RE: claiming " your" spot on public land...
 

The first person to get to the spot, is the one that hunts it, and depending on terrian a good chunk of the area around it. You cant reserve public land. I dont care if youve been hunting there since dirt.

RE: claiming " your" spot on public land...
 

i have kinda been scoping out some public land here and was kinda wondering the same thing. I dont think there will be that many people hunting out there so i should be alright.

RE: claiming " your" spot on public land...
 

If another hunter put ribbons next to yours - I' d think he' d had the area staked out - and is letting you know he plans on hunting there as well. Personally, I would move altogether - I' m not the confrontational type. The best case scenario would be to meet the unkown hunter, On the private land I hunt, we often share our hunting areas with very good success - because we communicate.

In the future, on public land - I wouldn' t mark a thing. I' d rather slip in without a stand, and set up on a very small little section. With a stand I' d opt for a light climber or light lock-on stand - take it in and out - and would not ever plan on hunting the exact same tree.

RE: claiming " your" spot on public land...
 

I think he meant that you set up stand sites, ie trim branches, clear shooting lanes and such.
good luck

RE: claiming " your" spot on public land...
 

I just plan my hunt like nobody' s going to hunt there and hope for the best. I haven' t had a problem yet, but It will probably happen someday.

RE: claiming " your" spot on public land...
 

I have an interesting situation coming up this year. I have hunted the same state land for the last 13+ years so I know it all pretty well. This year when I went to scout I noticed that a local had planted a nice corn field that is about 5 acres.....this land (which is his) shares a border with the state forest. He has posted signs every 50 feet in the woods so everyone knows it.

Here is where it gets interesting.....The corn goes right up to a few hundred yards of hardwoods then it' s thick pines. A nice little stream runs through the hardwoods also. It is absolutely PERFECT. The deer have everything they need right there and the place is absolutely covered with great sign. I am looking VERY forward to hunting this area this year. I only hope that the guys that own the private land are not jerks because I really don' t want any trouble if a deer I whack runs on their land to expire. I plan on hunting with my back to the private land in hopes of the deer running back into the state land if hit. Should be interesting because it is pretty obvious that the owners are planning to hunt near there as well.........hopefully they are just slug slingers.

RE: claiming " your" spot on public land...
 

Oh and more specifically on the subject...........I have gone to the same spot opening day of shotgun since as long as I can remember. 3 years ago I was greated by a flashlight waving at me.....from who I still don' t know. Bottom line was I hunted that spot for probably 9 years straight but had to keep walking because public land has no such thing as " my spot" .

RE: claiming " your" spot on public land...
 

It' s nice to see that most of us would believe that first come first serve is the right answer. Hunting a WMA in Kentucky a couple years ago climbed up the tree, got locked in just sat down and wouldn' t you know I see a streamlight coming towards me. Flash the light at the guy, he acknowledges and proceeds to set his stand 30 yards from mine. It turned out to be an uneventful morning watching him watch me. Always have an alternate plan for the ones who don' t share the same ethics as you do

RE: claiming " your" spot on public land...
 

You will find that some people can be absolute jerks on public land. Thats being downright spightfull. As for leaving my stands on public land, that would only happen once. The next time I would go to hunt a bare tree where someone had removed my stand.

RE: claiming " your" spot on public land...
 

3step is right - I use a climber

And just to clarify - most of the " public" land I hunt is " private" land that is not posted and open game to the public.