Hunting public land

[ranger 3]

It is so hard for me to even think about going out here in IL. on public land after two gun seasons. Out do you guys cope with it?

[ChuckC]

Look at it as going out and being a part. .  not so much as shooting anything.  I am in the CWD area of Wisconsin.  As I understand it, there was, and will be a gun season here for the rest of the year and for the last month or near.

Where I used to see lots of deer, I now rarely see any.  Things sure changed here.  I go anyway cause I like to be out there.
ChuckC

[PEARL DRUMS]

I would like to sympathize, but I live in over-hunted Michigan. Our boom-boom season is 2 weeks long, muzz season is 3 weeks long and we sell a million deer tags a year. Talk about having a hard time heading back out on public land. I will go again when work allows, but man its tough up here after the barrage.

[Blaino]

I hunt both public and private.... The land that is private is in the part of my state where deer season comes in on Aug. 15 and its wide open with what every weapon you choose.  I get excited to even see a deer after thanksgiving but, I just consider it more of a challange.  When it gets hard I say "You can kill one if you don't go"

[Blaino]

Can't..... oops

[TRB]

Here in Iowa, shotgun season runs from Dec. 4th to the 19th. Can`t wait for the pumpkin army to go home.

[bornagainbowhunter]

Here in AR, we have had a rifle season for the last month.  Before that there was a week long  muzzeloader season, a youth season and there will be another gun season in a couple of weeks.  

The deer are still in the woods.  You just have to turn up the super-sneeky mode in order to get a shot.  I enjoy hunting this time of year.  It is like the "do you have what it takes" time of year to me.  I save tags just for now.  When other bowhunters talk about not being able to get close to deer, it makes me feel like I am doing a good job as a hunter to be able to take a deer.  Then I get to hear one or two of the guys I work with say,"Yeah, and he hunts with a longbow".          

God Bless,
Nathan

[waknstak IL]

Ranger, I hear ya. It's a 10x tougher for sure. But there are still some deer out there. I just try to get in between the thickest most secluded places I can find and where there's food nearby. Still better than the couch, most days anyways  

[greyghost]

I hear what you say, it is tough, but at least you are out there and if nothing else making plans for next archery season.

Back in my younger days I headed back into the wilderness areas  even during gun season on the National Forests Pretty much we had the area to ourselfs. But now I am lucky to be 30 & 40 minutes from 2 Military Bases that have Archery only areas all season.


Earl

[adeeden]

The public areas around me have limited gun hunting. So they do not seem to get to stirred up. Most generaly I will have the entire place to myself most days of late season. The drawback is it is open to anyone during the late antlerless season, after that it is void of deer for a good while!

[bigbadjon]

I can't speak for other areas but here there is always opportunity if you want to brave the toughest access.

[Ragnarok Forge]

The deer have not disappeared.  They are in the thickest, hardest to hunt areas and only come out at night.  You have to throw away all your normal tactics and get in there where they live to get them.  Still hunting works well in these conditions. I love late season for one reason.  All the deer are concetrated in a few small areas and while harder to hunt, they are much easier to find.  The standard sit and wait tactics just don't work.  You have to hunt inside safety zones and bedding areas to get on deer.  I know it is a violation of what most folks tell you, but is sure does work in the late season on pressured deer.

[bobman]

Most years down here I hunt the entire gun season with my longbow on public land ( legal here).

I consider gun hunters my drivers, I find a good brushy escape trail and hunt it dawn to dusk, normally it works pretty well especailly when all the gun hunters walk back to their trucks for lunch.

[wapiti792]

I tell ya bud, last night going home from hunting my farm I saw a giant 8 with 3 does on PUBLIC ground near my house. They are still out there! Guess where I am hunting this weekend...not my farm, not the 40 at my house but a little spot of public ground that happens to have a 5.5 year old deer on it  

[Huntschool]

Ranger:

I don't know where you are in IL but I am still seeing deer on public ground. Went through a bunch of Shawnee this afternoon driving home and saw 3 bucks and 12 does all within 100 yds of main county gravel roads.  The biggest buck was likely 130 or so....  Did not seem to have a care in the world other than eating.

[Burnsie]

No gun hunting allowed on the public land I frequent.

[mrjsl]

We are just now getting ready for the rut in some places. I hunt on different lands, but mostly public. In Lousiana, there are a lot of lands where they deer rut late - around Christmas or even into January. Other places, it peaks around Thanksgiving. So, lots of hunting left to go here.

I have spent most of this season learning a new piece of land that is extremely remote. Requires camping, canoe (or small motorboat) access, and takes the better part of a day to reach the area I want to hunt. I expect this season will be mostly devoted to scouting and learning, but I have enjoyed it so far. I'm planning two more 25 mile paddles before Christmas, and most likely will be after them till Jan 31.

[Doug in MN]

Originally posted by Ragnarok Forge:
The deer have not disappeared.  They are in the thickest, hardest to hunt areas and only come out at night.  You have to throw away all your normal tactics and get in there where they live to get them.  Still hunting works well in these conditions. I love late season for one reason.  All the deer are concetrated in a few small areas and while harder to hunt, they are much easier to find.  The standard sit and wait tactics just don't work.  You have to hunt inside safety zones and bedding areas to get on deer.  I know it is a violation of what most folks tell you, but is sure does work in the late season on pressured deer.

Exactly !!

[Arwin]

Sleep in and go out around 9am.    

[Jerry Jeffer]

I hunt public land in NJ and the firearm season is 6 days long. This year they added bear to the season with 6 day firearm. I was pissed they are not allowing us bow folks to go for the bear. I took the week off from hunting since I have had a pretty good year so far. I'll start up again next week, and I know I will see deer. I can hunt up to mid Feb. and it looks like it's gonna be a cold one.