Public ground hunting problem?
 

I hunt deer on public ground I go scouting 3 months prior to deer season, I do everything I possibly can to get a big buck I put my heart into it. Anyway here is my question I have 5 trees marked with ribbon on this public ground of about 500 plus acres. Me and my buddies hunt these trees damn near every weekend and through the week when we can. Yesterday the last day of bow season we go out there and their is 4 hunters all up in or not 15 yards from 4 of the trees that I have marked. Now should I have said something to them or just let it go since it is on public ground. By the way I said nothing but was very pissed off. What would you do?

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

Not a thing you can do.

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

Walk away, Bucky! On public ground, it's first come, first served! Been there and done that many times. JMHO.

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

As frustrating as it is, it is public land. You can't claim that anymore than you can claim a parking spot outside your house or your favorite fishing spot. I'm sure this spot feels like its "yours", you've put a lot of time into it, and have become very familiar with it. Turn it around, how would you feel if you were hunting publiuc land and someone asked you to leave because they'd scouted and marked it?

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

nothing you can do on public ground but grin and bear it .

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

hence the word "public"

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

The one and only thing you can do is to quit marking and thus advertising your hunting spots. All this does is to do the scouting for the lazy hunters. The same goes for using the Bright Eyes tacks on public land. People will see these tacks and follow them out right to your tree.

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

I can understand your proprietary feelings toward an area you have scouted and hunt regularly but as others have said, it is public land.
There is a guy here in my area that went to the trouble and expense of building three "Semi Permanent" stands on National Forest land. When I say Semi Permanent, I mean they are chained to the trees as opposed to being nailed or attached with screws which would make them illegal. They are on the verge of being illegal anyway since they are supposed to be removed after the season is over, but these stands have been there for at least five years. He did not use them during the 2000 or 2001 season but he and his wife showed up during the 2002 season and his wife was most emphatic about them being her husbands stands. I have no problem with that, but I do have a problem with not knowing when somebody will be in them and being essentially denied acess to areas because I know somebody else "MIGHT" be there.

Coastie
"Children are tastier than Dogs or Goats and they're far easier for a Leopard to catch" Indian Magistrate Hari Prasad Tivari

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

You can do something Bucky.

Set up more than 5 trees. get 15 -20 marked and setup, Your success will probably go way up and you will always have another option if a few get ruined.

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

In my humble opinion you're on public land so you are screwed & you shouldn't have advertised your setup with ribbons..<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>..next time use a GPS!!! I too have hunted pulic (Crown Land in Canada) land so I know where you are coming from!!!!!!! Good luck..<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>..Brampton Mike

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

Hunt a little deeper in the woods and you can get away
from those guys who horned in on your spots.

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

I for damn sure will not mark my trees anymore. I would say that okay these hunters just wanted a spot to hunt on the last day, but during shotgun seson the same 4 hunters came into the woods at about 7:00am and set up 35 yards away from 3 of us on the first morning concidence or dickheads.

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

find private land

Walk softly and carry a big gun...or just make accurate shots.

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

I'm with some of the others here, These hunters went into the woods and saw your markers and said &quot;that has got to be a good spot&quot;. If your going to mark an area you need to do it so others don't notice. Your best bet probably would be a gps. You have every right to be mad, but there is nothing you can do about it, it is public ground.

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

Why not mark bad areas with you ribbon. Or use them as a way to make the others push deer to you. Seriously public land is rough and first come first served each day. I agree with some of the others that it is first come first served but why not use the other guys to your advantage. Use some bright eyes or some ribbon but use them as markers for areas where you know that anyone walking onto them will push deer in your direction. Shell out a few bucks and go for the GPS. Going deeper into the public land is where you should have some success and then be ready when 10 am rolls around and the guys head out of the woods for lunch sit tight chances are the extra movement will generate some deer movement. Hunt all day it will only increase your odds pack a lunch and grab some just in case paper should you need it. Most folks generally won't venture out that far and chances are the deer will run or gravitate to where there is the least pressure. Only alternative is to talk to land owners and see if you can get permission on public land.

Landowner whose property we hunt on requires 8 hours of work from each member of the hunting party. He usually won't hold us to a strict clock but having 6 guys weed and mulch his flower beds really makes it look nice and saves him a ton of weeding so he is happy as a clam to let us off with only 4-5 hours each. Also we have chopped down trees for him and a few other things but you get the picture.
a few hours of work is but a small price to pay versus scouting public land and then having joe six pack come and sit at the spot you have high hopes for. Good Luck and happy hunting.

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

I like your thinking cableguy leave good spots unmarked and mark the bad spots to flush deer towards me, I think I have found next years scouting method. Thanks!

Edited by - Bucky10 on 01/21/2003 11:40:20

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

Man I feel your pain. All you can do is try elsewhere.
If your stand was already in place I would definately say
something. (and then remove my stand as noisily as possible.)
Hunting public land is a pain at times but after you pattern the other
hunters you can usually find good spots away from the crowds. Most hunters dont want to walk very far so most of my spots are over a half mile from the nearest road or across a creek. I used to put ribbons up to mark my spots but it ended up attracting the out of town
hunters that didnt know the area. I did get a couple of deer
during the bowseason but the other hunters aggravated me
so much this year that Ive quit hunting this season. Even though
the season doesnt end until february.

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

Quit marking your spots...buy a compass, learn to use it to get in and out in the dark....

Public land is just that...open to the public. I've had packs of fox hounds run through on me, small game hunters, duck hunters, hikers, bikers...you get the pic...

If I saw another stand where I planned to set up I'd go the other way, but I go in in total darkness and out in the same. I'm not likely to see it..Say something to me...P-off!

~Will Hunt For Food~

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

I hunt public land and like most hunters when I see a place that is mark I move on down the road. I do have my own spots that I love to hunt, but I do not mark them. I know my way around very well. I will take close friends and family but most people couldn't find their way back if they had to.

In the National forest you are only allowed to put up a stand for three days. I am sure people do not always go by this but that is the law.

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

BUCKY i also hunt public land and it seems that when you start dragging out two or three deer past other hunters the area you once thought of as your honey hole has become crowded with other hunters scouting and setting up stands in the middle or end of the season. i hunt as far back as i can about 1 1/2 miles back i started dragging the deer out at about 11 o clock usually most the hunters have given up by then try to use a dolly, they will follow drag marks.dont tell anyone where your hunting but if they do start hunting where your at nothing you can do. dont tell them of your success

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

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.

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

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
[*]NRA Annual Member www.nra.org[*]TNUSA Annual Member www.tnugent.com[*]NAHC[*]GOA[*]IDPA

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

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 &quot; treat every hunter as if they were loaded&quot; 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.

RE: Public ground hunting problem?
 

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!