State land Strategies

[upstatehunter]

For anyone that hunts state land that has a lot of hunters in it, what have you found that helps you harvest deer.....thanks

[wildcat junkie]

When I hunted State forest land in S. Indiana I looked for a "back door".

 

An overlooked entry point that was downwind of the areas frequented by hunters.

 

It doesn't have to be a large area either.

[stoneam2006]

I hunt lots of state land...

Use topo and sat maps....Google maps is a good one

Be willing to walk in further than most others....

Be in woods when others are walking in or out for lunch/arrival and departure....

Scout if possible....my major downfall I don't scout....

Don't get discouraged I'd not successful right away.....and as said above try and find less used areas in and out

[wildcat junkie]

Be in woods when others are walking in or out for lunch

 

 

I killed most of my public land deer in Indiana between 10:00AM & 1:30PM.

 

Always kept an eye on my watch with anticipation as 10:00AM aproached.

Edited December 23, 2014 by wildcat junkie

[stoneam2006]

I killed most of my public land deer in Indiana between 10:00AM & 1:30PM.

Always kept an eye on my watch with anticipation as 10:00AM aproached.

Yea it's actually something I learned on here if you don't think about it you could miss some of the best public hunt opportunities Edited December 23, 2014 by stoneam2006

[wildcat junkie]

I once left a gut pile right in the logging road all the hunters had walked out on for lunch.

 

They had to step over/around it on the way back in for the evening watch.

[upstate]

One way that I use to get very deep onto state land before others is to ask a landowner with land adjacent for access, like a farmer. 

 

I asked a farmer for permission to park on the road and cut across his pasture to get back to a nice piece of state land and the guy was ecstatic that I would hunt deer. He literally had no huntable land during hunting season since he harvested everything and gladly let me get the jump on all the guys on state land. 

 

 

[MACHINIST]

Just like wildcat and stone said.Find that hidden spot that hunters aren't at,a small spot in a marsh thick pine trees or swail grass that others overlook.When a deer knows that people haven't been in a spot in a long time they migrate to it.Don't be afraid to walk a long way either,I know one spot I go doesn't really far but to get to it I have o where hip boots and walk through some serious crap to get in and out.It keeps 90% of the other hunters out of that area and until recently I was one of the only people hunting it till the neighboring land owner started hunting the state land.

[robw]

I've mostly hunted state lands for 30 yrs, and can sum it up easily - Go deep or go steep.  Most hunters on the public lands I hunt don't seem to want a long or hard walk, so use your topo and look for the steepest hillside you can find and get there early.  Most everyone else scouts, walks, mountain bikes, or sets up in areas that are easier to get to, so if you get on that hard to reach hill side, the deer will head there.  Just ask the Letchworth guys with the ropes and pulleys

 

If there's no steep hills, go far in, or at least where no one else will head to.  One deer in camp this year was almost 1 3/4 miles in on a easily walked logging road.  No one there and lots of deer moving around.  One place I hunt crosses a flooded area that has ~ 150 yd walk through 8 inches of water. Have seen hunters walk to the edge and turn away.  Lots of deer there, as they learned they don't get bothered back there

 

Now is a great time to scout for next year.  Good luck

 

 

[Five Seasons]

I hunt lots of state land...

Use topo and sat maps....Google maps is a good one

Be willing to walk in further than most others....

Be in woods when others are walking in or out for lunch/arrival and departure....

Scout if possible....my major downfall I don't scout....

Don't get discouraged I'd not successful right away.....and as said above try and find less used areas in and out

 

agree with all this. A good gps with topo and birdseye will really help you get deeper and into better spots.

[fishuntrapper]

as robw stated go deep or go steep also go early and stay late

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Go deeper lol. The best advice i'll ever give anyone !!

[NonTypical]

I always thought of going deep, until this year. Due to an injury, I was unable to go too far up the mountain. So I decided to hunt only about 200 yards off of the road, within sight of my vehicle and about 75 yards off of the main trail. I didn't plan on seeing much and was ok with that, however there was some standing corn nearby on the adjacent property. I have hunted this property for several years and I always tried to go farther and deeper than anyone else. Yet I always seemed to have other hunters show up not long after first light. Sometimes they would come from the other side of the property from which I came.

