Public Land Blues (now a very pale blue)

[always89]

How many of us are limited to public land? I am, for one, and the challenges are starting to get to me.

The area is hard to get to. Its a string of Islands, with walking access to the first one, and thats it. I use a canoe, to get away from the crowd, and that generally works. Its a big effort to get the right time to hunt there. Not only do I watch the wind, but I have to play the tide, or Ill get stuck .5 mile out in waist deep marshy muck. All of the attributaries allow access on the northern side of the islands, so one wrong wind, and all of the islands are out. So, tonight everything lines up, and we are on our way. We get to an island that is just about a mile out, and set up in a persimmon grove that is dropping persimmons all over the place, AND it has one of the only producing acorn trees in the area. I get in the stand, and sit. 2, 3, 4 hours pass, and the wind dies down, and all looks bright. All of a sudden, here comes this golden retriever and one of his running buddies (another local dog) chasing a raccoon, back and forth, all through the area.
Just can get the planets to line up right, I guess!

[mmgrode]

I hear you brother!  I was out tonight and I've never seen so many cars in the parking area that I hunt from.  It's really frustrating, but I'd rather have this happen than not have the land to hunt on.  Last year I barely saw another person while hunting back in "my" area, now they're crawling all over the place!

- How did the retriever and other dog get to the island?  Did they swim? That's weird!
Matt

[Bonebuster]

I feel for you. Public land can be frustrating for many reasons. The list goes on and on.

There are certainly times when "the planets won`t line up" but keep at it, don`t give up. I believe public land deer are much more of a challenge.

Here in Michigan, its the illegal use of ATV`s, and the use of bait. Baiting is legal in most of the state as long as the amount does not exceed
two gallons at any one time. However, no one follows the two gallon limit, and the counties that are supposed to be closed to baiting have bait piles at the end of every two-track.

Its frustrating to hike a mile or more down a trail that is closed to everything but foot travel, to hunt an area that is closed to baiting
only to have three guys zoom by you with their quads loaded with bait.

The deer have learned to deal with it, and you can too. You would be surprised at how much deer movement there is during the midday. Deer have learned that hunters are out more in the mornings
and the evenings, and they have adapted.

I took a big "meat doe" on Oct. 12th at just about 1:00, as she was chowing acorns.(on public land) Today I`m gonna got sit from about 10:00 am to about 2:00 pm
then I`m gonna come home, have an early Sunday dinner and go back out and sit for the last two hours of daylight.

Best of luck... Don`t give up

[Biggie Hoffman]

That's why leasing is so popular down south..
I worked a second job a few years to be able to pay lease fees. It's still challenging hunting without the frustrations of hunting public land.
If quality bowhunting is a priority in your life, you can find a way to afford it.

[BOFF]

Jerry,
I understand the frustration, but also have felt the sense of special achievement when the arrow connects. Keep at it. I second the question- How did the dog get there?

[vermontrad]

A friend of mine has a dog that'll swim as far as we choose to paddle...

I had a couple hunters walk by me the other day, I was hid pretty good. It's bow season here and they both had big rifles, hope they were hunting bears...

[always89]

I have no idea how the dogs got there. One of them looks, and acts, like a coon dog. The other, the retriever, has a collar on, and looks like its been there for a while. Felt bad for that one. Im assuming they swam acress. When the tide goes out, there is only about 300 feet of water to cross.

[J-dog]

I hunt public land only, and one medic at the station hunts a lease where they use rifles and box blinds. He has a good time making fun at me when he kills deer!  

I just reply when he really wants to "hunt" come with me. He gripes though if he cant drive a 4 wheeler to the base of his stand. I have to walk 10 minutes through the woods, my closest stand is half mile through the thick!

No matter though find a lease or a hunting club-I wish I could but they are hard as """" to get into.

Still I have a good time and lotsa land to unt-

J

[waiting4fall]

I have chosen to hunt public land exclusively. I hunt large public tracts in WV, & OH. I think one is forced to become more resourceful. I try to avoid detection from deer & humans.  My philosophy is be the first one in , & the last to leave. I'm not bragging but if a guy beats me to any one of my treestand locations, I'll tell him "You definitely earned it, enjoy your hunt."
I'm up @ 3am, I get to 20 ft by 1hr before sunrise, eat, nap, pee in the stand. Don't leave til dark, or I kill a shooter buck. Dec & Jan I kill as many does as will make mistakes. From 10-31 til 12-1 it's strictly shooter bucks. I, personally, can't see paying a bunch of $$$ for a lease, when I have access to 17,000 acres. All I gotta do is walk, walk, walk.  

[-Achilles-]

I never knew public land was so bad...leasing and pay hunts...now thats bad for hunting

[Jerry Jeffer]

That's why it's called public land. We just have to expect the unexpected. I lost the shot of a life time to a guy walking his dog. On my way out, I passed him on the trail, smiled, and said "great day isn't it"? He agreed. I love public land. I hunt it more than the private land I have access to.

[southernarcher]

I love the challenge of public land.I hunt it almost exclusively.Keeps you on your toes,and feels so good to connect!

[bentpole]

Just sometimes you can use those good people to your advantage.

[Arwin]

Public land here can be extremely challenging and frustrating. You think your in "the spot" when some un-forseen thing happens and blows the whole thing.
 My best advice from hunting public land for the last 10 years: Go where no sane person would go. Thats where the deer are, and other hunters aren't.

[Steve Kendrot]

If you can take the time off. Monday through Friday is a different world. A fraction of the people and I often find myself alone on public land.

[BamBooBender]

I agree with most of the above, and  especially what Jerry Jeffer and Arwin said. I have been looking into hunting a large tract of public land this year around 4600 acres (spread eagle barrens), and even did some scouting earlier this year. Well, when I drove to the main entrance to to do some hunting there were about ten vehicles, so I just turned around and let em have it. There's more ways into the place, and most folks (I have seen) don't venture far from the beaten path.

[joe c.]

The thing with public land is you simply cant get discouraged,you have to figure on people ruining your hunt. Ive hunted public land for 15 years and never seem to have a problem shooting  deer. Now these last couple of years have been pretty bad,guys just shooting up the woods,now I dont have a problem with whoever wants to hunt It's the target shooters that scare me. You defintely have to work a little harder but the rewards are worth it. And I came close to one of those rewards yesterday morning my arrow sailed over a 3.5 year old 8ptr at 17 yrds I simply rushed the shot.

[J-dog]

I hunt public land only as I have no private to hunt as I said. But I read alot yall have problems with people messing up your hunt?

I dont have that problem on the croatan as it is so large and I am usually as one on here said "where no SANE person will go." Dont even try mine w/out GPS! no fire trails no nothing, no trails at all just moving through big timber woods.

My question is do yalls public lands big tracts and you still get the people intrusion or is it broken up land/fields??

Plus our woods are not hardwoods (pretty, open) it is all thick, knarly pine woods. I dream of hunting like the mid west guys I see on TV- not just for the big buck opportunity- but for those pretty woods, like to know I could see more than 25 yards in the woods.

Later

Jason

[GingivitisKahn]

My son and I had to race a x-bow guy to our spot the other day.  :-D  Stuff happens.

[BRITTMAN]

When I have hunted public land the very best time for me was early bow season when it was 90 to 100 degress out side . It makes for some tough hunting but I had the woods and the honey holes to my self. Its probally to late this year because the orange army is about to come out but next year look for planted food plots that the state puts out or ask your wildlife people if they are doing any planting for the wildlife . Make sure its a HOT buggy day in the early season and you will have it to your self .

Mike