Well I am in MI also, but I do not have the same issues as you. I think 5 guys on 80 acers is way to many, we all no there are 3 maybe 4 good areas to hunt. All 5 of you are jammed in there. It is tough I know I grew up hunting public land in Northen MI.

Now we have 285 Acres with 5 guys and 4 hunt the same area year after year. I just bowhunt, but the other 4 gun hunt with two of them bowhunt also. I used to b|tch about them hunting the same area every year and shooting same type bucks every year. I was pretty succesfull, but thought I could do better.

I met Joe Brooks about 5 years ago and we started talking, he introduce me to low profile hunting. Iput away calls and scents. Istarted hunting bedding areas during the rut, and staying out of deer's homearea until the rut. I stop hunting all my best spots until the rut. I place my other stands away from the other guys onhow I thought the deer would travel. I placed one called the cherry tree they laughedat when I first put it up 5 years ago. I have shot 10 deer out of that tree last 5 years, including the 16 I shot this year. I have shot 4 P & Y buckslast 4 years, I have never had a run like this. Onekey thing I do is take a boat to many of my stands. This allows me to leave 0 scentgoing to and from my stand, and I spook far less deer. I have spooked 2 deer in 5 years using this tatic.

Two great Books "Year around Whitetails" by Joe brooks, and "Bowhunting High Pressure Whitetails" by John Eberhart. Both guys hunt in MI, both are very good.

It can be done in high pressured states, but it take time and commintment. I know all of us do not have it, I am cool with that. Hunt what you want, but if you want to hunt mature bucks in MI it can be done.

Here are my key's to hunting MI for Mature deer

1. Have to get to and from your stand undetected(scent control)
2. No callling or scents
3. In Feb, March fo find a Primary Scrape area(Used by mature deer) then find a bedding area near there. This isa great Rut spot for hunting.
4. Hunt hard those last two weeks of Nov
5. During the Rut be in your stand 2 hrs before hunting time(I do this all year)
6. Hunt to atleast 11:00AM early season. I hunt until 1:00PM late season then move to late stand.

There are more, but I practice these 6 hard. If you do not want to do this then fine. I really do not care, shoot what you want. This is just what I do.

Please note the word Mature, I knowmature deer in Sothern MI is way Bigger then one in Northen MI. They both have mature deer