RenaissanceBiker

I'm hunting in a Wildlife Management Area that is part of a National Forest just south of Spartanburg, SC. I'm pretty busy at work and the WMA does not allow hunting on Sunday, so Saturday is the only day of the week I get to hunt. I suppose Sunday is set aside for non-nunters to enjoy the woods. There are trails used by horseback riders, but they usually know to stay out of the woods during hunting season. I have two locations scouted for hunting. One is in a valley near a creek. I found plenty of deer tracks in the sandy bottom of the creek during early scouting so I built a ground blind there. I found an area of heavy brush on the hillside where I think they are bedding. Near the top of the hill is a area with American Beauty Berry trees that seem to be a food source. I saw branches that have been stripped, droppings, and one rub. I observed a few trails that lead from the brush to the food and found a few good spots to simply hide behind trees with good shot lanes of these trails. I've been following all precautions regarding scent control and being very careful to limit movements and sounds. I take 40 minutes to walk the half a mile to the valley blind and another 30 minutes to climb 150 yards up the hill.

Saturday, I was in the valley blind when the sun came up. I hung some estrus scent nearby in case a buck wnted to start the rut a little early. The temperature was 36. By 11 AM I had heard some other distant hunters take some shots, but I saw nothing. I ate my peanut butter sandwich, drank some water and decided to move up the hill. The temperature was in the mid 50s now. I went to the berry area and saw some fresh droppings from the morning. I decided to settle in and wait for sundown, thinking they would come back this way again. It was nice to enjoy the peace and quiet of the the forest. I continued to hear others getting shots and knew my opportunity would come.

About an hour and a half before sundown, I heard voices. I knew that there was a seldom used horse trail at the top of the hill about 30 yards from me. I thought, "Crap, someone's out riding. I hope they move through quickly." The voices were loud and obviously male. Sure enough two guys came riding slowly on the trail on horseback. They were obviously drunk. They actually stopped at the point nearest me and I heard one of them say, "I need a chaser." I stepped out to get a closer look, just in time to see him turn up a bottle of whiskey. The other rider encouraged him to have another drink, which he did. The first rider took the bottle from him and continued to slowly ride the trail. The second rider stayed for a few seconds, then proceeded to throw up off the side of his horse. He did it again. Then he got down off his horse and yelled, "Wait, I'm throwing up!" He squatted down and threw up two more times. Now the whole hillside smells like whiskey and vomit. I moved out into the open as he got back on his horse. He yelled, "I ain't ever gonna drink straight whiskey again!" Then he saw me. I'm wearing Realtree Hardwoods camoflage coveralls and afacemask with an orange breakup ball cap. I'm carrying the Remington 700 SPS with a scope. I yelled, "That's a damn good idea!" He took off to catch up with his friend. I moved about halfway down the hill thinking that if the deer avoided that area they might come down there, but I didn't see a thing. I left at sunset, pissed off that these drunks had ruined my days hunt.

I need to find some private land to hunt, but it is probably too late to scout any. Tell me, how long will the deer avoid this area now that the drunk cowboys have left their mark?

AJ52

Ren,
I feel your frustration - Been There - Done That with Drunks and Slob hunters.Sounds like your 1st mistake was to assume the horsebackers would stay off trails during hunting season - Heee - Heee - Heee
Bet you won't assume that again.

Sad to say but the one thing I learned very early on when hunting any state lands is to assume the worst of your fellow hunters. It only takes 1 Jerk out of 10 to ruin your hunt or shoot you! Thank God I don't hunt state lands anymore but do have a great WMA adjacent to our lease farm. Those idiots move alot of deer to our farm.

The deer in that area are probably nocturnal.Forget any decent bucks in that area. Think and Find the most remote spot on the WMA,close to feeding,bedding area or escape routes when pressure is on.Thats the only place lazy hunters or drunks can't,won't or at least not likely to venture.Scout it for weeks,months until you know it like the back of your hand and then choose the spot.Thats the best you can do if your stuck hunting WMA's.

Best of Luck

VT_Hunter1980

I agree with AJ52. Find remote locations that can't be easily accessed by road or trail. I'm in your same boat in that I only have access to public land. I've been spending the last few weekends in a state forest not only looking for deer sign, but trying to figure out a spot that's just inconvenient enough to deter the average idiot, but not so out of the way as to make dragging out a deer impossible. The spot I've settled on is on the shore of a partially drained reservoir and to get to it I have to walk several hundred yards across a power dam, and then scale the cliff like rocks that used to be submerged. I found quite a bit of deer sign there as well. I figure it's a hard enough hike to weed out your average hungover dolt.

Hunter_59

Don't make the mistake in thinking that whitetails will be pressured into moving off of public ground due to pressure. I've hunted public ground for more than 20 years here in Illinois and am here to tell you that they will adapt. Some of the largest bucks I've ever seen have been on public ground and here in Illinois, we have some very large bucks. Concentrate on finding the areas that most people neglect to visit. It does not have to be the most remote area! The buck I'm after this year isa 10 point with a 24" spread and 12-14 inch tines. On Thursday morning I watched him bed down with 2 does about 50 yards from a parking lot with vehicles in the lot. All those hunters were out hunting the remote areas. He is one of 3 bucks I've spotted with those measurements and they all are on public land. They are using a river bottom to bed in. I'm hunting the fringes to try to get a shot as they manuever around chasing does. Last year the bottom was flooded and it made no difference. They still chased does and bedded in there.They just found these little bumps in the ground to bed on that was no more than 4" above water level. Stick with it and don't befrustrated with the human activity,the deerhave adapted to it!

RenaissanceBiker

Some of my co-workers suggested that I should have fired off a shot to scare his horse away while he was throwing up. Others suggested worse. As attractive as it might have been to have his drunk ass lost in the woods overnight, it would have put more pressure on the area.

BTW, the folks on my motorcycle forum call me RB for short.

5pointCal

RB, scaring the horse would have been extremely tempting. I too have hunted public land and its no fun. Good luck finding some private land.Are there any farmers around where you live? Perhaps you could get permission from them as they see deer as a nusiance to their crops. Good luck the rest of the season.

countrymudder

i only have this problem on smallers wma's..i hunt in the quachita and ozark national forest now in arkansas for that reason..millions of acres of public land and for the hunter who wants to do some walkin in to the mountainous forest..he can get away from all the other people..and find the trophy of a lifetime..ill post some pics as proof of this

countrymudder

10 point..taken with muzzleloader..on a rainy day..i was just walkin down a trail when he stepped out about 10 am lol

countrymudder

to took him in the quachita national forest..durin the rut..i was on a hillside he was in the valley..takin with a 300 mag.

countrymudder

my dad took this one with..also 300 mag and in the quachita national forest in a winter wheat food plot far off the beaten path..one of those hidden secluded food plots that u find in wma's and national forest.