Public land Hunting????????
 

Me and my dad go up to Onida county Wisconsin and we have a deer camp with a bunch of friends. We don't own any land up there so we go one the hundreds of acres that are public land. So my question is..... Do you hunt on public land? do you have any susses? How do you choose where to go? Thanks for reading.

RE: Public land Hunting????????
 

Hey ,I hunt both private and public land and have done well on both. See the pics of my last buck on the Gut Shot???? Got Him!!! Heres the pics. I shot him on public land about a mile from my home. I think the trick with public land is to find the unpressured places, or if its like northern lower Michigan and there seems to be a hunter under every tree, find the places that no one else will go. Thick nasty with no roads. Most guys dont care to walk miles to there stand or through the thick stuff.

RE: Public land Hunting????????
 

very nice buck

RE: Public land Hunting????????
 

Thanks, Somthing I like to do is look at arial photos to see if I can find areas that arnt easyly accessable.I use terraserver-usa.com for photos.I also like to look at plate maps that show public from private lands to find areas of public land that are small or surrounded by private,places most hunters over look. Scout as much as possible.

RE: Public land Hunting????????
 

i hunt strictly public land and usually kill 4 or more deer a year.

RE: Public land Hunting????????
 

Do you put out any bait or anything

RE: Public land Hunting????????
 

I hunt public land in Huntsville, TX....The woods are very thick here in East Texas, so it is a challenge. The spot I have picked out this year will only give me a 40yrd. shot at the most. I am hunting from a ground blind.I am hunting from a ground blind.I have had success in the past, but have shot nothing great.

RE: Public land Hunting????????
 

i would never hunt public land here in virginia. most people here are sooo dumb. ive had friends get shot at with a .22 before daylight while walking to there stands. the idiots shoot at sound. i hate public land here. no offense to anyone when i say most people are dumb here

RE: Public land Hunting????????
 

illegal to bait on public land here in Florida

RE: Public land Hunting????????
 

It is also illegal to bait on public land in Texas.I look for well used trails, scrapes, rubs, dropping and food sources and set up there. I do most of my scouting in Feb. All the leaves are gone from the trees so you can see more and all the deer sign from the season that just ended is still fresh and easy to find.

RE: Public land Hunting????????
 

I hunt both public and private. The key to public is first deciding which public land to hunt. Contact the county DNRO/warden for help/deer numbers and get them to send you a topo map of this land. Secondly, study the map and look at the terrain and surrounding properties then go out there and scout it with the map in hand. Make notes on the map of trails, draws and any deer sign. Food sources and watering holes/creeks. The thing about public land hunters...for the most part...is that they usually don't venture very far back into the woods. What I have found is that most of them will only go 500 yards in to 1/4 mile in. You want a nice deer where theres hardly any pressure, go deep into the woods. I kill 3 to 5 deer a year on public land...get to know the land...you get to see the deer.;)

RE: Public land Hunting????????
 

We hunt public land here and have been successful. But we're getting a bit angry at the preference given to private land hunters and this may very well be the last year we buy deer permits. We'll just stick to small game.

Edited to add: The same goes for turkey permits.

RE: Public land Hunting????????
 

Depends on the public land. I have hunted the national forest in VA before and done extremely well. My goal is to find the place where others arent! I scout it on the ground and with topos and aerials.

1shotkill1993 says the public land in va is full dumbies is kinda crazy, everytime i have gone I never see anyone. Also, if his friends are walking to stands, there breaking the law, no stands are allowed on public land in va, only portable stands you must bring in with you and take out everytime.

The best trick i have learned about hunting public land is to find the hardest and farthest spot to get to and go there, once the others start shooting close to the roads those deer will know where to go. I usually go to a spot in the late season once or twice on public land and it is stacked with deer cause its impossible to get too, i have to take a canoe down river or walk 8 miles, as soon as i enter that bowl i see deer everywhere soo its worth it.

RE: Public land Hunting????????
 

i went to the local corps of engineers office and got maps of public land where they have planted and maintained food plots. most of them are over huntedexcept one area near my parents house. i have hunted this property for years and done very well. there is a few hunters here and there but the best spots are a 45 minute walk and it seems nobody but me will walk that far in. the only bad thing about this is when you shoot one you have a hell of a drag out of the woods.