hunter Leo

Next year im gonna do much more swamp hunting and its very thick. Your sight from the ground ranges at most 20-30 yards while walking. You cant shoot a deer out here and expect to track it threw 2ft deep swamp water. Today i realized that you do stir up the water but then it settles so fast. If it was frozen thats a different story but its usually never frozen when gun or muzzleloader is here so you need to drop the deer where it stands. So that means head shots or a vital shot followed up with other shots really fast if need be. I want to get a semi-auto to hunt swamps that way i can make a good first shot then follow up with a couple more shots if i have to really quick. I bought an AK-47 several years ago. Its light, small and shoots really fast which would be nice in the swamp in the thick stuff. I mounted a scope on it this past year and the iron sights on it are wicked for when you cant use the scope cause of so much brush. My question is since i have 5 round mags for it and being compact will it work as good deer gun in the swamp at these close ranges and have the power I need? I was also considering if i can get my hands on a semi-auto 243 or maybe a 223 cause of the light recoil.

Paul L Mohr

If you are looking for something that works well up close and is fast while walking I would say get a good 12 guage auto and load it with good slugs. Use open sights or a red dot ( I sugget open sights, heck for that kind of range you cold stick with a bead). You just can't beat a shotgun with slugs for nock down power. You are launching a slug that is over 400 grns and almost an inch in diameter. OUCH is all I have to say. Even a pump or a 20 guage would work well.

Your AK will just blow right thru them at that distance, and you will still have to track them.

As much as I hate buckshot, that might work well in that situation as well.

Have you thought about settting a stand instead of just walking around?

Paul

bigcountry

Actually, I hunt swamps and find the water easy to track if you get right on it. Keep the AK at home. Make the first shot count. If you insist, get ya a 30-06 BAR, or do what I do and get a 1187 or browning gold slug gun.

I understand the worry cause its so nasty out there, but if you do your job with a good first shot, its no problem.

hunter Leo

Thanks for the suggestions. I forgot about a nice shotgun for this matter. BIGCOUNTRY... the problem with tracking deer threw this swamp is the water has flow to it... very slight but enough to take mirky water and clear it up very fast and any blood in the water will be washed away so thats why its so crucial to make sure the deer drops right there or with in a few yards and i mean few.

robin of the hood

Personaly I just make them come to me. Get them close and drop them with the first shot.

TerryM

A 45-70 stainless guide gun or an over under 12 gauge with a slug in one tube and 00 buck in the other barrel should knock a deer down pretty quick if shots are under 40-50 yds.

bigcountry

Hunterleo, thats a problem if it has flow. But if it has flow, its not really a swamp or is it? Either way, I prefer the shotgun. I have lost a deer or two in the swamps of the Eastern Shore of MD muzzleloading. They have this bay grass or fragmites (I think) that they can lay in and you walk right over them.

hunter Leo

Dont know if flow makes a difference or not but this swamp is fed by a small creek like 6ft wide and less then 6" deep. Its all run off from the highland and is usually running one way or another. Aside from that i have Beavers living in the swamp damning the whole thing up and that is making what water that gets by have movement. I'm gonna take care of the beavers in due time.

castman

You will be best served shooting 20-30 yards with a short barreled shotgun or a revolver. Theres no need for a scoped rifle at that short of range, they will do more harm than good.

SuperMagnum

If all the shots will be under 50 yards a shotgun with either rifle sights or bead would probably be the best. I use the cheap winchester foster slugs and all the deer I have shot just dropped like a brick except for couple running does and they never went more than 50 yards.