What is your Public Land areas???

[Bronzeback Assasin03]

This will be my 2nd year hunting public land, just wondering what your thoughts about hunting public land, and what kind of success you have had in the past??

Jeff K

[ghost]

i can only imagine the pressure in a large metro area on public lands. state ground near me only lets you take does , so i travel, far, to my little trailer out in the middle of nowhere-vill. other hunters are far between even on state ground.(i hunt both sides of the fence) lots of deer, 8pt. or
better on state areas. i think there is a opening for a hunter or two at this area south east of mt. vernon second season... he has trailers and stands set up and cheap as you will find anywhere. let me know if anyone needs more info

[Bronzeback Assasin03]

Yeah I know the public areas are crowded, but you come in when everybody is leaving, that is the key!

[AU20]

Public land is not that bad at times. Of course you will always run into someone coming out to hunt an hour before sunset messing up your hunt but there are usually plenty of deer out there. I hunted Hiedecke Lake a couple years ago and always saw deer. All of the does were small and they have a managment buck program that will not let you harvest anything with less than five points on one side. Saw plenty of 6 and 8 points but never anything bigger.

[BobM]

I used to hunt LaSalle F&W in Indiana when I worked 2nd shift. Seen alot of deer(mostly does) and had success with the bucks. Bow hunting is the way to go there. Gun hunting on opening weekend was always too crowded for my tastes. Gun hunted there last 4 years ago. Jumped a nice 6pt. in a field by my stand that I hit on the run. I followed the blood trail to the edge of the woods, so since I hit him on the run I decided to let him bed down and went back to take down my stand. Back at my stand I heard a shot in the general direction that the deer had gone in the woods. This surprised me since not too many people came out here on weekday mornings. After going back to my truck and loading my stand in the bed I went back to where the blood trail went into the woods. I followed the trail to a gut pile to a drag line to another parking lot which was empty! Year after that I had my lock cutoff and my treestand stolen. Haven't hunted deer on public land since but not because of those experiences(chaulked them up as lessons).

[bluegillman]

I used to hunt on public lands every Friday mornings while everyone had to work. Then one day boss says he needs me in Fridays so I start trying for a Saturday's hunt. Found it had so many hunters there at the first crack of light. I felt uneasy about too many hunters around and I couldn't "hear" where they are. Had to take a spot near a swamp where I thought I would be safe from getting accdently shot at. I thought to see how it went with alot of people around so used the ground blind and watch. All day nothing on seeing deer but saw a few hunters walking around. I gave up about hunting there and start to leave the area and move to the opening area where I thought other hunters would see me walking back to the car. I spot someone aiming in my way and I stopped and it did scared me out of my boots. He was aiming at me as he didn't see me walking far away from the woods and crops. I quit bow hunting those public lands on weekends not because of too many hunters but for a reason that I'm deaf. I love to hunt but not like that.

[Jerry Brown]

Took 7 of my last 9 deer from the ground on public land. The ground let's you be versatile. I'm fortunate to have weekdays off so get to have it to myself at times. If it's crowded you must figure out what other hunters are doing and use it to your advantage. All the other hunters can be a big deer drive for you. You've got to get serious about figuring out choke points and escape routes, get to your stand early and quietly and stay longer. If you don't have a map of the public land you are hunting you are hunting blind.Yes it's not as relaxing as being in the northwoods, where I rifle hunt, Not really hunting if you have rifle, but it can be enjoyable if you can do the work. jb