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Subject: public land tactics

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gehee -

Button Buck

03/04/2008 5:36 PM
i am new on here, and couldn't find a place to introduce myself, so hi. i'd like to know what tactics people use for high pressure public lands. i see hunting shows and articles about hunting on private land, the tactics involved, but how does one become consistently successful on public land? based on my math from the local game commission, public land hunters in my county have averaged around 1 deer per 25 hunters or so over the last 3 years. i've only been hunting deer for 4 years. i have hunted other stuff before though.

Olsplittoe - User is Offline

Button Buck

03/04/2008 6:04 PM
welcome gehee, as far as public land is concerened i'd sugest that you go in earlier than most as well as stay later. also consider hunting deeper into the area than others. both of these tatics take discipline and and planning and have worked well for me. also consider not being shy and open the truck door and speek to land owners in the area (keep in mind persistance wears out resistance) small lots hold big bucks

asst19chief - User is Offline

Button Buck

03/04/2008 8:37 PM
Welcome, There can be good public hunting if yo u scout now. Go out and familiarize yourself with the areas. It is still open now and loook for scrapes old rubs and trails. Focus on food plots,water holes, and CRP land. Bow hunting is a great time for public land because you are usually by yourself. Hope that helps

jeremyjms06 - User is Offline

Button Buck

03/08/2008 8:31 PM
i only hunt on public land and shoot atleast 1 deer every year i hunt. the public land i hunt is very high pressure.... hunters everywhere. 1 thing that i cant stress enough is to hunt during the lunch hours, deer in high pressure public lands tend to go nocturnal during the season but they pick up on the fact that hunters leave the woods at lunch for a few hours and thats their window of opportunity to move. i've shot plenty of deer just by skipping lunch and hunting those hours. also, i know it sucks to get in and out and drag a deer out but the thicker the area the better. the more cover they have the safer they feel. scout now!!!!! find their trails and more importantly walk along side of those trails and find their bedding area. most hunters hunt where there is easy access to the road, go deep into the woods...... all the other hunters pressure the deer into going deep into the woods....... and thats where you will be waiting!!!! scout and let us know what you find.good luck!!!

tomsinnott - User is Offline

4-Pointer

Newburgh, IN

03/08/2008 11:31 PM
Good info Jeremy. About the only things I could think of besides that, is I have never had much luck with calls in heavily hunted woods. I guess there is too much of it going on and it's unatural to have rattling and bleats coming from everywhere. I only use a grunt to turn them if it looks like they are leaving anyway and it isn't hurting anything to do it anyway. Sometimes it works and most of the time they just stare a while a mosey off. And what he said about getting in early in the morning and going in deep and if you do leave for lunch be back in your stand really early in the afternoon because public woods are like deer drives and they just push them to the most remote and thickest areas. I hunt an island sometimes in a public woods. I just canoe across the small lake and climb up and I can hear them coming out of the water before daylight onto the island to bed down. They will swim the lake to hide from hunters... There are a lot of guys on here that are really good and can give you some really great info too.

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Benjamin Franklin

jr32560 -

Button Buck

03/14/2008 10:40 AM
yes-there should be a place to introduce your self on here-and yes public hunting lands are tough-all previous suggestions are great ones-scouting is the key

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