Hey guys, so here's my dilemma... I just got back from scouting today and walked at least 8 miles on some public ground I plan to hunt next year. The terrain is crazy and filled with ridges. I found about 5k acres that's not accessible unless you walk in where I did about 1.5-2 miles off the road. And let me tell you it is a tough mother getting back through there. I would've rather given Rosie o freakin Donell a piggy back on flat ground then have to go over the ridges, through the ditches and briars I went through. Anyway, I found a great spot... I mean an awesome spot with trails and rubs all coming to a hub like you want. There were around 20 rubs all around this spot. The only problem is I found a dang climber locked up on a tree 500ft from this buck haven... That's in a straight line according to my phone/gps. So I dunno I'm kinda on the fence about devoting a lot of energy into it. This'll be my first crack at public land this year so just wanted some feedback. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Those pictures suck but the trees are bigger than my hat... that's what I was trying to show... Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I personally say you are good. How new does the climber look? 500 feet is a good ways. Another thought is to leave your name and number in a baggy saying for them to contact you so that you don't disturb them hunting and zip tie it to the stand so when he/she goes out there to hunt, they can text you. That way, if they are going out there, you can pick a different spot. With those kind of rubs, I definitely would be hunting it! You got the GPS coordinates??
If it's literally 160 yards from where you want to set-up and your access to itwon't tromp throgh his setup, I think its fine. 160 yards among ridges can seem like miles.
Man it's been used this season... hate to pass up that spot and that dude hardly ever show. Not only that but it's one of the few places on the property where there's a funnel (geographically). I have a few spots I'm looking at now but this one is by far one of the best and I've walked about 70miles at this point. I think that's what I'm going to do as far as reaching out to the other hunter. I'd rather have friends than enemies out there. Is that Oklahoma deer a public land deer? My brother lives in broken arrow and I've been trying to get him to try some public land over there. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Unfortunately the Oklahoma deer is private property. My family owns quite a bit of land in western Oklahoma. There is a lot of farm land so the deer there are a lot bigger normally. My uncle usually kills a good one every year. Do you plan on hunting this Arkansas public land during the week or weekend? I honestly wouldn't pass up this spot. In Texas I was set up about 600-700 feet from a hang on stand. I honestly didn't see him at all all year. Where in Arkansas do you live??
I would agree with the idea of leaving your contact information so you can try to coordinate as not hurt each others hunting. I'm assuming it is legal to leave stands on the public land there. 160 yards apart is more htan enough also. At 100 yards in the woods I hunt unless they were very noisy, I would never even know another hunter was there. If you can figure the path used to get to that stand, you might be able to find another location where him/her entering could push some deer towards you.
500 ft isn't that far away. If he hunts like I do he may know good and well what's 500 ft away and he relocates around the edges of it based on wind direction. Too much of a chance on getting winded if you bust right into the middle of a spot like that. Don't assume that since you found his stand in one spot that he's not moving around that area. But hey it's public land. Do what you want. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Been down this road a few times. IMHO...keep scouting...have a Plan A, Plan B and a Plan C Can you access the public land some other way by getting permission from as adjacent private land owner? Done this in the past and if you can get in real early...and real deep...other guys will act as drivers sometimes. I've blazed many a preseason trail through thick stuff to get in quiet and early. Most public land prohibits stands locked to trees...check out your laws. So if he's inclined to break the law...I'm not sure he'd be inclined to work with you... Get in early, cross your fingers...and be prepared to be interfered with...accidentally or on purpose...keep your cool...its public land. My 2 cents... Good luck. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Oh ok... I've only been to Oklahoma just to visit my bro so didn't know what they had over there. Man i live in east arkansas over close to Memphis Tennessee. I'm a fireman so I work 3 days out of a 9 day rotation and have plenty of time I can take off. Probably able to hunt more than most. Only downfall is it's a long drive but whatever I got sick of hunting private property with permission. