Tamarack Swamps

[Huntin&Fishin]

Does any one hunt in (not edges) of Tamarack Swamps? There isn't much food in there but tamarack swamps are excellent cover. Do deer go into these wet super thick tamaracks?

[Guest Kyle]

I have seen deer out in tamarack swamps that bed down on islands of high ground. I also am a firm believe that in areas where there is alot of hunting pressure deer will always go to the thickest cover they can find. Usually they take the path of least resistance, but they will go to amazing lengths to get to a safety zone.

They will be in there especially after the ground freezes and its easier to get in and out.

[Archerysniper]

Thats what I hunt in a refuge by my house, all the pressure pushes the deer out into the swamp onto the high dry spots.

[B-man715]

I shot my first bow deer in a tamarack bog

The thicker the better, because when the needles drop it really opens up.

[Bear55]

They love them, thick cover, lots of little high spots next to the bigger trees for bedding. Not a lot of human pressure, I spend a lot of time in them every fall. Have seen some big bucks and have been lucky enough to take a few of them.

[Kdog10]

I hunt in a Tamarack swamp. I built a wooden stand on a dry island that is accessible every year. I see deer way more than the others in our party who hunt on the edges of the swamp and/or sit on field edges. For a wet environment there is actually a lot of dry areas if you think like a deer! In our situation we seek out willow patches within the bog and the deer love bedding in there.

One trick that I have learned is that on windy days the deer love to lay behind a blow down (which there are a lot of due to the ecology of a tamarack bog) out of the wind and bask in the sun. On a windy day you can use that to your advantage.

One draw back is that in my experience they go EVERYWHERE in the bog. I have my base stand and have hang-ons that I use based on wind and such. It seems to me that they use trails a lot less once you leave the perimeter of the swamp. Focus on natural funnels or choke points especially spits of dry land (we simply call these islands). Having said that, as mentioned previously, once the needles come off the trees your visibility increases dramatically.

I would definitely hunt the swamp especially later in the season as conditions get worse.

If you have specific questions feel free to PM me!

[fr0sty]

I also hunt a tamarack swamp. We only have a couple logging trails to access, and even those are wet with some sink holes that will ruin your hunt. That makes it difficult to get anywhere without making enough noise to alert ever deer for miles around.

I second the below quote. It seems like the can, and do, move just about anywhere in there. Lots of cover for them to grow old in.

It seems to me that they use trails a lot less once you leave the perimeter of the swamp. Focus on natural funnels or choke points especially spits of dry land (we simply call these islands). Having said that, as mentioned previously, once the needles come off the trees your visibility increases dramatically.

I would definitely hunt the swamp especially later in the season as conditions get worse.

If you have specific questions feel free to PM me!