Public Land

[Electric88]

I know there are quite a few hunters here, but does anyone hunt on public land? I recently lost the opportunity to hunt on private land, and was considering going hunting on public land. Just curious as to whether anyone here finds success there, or if it's typically a relatively fruitless endeavor. Sorry, I know it's a somewhat vague question

[duckey]

I have hunted both, where I grew up but since being active duty for Uncle Sam I just hunt public land. I have had good results. If anything hunting public land keeps you on the move finding other spots to hunt when "your spots" are being hunted by others.

[dragon813gt]

It depends on where you are, what season it is and what you're hunting. At home I've had good luck during archery on public land. Not many people are out. But once rifle opens up forget it. It's orange vests everywhere w/ lots of overlapping shot angles. It's almost as bad at my place in the Poconos. But you can still get away from people.

All turkey I've taken have been on public land. No one hunts them at home so it's usually just me and a hunting partner in the woods. While in the Poconos I've had to many people stalk my calls.

Like I said, it depends

[Hannibal]

Public land is no place to be around here during modern firearms deer season. Archery, turkey and small game seasons are fine.

[Electric88]

I live up in Michigan, and intend to hunt during archery season. Around here, I fully expect to see a ridiculous amount of orange come gun season. Hopefully bow season will bring some luck!

[MarkP]

Nebraska has quite a bit of public land to hunt. I am always a little nervous during rifle deer season public or private.

[gtgeorge]

I hunt solely public land with great success but have a locker full of stories of encounters with those that seem to have no manners or understanding of how to act when "sharing" the land. Just this last weekend was a fine example for an early firearm deer hunt where others come walking in right on me 2 minutes after shooting light and sat on both sides of me with semi autos shooting an running pigs and deer. Very frustrating when you get to your spot an hour early to let things settle and relax in a peaceful setting. But then there are many hunts that go as planned and there is usually no shortage of meat in the freezers.

[Beagle333]

We have the smallest National Forest in the country, but it does have some really nice deer on it and is full of fox squirrels and turkey.... but even though they require you to visit the Ranger station and put your name and pin on the map, some idiot(s) is/are still going to come tromping by your stand and maybe.... just maybe.. mumble "Sorry dude" as they go by. But probably not. They just try to act like they don't see you. I only have limited numbers of days that I can hunt and I can't have the whole day blown by somebody stomping around in my area. So I gave up on public land and only hunt private land, which is really hard to get into these days but I managed to beg my way onto one nice little piece of property for a few weekends coming up this season and maybe that will produce a couple of deer for the freezer.

[OnHoPr]

The north east of the Northern lower is really not even worth going out on PL since the gypsy moths, TB, and poaching, Huron NF. There are private sectors that are good. I am not sure about the west of the northern lower, they had some natural type issues as well, Manistee NF. I have never heard anything good about the Pigeon River SF. In the Huron NF when you can drive 10 or more mi on moist (just a day or two after a rain) sand fire trails and only see a half a dozen old tracks a one or two fresh tracks of deer when scouting for turkey. Deer license sales are 30% down from the '90s. And this with more multiple deer licenses available to purchase with the youth, early season, more doe permits in certain areas. So, just guessing, about 50% down from the '90s at least. In fact the numbers are down so low that doe permits in certain areas are almost non ecksistent. That must of been their plan with the 4pt rule BS and QDM, ha. The cost of licenses have skyrocketed because of the guberment bureaucracy needs funding. Besides the republicans have wanted all the deer killed from the car insurance PACs and the dems are playing Pikachu. A different state is probably your best bet for harvesting deer on PL.

[Hannibal]

Weekends are NOT the time to be on public land, no matter the season. Ask me how I know.

[Electric88]

Yeah, I'm in SE Michigan. I've heard mixed things about public land, and just figured I would see what you guys had to say

[Powder Burn]

It's either very good or very bad. We bow hunt for the most part. State Forest that just opened up was outstanding the 1st couple years but then deer moved out and everyone else moved in. I've had chain on stands stolen (used bolt cutters) and people walk right under my tree while I was waving and whistling to get them to move around me. Thank God I have some private land I can hunt. By some miracle while hunting public land, my son shot a 150 pt chasing a doe during a nice rainy Veterans Day a few years ago while hunting public in Central Illinois So you never know what you will get.Attachment 151006

[Tenbender]

We have 1.8 million acres in the Jefferson National Forest here in Va. I have hunted much of it with much success . Sadly the now day hunters would rather hunt in their or their neighbor's back yard. I'm sure we have deer
here on the National Forest that have never seen a human. And they will die never seeing one.
Hunters here , except a few, will not take the time to scout the hunting land we have. Just wish I was able.

[shtur]

The only hunting I have ever done has been on public land. I have taken over 30 bucks, and we're only allowed one buck per year. I hunt other states every couple of years, and get deer on their public land, too. I have taken many antelope, and only hunted them on public land. Same with elk, only taken on public land. Did I mention I like our public lands out west ?

[Electric88]

The only hunting I have ever done has been on public land. I have taken over 30 bucks, and we're only allowed one buck per year. I hunt other states every couple of years, and get deer on their public land, too. I have taken many antelope, and only hunted them on public land. Same with elk, only taken on public land. Did I mention I like our public lands out west ?

Very nice! I bet the public lands are much better out west, and would love to move out there some day! Unfortunately, where I am located the public lands were packed this year with people and not deer. Oh well, maybe next year!

[mac266]

I live in Colorado, so there are literally millions of acres of public land available to hunt. Some are owned by the state, others by the federal government, but all public. The military bases would have great hunting, too, except the military has made the bureaucracy to hunt there more of a pain than it is worth. The most successful Colorado hunters have horses or mules, and trek WAAAAAAAY back into the wilderness where the vast majority of hunters do not have the ability or wherewithal to reach.

I have horses, but not all the equipment I would need for such a trek. I don't even own a horse trailer to get them to the hunting site. So, I'm stuck on foot with all the other goobers. During rifle season I am surrounded by orange. I haven't hunted with a muzzle loader since I lived in Iowa, but I'm going to start hunting muzzle loader again just to reduce the number of hunters I have to share with. In the meanwhile, I'm going to keep saving up for that horse trailer!

[waksupi]

Being in Montana, we have lots of public land, and I hunt it quite a bit. I can not remember how many years it has been since I have seen another hunter in the mountains once I get out of the truck and hit the timber.

[quilbilly]

Last night after a local town hall political meeting, a lady asked me If I would come to talk to one of the local high school debate teams about public land. She was the team coach. This could be interesting.

[TXCOONDOG]

Texas has lots of Public Hunting Lands and I've been hunting them for 25years. Most of my time is spent scouting(6-8. Miles per trip). Less then a month, I shot a sow! Hunting public lands is not for the week at heart!

Everybody and his brother hunts there and most do not know what scouting and tracking is even about. I ran across a man and son that said he has never seen a pig there and he has been hunting there for 30plus years.

[DerekP Houston]

Man, the public areas around houston kinda creep me out but that post makes me want to give them a try. Are you using a tree blind or just hunt and stalk?