Can YOU tolerate? For those on public ground or non-exclusive hunting spots, how much does avoiding other people play into your choice of hunting stand locations? Do you hunt places that may not have quite the quality of deer herd, but you know you'll have your solitude?
I can't tolerate much activity. In fact, if I see another hunter even walking through the woods it bothers my confidence. I am the same way with fishing. I want to be away from other fisherman and do not want to fish spots after others have pounded an area. I hunt public ground and avoiding other hunters is at the top of my list. I want to "control" the destiny of my hunt as much as I can without others jacking it up. Solitude to me is very important. I love going in 3/4th's to a mile deep into the woods. That almost guarantees I will not see another person the entire day.
I know this is going to sound like a obvious answer but if I don't have significant chance of having both (deer traffic and solitude), I typically won't hunt that spot. I keep scouting until I find places that do provide both. Having said that, if I had to choose between one or the other. I would take the deer over solitude.... but not by much.
If I am seeing a lot of human activity then I am hunting the wrong area. There is a ton of public land in MN so with a little work anyone can find an area to bow hunt away from other people...especially if you are willing to walk a bit.
Honestly I used to worry about this a lot more than I do now. Rybo, I know that you and I have some similar challenges in the areas we hunt so I think I know where you are coming from. Over the last several years I've gotten to observe human/deer interaction where neither knew I was there. The results have been pretty enlightening. For example in one of my better spots I have to contend with joggers, dog walkers, horseback riders, and dirt bike/four wheeler riders. When encountering these folks I'd feel like my hunt was ruined. After a while though I started noticing that after they were gone, often within 15 minutes, deer would come through. After a while I would catch the deer moving and see them notice the passers by coming and just sit tight and watch them until they left. The only time they run off is if there is a dog off the leash and it chases them. Even then they returned shortly after the dog was gone. So in areas where human deer interaction is very frequent it does not seem to impact my hunting much at all. Would I prefer more solitude? Sure, but I take what I can get.
If hunting in area's where the human is the jogger/mountain biker and they are seen or heard infrequently.I am ok with that.If it is other hunters I am gone.There are enough variables to put together to have a successful outcome.Incorporating other hunters in to the mix is some thing I would rather not do. I will say that last season I had permission to hunt a big piece that held a couple of very good bucks.I scouted the property and a number of times (4) I came in to an area and started looking for likely tree's only to pretty quickly see stands that had been left up from the year before.I immediately backed out and didn't set up any where near these area's.I knew that the were the best area's that this piece held.I hunted this piece four or five times and never saw the other hunter,never saw vehicle tracks or foot prints. This coming season I will hunt mobile and will go in these area's.I don't mind extending courtesy if area's are being used but if they are not I wont.Now if I am set up and I see a hunter walk in to a stand that is already up,I will pack up and leave.
I agree with Scot. When I'm on public (or big private land), I don't want to see another person, anywhere. If I do, I'll withdraw to another area. However, on one of my private permission properties, I am forced to deal with people mowing their lawns, kids running/screaming nearby, joggers/dog walkers, etc. I can deal with the people-factor in this area because I know that the deer also deal with it. It's an area that has produced huge deer because if its environment; small, secluded, well-to-do community in the middle of some of Ohio's best farmlands. This is an area where the deer population is largely unchecked, due to lack of hunter access/pressure. As unnatural as hunting might feel in areas like this, the deer are well adjusted to human presence therfore, I must be also
At our farm I don't let my buddies go into the woods after the 4th of July party. There is plenty of room for fun in the summer without gettin down in the woods. All stands are hung, and no one will be in those woods until October 1st on opening morning.. My brother on one side of the farm, and me in my honey hole . Myself, my brother, and my good friend (who helps at the farm a lot, so I let him hunt whenever) are the only people that ever work/hunt at the property. It has stayed nice and quiet thus far, hope nothing disturbs these areas.
