What methods work for you?

[Sport 2]

I hunt northwest PA and Southwest NY on mostly public property, or at least property that gets a fair amount of hunting pressure.
What methods have worked for you in bagging nice bucks? Scents, calling, stand locations?
For both archery and Firearm?

[hillbillyhunter1]

YOu probably know this already Sport, but the absolute best thing you can do when hunting public land is go where others won't/don't because of amount of effort required. Start earlier and go farther.

I know a group of local guys back home that have an acre of ground and a little cabin right next to a large tract of heavily hunted public land. Their success rate on VERY large bucks (for around here) is outstanding. Their method is they go up late in the season (gun) when many have left and walk in 2+ miles to get to deer that no one ever sees. They're just hunting harder than others and that is greatly contributing to their success.

[MikeVT]

I also hunt public land, although bow season is fairly quiet for hunter traffic. During bow season I primarily hunt food sources and fresh rub lines when they present themselves. When rifle season rolls around, I hang a treestand in the thickest most miserable cover I can find. When the deer get pressured, this is the stuff they will dive into. I also try to stay on stand all day. I have got the majority of my bucks from 10-12, when others are leaving the woods and pushing deer around. See what works best for you and good luck.

[ChuckS]

ORIGINAL: hillbillyhunter1

YOu probably know this already Sport, but the absolute best thing you can do when hunting public land is go where others won't/don't because of amount of effort required. Start earlier and go farther...

ORIGINAL: MikeVT

...I also try to stay on stand all day. I have got the majority of my bucks from 10-12, when others are leaving the woods and pushing deer around. See what works best for you and good luck.

I have had luck doing just what these gentleman have said. My most productive time is about 11-1 because of what Mike VT said. My second most productive time is from 7-8am because of what hillbilly said.

ChuckS

[Sport 2]

That sounds similar to what I do. Any one else?

[muckland]

All day!!!