Cedar Swamp Hunting

[mnwild14]

Most people hunt the edges of swamps by looking for the main trails coming out and the trail following the edge. But does anyone have experience actually hunting in a Cedar Swamp? Is it worth trying to set something up in the middle somewhere. Looking on a topo map I don't see any high ground, so I am thinking of just walking through and see what I see.

[fivebucks]

I've hunted and tracked deer thru cedar swamps and it is a hit and a miss. Most of the time your visability isn't very far. To stalk hunt is tough. These are the deer's bedrooms and they will find nice nooks and holes to bed down and it can be very hard to see them before they see you. If it is later in the season and you have some snow to find travel patterns, then it can be a fun afternoon hunt. Give it a try as all you can do is learn.

[machohorn]

There are always little humps in there, put on a set of hip boots and follow a good trail you will find the humps and dont be suprised if you flush out a few monsters. A few years ago in Embarrass I went into a swamp looking for thse humps I was gone for about 2 hours and when I came out my uncle said I chased about 20 deer out right where I went in, not where he was waiting. lol

[charliepete2]

My Uncles property is mostly a cedar swamp. It's tough to tell where to hang a stand until there is snow on the ground, but I've had some good luck on established trails. Tracking in there without snow is also beastly. Things dissapear fast.

[Surface Tension]

Depends on the swamp. Some ceder swaps you can't see past 20', those usually have standing water. I'd scout those for a small piece of high ground. More then likely a main trail connecting larger tracts of high ground. Not a bad spot for a buck to travel but your site is very limited. The old boy would rather use his noise to stay safe rather then site. After all if he can see you, you can see him and thats the last thing he wants. Its that smaller patch of high ground he'll truly feel safe in. If your swamp has no small island then I'd setup on the fringe of the swamp looking over a trail.

Some are on the fringe of low land and you can see a long ways. Does will bed in the later when its windy. There you can't hear a whisper of sound and offer the sight that does don't mind using for safety.

[fishermatt]

Take a walk around the edge and try to locate an area where more than one trail exits the swamp within a couple hundred yards of each other, then use chain saw to cut shooting lanes to both trails and put your stand in the middle. Get to the stand well before light and don't leave until after dark.

[sparcebag]

I love cedar swamps! for snowshoe hares,in winter on snowshoes. I have often fell and while lyin on the ground saw deer or lower bodies and legs under all the branches,Deer I never heard, saw while upright,course its hard to hear them the swamp is so quiet.

I did try huntin in the swamp for deer, the chance of seein legs is great but gettin a view to determine sex,size to me is next to impossible.Thats where your luck comes in! So do ya feel lucky?

[Busdrivers33]

We have a similar swamp surrounding the area we hunt that has a crick following the edge of the 1 side. I have my stand up on the outside of the swamp in the woods. I have done well in that are, including a 10 pointer and a 8 pointer. What we do is leave the swamp alone until the second or third weekend and we drive it. We have 4-5 standers at there most used exit routes. We send in 4 guys to do the drive and 1 person, always my uncle, walks the edge of the swamp along the crick. He usually gets good shots following the crick as the deer follow the outer edge before they make the dart across the crick. Last year he shot a nice buck that we had 7 guys track and never found. Hopefully hes back in there. Driving the swamp has worked great for us in kicking out deer everytime. The results however have been low. Do to very poor shooting from people who are now doing the driving..lol. I know your situation might not be the same as ours, as you may not have as many guys in your party, or a crick down the 1 side. But if you do have enough guys, try driving it once. Plus being a driver can be very rewarding if you walk up on 1 in there. Which has happened to us a few times. And it is great walking through there, ya see rubs everywhere and when you get low to the ground, the view is great.

Bus