green swamp wma in florida
 

this is my first year hunting and i was wondering if you guys could give me any info about this area.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

WIshed I could help...but I can't ..I practically live there and still don't have it down to a Science..
The answer for me.

1. Scout..scout..scout..the game is nocturnal..you will need to find their living quarters..

THEN...

2. Ask God to bless your efforts..

If He does thank Him..If He doesn't ..thank Him for life and for sending Jesus to save us from Hell,
Merry Christmas
C7

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

Have fun...
hunt safe.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

Isn't a quota permit required to hunt there?

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

no permit is required after the first 9 days. and chuck7, thanks for all the great info. i am going to start looking on google earth right now.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

your welcome,

Aslo, there are two entrances..the 471 gate and the Rockridge Gate..

There are twice as many game bagged every year from the 471 gate..If I had to start over I'd probably hunt 471..BUT I've already got my scouting hours in at Rockridge so I will continue there. One could never scout the entire Green Swamp in a life time..It's roughly 25 square miles..
There are some nice deer in there..So far the biggest recorded at Rockridge check station this year has been a field dressed 175 pound 8 point.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

i have hunted from the 471 side one time. i havent seen anything yet. i have a few ares from google earth i need to check out.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

471 is quite a ways from me and thus the reason I hunt Rockridge.I'm from Lakeland and drive up through Polk City. I recently found a short cut though..and it only takes me 35 minutes..i'm 26 miles from the gate..

One of my spots is nearly a 2 mile walk.[&o]I'll start using my bleat call on Dec. 20th..Right now..I'm taking no calls..I've done best by getting up in the tree and shutting up..:)Of course the longer you set the bigger chance of scoring..I try to al least go to 11:00 AM ..tomorrow I may shoot for later.
I've also just contacted a John Deere store in Mississippi to buy my favorite climber..I'd like to have 2..because.
a. They are no longer available.
b. To keep from toting them around the swamp..
c. To hunt the best wind advantages..

The stand is Summit's Bullet Backpacker.I already have one and love it..If a person is leary of heights..this is the right stand..;)

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

i got a summit goliath climber. i live in lakeland too. i still hunt the 471 side tho. lol

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

That's funny..I just called and ordered my 2nd Summit Bullet Backpackers..{ From a Mississipi feed store..:)they are hard to find...Ebay has none neither does Bass Pro or Cabelas..

WHat part of Lakeland you from?...I'm from the east side..I teach at Combee Elementary.I'm a 3rd grade teacher..I'm a 1/2 mile from Southeastern University.. a mile and 1/2 from Lake Hollingsworth

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

Wind tomorrow...light north wind

Temperature 52

Feeding times 5:35 AM
:)

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

im from north lakeland. i live off of gib galloway

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

My son works off of Knight Station road..at Sea Board..an oil distribution company..

He lives up there at Carlton Arms by the mall..We need to meet sometime for coffee..if ya want.
C7

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

i can see carlton arms ffom my house. have you killed anything in the swamp?

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

If you can get out there during the week and try it one time. I have had alot better luck during the week. Scouting alot would help. Try and find a area with a good food source. I seen my only buck this year eating acorns. Good luck

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

i have found one area with alot of acorns with a trail leading into t from a stand of planted pines. i only hunted it once but i didnt see anything yet. im going to give ita few more tries.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

can see carlton arms ffom my house. have you killed anything in the swamp?

Not this year ..but I've killed a spke , wild turkey anda hog out of there...I've also called or gotten 2 beautuful bucks with in 10 yds of my stand..both times my stands were facing the wrong way..[:@]I've had a doe and hogs directly under my stand in archery..got the shakey knees..so I am seeing the game..but still learning the lessons..
Lesson learned this year,

A. Make sure stand is facing in the right direction
Stand placement is VERY important.[&:]

B. Take offthe pull up rope off your stand and stick it in your pocket or pack..[&:]

C.Do not carry mosquitoe repellant in your pocket..if it leaks it will burn a hole in your leg. I had to pull off my pants and sit butt naked in my stand yesterday.:DIt will burn you up..in the rain..[8D]

D. Do not move..stay till at least 11:00 AM

E. Make sure you have enough shooting lanes ..they come in where you least expect.[&:][:@]


PS I did get one hog on private property this year..

