Swamp_bucks public adventures

[Swamp_bucks]

Am hunt: sat from 6-945 with no luck

Pm: snuck out for a quick hr sit.  Just got setup and I thought I could hear someone talking on the next ridge over.  All of a sudden 5 deer come sneaking out at about 40 yards.  I saw one was a definite doe but couldn't make out the others.  Good to see some.  

Be back out on another piece of stateland tomorrow morning.

[Swamp_bucks]

No luck today.  I was only out for 2.5 hours.  Did some still hunting/scouting only came across a couple rubs.  Sign doesn't seem to be at the levels of years past in my spots.  Going to another piece of stateland tomorrow that I've seen 3 or 4 does on. 

Side note I have spotted a ton of grouse this year.  Saw 2 more today which puts my total over 20 this year.

[Swamp_bucks]

Yesterday I saw 1 unknown at 930 then at last light i had a doe getting ran by a buck.  No idea what he was since it was so dark in the pines.

 

Today:  saw way to many hunters ended up on the outskirts of a huge driving party 20-25 people.  Left there and went back to my opening day spot.   Ended up finding a bunch of fresh rubs and scrapes that werent there yesterday.   

Wont be out until Thursday.  Should be a handful of us doing drives.

[wolc123]

On 11/13/2020 at 9:37 PM, Swamp_bucks said:

No luck today.  I was only out for 2.5 hours.  Did some still hunting/scouting only came across a couple rubs.  Sign doesn't seem to be at the levels of years past in my spots.  Going to another piece of stateland tomorrow that I've seen 3 or 4 does on. 

Side note I have spotted a ton of grouse this year.  Saw 2 more today which puts my total over 20 this year.

I saw a few grouse up in wmu 6c during early ML week.   That is what I will be after on Thanksgiving weekend, since I won't have a buck tag.  Hopefully, I will get another chance at a buck (or a doe) up there during the late ML weekend.  I still have both of those tags.

I am going to bring my 16 ga, J. Stevens side by side, choked I/C and mod.  I will bring along mostly 7-1/2's, and maybe a few slugs, in case I run into some bear sign. I did that in 2018, when I was in the same predicament, and I did not see any grouse or bear, only deer.

[Swamp_bucks]

Congrats to all that scored this morning.  I was close but no shot.  I went back to where I found the big rubs the other day.  Well got on a different rub line.  Instantly new I was on the same deer. Found some massive rubs all on cedar trees.  I could see his walking track so I just took my time. At about 9 I came up on a thicket that the other rub line went into thursday.  I should of stayed out but I went in.  Instantly had that feeling he was there.  Rubs every where and fresh crap so I stopped and grunted.  I waited 10 mins and went another 20 yards.  Found a really fresh rub and crap.  At about that time the wind shifted and I could smell him.  2 seconds later he jumps.  All I see his leg in the brush then he finally realized it was time to leave.  I saw his ass once never made out his rack.  Found his bed my shotgun fit in it. I backed out didn't want to chase him off.  I need snow but it was a fun encounter.   Total 35 rubs, 3 scrapes

[Swamp_bucks]

7p stateland 

Just picked up my bow buck from taxidermist.  Hes now up on the wall. 

 

[Swamp_bucks]

Well my 2020 gun season is done.  I'll be back out for next weekends ml.  Walked about 25miles this gun season 10 yesterday alone.  I missed a small buck on the run last weekend. Only laid eyes on 6 deer all gun.  2 running, 3 at last light and one on the walk out.   Not my best gun season at all but not my worst.  2015 I saw 1 deer on the last drive of the year.   The older I get the more and more I enjoy gun less.  I realized this year I am a bow hunter at heart.  Deer are still in my spots they just out got the better of me.  Found a spike horn buck that was gut shot.

No longer have my private spot to myself like I thought.  So I'll be knocking on some doors this spring and winter to see if i can get bow hunting access.  Going to see what I can do.  Ide like a spot I can put a food plot in for gun season to help my odds a little and just use my bow. 

Some highlights as I'm writing this my group took 4does no bucks.  The best was my nephew took his first deer on his first opening day of gun.  So everyone now between gun and  bow has meat in the freezer which is very important for them and myself.

Some pictures from my 2020 gun season.  

[Kmartinson]

Thank you for this. Its an inspiration 

[Swamp_bucks]

7p late season buck shot by enigma..

We did it.  Spotted a deer off the road on the piece I scouted yesterday.  So se jumped in.  I sent enigma down to where they like to escape to and right towards the end of the little push I was doing up jumped what I thought was a doe and fawn.  Yelled to enigma they were coming and boom.  Ended up being a spike and small doe..  The spike got to take a ride in my truck.  I wont put enigmas face in the picture didnt ask his permission.  But he got a buck down on stateland late season.

[Robhuntandfish]

For a spike it's a good sized deer too. Looks like a fun day. 

[Swamp_bucks]

1 hour ago, Robhuntandfish said:

For a spike it's a good sized deer too. Looks like a fun day. 

Yea he was a pretty decent body size for a spike. One of the bigger body spikes I've seen

[Swamp_bucks]

Well they beat me.  Done for the year the chase was challenging this year but fun.  Very grateful for my 8pt during bow.   Missed a buck during gun on the run and almost had a chance yesterday.  It was a successful enough season for me.  There will be changes as normal for next year but not worrying about that now. 

