Swamp bridge ideas

Looking for ideas to get to High ground through a tag alder swamp.. previous owner has a path with some boards just randomly placed to get to a tree stand.. We made it in but one wet foot lots of deer sign once in..My son even found a shed..

Any design ideas lots of rain in Northern Wisconsin..

I was thinking 5 foot long 15 inches wide pre made and a pair of hip boots..

Also I introduced myself to the land owner to the north of the property I just purchased to show respect for the up coming season and give him my number if he or any of his group of hunters needs help with anything and or stand safety..He just told me they hunt where they want to and go..How do I handle that..Guy would not even take my number... Safety is number one when it comes to my boys I will not let them be put in harm's way...

Mudbucket..

All good on messenger I think...

Heading back up next weekend..Had to pick my boat up from Castle Rock marine...Had 2 impellers replaced...Love summer time boat owners that have no idea what a boat really is..Want repairs done now...Pre ordered part and drop off..Told me 10 days done in 6... Thank me for pre ordered parts and giving them the time to fix it..

My parents have redone their deck and I got the wood that was good...Deck was only 2 years old..Plus my mom saved the screws bouns...

If you see them pallet again please send me a message..

Thanks.. Please keep your EpiPen with you. First time I have been stung since I found out I was allergic..My hand the next day.

Sorry to hear that you were stung while working up there. That's been my biggest fear the last few years before the cold weather. Got nailed in the wrist by a ground wasp few yrs ago. Ended up at the walk in when the hives started on my neck and chest. Cost a small fortune. Found some more ideas that may work for you in the future. Dont think they are to far from you if interested. 

Good luck this fall. 

Sent you a PM, friend request about your neighbor.

Yes I agree my neighbor to the north might be a problem..I was up working on the land last week.. Untouched land had my son's cutting north/south trail and sprayed with herbicide....I was working on swamp donkey bridge and cutting up a brich tree that fell...My son said he saw tape on trees but as we went to look at it I was stung by bald face wasp... I am very allergic to bee stings and no epi pen with me... My oldest boy ran to the truck and got it  probably saved my life.. Heading back up next week for some trail cutting and posting the north property line..

That guy sounds like trouble. I would talk to him again like the previous post stated. I would put up plenty of no tresspassing signs so they can't try to say they didn"t see them. I would put a couple on each side too- East and West so they don't try to walk in on the corner.

I would avoid the pallets, unless you want to replace them every summer. They rot and get unsafe to walk on after sitting out 

If your bridge will be THAT short, get some treated posts and drive them in, then suspend your bridge well above the water/snow line.  Space boards an inch apart for good drainage and to prevent them from creaking against each other.  Keep it dry for longer life.  You also don't want your bridge in contact with the water surface because if you hunt in colder weather the material against the early ice will make a lot of noise as you cross the bridge.

I have a 125 yard pallet trail across a tamarack swamp to our high ground.  We're on our 4th layer of pallets because of rotting over the years.  I can't count the number of pallets we've laid out.  Bottom surface rots quickly because of constant contact with water, grass/weeds grow up through the slats and clog the path and trap water on top.  

Ditto on posting your property line and mounting the cell cameras.  He's going to be trouble.  You could try talking to him one more time and asking for his number so you can call and ask permission to track a wounded deer onto his property, and again offer your number because you will expect the same.  These situations it's better to be open about how you will run your property.  If it makes you feel better, tell him you had issues with trespassing on your last property, and you want to avoid any hassle between you and him.

He'll either respect you and you go on from there, or you'll know for sure he's going to be an issue and you'll know to have the sheriff's number on speed dial.

Good luck.

Update on the swamp donkey bridge...things are drying out did get a few in today...Was planning on cutting up a birch tree that fell and use it also but ran out of gas .. Not as young as I thought I was... spent time cutting trail east west across my land... Untouched land .. Did see a few deer and one nice 8 or 10 pointer still in velvet... Lots of work to do yet...

Operation swamp donkey bridge has started...I work in large format printing..2 60 x 120 skids split down to 30 x 120 with 2 10 foot 4 x 4 for future possibility..

Cost zero just a little of my time..

Congratulations on the property. 

