A Classic Day in the Swamp

[Deep C]

Driving in, spot "A" looked a bit moist but huntable. I decided though to do a reverse scout and headed for the now dried out spot "B"... It was nice to hunt in topsiders as it allows you to be deadly stealth quiet. With that being said though, I saw little sign and heard even less. The bugs were loud and I decided to call it done after one quick walk through.
The doves weren't moving so it was a straight back to spot "A" for the good long sit. I got out of the car and dropped a fresh 209 in the slot. As I put on my boots I could see piggies most of the way to my spot.
I picked up the pace and did as stealth of an approach as I could, I was all ears and eyes and took a path that offered great cover and quiet walking. Inch by inch I crept in. When I arrived where they had been they were gone... Big black ghosts had just vanished. Lots of tracks where they were but really had no path in or out...
I zig zagged the thick all the way to my spot without seeing or hearing even one. Once at my spot I began to settle in when I heard at least a couple about thirty yards back along the sunny side of the thick. Wind was good so I did the stalk thing again. I could hear em but just couldn't see em so I set up where I thought they may come out. Suddenly the wind switched and I could hear them blow back out and back into the too thick...
I went back to my sit spot and took a seat on my little stool a few inches above the water in the hump betweeen two buggy tracks. It all felt right and I waited. I saw the piggies cross the savanah about half way back to the road and circle to the far end of the brush in front of me.
As I settled in, I took stock of the scenery. "X" number of pieces of grass in such and such location comming out of the buggy track. Two little black marble thingies to the right at twenty yards. A big white egret at the far end of the track.
A short time later and rechecked my surroundings. All was the same except the two little black marble thingies had moved... "Shit! A gator..." It went down and that always unnerves me when I can't see em... Little subtle things let you know they are there... but you gotta look close...
In this shot below and right of center is the bugger... You can see how tough it is to spot.

I was distracted from watching him as I heard little "splurp splurp" noises comming from the bush next to me.. More "Splurping" the I could hear something chewing... Nope this would be no piggie... I strained hard to see the little banded face just a couple yards away. The camera had an even harder time but hes right there... Again low of center...

I've said it before ... In the swamp nothing jumps out and bites you til it jumps out and bites you...

The day moved forward. I became one with my micro enviroment. The minnow gathered around my boots waiting for me to stir stuff from the bottom with a shuffle. I became friends with a grass hopper as big as a mouse. I watched bees on the flowers and the cray fish rummaging thriugh the scraps the coon had left behind of one of their relatives...
A hundred yards off I heard a sploosh... A pig... But this one was swimming. If he wasn't big eniough to be able to stand up in water of 14 inches he wouldn't the 20" shoulder height minimum they have in the reg books...
Light finally gave out and I waded back to the tackle box... I uncapped the gun and took off my boots. I walked back to my drivers door barefoot with shoes in hand... I got in and shoed up. As i closed the door something caught my eye as it slid out from under the car...
A water mocassin!!!!


So that was a classic typical day in the swamp. I was happy to see the "A" spot showing promise and where water was standing too deep there are now tracks... This week is the week I hope...

[WAHOONBOX]

BUGS, CRITTERS, VENOM, AND JAWS.....THEN MORE BUGS....MORE SNAKES...MORE BLACK BUMPS,..................


COOL. A VERY SUCCESSFUL HUNT......... AT LEAST YOU WERE THERE.....THANKS FOR THE HUNT!

[Buckeye]

I might climb 50 feet up a tree but no way would I go in there!!!!!!!!
I hate snakes and I don't want to meet a GATOR!!!

[Deep C]

It started rough today... I had my orange mesh vest stuffed under my drivers seat and when I put it on , it became clear that I had found the supply of plugs and spoons that I misplaced when surf fishing earlier this summer.

Hoped for continuing activity out there today but the stuff that was moving had two legs and loud machines... No sooner did I get to sittin and concentrating then a buggy rode up the lane behind me. A second passed out front of me... That I could live with as often they push stuff or have stuff circle behind. Then A third buggy decided to blaze a trail litterally a few feet from me. I Just looked at him as he was squashing all them baby trees as if to say "Theres 60,000 acres with pleanty of good places asshole. Why run me over!!!" ... He just looked and kept on crushin brush... That was enough. Not enough time to run to spot "B" and set up there so I called it a day early.
Unloaded my round into a mound of mud (Second time i have shot the gun) and man does that thing hit hard. I took some peoples advice and went with two pellets instead of three and wow does that thing have some punch. I need to find out the balistics or a two pellet charge behind a 245 grain 50 cal sabot... Any body know them off the top of their head???? FPS, drop at 100 yards?