Do you guys hunt private or public land? I am a member of a club, and I also like to hunt public land, probably hunt the club 70% of the time.
Hunting private at home and two public hunting trips a year. 1 in Ohio for a extended weekend and 1 in Indiana for a week.
I like it! I hust private. I have a piece of public or 2 that I am slowly working on, but Im not ready to hunt it yet. Havent had the time to figure it out like I want. Think I have a spot or 2 picked, but getting in and out quite and scent free has not been figured out. I have a lot to learn about big woods hunting as well. I have 120 acres in Northeast PA in farm country. I have about 9 acres of corn that is new this year, and put in a small turnip kill plot also, about 20 yards by 30 yards. Just planted about a week ago, was growing when I left for work yesterday, patchy but trying. Other then that it has some crp and a pond, and some big woods that again, I still need to figure out. Most of my hunting is done alone, so I have been learning slow but getting there. Still have 3-4 stands to hang when I get home in 2 weeks, then should be about ready to sit in the woods. Only thing hindering my excitement is a tough battle with target panic that seems to have no end. Has been an issue since I was around 15, and comes in waves. Has been a bad wave for the last 2 years, nothing seems to work. Have got some new things to try when I get home, sucks because its so close to season. But I think I can control it enough to get in the woods, I wouldn't hunt if I didn't think I could. Just takes the fun out of shooting lol.
I'm good with David being captain! I hunt private as well, most of the time on a narrow 20 acre wooded lot. The population isn't real dense but there are definitely deer around. I have very few bucks on camera, no shooters so far yet this summer I had some decent deer show up on camera in Feb but I haven't seen them since. I am also starting college this year so I am not sure how much I will be able to get out but I'm going to do my best to put some points on the board. Good luck everyone!
Are you guys picky about what you shoot? Do you keep a hit list of specific Bucks that you plan to go after? Myself, I set up in what I think will be a travel lane and the first mature deer that steps into range is headed for my freezer (that's the plan anyway). If I was more limited on tag availability, my tactics might change.
I just picked up two more properties this morning! One is a half section (320 acres) of mostly crops and pasture but I suspect the abandoned farm place will be a bedding area. The second is another semi abandoned farm place of about 8-10 acres. It has heavy tree cover around it and I've seen a really nice buck in there as I drove by.
I just try my best to shoot bucks 3.5 years old and up. I don't really have a size requirement, but would like to keep them over 110", most 3.5 in my area are with some exceptions. Congratulations on the new properties! That's awesome for sure.
I shoot mostly based on age, looking for something 4 or older. I hunt private but if I don't have the bucks there I want I go to public which can be just as good as private here, you just have to work harder and hunt smarter. I think my #1 hit lister from last year returned so I think I'll be on private this year
I am not picky about what I shoot, the population is very high here you can kill an unlimited amount of bucks for 4.5 months straight, we have self imposed antler restrictions and such on the club but we can still take three does to fill the freezer. On public land I meat hunt, but will not shoot fawns...
55 degrees this morning in Ohio when I stepped out of my trailer at work for my morning meeting. Gave me that instant feeling that fall is near, felt great! I am not able to leave the job site for my 2 weeks on, bet deer are moving around though. Wish I could go for a drive!
I am not really super picky. I tend not to think in terms of antler scoring when I see a buck. If it gets me excited then I will shoot. Overall the deer population is very high here and I usually have no problem shooting a couple of does. Last year buck sightings were almost non-existent for me. There were some slammers that were killed in the surrounding areas though. I hunt private land, but it gets a lot of pressure.
Most of the other teams have their names picked out. Are we waiting for Christmas? Anybody got ideas?
ETABNT is our only member who has not signed up. I sent him a message. For some reason I can not look up his latest posts or anything, so not sure if he has posted much since signing up. We will know soon enough.
My son and I went out for a drive last evening right at sundown and for the half hour of shooting light afterward. Drove about 10 miles worth of road and was able to glass 12 different deer hanging out in alfalfa and wheat stubble fields. Make me wonder how many were just inside the corn, out out view.
You guys are killing me! Im at work for another week and a half and cant check cams, was relying on you guys to post pictures of deer to keep me going!!! lol
