Decided to go out this morning to get a little hunting in and didn't see a darn thing. As I got of my ladder stand I noticed a fresh rub about 15ft from my stand. I started to walk to see if I could find some more rubs and I found another ladder stand that someone put about 75 yards from mine. I hate public land. My stand has been up since sept 1st and before I put it out I scouted the area to make sure I wasn't stepping in someone's area. I have hunted that stand about 2 weeks ago and that stand wasn't there. Again...I hate public land
Public land for a reason. It's everyones land. Everyone is not like you and going to look out for other stands to stay away. Many people wont care if your stand is 40 yards from theres.
In my area, they don't go through the trouble of putting up their own stand, they just hunt out of yours. If you see new stands up that close, at least you know more people are in there hunting. In my area, since they just sit in my stand, its harder to know how much pressure is out there, unless you actually catch one hunting your own stand. As someone that hunt public 99% of the time, I am thankful that I have the public land so I can hunt.
It's public land. A ladder stand doesn't claim the area for him or you. Hopefully whoever gets there first gets to hunt the area that day.
From my stand last year I could see 3 other stands. If your spot is over crowded go farther. Either deeper into the thick nasty stuff, or find another conservation area that is farther away from the major population areas.
If I were you I would ditch the ladder stand and become more mobile using either a hang-on with climbing sticks or climber
Totally agree with Cooter, hunting is a chess game. I'd never put all my eggs in one basket, especially on public. Need to continue to react to deer movement and hunting pressure.
Your approaching public land wrong. Until you change your approach you will be frustrated. Get a climber and get mobile. If you were mobile you wouldn't be frustrated with a stand in a certain area. Last night I went out to a public piece and set up. Passed on a 100 inch 8 point because it was a bit small and I have already shot a buck this year. I've been lucky enough to kill 3 deer this year on 6 hunts on public land in Missouri. I don't say this arrogantly but rather to illustrate that once you embrace a mobile public land approach you can kill deer and have fun. Keep huntin' out of one or two ladder stands & guys will use them when your not there and you won't see many deer. It will continue to not be much fun. Good luck.
Myself I don't hunt tree stand I going to use a blind as I do have hunt public land ones I start bow hunting I make the blind Blind Fabric Hunting Camo
I feel your pain but I have to say just because your stand is there doesn't make it solely yours. It is public and he has as much right to be there as you do regardless of when you set your stand up. Really whats to stop anyone from going on public land and setting up twenty stands in an area and basically claiming it as their own because their stands were there first. Now if you were there first hunting and someone came in and sat right next to you knowing full well you were there first that's a bit different and I feel it's bad etiquette and he should give you your space. That being said I try to avoid other hunters as much as possible and usually if I feel guys are moving in on my hunting spot I'm not going to be spending much time there anyway.
Although it takes a little more effort, I'm a fan of being mobile on public land. Plus I'd rather not leave anything in the woods for people to mess with.
Get a climbing stand and stay mobile. I've hunted public lands for as long as I can remember in that fashion. It works.
Don't total rely on one or two treestands when hunting public. Me and a buddy have 7 setup. I do more still hunting than hunting from stands and last season I shot my buck from 25 yards. Another hunter had pushed him to a well used trail that I was sitting by. I also found a spot that a nice buck moved into and had left a lot of rubs and scrapes around. I set up a stand and on the first time I got a shot at a 130 class buck but goofed the shot. Do a lot of scouting, and hunt longer and harder!
I do. I don't hunt that stand but once every couple of weeks. I use my climber most of the time. I put it up for during the rut. Its on a creek bed between a field and bedding area. Come gun season no one will be out there because its archery only. I know public land is public. Ive been hunting the area for several years now and never had issues with others. This year is different. Been seeing more and more people hunting. Hell me and few other guys have exchanged numbers so just in case we can text to make sure were not going to walk in on each other.
I to have seen a huge increase in hunting pressure over the last several years. But I like the challenge of hunting public land. When I do shot a mature buck its more rewarding! The area I hunt is about 8000 acres of steep pine covered ridges and oak draws with a few creekbottoms. It is also archery only, that's a big plus! You gotta be persistant, and get to know every inch, and learn where most of the hunting pressure is. I have one stand that I hike over one ridgetop and half way around another, in the dark to get to. You have to be willing to do the hard work that most are unwilling to do!
Avoid any area, no matter how promising, if you can drive to it or within a couple hundred yards of a 2 track. Seniors, city boys and first time hunters will plaster these areas on weekends.