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I had a similar situation happened to me. I contacted the guy, I even used his stand when he was not around because he gave me permission. If I knew he was going to be in the area a certain day I just leave the area alone and move some where else. Me and the guy are good friends today and he showed me more spots as well as spots that I knew I also showed them to him. Also he took our engagements photos. This happened back in 2012, he still our friend and hunting buddy till this day. Although this happened in Up state Ny, right now I am in Columbia, SC. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Well what led me there in the first place was a very defined saddle in a ridge. It's easily seen on a topo map. There's actually two stands about 60yds apart so I'm assuming there's some buddies going in back there. Anyway, not a whole lot of sign around the saddle and they're down in a ditch with the wind swirling. You could get at the high point on the saddle and look down both sides of the ridge and have a 30-40yd shot... and be out of the swirling wind. Or not as bad swirling wind. Not to mention they'd have to get up 30-40ft on their tree to peak over the ridge to see what's on the other side... I dunno but whatever I got 3 other spots at this point but I'd really like to find something that's a little harder to get to. All of my spots are ab a mile off the main road but I only have one spot other than this one that I have a ton of confidence and am amped up about hunting. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Yeah I hear ya. I'm gonna keep looking for sure. I'm going to stick a note on the gate of the private land and beg for permission but I dunno. Aside from that I'm thinking about getting a canoe to cross a lake to get in back there. I'm sure there's some other spots I can find in this closed off section of woods. Just sucks cuz I'm going to fire academy in ab a week. Going to be hard to convince the wife to let me have a day where I can go out there and scout... Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Around here if you hold out a smoke the guy in the tree next to you will light it for ya... But that's what you get when you live in Kentucky and all the magazines say there's a Boone and Crockett behind every tree. Sounds like you've got a good spot picked, but have you thought about how you'll get the deer out through all that mess? Me. When I hunted a lot of public ground I'd quarter and pack out.
Well see that's part of the reason I'm scouting so hard right now. I was in emt school, had a premature baby, and for some reason had a really busy police schedule. Even involved in a shooting (I was a cop and recently became a fireman). On top of that I had two places here close to home I had planned on hunting but it turned into a "you can only go when I go" type of situation and I didn't get to go. So I said screw that and now I'm going to give public hunting a shot. That said I personally don't know how the pressure is going to be when season rolls around. I got a few good spots 1-2 miles off the road but you can access them. I'm not so much worried ab getting them out. That'd be a great problem to have. It'll be hard no doubt but it is what is. I got a bike and will get a deer cart. Looking at getting a canoe to get to the woods that aren't accessible. It'll be a journey but if the pressure is bad at least I'll have an option ya know. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
My 2cents is public ground is public ground. That doesn't justify being a jerk Though. I had a spot 200 yards from another guy in 2015. He had been there for years. I knew he had some of the same deer showing up but mainly different deer based on a camera I had 60 yards from him before I knew he was there. He wasn't in a kill spot though. He found my set in 2016 and left a note all pissed off at me for being 200 yards away from Him. I think he messed with my set because all the deer vanished. So I moved another 200 yards away and killed a 164" buck. Your not just going to kill a good buck in any spot. You need to be in a killing tree. Sometimes that forces you to be closer to other guys then you want. Most public land guys get close to being in a good spot but they just don't have it fine tuned to where they need to be.
I hate it when that happens. I had a group of guys during gun season walking around shooting their guns. My group thinks that those groups are trying to drive us out. Very unsportsman
Another thing to keep in mind is "most" hunters hunt on the weekends so could get some good weekday hunting this spot.
Well yeah I'm a fireman... work 3 days out of 9 with a 4 day weekend. One of the reasons I chose this career lol and I also plan on hunting in October when pressure is a little lower Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Yeah I went back and looked at the spot again. Looks to be a bedding area that's pretty heavily trafficked in a marshy bottom. Lots of water reeds and it backs up to a lake. After looking at the predominant wind and anticipating the thermals pulling my scent towards the lake I think I'm going to get downwind closer to the lake which is further from the guy a little bit more. Should put me over 200yds. Going to come in on a canoe all sneaky like and slip into my stand. Hopefully if dude comes in he'll spook something my way. Still I got some other spots in case this one doesn't pan out. I've heard horrors of public hunting so I'm trying to give myself plenty of options. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
