Strategy for a swamp island?

I have the opportunity to hunt (archery) some land that is mostly swamp with a small (less than half acre) dry island at one edge. From the satellite it looks like there is a pretty established deer highway to/from the island and when I scouted it last year I saw some good rubs.

How and when would you set up for this? There are a few trees big enough on the island that I could put a stand on, but if this is bedding, I’m wondering if I don’t leave the island undisturbed and set up on the ground downwind 20-30 yards off the trail.

Also, if I do set up on the island itself, what time would I want to be moving in and out? If I go in in the dark would I risk spooking bedded deer? Would the better play be moving in mid day to catch them coming back at dusk?

Thanks in advance.

Get in early before he comes back to his bed. Play the wind, make 1 hunt count and don’t over access the area. Do not plan on sitting more then a day or 2 in it or the deer will bail on that spot. Personally I would wait till a strong wind day where he wont hear you coming. Mid day is when he’s going to be bedded night time is when he will be moving most likely. I would get my butt in there at 4 am and wait for him to come back home. And again wind is going to play are very large importance on this hunt.
Or set up in some form or trees adjacent to the island. He probably wont move far until dark. Wind wind and wind. It will be your friend and enemy.

I’m hunting the identical situation.

YouTube Dan infault and before the echo. Endless information for the exact situation.

Thanks, BC. By early do you mean zero dark 30 to wait for dawn or early afternoon to wait for dusk?

Ben K. wrote:

Thanks, BC. By early do you mean zero dark 30 to wait for dawn or early afternoon to wait for dusk?

0330 hours and wait him out. If you over push your stay or he winds you, he will leave and not come back to that bed.

Nevermind. I see it right in your post. Thanks again for the advice.

Ben K. wrote:

Nevermind. I see it right in your post. Thanks again for the advice.

A big mature buck will not make many mistakes, that’s why he is big and old. Those islands can be tough to access but if you watch some Dan infault videos he has awesome information to hunt those exact situations. I would be glossing that spot right now for the next month and see if you can get him on a pattern. Or cameras on the trails. With out getting to close.

I am no expert but I have been putting lots of time in to this same game. Even went to wi and did the class Dan put on. Very informative

If you listen to podcasts, Josh and Dan make some pretty good and informative ones.

Attachments:

1. 

   Screenshot_20230809_103142_Spotify.jpg
   

Thanks a lot. I’ll check out that podcast and some of the Infalt videos on YouTube. I’ve seen him in some Hunting Public videos but hadn’t explored his stuff.

Would it be foolish to hunt this spot when archery opens in mid-sept (this is a Wisconsin property), or should I wait until a week or two prior to rifle season? Or maybe both to get two bites at the apple 4+ weeks apart.

I personally would be in the opening morning of archery, if it doesn’t pan out within a day or 2 I would leave it be and set up out side of it for rifle. Figure out the food source in the area and start watching that as well. He has to go some where. Pre rut will be different then rut which will be different then post rut. Pre rut I would not over pressure him

The tough part about beating the deer back to his bed on island is access. You do not want to be on the same trail they are going to come back in on. If I were you I would get a camera or two on the mainland to monitor the usage. in my experiences Bucks rarely use the same bed day after day, there are some exceptions. If you can glass from a distance in anyway that would be even better. Without seeing the property it is tough to give a solid answer. Compounding on what Bearcat said Dan infalt made a good video of showing how to set up in cattails and how to properly set up your shooting lanes.

I think the other guys covered it. Probably low pressure so I doubt that big boy has many reasons to shift bedding. Like they said get in there super early before he gets back. Theres a video on the hunting beast youtube channel that actually shows one of the guys doing this successfully. Another option is to pick a trail and evening hunt it in the cattails. I dont think thats your best option though. Post pics when hes dead!

Here’s a picture of the land. My only approach is from the south and I do not have access to the whole island (I’m basically walking up the property line on that tracker). You can’t see it very well, but I walked back across to the land on the west side along what was the most used trail to the island (this was over a year ago).

Attachments:

1. 

   IMG_2676.png
   

I would get a camera where you crossed from the mainland to the island and if possible oberserve any movement you can from where rout is. try to get up in a tree on the edge of the swamp and glass.

That just looks like a slammer lives on there.

You know, the more I look at it and think about it, the more I agree!

Thanks again for all the advice, guys. Hopefully I get one out of there.

Bearcat89 wrote:

If you listen to podcasts, Josh and Dan make some pretty good and informative ones.

I forgot about Dan until you brought him up but I have been listening to that podcast lately. Good info!

You ever catch up with that slammer on that island or what? We want dets!

Did not expect to see this thread back up today! Ha!

I hunted out there 3 mornings over the course of the season. Saw a few does the first morning and then something came up downwind of me on my next sit and blew before running off but I never got a look. Didn’t get a deer this past fall. Hoping to get out scouting in the next month or so and can’t wait for October.

Ben K. wrote:

Did not expect to see this thread back up today! Ha!

I hunted out there 3 mornings over the course of the season. Saw a few does the first morning and then something came up downwind of me on my next sit and blew before running off but I never got a look. Didn’t get a deer this past fall. Hoping to get out scouting in the next month or so and can’t wait for October.

Right now is a great time to start preparing and putting cameras in areas you are interested in hunting. Deer will shift in patterns but if you can find a home of a buck and not the doe beds then you are on a good track. We scouted this weekend for a while and found a couple nasty spots we think the big boy lives or visits frequently. Some time this week we will get cams out. My new bow is blood thirsty, I’ll have to break it in this season on a turkey.

That could be a good rut spot if those does bed there during it. Hopefully you catch up to a good one this season!