Maybe not now but in the future making trails? Easier for the kids and family to get around. We made a 50' stretch by cutting 5' long dead fall, or soon to be.. Little mulch and dirt over top. Put some grass and winter wheat on top. Drive mower or a atv over it to cut trails, food plot, or drag your kids deer. Just a different option. 

Made some foot bridges out of wood boxes our steel comes in at work. 12' long 7 1/2" wide 7" high. Screw 2 together length and 2 width.

Good luck and enjoy making memories..

Zoned undeveloped and Ag land .No wet Land we asked about that before we purchased it..l like the chain link fence idea..

You may want to check with country agent to be sure the land is not considered wetland  . Find out if it is, and what you can do to it . May save you an expensive fine . Don't want to mess with wetland regulations. 

That said I put down some lengths of chain link fence. Basically invisible after a year,  and firms up some soft spots .

All very good input..Thank all of you...I was thinking 15 inches wide but I am going to go 24 inches wide..  I will be putting Two 5 foot by 24 inches on boat dock support for adjustable height..2 more same way without dock support.. only one spot that I need to worry about..

Got some timbers from my neighbor after I rolled up a area for a garden he was going to toss them out.. Good trade half hour tilling and we both come out looking good..My wife happy his wife happy Zero dollars spent in saved him a ton of work..

Yes I did inform my new neighbor that I put up cell camera which I did plus 3 regular trailer cams.. Going to get to work on bridge idea this week I will post pictures..

discarded utility poles the kind you find laying along RR tracks weigh less than 100 pounds.  Talking about the old dried ones.  Ive carried dozens of them to build a log house so those were not impossibly heavy.  Yeah the new poles are defintiely not light.

Some years ago I hunted with a group that had access to a 120 acre parcel that had a ditch dividing it. Most years that ditch had knee to hip deep water in it and made for a long walk to get around it. I had a couple of heavy gauge 26’ steel studs leftover from a job I did. I took a sheet of treated plywood and cut 3 16” rips and screwed them on to form a bridge. We drove some treated 2x4 into the ditch bank 2’ apart and attached a cross member to set the end of the bridge on. Worked well to cross the ditch. Don’t know how far you need to go but you could make up several sections to span whatever distance you need. 16” was as narrow as you would want, 24” wide would be even better especially to drag a deer out on. Once a summer apply linseed oil/ Thompson water seal type of product to the plywood to get longer life. 

Agree that a low-cost, highly sturdy option would be a couple utility poles with pallets or planks of some sort on top. The problem with utility poles is they are HEAVY and you will not want to have to carry them far to place them. I have used 12" diameter utility poles for corner posts while fencing...an 8 foot piece weighs about 250-300 pounds...yours would be 600-700 pounds for a 16-18 foot pole. Not something you and your boys would want to carry 1/4 mile into a swamp/bog.

It would cost about $60 at Menards for a couple of 16 foot treated 2x8's...stand them on edge and screw pallets across them and you'd be set. The 2x8's would be MUCH lighter to carry and set and more than sturdy enough to walk across...I guess what I'm saying is cheaper isn't always better. $60-75 to build a simple foot bridge isn't expensive to me and will be MUCH easier to get in the woods than 16 foot utility poles in my opinion. If you aren't taking an ATV across them, I'd just use dimensional lumber and replace the pallets every couple years.

As for the neighbor...sounds like he may be trouble, but it could also be a front. I would maybe try talking to him again. Explain that since you are not from the area, you will be utilizing several cellular cameras to scout your new property and anyone seen trespassing will be prosecuted. There is his warning. You see them, call them in. If you can swing it financially, I would invest in a couple cell cameras if you don't have them. They are great scouting tools and are also eyes on your property when you are not around. Buy a section or two of hang on ladder sticks and hang them about 10-12 feet off the ground angled down...It will reduce the number of false triggers you get as well as deter theft as the cameras are above eye level and require a ladder or other tools to get down, which with a cell camera would give plenty of time for the camera to take and send a picture before they can steal it or turn it off. You can also reiterate that your kids will be hunting there and you don't want them injured or their hunts ruined. What I wouldn't do...is shrug it off and give them even an INCH of leeway once they are warned. Best of luck!

couple of wood poles, like phone poles,  with boards nailed across.

If you want to go cheap you can often find discarded  phone poles laying along railroad tracks.

Gotta love deer hunting. 2 weeks a year some people get so scared and act like life is all a pisn match