Hunting State Land Advise?
09-24-2016, 02:48 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: MICHIGAN
Posts: 2,568
Post a question like that and no location like even the state so all one can do is say where they live.
Here in Michigan any area of the state below the bride troll land opening week of firearm deer season is a good place to get shot or shot at is state land. Rest of the different seasons, you would be revelaty safe above the shot gun zone line mid week.
Above the bridge YOOPER land you would be fairly safe about half way across since you need to be a bit away for the bridge and also more federal land to go with the state land.
Al
Here in Michigan any area of the state below the bride troll land opening week of firearm deer season is a good place to get shot or shot at is state land. Rest of the different seasons, you would be revelaty safe above the shot gun zone line mid week.
Above the bridge YOOPER land you would be fairly safe about half way across since you need to be a bit away for the bridge and also more federal land to go with the state land.
Al
09-24-2016, 06:27 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 4,264
Please tell us what state and what the terrain is like.
In western Virginia and East Tennessee, it's remarkably hilly and that terrain provides much more backstop for shots on deer. It in fact is rare you get a shot in which you don't have the ground in your scope, unless you are in the bottom of a ravine looking at a deer at the top of a ridge/crest (obviously not a safe shot unless the target area has a large tree behind it). For that reason I would look on GoogleMaps and try to hike into the most rugged place I find that seems to have good deer habitat, and is farther from the road. The more effort you put into it, the less likely you are to run into other hunters.
If I hunted in a flat area, though, I'd be much more nervous about hunting public land.
In western Virginia and East Tennessee, it's remarkably hilly and that terrain provides much more backstop for shots on deer. It in fact is rare you get a shot in which you don't have the ground in your scope, unless you are in the bottom of a ravine looking at a deer at the top of a ridge/crest (obviously not a safe shot unless the target area has a large tree behind it). For that reason I would look on GoogleMaps and try to hike into the most rugged place I find that seems to have good deer habitat, and is farther from the road. The more effort you put into it, the less likely you are to run into other hunters.
If I hunted in a flat area, though, I'd be much more nervous about hunting public land.
09-24-2016, 07:15 AM
#4
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,410
I hunt public land in gun season, and have for years. Wear orange, be aware of your surroundings. For finding deer, I look for the sign and then hunt it. Ya, you can go deeper to avoid others, but there may not be any deer there. The best combination is lots of sign in an area others can't or won't get to. One of my best spots for public land was an island cut off by a lake, and two creeks. You could get there by canoe, or crossing a really sketchy log across the creek. I used to hunt in there and saw lots of deer. When the shooting starts they head to places they know are secure. I like to hunt swampy areas on public land too. it's thick, wet and nasty so allot of people won't go in. But the deer are in there. Give us some more info, like what state you're in, and what the terrain is like.
-Jake
-Jake
09-24-2016, 09:13 AM
#5
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: On an Island in Vermont
Posts: 22,164
I hunt a lot of pub land and always try to get in early and further than most. Deer get pushed and often the results are quite similar from year to year. Knowing through experience where pressured animal go fills tags.
09-24-2016, 02:24 PM
#7
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,726
Do some scouting before hand and look for deer sign or whatever game you're going for and mark it on your map or better yet as a way point in your GPS, or both. Good places to check are saddles and draws at least 1/2 mile from any road. But be for warned - the further you go in the longer your drag will be!
09-24-2016, 04:12 PM
#8
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 5
Please tell us what state and what the terrain is like.
In western Virginia and East Tennessee, it's remarkably hilly and that terrain provides much more backstop for shots on deer. It in fact is rare you get a shot in which you don't have the ground in your scope, unless you are in the bottom of a ravine looking at a deer at the top of a ridge/crest (obviously not a safe shot unless the target area has a large tree behind it). For that reason I would look on GoogleMaps and try to hike into the most rugged place I find that seems to have good deer habitat, and is farther from the road. The more effort you put into it, the less likely you are to run into other hunters.
If I hunted in a flat area, though, I'd be much more nervous about hunting public land.
In western Virginia and East Tennessee, it's remarkably hilly and that terrain provides much more backstop for shots on deer. It in fact is rare you get a shot in which you don't have the ground in your scope, unless you are in the bottom of a ravine looking at a deer at the top of a ridge/crest (obviously not a safe shot unless the target area has a large tree behind it). For that reason I would look on GoogleMaps and try to hike into the most rugged place I find that seems to have good deer habitat, and is farther from the road. The more effort you put into it, the less likely you are to run into other hunters.
If I hunted in a flat area, though, I'd be much more nervous about hunting public land.
09-24-2016, 04:18 PM
#9
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 5
I hunt public land in gun season, and have for years. Wear orange, be aware of your surroundings. For finding deer, I look for the sign and then hunt it. Ya, you can go deeper to avoid others, but there may not be any deer there. The best combination is lots of sign in an area others can't or won't get to. One of my best spots for public land was an island cut off by a lake, and two creeks. You could get there by canoe, or crossing a really sketchy log across the creek. I used to hunt in there and saw lots of deer. When the shooting starts they head to places they know are secure. I like to hunt swampy areas on public land too. it's thick, wet and nasty so allot of people won't go in. But the deer are in there. Give us some more info, like what state you're in, and what the terrain is like.
-Jake
-Jake
09-24-2016, 04:56 PM
#10
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,227
Find the thickest nastiest stuff around. Go in before first light and sit tight don't leave until it is too dark to shoot. Let other hunters run the deer to you. When pressured deer will head to places people won't go. If you have a swamp, go there. Don't be afraid to get wet, muddy and miserable. Take a pack frame and bone the deer out where it hits the ground if legal. Drag marks tell others where you killed a deer. No reason to advertise a good spot.
