Hunting Island in swap/ Bog

[fireman24]

I have an island that is about 100 yards into a swap. I have walked out there a few times when scouting in the off season and there are always a lot of beds and signs of deer. This season I am planning on putting up a stand out there. There is not good way to get there other then just walking threw the swamp out to it. I can do it in muck boots as long as we don't get a bunch of rain. I am debating when or how would be the best approach and or time to get into the stand. It is on public ground however it does not get a lot of pressure. I walk threw my 50 acres and then walk the 80 yards threw the swamp to the island.

Do you think I would be better off trying to get out there before sun up or would I be better off heading out sometime around 1 or 2 in the afternoon and sitting the evening? Thoughts or Ideas.

 

[Hoosierhunting]

How big is the island? Mature bucks will typically walk into the wind, then bed with the wind (and cover) to their backs and an open area in front where they can watch their backtracks. Any predator that followed their trail in can be watched visually and their backside is protected by their best defense, their nose. If the prevailing wind is from the west, I’d assume that mature bucks are bedding on the east side right against the first cover or where they have a good sight line to the open ground. I would try to approach from the east on a wet or windy day, so noise is contained and hunt an evening set. A morning set in that scenario and the buck may catch you heading into the island. I would hunt this early season before the chase phase of the rut and assume that mature buck is not going to move far during shooting light, so I would try to get right to the bedding near first available acorns. I would only hunt it in perfect conditions knowing you’ve only got a couple shots to get it right. An island surrounded by cattails or marsh can be dynamite for holding a mature buck but as we all know mature bucks are hyper sensitive to pressure, especially before they get love struck and lose all sense. That’s why I’d hunt the setup early season before anyone pressured it from the public access. Just my two cents on how I’d hunt it. Good luck!


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[fireman24]

It is a decent size island prob 70X80 yards with a couple smaller islands close by. I am in Western, WI so the prevailing wind is NW. Approaching from the east would be a couple mile hike threw a swap. The closest land to the island is my land.

 

[Hoosierhunting]

It is a decent size island prob 70X80 yards with a couple smaller islands close by. I am in Western, WI so the prevailing wind is NW. Approaching from the east would be a couple mile hike threw a swap. The closest land to the island is my land.

I’m not familiar with Wi hunting rules, so maybe you’re able to legally drive deer. All of my comments assumed that wasn’t possible. If it is, you could probably scent bump that deer with another hunter. Otherwise, I’d be waiting for an east wind. When you’re scouting next time post season, if it were me I’d find those buck beds, stand in them and look at what you can see, then set up right beyond that sight line. The bucks will likely bed on different sides based on the wind that day if the island is good cover with low pressure.


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[Mennoniteman]

If the island is a bedding area and the deer aren't there at night I'd sneak in an hour before daylight as scent free as possible and set up on the east side to get a chance when the bucks come back to bed down for the day.

 

[X-farmerdan]

We have an "island" in the middle of our swamp. Its about 10 acres. I have to tell you, no one has been able to successfully hunt it. We've canoed in, we've walked in. We tried, morning, afternoon, and evening. It is the place where the do go to escape any and all forms of "harrassment." No luck. It's kinda like a castle with a moat around it. Would it not be better to see if there are particular points of access and exit from the island and hunt those either from the swamp or from adjacent dry land?

 

[Deadeye]

While I've never done it, I have talked with some Old Time Florida Hunters that hunt Islands like that all the time. They will wade through waist deep water in the pitch dark to reach the stand on the island 1-2 hours before daylight. Once there they will spend the day there unless the buck there after comes there to bed just at daylight.

 

[bigbluetruck]

We have an "island" in the middle of our swamp. Its about 10 acres. I have to tell you, no one has been able to successfully hunt it. We've canoed in, we've walked in. We tried, morning, afternoon, and evening. It is the place where the do go to escape any and all forms of "harrassment." No luck. It's kinda like a castle with a moat around it. Would it not be better to see if there are particular points of access and exit from the island and hunt those either from the swamp or from adjacent dry land?

I know some guys that hunt islands that size, but instead of swamps they are in the river, so they can just head upstream a little then canoe out and float down, and the sounds of the river can somewhat hide any noise they make.