Drawing Deer out of a Swamp
Filed under: Ask Grant, Hunting Tactics
Hi Grant, The property I hunt has a large (30-40 acres) swampy area that is so thick around the edges that we can’t even see into it, much less gain access. Food plots have not been successful in drawing the deer out of the swamp. Do you have any advice for drawing deer out of a habitat that is large, incredibly thick, and provides everything the deer need? Greg
Greg,
It sounds like you’re hunting next to a great sanctuary. If there’s many deer using the swamp as cover, they are coming out to forage at sometime. However, it may be only at night if the hunting pressure is heavy in the area. Food is certainly a good attractant. I’d study the swamp and surrounding area on an aerial image and determine all the probable food sources within practical range of the swamp and then investigate the likely travel routes to those food sources. Remember that deer rarely travel in straight paths. Consider the best travel routes based on cover and focus on those that allow you to approach without being detected.
Growing Deer together,
Grant
