I' m not sure of where to go on Monday. I hunt public land exclussively. I bow hunted an area of open woods and thick rhododendrum patches. The area had numerous deer droppings and scrapes. This is where I missed a 6 ptr with the bow. I also saw 2 does the next day, but that was it over a 5 day period. There were no other hunters in the area. I know also of an area that used to produce but I stopped hunting it 5 years ago when I moved. Also, it was overrun with hunters on opening day. Now with the WMU' s, I can hunt both areas, but which? Or should I find another place to stump sit on monday? From what I' ve read on this board from other public land hunters, three deer in a week is a lot (see NY)!

I myself have mostly hunted private land and only occausionally public, in the Poconos. Most of the public land I have hunted has been in the late muzzleloader season, when most of the rifle hunters are sitting at home staying warm. I have heard that normally the first week the public lands are hit hard but not too deep.

I would go where you feel you may see deer and go from there...

Tomster

Hunt the first area you mentioned. There are deer there and opening morning would be the time to get them. I' d stay neer those rhodies. They make good cover for deer and other hunters will push the deer into cover.

Scott Meier
White Oak Lodge

Eww, that is a tough call. I would say if you had a doe tag go to where you could hunt them. Then you could at least take advantage of either sex if presented with a shot at a doe or legal buck. I would also say go deep, wear lots of orange and take a cell phone/FRS radio or use the buddy system to check in with one another at prearranged times.

Overrun with hunters on opening day. Seems to be the case with a lot of public lands, go deep stay all day. Chances are joe six pack won' t sit past 10am and he might push one right to you.

3 a week would have been heaven to me during bow season. All archery season I only saw 3 deer.

All I hunt is public land I try to go deep and go early so when the big rush comes monday morning they will push them to you. Try to stay put all day like mentioned above most leave by 10am the deer will get pushed around a bit. Good Luck, I am probably gonna see at least 100 orange backs on monday [] They place I go gets hunted hard. I will be in the swamp where it is really bad this year cause all the rain we had. Not to many bother with it, but they walk around it and with any luck will push the deer right to me

I hunt our private lnd behind our house, and only saw 3 deer all season last year, and they came through at 8:05 the morning of the first day, it was bad. Sat in the woods the rest of the season, and didin' t see a thing. I' d give nayhting to see a deer slow down, or even stop long enough to shoot because I' ve never seen a deer walking where I hunt because they' re constantly being pushed.

Good Luck Monday!!!!

I agree with BarnesX on this one. If there is a lot of activity it will be best to set up where the cover is - especially if there is a lot of deer sign there to start with.
GOOD LUCK!