I checked out this area two weekends ago it is privately owned but open to the public through DNR land management. County Highway to the north, East runs into a residential area and the river. West runs to a creek and private rural land and houses, south is the mouth where the creek dumps into the river. From the road on the north to the water edge on the south is about 1/2 mile. I walked in following the green line which is a trail used for Xcountry skiing in the winter. Where that ends the fun starts, lots of oaks and maples with extremely thick underbrush. I wanted to work my way to the little finger clearing in the trees. Turns out that little clearing is a finger of water that runs up from the creek mouth, and there are a couple more of them that don't show on the sat images. In most areas it is no more than 10-15 yards across the water and there are a few areas to cross on down trees. The red line is an old grown over survey trail, this land has been owned by paper mills for years but never logged out. This weekend is suppose to be mostly clear with lows in the 30's highs about 60 with winds coming out of the east. So I am going to use the boat to come in from the creek mouth with a chair and a small ground blind (not enclosed). I should be able to setup looking up one edge and across a section of one of the fingers of water. Hopefully I can fill my doe tag.
go farther into the woods.. if your still running into other hunters, your not far enough in... look for swampy areas, weekend hunters hate to get their boots wet... hunt down hill, those same hunters thing about the uphill drag if they get one and hunt elseware.. basicly the harder it is to get too and from the less hunters you will see, and the deer know this and tend to head there when the pressure gets heavy...
if youre hunting public land and you see a group of partied hunters. its best to move on to another area. im sure theres lots of public areas around that has a good amout of deer. but good luck for the season
Hecklers 7 step process is almost identical to what I do. I grew up hunting public ground without access to private. Now that I have some private ground to hunt, I still find myself going to a few different public areas more than private ground. I like to hop around a lot, and not burn out areas. Scout A LOT, so you have plenty of sets for different winds, morning vs evening sits, early, rut, and late season sets. I typically hunt in the morning, grab a quick bite, scout midday for a few hours at least (boots on the ground, not driving), then set up for the evening. If I'm in a lot of deer, I'll sit later or all day. You don't always have to walk a long ways to find good spots, but most of the time you do. Just gotta find those overlooked areas, and many times these areas don't have climber trees. I learned you have to be very versatile (on the ground, crappy trees). The buck in my profile pic I killed on public ground last year in a tiny maple tree about 12 ft up. I think hunting public ground is almost more fun because you know you earned the deer that you kill, and there's always new ground to scout/learn.
Going from experience on hunting on public land and always getting a buck. Is what a lot of people said walk as far as you can if you run into some one go further back and hunt in the thickest swamp you can fine. Good luck too you! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
