How can I kill this buck?

[kill shot]

I hunt in a swamp with a nice buck living there. The trouble is he is smart, probably why he is a nice buck. The swamp is choked with scrub trees, the tallest being about 10'. There is one tree that I put a stand in but could not get very high in it because it's dead. I was close to him 3 times. Twice when I was in the tree and once when I was sitting on the ground with my feet in the creek. Oh ya, there is a creek that flows through the swamp. The swamp is on the north side of the road. The wind is usually from the west or northwest. He beds about 50' off of the road and about 50-75 yards to the west of where I walk in.

[Friend]

Merely an offering>>>>

The present season scouting may reveal much more than you may have imagined. His bedroom and core areas may be more readily discerned.

Establish well planned hunter entrances, exits and set-up some primary fringe located ground blinds now.

The extra mile trecked far before next season may produce a much satifying harvest.

Best of luck.

[manitou1]

I would park a good ways away for starters.  He hears every time you park and leave your truck.  Secondly, find an alternate travel route in if you are walking within 50-75 yards of his bedding area.  He most likely knows you are there if you are getting that close while walking in.
Hunt the spot infrequently, only under ideal conditions... chase phase of the rut, rainy days, anything that can capitalize on his mistakes.  Many times, we are only lucky enough to harvest the big guys if they make a mistake.  Try not to burn out a single stand location... even if alternate locations aren't as ideal, he won't be staying put all the time.  Hunt outer fringes and work inward as you progress. The more you enter, the more he will figure you out.  Kill him the first opportunity you get as he may not give you another chance.
If you have the luxury, establish multiple stand sites well before next season and only scout from a distance (binos, peripheral trails) until you go in to make the kill.  No buck is unkillable.  Some are just more challenging.

[Mojostick]

You're only a couple minutes away from me. Show me the spot and I can maybe help you. LOL

Seriously, don't think tree, think natural ground blind. That spot sounds tailor made for it.

While we have snow, try to pinpoint travel routes now and then mark them with flagging tape or glo-tacks, so you know exactly where they are after the snow melts. We don't have that much snow and suburban/sub-rural deer in our area don't change routes much, even in Winter, since total wooded area is often so limited anyways.

Then, around late April, go in there and build some 4-8 really camo'd up natural ground blinds, so you have one on a good trail for every wind direction. If a good trail, build 2 ground blinds on opposite sided of the trail, for easterly or westerly winds.

Get everything done by July. If private land only you hunt, you could hunt the first 2 days of bow season, if the buck appears to still be in a Summer pattern and then stay out of there until the rut or completely stay out until around Nov.1.

If you can completely stay out of there until November, you may be able to kill him on a short 20 minute hunt, if you slip in there around noon on a perfect early November day and hit a couple good grunt calls.

If you overhunt the place, you probably won't see him during daylight. If you play it dumb and hunt the wrong blind with the wrong wind, you'll likely blow the whole plan.

Be patient. You're far better off with 1 short hunt ending in success, than numberous sits with declining returns until you completely burn out a spot.

Among the hardest things for some guys is to stay out of a place until the conditions are best and then to stay out of a core bedding area, instead of hunting just outside of it. Some guys just have to go in the core area to look around for sign. Bad idea. The exterior of the core area will tell you everything you need to know, along with some Summer scouting with binoculars and the truck.

And if the conditions aren't right, pick another spot or don't hunt at all. You can't win against a deer nose at short ranges.

Also consider, many winds in West Michigan during bow season are not from the west or NW. You must have spots for a south, SW, SE, and NE winds, which are very common in Fall. We get lots of SW winds and whenever a front comes in, we usually get winds being sucked in from the easterly direction.
If stormy, you could have a whole week during the peak of the rut with NE, E and SE winds. That kills a guy that only had setups for westerly winds. Don't be that guy.

Here's a great graph from a Michigan hunter over one particular season, using dates and wind direction...

     

[KSdan]

Few thoughts:
-Some deer really are almost impossible to hunt. The fact that you have already had some encounters sounds good though.  
-Don't over hunt it.  Every time you enter the woods you are leaving scent.  He can pattern you as well!  Figure it out now- only hunt it when everything is right. The creek may be a key to getting in and out.    
-Ground blind sounds like an option, but I don't mind small trees still in leaves.  Even 8' off the ground can really work.  Also, if this is his bedroom- he will notice the ground blind too.  
-Depending on the wind, etc., don't be afraid to enter the area the night before when the buck is out of the bedding area. It may even mean being there before he arrives at daybreak, then sitting all day waiting for his first move before sunset.  make it comfortable; nap, food, etc.
-I would not be afraid of coaxing him with feed.
-Try a small drive/bump to observe his escape pattern. Then set-up another day for the move.  
-The rut will alter normal patterns.

