with that!

I still have the canoe if anyone's interested?

 That is probably what I will be needing to use, just makes the most sense!

[mmkay]

catapult

Edited February 24, 2014 by mmkay

[stoneam2006]

What about a floating bridge tied of say 20' of each side of bank on some pontoons say something like those blue water barrels tethered with some courage and some sort of top plywood or rough cut or something....would allow bridge to move up and down with rising waters.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

[robw]

Flat bottom boat with a pull rope would do the trick, regardless of depth.  Used that set up before.

 

BTW, was under the assumption that the DEC  (or other state agency) had some regs around putting bridges over flowing waterways.  Might check before you build anything, just in case...