You really can't do anything on public ground. The only thing I can suggest is to keep a low profile and keep your spots very low key, try not to flag them if you can. Ribbons are like an invitation for other hunters to investigate.

the pulic land I hunt it is illegal to use ribbon or tacks, but people do it anyway

I hate it because it is a bow-only refuge and after gun season starts, I never know if somebody will be planning on setting up near all the tacks I see glowing when I walk in or not. Last year I was the only guy out there several times.

Get a GPS and mark your stand site with it that's what I do
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You know everyone here seems to be missing something. Perhaps just perhaps other people may have scouted the same areas and reserved them for latter in the season. Just because one person scouted an area on public land does not mean that someone else will not scout the same areas. It is public land paid for by everyone for everyone. I also hunt some public land and do feel a certain ownership of the areas I setup on. But if someone else gets there before I do then They have every right to hunt there also. Not easy, but it is public land. Yes I too have the hunters that come in late and make so much noise they chase deer for me. Another thing about public land to quote one of the thirty point buck cd's " treat every hunter as if they were loaded" If I do not know a hunter that gets too close to me I move. I would never think of confronting a hunter out there because you just never know. There are those people that believe there is nothing wrong with having a drink during hunting.

After the problems on public land this year I am going
to join a club.Some of these public hunters I have met
this year need attitude adjustments I am permitted to
ride an atv to my hunting spot and off of it if I choose
and I dont but the bunch I encounted where getting ready
to trash my truck even with the permit in the window to
show I was legal because I was on an atv.My hunting
partner is a shid zu and when one of them kicked him I
put him in the ground with a chain binder,they were drunk
hunting with cross bows and so I try to leave people alone
but it just gets worse around here on the conservation areas
so the fish and game can not police all the areas a hunting
club seems like the only solution,the PUBLIC has the right
to be there but no right to infringe on other peoples rights.
Am usually very quiet and will leave an area if others are
using it but dont kick my dog or hurt my property good luck
on your future hunts stay safe,I feel I will be from now on!