Originally Posted by
cal516
I used to be able to avoid the pressure when I could hunt during the week. That was the best way because everyone was at work.
You hit the nail on the head!! Hunt during the week when everyone else is at work. I hunt exclusively public land and will usually skip weekends during the season and hunt during the week. I am a business owner which makes it easier to set my own schedule to be able to do this but if this is something you can work out, then you have the best of both worlds, lots of land to hunt and the choice of stand locations.
If this can't be worked out then like some of the other posters said, hunt far from parking areas or very close. Some of the biggest bucks I have seen have been within 100 yds. of parking areas.
Another tip would be to find private land joining public land at the furthest point from the parking areas. Use this private land to access these far points without having to walk as far. This may deter other hunters from wanting to walk so far to hunt.