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

thats pretty good. im hoping to atleast get a shot at a deer or a hod. i got a place with a good rub line and a place with acorns. im going to hunt them al much as i can.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

thats pretty good. im hoping to atleast get a shot at a deer or a hod. i got a place with a good rub line and a place with acorns. im going to hunt them al much as i can.

WOW!! I've never seen a rub line in FLorida..well maybe an old one but nothing new..again ..I wish I could share more but my friend some use this forum as part of their scouting tools..;)[8D]so I can't say too much except EVERY year you will do better;)see more game. Also, IMHO the Green Swamp is the most difficult place in the world to hunt..once you start doing good here you can consider yourself a pro..:)I've hunted in 4 other states..piece of cake..BUT the Green Swamp..not so..this place will make a true genuine hunter out of ya..OR cause you to sell your stuff and quit hunting..:D
have a Merry Christmas,

Chuck7

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

i aint going to quite. i really want to kill something out there so i aint going to quite till i do. lol

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

just have to scout and get away from other hunters

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

I been huntin greenswamp for 6 years now, i have had the best luck sittin up inna tree stand on the edge of cypress swamps that are OFF the beaten paths, the deer and hogs both seem to seek refuge in the swamps, got to catch them on the way in or out...another big factor i beleive is timing(right place at the right time). I personally always am set up in my stand when its still dark in the mornins, but despite popular belief, you can see game in the middle of the afternoon when its warmest and windiest. Remember as chuck7 said look for signs whether they be scrapes or rublines, or hog rootens, if you find good signs, stay on em! but above all i think the biggest key is just being "different" from other hunters, dont go where you always see a bunch of trucks, because more than likely from the huntin pressure thehogs and deer (bucks especially) will get pushed back into the thickest of thick stuff (NO MANS LAND) and you'll never catch a glimpse of em. But the good thing for all of us is the rut is goin to start kickin in in the nextcouple weeks so the bucks WILL be on the move! Good Luck n remember be DIFFERENT!!!

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

dont go where you always see a bunch of trucks, because more than likely from the huntin pressure thehogs and deer (bucks especially) will get pushed back into the thickest of thick stuff (NO MANS LAND) and you'll never catch a glimpse of em. But the good thing for all of us is the rut is goin to start kickin in in the nextcouple weeks so the bucks WILL be on the move! Good Luck n remember be DIFFERENT!!!

Welcome partner..did I meet you at the gate last Sat.? I was talking to someone out there last Sat. about Hunting.net..:)just wondering..I'm usually one of the first out there to and usually am in my stand at 5:30..I got a nice little walk ..It seems like when 9:00 AM comes alot of hunters like ot shoot their guns off.[&o]Like you said ...most of the deer I've seen have been in the late morning or afternoon .

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

hey how you doin? no, it wasn't me you was talkin to, in fact i was half asleep as i rolled through the gate...lol. yea my spot is about a three mile walk...your right about that, a couple weeks back some body was shootin an assault rifle out there, i heard 11 loud consecutive shots, not far from my stand, kinda scared me, some of those guys out there aint got no sense...yup, i might even start sleepin in a little....NAH!...lol...I live to hunt.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

im going to be out there prolly wednesday thursday and friday. im headed to ocala for the weekend most likely. and i might be out there every day next week. im not sure yet.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

