Hunting public land

[toddster]

There are still plenty of deer and turkey out there to hunt.  I look at it as a whole new season, since the rut coming to end and all the animals are pressured.  New challange.

[ranger 3]

OK, OK, you guys talked me in to going out this afternoon wish me luck.
Thanks

[Jason_MO]

Don't worry about it, just go out and have a good time! It's just another phase of the season to figure out the best way to hunt your area!

[straitera]

3 years public land here. Before was pristine 1000 acres of my friend's land lost in the backroads, byways, & unnamed creeks. Deer (some large) & hogs here but huge difference. That's why they call it hunting.

[arrow flynn]

had a great place to hunt hogs here in ca a good freind was the head guide had steady clients the property next to the one he was on sold to pot growers they shot every pig that crossed over the line calling the law was not an option

[George Vernon]

Seems like this may be one of those questions that has an anwer that begins, 'It all depends...'.  First thing I consider is how big is the tract you'd like to hunt?.  If it's large, say over 600 acres and a mile or more square, I'd go for the interior, or any spot within the track that is more than a quarter mile away from the nearest point of public access.  My experience says 70-80% of hunters set up within a short distance of their vehicle.  Several folks have already commented on how pressured deer go nocturnal.  But I find these night time deer often get up and move around for food and water in the middle of the day.  Perhaps they have been conditioned to 'typical' early morning and late afternoon hunting hours.  

If it's a much smaller track, say less than 200 acres, I'd check out the perimeter with private property.  I think pressured deer do go nocturnal, but I think they also move a short distance to avoid areas of human congestion.  A move of just 200-300 yards can take them off the public land if it's a small track.  Again, I'd try mid day.  It's usually the warmest part of the day with the fewest humans.

On one piece of public land I put up a climbing stand, climbed the tree twice in four years of using it.  It did make a comfortable place for me to sit while I waited to head back to the car.  I shot 6 deer because of that stand, all shot after 9 a.m. while I was sneaking back to my van.  It seemed that as soon as the other tree monkeys rattled out of their stand and stomped out of the woods, the deer would complete their morning pattern.  Even though I was as deep in as I could get, I could still tell when all of the guys that stayed within sight of their pickups were leaving, after that the deer moved around.

[Cory Mattson]

Interesting. IL & NJ have such limited gun hunting compared to what I have to deal with.

Gun seasons here are 8 to 12 weeks - more than bow seasons.

"We" hunt only (bow only) units in GA, SC, NC, WV - with some fall hunting here in NC during the bow season - which is often very good.

Honestly it is a waste of my time personally to hunt places after they have been worked over by guns - whether there is some game there or not. I switched to bow only units in a few states 20 years ago and opportunity continually grows each year.

We ran some bow only clubs in the 90's and some later - but that is even becoming obselete with all the urban units opening up. I get some calls from landowners who want a bow only club to take their place over and at this point I can't justify the expense.

Look around close to town - might be some opportunity there???  

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[Plumber]

there are still big bucks out there an lots of deer in genral.you just got to hunt!they dont pack-up an fly away.there is a 3yr old buck that will be 4 next year an a 4yr old buck that will be 5,get my point they are still there.go getum

I think the food plots on some of our lands and the fact that they are not so big makes the private land deer still cross them.  the trick is getting in deeper than the late season muzzle loaders.  Most of them are shooting for range with their rifles, so they watch the fields, leaving the back brushy pockets alone.  Most are not very good hunters as far as stealth is concerned, so they tend to plow deer out of their way as they go around.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

My brother and I used to have "scent drives" when things got tough. Get the wind at your back and walk slow through a thicket, then the other guy set up down wind and wait. If the guy doing the walking goes easy and doesn't bust them out real hard the guy waiting can get a shot because the deer won't be coming out like a turpentined cat.
I've killed several deer this way and they were moving at a stiff walk. One whistle or a bleat got them to stop just long enough for me to get the shot off.
My brother is the master at moving deer without pushing them hard. We had a 2 man scent drive a few times a season and had about a 50% success rate that one of us would see deer. We didn't get a shot but maybe 10% of the time, but it broke the monotony of just sitting and waiting, but not seeing anything.
Get a buddy to go with you and try it, you might be surprised what you can walk up.

[AdamH]

Just head for the thickest stuff you can find, & when ya do kill him {or her} just remember, Ya did it the Hard Way ... Good Luck ...