Where my public land brothers at?! We had a great thread going last year. I’ll be hitting up my same spot that I grew up hunting. I dropped the ball scouting this past winter, I admit I didn’t go out. I went out last week and I’m GLAD I didn’t go this past winter. I would have been following the deer runs that I’ve hunted for years. I finally figured out where I’ve been going wrong all of these years. I hunt the edges of some very thick mountain laurel as I’ve witnessed and sign has shown that the deer hug those edges. I knew they bed in there and said what the heck. I got very friendly with the thick and nasty. I knew I was always 30-50 yards from the property line. Once I got there my jaw dropped. The private land owner has his property line blazed, and it is a MAJOR travel corridor. The sign I saw was incredible. It dawned on me that I’ve been hunting secondary trails all of these years..... there are PLENTY of deer in these woods! I followed the line and found a spot where the trail veers a bit more onto public land, so I can set up and get a shot. There is no sign of any hunters, tree stands or anything hunting back there. Looking at an aerial it is a 40 acre piece that’s undeveloped and I build able wetland. I found a ambush spot in the mt Laurel and cleared a spot for me and the ghille suit. I then realized there was no way to get back there without stumbling bumbling and getting shredded by the thick stuff. Impossible to access. So I did what had to be done. I blazed my own access trail, about 300-400 yards to be able to get in without disturbing any of the deer runs I used to always cross or use. Pretty pumped for September now!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Looking for some good public hunting in Ohio close to Ky state line. Thanks for any input Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I’ll be hunting IDNR ground on the Mississippi River and also down in Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. I’ll probably be hunting 50% public. My best big buck opportunities will be public. Can’t wait to see some Big Public land monsters hit the dirt on this thread!!! Or any deer lol
Public land in MI and IN here. Trying to decide between an internet-scouted hang and hunt on public land in KY or a DIY solo elk hunt in CO. Private land in WI...going to be a busy season.
Should be more opportunity this fall brother. I hope it pays off! Although that means a lot more deer with sore arses. Lol. Seriously best of luck. Sent from my SM-G960U using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
I'll probably hit some public here in central west MO. Did some scouting during Turkey season and saw some interesting patterns I wouldn't have thought of. No cameras allowed here on the ones I'm familiar with so I can't get great Intel as far as that goes. Can't freaking wait for October! Sent from my SM-G960U using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Public land for me in wisconsin. Been busy working to get boots on the ground ,but got a subscription to on x hunt. I alway have my early season spot i go to.
Sounds good swamp. It sounds like we hunt some similar terrain, very hilly and lots of laurel. last year I learned that if you cut a path in that stuff, sometimes the deer will use the trail you made, so keep that in mind! This will be year 5 that I try to take a deer on public property, I have seen deer and have had atleast one within bowrange almost every year, but I just have not sealed the deal yet, maybe this year. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I’ll be giving public land a go this year here in Indiana. Never have hunted any public before. I have private to hunt as well, but it seems so much easier to learn on public, because if you need to follow a rub line or a trail, there’s no boundaries. I can see the whole picture and not just 40 acres. If I just see a decent buck in the areas I’ve scouted, I’ll be happy. There’s a few bucks on private I’ve been chasing for a few years
I’ll be hunting some public land here in pa, pretty excited that I got permission on what used to be my aunts farm. But I have been having some good bucks on camera on some heavily hunter PA gamelands this guy showed up at the end of June, I was very upset that my camera hasn’t been working for the past month! Excited to see what he turns into! Adam Matthews Z7 Magnum 29/70 Gold Tip Hunter XT 100g Slick Trick Standard
I used some big chunks of laurel that I cut to close any ways of entry/exit, but I'm sure they will find it! I'm tempted to start the season like I always do, and get them used to NOT using the secondary trail because of me being there, and then switch it up for the kill. I'm also wondering if I should save that spot for the rut? Year 6 is YOUR year!!!!
Ohio public land hunter here. Headed down to Muskingum County to scout first weekend in August, then have a 3-4 day hunt planned the 2nd weekend of October. Tri Valley Wildlife Area, anyone hunted there early archery? 2018 Team 1 Turkey Contest Elite Tempo 34 Gold Tip Valkyrie 340
Will be trying to hunt MN public for the first time this year. Luckily I've got 2 amazing pieces to hunt within 10 minutes of me. Will be hunting the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge and also Benlacs State Wildlife Management Area.
I'll be hunting the same Public land that I've been hunting for the last 15 years. Last year I let a basket 8pt walk, so at least I had an opportunity. I put one of my trail cams out over two weeks ago, hoping to get some decent velvet pics. I'll check it in another week or so. I'm pumped, because I never see another hunter where I go!
I'd love to give public another shot this fall but with the amount of money I have tied up in leases, food plots, etc and some of the bucks I'm chasing I doubt it will happen. If anything I may give it a go in mid October just to try and see if I can put a doe down while I'm waiting for the pre-rut to kick in. I guess I'll play it by ear. If the conditions are right and I'm feeling motivated I have 2 or 3 trees picked out from a Spring scouting mission where I think I could get the job done. We'll see.
Went past there on our trip to Duluth in the beginning of July. Looks like a cool but overwhelming place! Is there restrictions on when/where you can hunt there?
I'll be hunting public here in VA. I do have access to private but eventually plan on cutting some of those costs so I try to scout and hunt public as much as possible. Missed an oppurtunity at what would have been my biggest bow buck to date last season on a nice piece of public....at like 9 yards. SMH
Overwhelming is an understatement. Me and a few buddies have spots mapped out that we will be running/gunning. The majority of the refuge is designated as a wildlife sanctuary and closed to all public access from March 1 - August 31. It's basically Google Earth research all year.