yea, personally i like to hunt durin the week too, ain very many people there. can't wait til after christmas, im goin to be in there from dec. 26th until Jan. 4th(the last day of the season:(), the rut will be in full affect!, Good luck in Ocala, ain been there in a long time, at the start of this season a friend of mine got a nice 7 point out of ocala weighed 167, main beams were around 14in. tall with and inside spread of 11 3/4 in. I've read about a lotta big deer in ocala, need to go sometime. I just can't shake myself from goin to greenswamp, there is so much of that place that is untouched, which means big bucks unseen, I would bet money that theres more than a few like the 25 point stovall buck in those woods. If you put into perspective that greenswamp is 50,659 acres and that in an average season there are around 150 bucks killed on average that would put 1 buck per every 337 acres the thing is of that 337 acres your probably only looking at about75-100 acres being "accessable" due to the fact that 2/3 of greenswamp is just that... SWAMP...which would put the actual "average" number in 337 acres between 4 and 5 bucks, which means statistically that hunters are probably only seeing 25% of bucks in those woods, which in turn puts a bucks survival rate at somewhere around 75%...and the fact that most of the deer killed are 3-4 years and younger!...thats what keeps me goin back...Hunting is more than just going in the woods , its becoming the woods! GOOD LUCK!!!

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

hey how you doin? no, it wasn't me you was talkin to, in fact i was half asleep as i rolled through the gate...lol. yea my spot is about a three mile walk...[:-]OH my!!!that is a long walk...I only walk that far during gobbler season..That is a good hike..I can think of three areas like that off of Rockridge and they all border ranches..BUT still that is one heck of a walk..My present honey hole is only a 30 minute walk..I only hunt it on Sat. as I don't want to mess it up..I'm off from Dec. 20th till Jan. 6th..then I will hunt every day but Sunday..{ God willing} then I will hunt 4 different spots that hold deer..and hope for the best..I've got a 2nd Bullet Backpacker Summit coming from Mississippi any day now..


your right about that, a couple weeks back some body was shootin an assault rifle out there, i heard 11 loud consecutive shots, not far from my stand, kinda scared me, some of those guys out there aint got no sense...yup, i might even start sleepin in a little....NAH!...lol...I live to hunt.

Those deer in the Green Swamp have super magnum senses..you need to be like a statue when they come through..;)

I'm still seeing lots of trucks lined up on Sat. I got there 20 minutes early last Sat..and there was a big line in front of me. I'm also seeing more game wardens this year...at the gate and on the main roads.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

yea but i usually get somethin from that spot, got 2 hogs outta there so far and have seen 2 bucks, 1 small 4 point, and a larger one couldnt see how many points though...wow 4 spots that hold deer...i ve only got 2 i kno that hold deer and a couple other hit n misses...o yea?, i got a summit xtreme classic, a little heavier but its a great climber!...Yea those deer are smart the little 4 point i seen was lookin right at me and i was about 25 ft. up...o yea people start linin up at like 3:30am sometimes...well i aint complainin about more wardens anything to make it safer and prevent people from poachin...

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

congrats on the hogs man!!! and seeing 2 deer. I'll share my report Jan. 5th..[8D]

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

i havent seen anything yet. you think if i sit on a rub longenough i will see a deer? it is about a mile backin the woods.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

thanks chuck,...sounds good!

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

It would definitely be worth sittin on it at least a couple times, because usually a rub is a sign of a bucks territory to show other bucks they are in that area...it works both ways though, i was hunting in croom when it was open, found a good rub on a little pine rubbed down to the core, sap was coming out, sat on it 4 separate occasions and didn't see nothin but a couple does, but that rub was super fresh so i kno there was a buck in that area. Definitely give it a go though!

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

im definately have alot of time there so i am going to give it a few hole days. mabey i will get lucky

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

i havent seen anything yet. you think if i sit on a rub longenough i will see a deer? it is about a mile backin the woods.

Here's my advice when not seeing anything..

A. Get up at least 14 feet high..your stand must be hidden and blending in with other trees..not out in the open..I had to move mine.

