Public Land Hunting

[rangerod]

My brother in law says when hunting public do what the rest of the hunters don't do. Hunt the middle of the day? Hunt after the main rut is winding down and most of the other hunters are long gone? Deer pattern us better than we pattern them. Any opinions? Experiences? Tips or tricks?

 

[deermanok]

I only hunt state land. During the bow season, I generally don't do anything different, just hunt. Most of the lands I hunt on don't seem to draw too many people. Last year during the rifle season, I hunted every day of the 9 day season and only saw 3 other hunters. Same property I bow hunt on.
Never saw anybody during bow season and I hunt 3 or 4 days a week.
Same thing during the muzzleloader season.
Even when I lived in Connecticut, I hunted state and rarely saw another hunter.
I really believe that most people prefer private land and would rather not hunt state if at all possible.
But, depending on where you live, state land could get crowded.
My advice is to hunt during the week days when everyone else is at work or school.
Get topo maps of the area you want to hunt. Look for any small parcels, smaller the better. Most people won't bother hunting them. You could end up with a 20, 40 or whatever acre piece all to yourself.

 

[eekjellander]

My brother in law says when hunting public do what the rest of the hunters don't do. Hunt the middle of the day? Hunt after the main rut is winding down and most of the other hunters are long gone? Deer pattern us better than we pattern them. Any opinions? Experiences? Tips or tricks?

Any time hunting is time well spent ,deer can't make patterns with my movements as I'm always there . And if I wasn't they couldn't be sure (wind/scent control ) so if I was an if not how would they know , kinda like a tree falling and nobody was to hear it . So to conclude this , I could be the cause of a our local Sullivan Co NY annual deer migration ,as deer become scarce once My season opens right till the end!/Ed

 

[southdakbearfan]

I look for large tracks of public land that most are too lazy to hike back into or tiny tracks that may be overlooked by most.

My favorite deer spot is about 4 sections, only accessible from one side. Most hunters will not go more than 1/2 way back so the back half almost never sees foot traffic or hunters.

My first muzzleloader deer was on a spot with less than 10 acres, I noticed no human tracks in the snow a couple of times so I hunted it and had about 30 deer within range the first time out.

 

[sheriffjohn]

"Scouting" ahead of seasons - whatever the quarry - sure raises success rates. White tail deer are creatures of habit and food availability (except for the rut and opening day). Successful bowhunters know this best of all. They become accustomed to everyday human activity, and unless free-ranging dogs are around, people aren't frightening.

Find where the deer are bedding and what they're feeding upon (ahead of opening day), set up and remain there from before dawn to dark. Most "hunters" are "shooters", not hunters ..won't put in time to find a good ambush spot nor stay in one spot (especially if it's rainy/cold or they're hungry). Public land locations are easily located via state conservation agencies and Google Maps (not road signs and parking areas).

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I kinda miss some of the things about hunting public land here. More challenging for sure, lots more land, can hunt some place new everyday if you want. You HAVE to put in the time, both preseason and in season.

 

[Mnt monkey]

Been scouting public land right behind my place in Arkansas for the last two mornings it's a little intimidating,, it's such big country it all looks good but it's all not good,, I found a good low country stand and a good high country stand ,hope to utilize both,,

 

[GBG]

I usually hunt wild pigs on state WMAs and in National Forests. They prefer the most remote, inaccessible, steep tortured terrain with pockets of nearly impenetrable briars, thorns, honeysuckle, blackberry, sage grass and pine sapling thickets. Basically, the last place anyone would want to go.

I've reached the age and state (lack) of health, that I just can't hike in there anymore. My best option now is to enter from the valleys, and rock bluff lined "hollows" by boat. If I kill a pig, it's all downhill to the stream/creek/river and then the canoe, boat etc. can "carry" the meat for me on level water to the boat launch and truck.

It limits the areas I can get to, but hunting the bottoms is better than not hunting at all.

 

[rugerbh103]

I'm in Virginia and spend some time hunting the national forest every year. We see some pressure on weekends, but during the week it is almost all ours. Most guys only hunt it as a last resort. Where we hunt the deer numbers aren't what they use to be, more predators and lack of forest management. I've found two tactics work well. Either hike way in, or hunt the edges of farm land bordering the public land.

 

[Ninering62]

Been scouting public land right behind my place in Arkansas for the last two mornings it's a little intimidating,, it's such big country it all looks good but it's all not good,, I found a good low country stand and a good high country stand ,hope to utilize both,,

That looks beautiful bro, but gettin a big critter outta there ain't gonna be fun. Pick your kill location very strategically. Get one of these Summit Mini Vipers & go anywhere ya want to go, get a 10" folding saw in a belt pouch for the branches, some reflective push pins, maybe a handheld GPS & explore away.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Another alternative is to use what the other hunters do to help you... One WMA I hunted forever ago had legal parking/checkin/checkout at one end, but a boatable creek was on the far side, connecting two lakes. Parked and checked in, walked really fast along fence line the mile+ back to where the creek intersected, hopped in a buddy's boat and he got me up to the middle of the back corner side quick (electric motor on canoe). Set up so that incoming hunters on foot would in theory be driving deer/pigs towards me... Didn't work - the other hunters were too lazy and I was about a mile too far out/in ... said screw it, went back to creek and buddy, we spent a hour drifting back down to roadway fishin' ...

