Hunting riverbottoms....any tips?
 

I went yesterday and tried to scout out some spots in a river bottom.The place has gotten pretty thick after years of flooding and there are many large lakes that are in the middle of the woods between the river and the edge.

Agriculture fields run all along the east side (river to the west). I know this place holds big bucks, and I saw many rubs and scrapes.

I am used to hunting funnels and staging areas in hilly regions of the state, and this flat thick ground had me scratching my head. I thought that maybe where the tree growth changes there might be some corridors through there, but finding a trail proved to be very difficult.

RE: Hunting riverbottoms....any tips?
 

Your mentality won't change when hunting the river bottoms. You'll still find the active food source, places that will naturally funnel deer to where they're going. I love hunting river bottoms because there is generally 2 main directions of travel for the deer... upstream and downstream.

Personally, I also find that river bottoms are easier to scout than large wooded areas. A quick walk perpendicular to the river will generally offer up the most heavily used trails.

Good luck and let us know how it pans out.

RE: Hunting riverbottoms....any tips?
 

I'd look for trails leading out to the crops. There will be main thoroughfares along there somewhere. Keep looking, and good luck.

RE: Hunting riverbottoms....any tips?
 

I was trying to find some type of feature that would funnel the deer movement, but everywhere that I looked promising on the maps proved to have nothing.



I did find one spot I will be hunting, where a tall grassy field and a cut corn field are seperated by a small creek and a thin strip of woods. There was a heavy trail crossing the creek, so I'm going to try that spot I think.

Also going to take a jon boat ride up the river and get to a spot that I often see deer while out fishing. There is no other way into this area unless you go by boat across one of the lakes or upriver.

RE: Hunting riverbottoms....any tips?
 

Here's my .02;

I hunt a river-bottom in a state-park. The river runs east-to-west, and I've seen alot of the bucks I've seen when the wind is out of the north. I'm assuming it's because they have the river down-wind of them, and they can see danger coming at them from the river (or lack there of?), and yet they can smell danger coming from the one drection it CAN come from, so, I've always thought. So, I hunt setups nearer the river. I usually put my stands 20-30 yards from the river-bank and try to take advantage of them traveling close to the water. And it's thicker down there than anywhere else in the park! But that's where I see the deer.

So, I guess to answer your question, I pretty much hunt the wind, with the water on the down-wind side of my setup.

Other than that, I'd just setup a few times and keep my eyes open and watch for movement. I'd adjust my setup according to where I see the most traffic.

Anyone have more/better advice, I'd like to hear it too.