B. Seriously ..you can't move around..the deer can usually see you before you see them //hogs too. Leave drinks etc. in your truck..I have my pack hanging on a small tree beside my stand..and it takes me along time to get something out..I move very slowly..with eyes scanning the woods at all times.


C. If I don't see nothing in 2 or 3 hunts I move..

D. My area is good..there are no rubs, no scrapes..BUT 3 game trails funneling to their bedding area..and I'm seeing game.

E. I look for worn dark trails..going through thick crap along wet swampy stuff. They love to bef where they can get water, sun, and hear you before you see them..SO they love the thick water holes in the middle of cypress domes..there will be no big trees there blocking the sun..

Be careful..some black trails are not trails at all ...they are simply places where water has washed away debri..I look for trails are about a foot wide and mushy from much use..INSIDE BASYHEADS..I don't hunt those worn out trails on the outside of bayheads..those I beleive are made at night ..IMHO worn trailsarea better sign for me than a rub trail..The only deal is..when is that trail being used.?Deer generally make about a 1 mile loop I've read..so you have to determine..is that a night time trail or daytime..Sitting in that stand will find that answer out..

Now..when you have found a hot spot..
A..Don't tell a soul..don't get on here telling what road you hunt on..Scouting takes time and hard work..Many times I park 300 yds from where I go in at..If there are other hunters in the area..I lay out a fake trail which leads in one big circle..I've even put my trail tacks on the ground..Iy's best not to use flagger tape..you don't want a single person to investigate your gold mine..I use trail tacks..but only when needed ..I try to memorize the terrain and certain features before sticking them in the trees..When other hunters ask how I'm doing..I say..."Ain't seen jack man...this place sucks." :):D

B. Don't over hunt it..I hunt my spot about once a week. Once you know what a decent spot looks like..find a couple more to huntaccordingto wind direction..

C. Your deer may be there..I've had deer and hogs walk by me this year all in about 5 seconds total.If I had not been looking..I would have missed them..

D. Are you hearing game in the early hours before daylight?? If so they are probably around..

Merry Christmas,
C7

PS And remember ..don't campare yourself with others..It 's like a northern bass fisherman camparing to our bass fishing in Florida.;)Just do your BEST on every hunt..Tryto stay in that stand with out moving much..and you should be learning something just about every hunt..I had to learn a costly lesson AGAIN last week. Have that stand pointed in the right direction..[&o]your eyes are your most important tool.95% of the time you will not hear hogs or deer..you must be looking.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

From my personal expeirience 14 ft. high isnt high enough... up until earlier this year i was always goin between 15-20 ft. high and on two separate occasions, had deer lookin right at me...once in croom 4 doesand a button spike came through a BIG doe was leadin the pack, she stopped and looked strate up at me from about 60yardsaway, blew and they all took off, the second time just a couple weeks back that little 4 point did the same thing, i was watchin a doe cross about 100 yds, to the left of my stand, turned back slowly and there he was about50 ft. in front of me lookin right at me. i've now started goin between 20-25ft. up. I've been told by several people thats had luckgettin bucks to go at least 20ft.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

I totally believe ya..

except I get leary of heights past 14[&o] but I know you are right..it just makes sense..

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

I would move if I was you. I personally cant sit somewere to many times if I dont see something. I walked around right before dark one day and spooked a deer that ran across the road. So I hunted that spot and have had really good luck so far. I have seen something 70% of the timeout of that spot.You may want to try hunting some spotswereyou can see alot of area.Good luck

I did not see anything today.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

the place i found the rubs is planted pines along one side with a rub on the edge of a cypress head and other cypress heads in the area. im going out tommorow. good luck to everyone.

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

you know what, i used to be the same way first time i went up in a tree went only about 10ft. up, but i progressivly worked my way up, you have to trust your stand...i gota summit, and they are SAFE!....next time just try to go a little higher, beleive megoin higher pays off!

RE: green swamp wma in florida
 

GOOD LUCK!!!