As of right now my groups total on the entire year

Bow: 2 bucks,1 doe

Gun: 5 does

Ml: 1 buck

2 bucks on stateland, 2 does on stateland so pretty typical year for us.

[Swamp_bucks]

Figured I would start my journal up again.  I've been scouting hard this year.   I've really gotten into more hang and hunt setups and have killed my 3 best deer since starting the process 5 years ago.  I'm strictly stateland hunting this year. It's tough but when that chance comes to harvest a deer it's all worth it.

I'm after a buck I named cedar last year.  He made it through gun season. Just hoping he made it since I found his tracks again back in April.  I found his track this time last year and tracked him last year during gun and jumped him never able to get a shot off.   He stays within a 100acre piece of woods with deep ditches and a hidden pond that's at a base of a steep hill full of oaks on top.

I've narrowed down a bunch of small swamps not to far off roadways that show a bunch of sign from last year.  Luckily they are loaded with apples so it should help keep the deer in those over looked spot.

At the end of the month we are headed to PA to scout for some mountain bucks.  There is a group of 5 going and I can't wait.  

I have 3 cameras out currently with 1 more to go.  One will be pulled this weekend to get moved to a second spot. 

Some satellite pictures of my areas I'm targeting.

 

[Swamp_bucks]

Went out for a scouting trip today.  Found a killer spot not far from the road. It has easily a couple 100 rubs scattered in there.  Found a bunch of old and new beds.  All surrounded by apple trees.  Also had a community rub in the bottom of 3 ridges.  Trails are down to dirt. So I have a camera in there just to let it soak for a couple weeks just to see what's going on then I'll leave it alone until I get the right wind.

[Swamp_bucks]

Well season is about to start and I'm 100% public land this year.  Goal to start the year is the same as last year  2.5 yr old and up.  It may change by the end of the year but I have a bunch of confidence this year and feel like I need to trust my scouting.  

These are a couple of the bucks I'll be chasing this year and I know there is a few bigger ones running around. Still not sure about the one in the first picture.

[Swamp_bucks]

Pa camera pull we had a bunch of does and fawns problem was we had the camera set to high so we have a bunch of pictures of thier backs.  

Also jumped 5 does and a spike at another location

Edited September 23, 2021 by Swamp_bucks

[Swamp_bucks]

I've figured out my opening day spot.  It is a swamp that is overlooked and I found the first rubs of the year in 2 weeks ago. It is a primary bedding area with massive rubs and only about 2.5 acres in size.  It sets up for a perfect jhook scenario with the wind we are getting.  It has agg fields to the north and west and all the bedding I've found is inside this swamp.

The white line is the main trail on this section that loops the backside of the swamp so they can scent check before going into it. The blue tree stand symbol is where they cross the water to get into the dry part of the swamp.  The red line on the bottom left will be my entrance into the area.  The majority of the beds are just inside that point by the teal line.  Once they get off that point it's all blowdown and nasty tangle they have a hard time navigating. Wind should be at their backs watching the side of the swamp I'm on.  I'll be in a tree 1hr before first light.

I have personally put eyes on 2 bucks around the 90-115inch mark. Which is a great deer for my area.  My cousins have a camp just down the road and they took a 160 off their property a few years back so I know there can be bigger in the area along with bears.  

I will mention I won't be directly on the edge of the swamp.  There is a small rise 15 yards from it I'll be on and that's just in case they do come from the other direction my scent won't be blowing on that trail.

[Swamp_bucks]

Good first sit. Got into my spot early. Missed my mark by 40yards but still had a good setup.  About 6am I can hear a deer coming and all I could see was its body in the low light and could tell it was a bigger deer but wasn't sure what it was or where it disappeared to once it got past. He only walked 8 yards behind my tree.  About 730 the winds picked and I found out where he went. He bedded 40yrds behind me. He blew and took off like a rocket and all I could see was main beams crashing through the brush. 

Hoping to take the little ones out today for a short sit this evening. My 4yr old has been begging to go with me for 3 weeks.

Never got out this afternoon.  My entire group had action today no kills though.  Only downside on the entire day my brother blew his bow up hitting the rail of his climber trying to shoot a 7pt.

[Swamp_bucks]

Hunt number 2 was a bust this morning. Rained harder and longer than I was expecting.  Did see another grouse today.  Good thing is I know not to bother with that spot again for awhile there was zero sign in there this year so I may wait until we have snow late season and scout that area some more.  

Farther down the ridge .5 mile I'll still sit was tore up last year so I'm going to possibly hunt that Friday morning but not sure yet.

[Swamp_bucks]

Haven't done a good job updating this throughout the year.  I didn't see much the first 4 or 5 sits of the year.  Then that all changed 2 days ago.  I hiked about 3/4 miles in trying to find the freshest sign and setup. Eventually I came to a cluster of rubs on the edge of a swamp. While I was picking a tree I had a tiny 3pt come in.  I found a tree and quietly climbed and hung my stand.  At a out 10:15 I caught some movement about 100yards out.i instantly realized it was a bigger body than the 3 and he had a little bit more bone on his head. So I hit the grunt call and snort wheeze and he came in on a rope. I ended up taking a slight quartering frontal shot and he went maybe 60yrds and died.  

After the shot I hung my bow up and heard a stick snap. Well there sat a really good buck even bigger than the one I shot. All I could do is laugh.  Not my biggest buck but it was a fun hunt and he will eat well.