Thank you and hello!!!

[cchoward]

So I've been lurking on this site as a member for far too long.  First, I'd like to thank everyone for the immense amount of knowledge I've gained from this site.  From shooting, to bow building, to hunting, this site has been just incredible!! Thank you all!!  Also, I'd like to specifically thank Jason from TBW Podcast, if it weren't for him and the awesome work he does (his podcast is a huge wealth of information) I would never have found this site, or learned as much about hunting as I have in the past year.

This is my first season hunting (anything) and I know I dug myself pretty deep by taking pretty much the hardest route imaginable.  Traditional bow, public land,  and started on the ground but caved and bought myself a Summit climber.  I've had some close encounters, rattled in a huge buck on the ground and had him jump the string and shot right over him, missed two does, one a deflection and one was the last half hour of shooting light on an all day sit and I just got over excited and didn't pick a spot and shot underneath her (these two were about two minutes apart, it was a very frustrating end to a long cold day). I've seen a bunch of deer and spooked a bunch of deer.  

So all in all, I've had a blast, learned a ton (both in the field and online), and am hopelessly obsessed with not only hunting, but traditional archery and traditional bows.  But, I have not gotten a deer.... And I'm lucky enough to live in a part of my state that has a marathon of an archery deer season, our season starts mid September and ends January 23rd (with a two week break mid December).  But, MY season ends on tuesday the 19th (last day off or otherwise available for me, ya know, work, family, life in general).

So let me get to the point.  I hunt public land, a state park surrounding a lake with a state gameland on a "mountain" (Southeast PA, its just a really big hill) right across the road from the park.  Both properties are somewhere between 1500 - 2000 acres each, I don't remember the exact number.  There are deer, but  I have been skunked more often than not.  It is pretty heavily pressured on the weekends (Shotgun season also lasts pretty long in this area, in fact it also ends on the 23rd).  So what I'm really after is any tips on late season deer on pressured public land in a year with some of the weirdest weather (can't decide if its fall, winter or spring) for one last all day, sunup to sundown hunt.  

Thanks again to everyone in this awesome community!!! Oh, and if I don't get a deer, I still count this season as a success and am already looking forward to scouting for next year!!!

[DannyBows]

Welcome! Sounds like you've had an exciting season so far and you're hooked. I'll let the experts chime in with advise. Good luck.    

I have no answer to your question because I have only hunted public land a few times in my life, BUT.........

Welcome to the Gang!!!

Bisch

[Phillip Fields]

Welcome to the gang.

[Dan Landis]

Find the food source they are using. This time of the year in my area of PA they are usually in winter wheat and the picked corn.

[Nantahala Nut]

What area are you hunting? I'm from southeast pa ( etown) and might know something about your area.
I was in a similar situation this year. Hunting public land, coincidentally it had a lake and it is very mountainous).  This is my first year hunting trad.  My best advice is to get back in the woods and find good bedding cover and thick country.  I started the season hunting near field edges and saw nothing during daylight. Deer will feel more comfortable moving during daylight in thick areas and closer to their core bedding areas. Other hunters will be much less likely to go into thick areas which means they will push deer to you.
This part of my state is BIG BIG woods. Millions of acres of unbroken forest. As soon as I pryed myself off the food plot and field I started seeing deer. Had a doe come in and give me a beautiful broadside stance at 8 yards, but it was the first day of gun season and we can only take doe during archery.

[cchoward]

I'm hunting Nockamixon State Park and State gamelands 157 in Bucks County.  Bout an hour north of Philadelphia.  I wish I had that much land to hunt.  I do have a tiny plot of private land available but its literally just a few acres and i've spent a few days watching the deer moving just outside where I have permission to hunt.  Thanks so far!! Any advice is very much appreciated and at the very least a confidence booster for my last hunt of the year!!

[jackdaw]

Welcome fellow Keystoner.......trad time...

[mj seratt]

I can't answer your questions, either, but it sounds like you've had some amazing encounters.  That's the fuel for the fire, to keep you coming back.  Kind of reminds me of an older co-worker, who said "At my age, a promise will keep me going for a month".      

Murray

[Stump73]

Welocome!

[Mr. fingers]

Other than finding a good pounded trail (especially if you have snow makes it easier for freshness of the tracks) that leads to a feeding area or a pinch point or intersection where a bunch of trails meet up to a main one.
Public land is tough you just need to hunt it.
Welcome! And good luck.

[kennym]

Food and cover are necessities. Find a terrain feature that forces the most deer to pass thru going from food to cover and set up there. Wind is extremely important, as is entry /exit to stand quietly and without being seen.

Easy, huh? Welcome to TG!!  

[Homey88]

Welcome from PA!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Welcome.

Kenny has it nailed, food and cover preferably away from pressure.  It may take  a while but once you narrow down a few dynamite spots, you are golden