[pete p]

tripod stand would be an option. make a nest around the thing if you arent liking the idea of a ground blind. entrance is imperative if you are getting near his bed. of my last 10 big bucks over half were taken right near their bedding grounds...the most rewarding way to hunt if you ask me. again, you dont have to get high. i killed 2 bucks this yr that gross near or over boone and i wasnt high. i will take cover over height any day,my stands look like ground blinds 14 feet off the ground. again, entrance is imperative, just cuz your downwind you still have to contend with his eyes and ears. this dude is a survival specialist. use that creek to your advantage. wear hip boots if you have to and walk right in it to access your spot.  keep us posted.

[BOHO]

no deer is worth getting hurt over.  dont climb dead trees!!!  good luck with him. nows the time to go find some sign/sheds and form a plan for fall.

[ChuckC]

I am a believer in doing things different.  Everybody hunts from a tree. The bucks know that. I have watched them walk into a wood lot and look up and around before walking.  Nobody hunts from the ground any more.  Invest in a ghillie. Hunt from the ground and watch the wind closely..  Try it, its fun.
ChuckC

[kill shot]

Mojostick, I would be glad to show you or anyone on this site the spot as he would be hunted with trad gear. Here is how I hunt the spot. I park a good distance away to the east. When I get down the road to where I enter the swamp, I use the traffic on the road to mask my footsteps. I can cross the creek with boots on in a couple of spots so I hunt on the other side as this seems to be where he likes to move through the area. I thought about the ground blind but as ksdan said he might notice it. Still thinking ground blind, I could build it now and let him get used to it. I also like the idea that chuckc had with the ghillie suit, just be part of the wood work.

[kill shot]

Thank you everyone. I'm pumped. I really enjoy the graph from mojostick. There is always something in hunting that you did not know or you forgot you knew it.

[overbo]

Sounds like you are doing something right w/ 3 encounters.I wouldn't do anything drastic to alert him of your knowa abouts.Seems to me if you keep w/ your gameplan you've been using,it's just a matter of the buck making the mistake.
 Good luck and post pics

[Rick Richard]

Any blinds or stands should be set up WAY before the season. I would hunt him the first week of the season and if unsuccessful wait until the rut

Like someone said, old bucks and does will pattern you real quick if you do the same every time and leave a bunch of scent in the area.

[kill shot]

O-k, a picture is worth a thousand words. The place is on state land. The Rouge River state game area. It is heavily hunted except for the swamp.Get on Bing map. Find Red Pine drive and 20 mile. Go east on 20 mile until you see Spring creek crossing 20 mile rd. He is on the north side of 20 mile rd. I have been hunting where the creek takes to the east. The buck lives west of the bend between the bend and a feeder creek on the west. Go to birds eye view. Tell me what you think.

[Tickbait]

Sounds like you may be trying to hunt him in his bedding area which is really tough.  I would try to find where he's entering and exiting the swamp and hunt those areas.  Find his food source in the early season and then find the does during the rut.

[kill shot]

Actually the whole place is a bedding area. Where the buck beds is the hardest part to get to. It's beyond hard, it's impossible. I take advantage of his lazyness. Where I been hunting is the most easy way out for him.

[jonsimoneau]

I would take everything Pete P said to heart!  The guy is a master whitetail hunter.

[awbowman]

Does the swamp go dry in the summer?

[kill shot]

No, the swamp stays wet. Where the creek crosses the road is swamp also. This side also harbors a buck or two. The creek flows into a small lake that is surrounded by swamp.

[awbowman]

We have a swamp here in Louisiana that is hard to hunt also and the big ones die of old age. Some area does however go dry to semi-dry in the summer.  The successful hunters there look for large tracks in the mud in the semi-dry state (mud) and mark them for potential ambush spots.


It seems to me that his escape route would be in a northward direction (away from the road).  You need to find a way to get to the northern sector long BEFORE the crowd of hunters start heading to their areas.  The trick is that you have to get to the north tract without stepping foot into the swamp and pushing him to his hideout like the rest of the hunters do.  I’d take a small canoe and head north about two to three hours before daylight and be ready for his escape.  He won’t know what hit him AND you will have to canoe for transport.  You need to circle wide whatever entrance you choose.

NOTE:  His favorite hideout may be IN the swamp curled up on an old root ball.

Good luck …. that buck is darn near impossible to kill with a trad bow (you can get him spot and stalk with rifle) and Option B is always to seek higher percentage hunts.  lol

[kill shot]

Fred, The creek is choked with brush and is about 4'-6' wide. Where I cross it is about 12" deep. A craft of any size is out of the question. As far as the north end of the swamp or any other end, he don't come out till way after dark and is back in way before dark. The surrounding area being hunted hard leaves the swamp as his life support. The does don't even see the fringes of the swamp in daylight. I wish some local trad boy would go there with me. Maybe a navy seal/deer hunter would be better. I was within about 15 yds of him twice. I'm thinking the ground blind thing is the best option. I also like the idea of trying to bump him out with another hunter. We would have to move slow and hunt all day.