 

[Ninering62]

Another alternative is to use what the other hunters do to help you... One WMA I hunted forever ago had legal parking/checkin/checkout at one end, but a boatable creek was on the far side, connecting two lakes. Parked and checked in, walked really fast along fence line the mile+ back to where the creek intersected, hopped in a buddy's boat and he got me up to the middle of the back corner side quick (electric motor on canoe). Set up so that incoming hunters on foot would in theory be driving deer/pigs towards me... Didn't work - the other hunters were too lazy and I was about a mile too far out/in ... said screw it, went back to creek and buddy, we spent a hour drifting back down to roadway fishin' ...

The general idea was on point. Thats just bein smart. It didn't work for you that time, but you learned something from it, so that you can do the same thing again, but choose a better location for it. I've utilized the same mindset & practice for decades.
So glad to see ya jump right in with both feet into the forum. Welcome.

 

[Ninering62]

My brother in law says when hunting public do what the rest of the hunters don't do. Hunt the middle of the day? Hunt after the main rut is winding down and most of the other hunters are long gone? Deer pattern us better than we pattern them. Any opinions? Experiences? Tips or tricks?

I haven't hunted " a lot " of state game land, but when I did, I learned my first time out that its a big crap shoot regardless of what you do. You can take your self climber & GPS, do thee best scouting, use the signs & other hunters spots & routes to help you & pick thee best spot ever, & some friggin ahole will walk inside 100yds of you & set up like you ain't even there. I like doin one of two things, goin in way past where anyone else will most likely go or stayin fairly close but hunt the outskirts of main travel routes & get in before everyone else & be prepared to stay until everyone else has left their spot. Late moring - late lunchtime, when many leave the woods to congregate, eat & drink is a very good time to stay put & be alert.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I have a couple of hiding places picked out and a couple of way off the beaten path places picked out. I've also found a couple of places that are right by a busy highway but they get zero human traffic ever ,, some nice bedding areas in them. They run dogs a lot where I'm at so the deer learn real quick where they can hide safely if you find those places too you're good

 

[rangerod]

I haven't hunted " a lot " of state game land, but when I did, I learned my first time out that its a big crap shoot regardless of what you do. You can take your self climber & GPS, do thee best scouting, use the signs & other hunters spots & routes to help you & pick thee best spot ever, & some friggin ahole will walk inside 100yds of you & set up like you ain't even there. I like doin one of two things, goin in way past where anyone else will most likely go or stayin fairly close but hunt the outskirts of main travel routes & get in before everyone else & be prepared to stay until everyone else has left their spot. Late moring - late lunchtime, when many leave the woods to congregate, eat & drink is a very good time to stay put & be alert.

Where I hunt everybody goes in a long ways. Besides I think I'm too old for that. Two years ago I found where a booner lives 100 yds from a blacktop road. Really thick stuff. Not a great place to bow hunt. With the Omega up to the plate I think I can get him if he's still around. Big buck gets shot word gets around.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Where I hunt everybody goes in a long ways. Besides I think I'm too old for that. Two years ago I found where a booner lives 100 yds from a blacktop road. Really thick stuff. Not a great place to bow hunt. With the Omega up to the plate I think I can get him if he's still around. Big buck gets shot word gets around.

Right in the village here in the woods behind my house, guys keep finding the huge sheds every year but no one is seeing the big buck, and no hunting allowed here. Does keep getting knocked up. Theres a sneaky old buck here someplace.

 

[toytruck]

We used to hunt NF lands in VA. walk in a mile or so and have other hunters push the deer to us. I have taken some deer home with me over the years, last one was a midsize 8 point. Long drag out and old body kinda changed my mind for me. This really was deer hunting for me, still miss it.

 

[user 26030]

We used to hunt NF lands in VA. walk in a mile or so and have other hunters push the deer to us. I have taken some deer home with me over the years, last one was a midsize 8 point. Long drag out and old body kinda changed my mind for me. This really was deer hunting for me, still miss it.

I feel ya on the old body part! 30 years of “Kickin’ in doors, and fallin’ thru floors” has left this old FF not looking forward to a long drag out. I plan on placing my kill on a plastic roll-up sled and using paracord and pulleys to lessen the load (work smarter, not harder). Will take way longer, but at my age, it’s something I got plenty of.

 

[toytruck]

I feel ya on the old body part! 30 years of “Kickin’ in doors, and fallin’ thru floors” has left this old FF not looking forward to a long drag out. I plan on placing my kill on a plastic roll-up sled and using paracord and pulleys to lessen the load (work smarter, not harder). Will take way longer, but at my age, it’s something I got plenty of.

I used one of those plastic roll up deer sleigh. By the time I got the deer to the truck the plastic had holes worn in it. Before I got the sleigh the hair on one side of the deer was worn off!
Bought a deer cart with solid wheels, really was noisy walking in, never saw anything. Fun times
We could drive in along a power line, but the forrest service decided to timber out half of the ridge and put in a gate adding another half mile. With the new growth in brush makes it really hard to walk in now.

 

[user 26030]

I used one of those plastic roll up deer sleigh. By the time I got the deer to the truck the plastic had holes worn in it. Before I got the sleigh the hair on one side of the deer was worn off!
Bought a deer cart with solid wheels, really was noisy walking in, never saw anything. Fun times
We could drive in along a power line, but the forrest service decided to timber out half of the ridge and put in a gate adding another half mile. With the new growth in brush makes it really hard to walk in now.

The one I’m planning on using is beefed-up version that was used in a similar way for live patient transport. Used when it deemed too dangerous to PT and rescuers to hand-carry terrain-wise. Never had one wear through.