Hunting public ground

[tetaxidermy]

Anybody hunt public land with primitive equipment? I have a big area of public ground 15 minutes from my house that I have been wanting to hunt. Any tips or suggestions would be great . Just bought a climber and have 2 deer blinds so I am set that way, easy to carry and don't have to worry about someone stealing them cause they will go with me. Thanks.

[Justin Snyder]

That is all we have. Every time you start to put the sneak on something a four wheeler drives by. 

[PeteC]

I hunt public land,WMA's,here in Texas. All I can tell you is get out there NOW and start scoutin'. Remember,if there are certain areas for ATV's,they are liable to be crowded,at least on the opener.Pick a "non-ATV "part of your unit,if there is one,and start there. Pull the area up on google earth and check the topographic overlays.Look for edges ,ridges,or any kind of funnel,then go check them out. Where I hunt,there are not many hunters.and I hope yours is similar. God Bless

[mullet]

Lucky for us, ATV's aren't allowed, but, Mountain Bikes are .

[tetaxidermy]

Thanks guys, no atvs or anything can be used all foot power. going scouting in the morning.

[Postman]

Find the thickest stuff you can and hunt hard early in the season before all the does are spooked. Also, I have success closer to roads than you would think - as long as it's thick.
good luck!

[johnston]

I have killed several deer (handgun) on crowded WMA's by sitting later than the other guys. Once you learn an area, you can set up so that departing hunters push deer to you. Works good for meat hunters like myself.

Lane

[tetaxidermy]

Meat hunter, thats me love them does.

[crooketarrow]

  I stay away from weekens and holidays, get away from the trails and roads. When you find that area stash that climber or get a ghillie and hunt on the ground. Around here a blind would'nt last long.

[iowabow]

I have a funny story about hunting public ground. I lived next to a large track of national forest where everyone would come down and hunt. They would set up deer camps everywhere that they could find a place to park. In the morning they would get up and head as far into the woods as possible to get away from all of the people. I was good at tracking and seeing animal patterns and noticed that the deer would pattern the hunters movements and move in close to their camps because of the deep pressure. So I set my stand up 100yards behind their camp in a set of cedars. like clock work the deer would filter from the deep woods back to the thick cedars a 100yards from their camp and bed down till 45 minutes before dark when they would get up an walk past my stand. After three years of seeing me harvest deer they wanted to know what my trick was. You should have seen the expression on their face when I told them what I was doing. I took a nice 8 point one year doing that. The trick was to hunt where you could only see 25 yards. Most hunters want to see 100s of yards but that is too open for scared deer.

[tetaxidermy]

Great advice, went and scouted there is a lot of land there, found some real good spots natural funnels dry creek beds and lots of deer traffic, just a ways to walk but I don't mind. Season opens here Saturday, going to be a long week waiting.

[Kpete]

I have hunted both private and public land for 37 years.   I never shy away from public land.  It is especially good when other hunters are moving game, or mid day. 
Bird season openers can be very good.   I have seen deer evade other hunters and resume normal activity very quickly.  If the game is there, find a way to set up on them.

[mullet]

 Like Kpete, I started staying in the woods at lunch time. With everybody heading to camp to eat there is a lot of deer on the move. I just started packing food with me and staying put till after lunch and it calms back down. Then I string a pocket hammock in the shade and take a nap till it's time to get back up in the stand when everybody stirs things back up again.

[tetaxidermy]

I just checked the stats on the state ground I will be hunting, 1650 acres of huntable land, 37 deer taken by archery last year. I work second shift so I will be hunting mornings during the week, should up my odds a little since most people work days. The weekends I am planning on sitting all day on the weekends that I dont have my kids, the wife also works those weekends. The nap idea is great! Good hunting guys.

[Justin Snyder]

They joys of being self employed. I take my days off midweek and work the weekends when deer season comes around. That way I see way fewer people, in the woods and at work.