Very Frustrated

[Recurve50 LBS]

I came home from hunting last evening pretty PO'd. It's been over 10 years since I last killed a deer with ANY type of archery gear and about 4 or 5 years with a gun. I am hunting public land only this year because I can't afford to spend $28.00 on each zone tag for bow or gun hunting. I always had hunted 2 zones in the past but since I'm loosing my job next month (Happy Holidays)I need to save our money the best I can and putting some meat in our freezer would help us.

This season totally sucks because every weekend I go hunt I am going farther and farther into the woods to get away from ATV and horse riders,family hikers and other hunters of course. Yesterday I had some idiot decides to site in his slug gun 100 yards away from my set up. Target shooting on WMA's is illegal by the way. A call into NJFW only added to my anger because I was told that the closest CO was in Elizabeth NJ about an hour away from where I was!!! If any of you know NJ, but Elizabeth NJ is an URBAN area. Must be over flowing with deer right? Another guy decides to run his 3 dogs through my hunting set up an hour before sunset.

I have also been harrassed by anti hunters there and wish that the CO's would do something other than blow smoke up my butt! After all the WMA's were bought with hunter's money!!!!!

Looks like I'm gonna have to start picking up fresh road kill to put into the freezer.

[Cottonwood]

Sorry to hear of your frustration.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Life can be tough and hunting tougher.  Sorry to hear about the job.  I find that an area that has a lot of traffic around it is best to still hunt and be constantly moving.  Get in the brush and off the trails.  Push the deer a bit and if you move slowly enough you can get a shot.  With that much competition on the trails I can understand why your not getting any shots.

[Stumpkiller]

I used to hunt 3,000 acres that was pretty well trod (as is most unposted land hereabouts).  We used to call one area "Omaha Beach" because it seemed to draw a lot of hunters who got to a stream and fanned out rather than cross it.  It got so I began to focus more on the hunters than the deer . . . and started to hunt the deer escape and cover routes.  The trick is to get in early and get to where the mob won't be.  

Unfortunately, that usually means a long walk through rough stuff.

I hunt my own land now (thank God) and even so there is a lot of bowhunting and "slug sighting" in the area.  From my stand I can't see any further than 30 yards for about 270° out of the 360°.  I see fewer deer, but when I see 'em they're walking and close.  Even during gun season I've got so I stick to cover and play the human routes as well as the deer paths.  Let your neighbors put on an unscheduled & unannounced deer drive for you.

[Killdeer]

Wow, your success rate is about like mine. I, too, am frustrated and hunting public land. I hope that you can get some relief from the dogs and slobs. There is a lot of wisdom in Stumpkiller's post.
Be strong, be tenacious, and carry a cooler and spatula in the car (for the roadkill).
Killdeer      

[Don Stokes]

I've eaten road kill more than once...

Back when public land was my only choice, I too hunted the hunters. My biggest buck was killed on an escape route, pushed by other hunters.

If you can manage time off during the week and can avoid the weekends, it will help considerably.

[Lin Rhea]

I have planned my public land hunts based on the hunters predicted activities. I looked a topo map and went in early and took a lunch hoping the guys heading in for lunch would move them to me. It worked. Find the thick stuff or the steep areas not many guys will be and sit tight. In this situation you have to make a game of it and not get too steamed up over the slobs.

[JL]

I have also started hunting public land in western MD. The deer are not as plentiful as they are around my home and they tend to move quite a bit at night. They are there, more of a timing/location issue for me. I'm still feeling/figuring the area out. Some areas just require a different game plan (from what your used to) and you have to roll up your sleeves and get to it. I wish you well on the job front also.

JL

[bamboo]

larry
check your e-mail

[GingivitisKahn]

Stinks.  I hope you manage to enjoy your time in the field in spite of the obstacles.

[Recurve50 LBS]

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement. I'm not ready to give up and hang up the bow yet. Guess I needed to vent a little bit. I know that my troubles are nothing compaired to others and I am fortunate that things are not worse. I do enjoy my time in the woods.It gives me time to relax and decompress.