 

I was in well before first light. At 6:30 the brigade showed up. They marched up the mountain past me talking and making plenty of noise on the main trail. Shortly after they passed, a beautiful 10 point came down from the higher elevation. He must have heard the commotion and circled around.

 

Every property is different. As others have said, use google maps to learn the land. Also try to figure out where the deer will want to go when the pressure is on and where you can sneak in without alerting deer to your presence. Sometimes you can't overlook the obvious.

[genesee_mohican]

All good points here. One thing that I've learned is to hunt the thicker cover. Putting a stand in open hardwoods is nice for the view and you may see a lot of sign in that area, but when the season opens, the deer will stick tight to the thicker stuff during the daylight hours. You may not need to be that far off the road if you can find an area that others avoid due to thick brush. If deer feel safe there, they will hang out there.

 Also, have several stands and don't use the same stand more than 2 times per week. Keep them fresh, keep your scent to a minimum and scout, scout, scout. Keep notice of other hunters movements, and how it may effect deer movement. Lock your stand and trail cameras up tight, respect others and keep an open mind on the big picture. Things can change a lot from year to year in any area of state land. Have fun and be safe.

[wildcat junkie]

A few times I have successfully played the opposite of the "get in deeper than the rest" of the hunters. Seems nobody bothers to hunt near the entry points. My wife once took a huge doe when I posted her just a few yards in from a parking area where the steep terrain funneled deer through.

[Five Seasons]

All good points here. One thing that I've learned is to hunt the thicker cover. Putting a stand in open hardwoods is nice for the view and you may see a lot of sign in that area, but when the season opens, the deer will stick tight to the thicker stuff during the daylight hours. You may not need to be that far off the road if you can find an area that others avoid due to thick brush. If deer feel safe there, they will hang out there.

Also, have several stands and don't use the same stand more than 2 times per week. Keep them fresh, keep your scent to a minimum and scout, scout, scout. Keep notice of other hunters movements, and how it may effect deer movement. Lock your stand and trail cameras up tight, respect others and keep an open mind on the big picture. Things can change a lot from year to year in any area of state land. Have fun and be safe.

The thick stuff is excellent advice. I killed my 9 point on public land between 2 thick bedding areas that were loaded with scrapes. I didn't have a big long sweeping view of the woods like I would have in the hardwoods, but I didn't need it either.

[G-Man]

At least in my area there is a ton of state land, most it seems many do not know about.the big pieces of 1000 or more they do but there are hundreds of small 50 to 600 or 700 acre pieces. Get ahold of the dec and find all the state land in your area, a small piece may be the ticket for you to get away from the large.groups at the well known lands.hate to say hunters in general are lazy but most do not reserve lands that are available to them but go where their dad went or friend took them. The state receives land as gifts.and buys new land every year.

Edited December 24, 2014 by G-Man

[wildcat junkie]

At least in my area there is a ton of state land, most it seems many do not know about.the big pieces of 1000 or more they do but there are hundreds of small 50 to 600 or 700 acre pieces. Get ahold of the dec and find all the state land in your area, a small piece may be the ticket for you to get away from the large.groups at the well known lands.hate to say hunters in general are lazy but most do not reserve lands that are available to them but go where their dad went or friend took them. The state receives land as gifts.and buys new land every year.

That is the strategy I used for years in indiana. Also look for small "fingers" of state land that may provide access to larger parcels, these are often poorly marked & overlooked.

 

One spot I used to use like that was a small ridgetop pull off with "posted" signs on the tree just to the immediate right. The pull off & land for about 150yds to the left was state forest & it was part of a large parcel that was several square miles. The nearest obvious public road access was about 3/4 of a mile away as the crow flies & over a mile by road in the valley below. I never encountered a hunter in that section.

Edited December 24, 2014 by wildcat junkie

[Doc]

Learn to pattern hunters. Guys move from the parking lots into what they consider  their favorite areas and they do so with consistently repetitive movements throughout the seasons every year. Certain trails and easier climbs  and paths around obstructions (multi-flora rose .... lol) will funnel hunter movements into repetitive annual patterns of movement from parking lots to stands and back.

 

Knowing likely spots where deer will be just before daybreak, and what the likely deer escape routes from those areas when hunters jump them can put you into a very repetitive and predictable annual locations of some very productive spots.

[DirtTime]

Scout, use maps to see where possible feeding areas are, bedding areas, funnels, and swamps. As mentioned, be first in and last out. Carry lunch and a snack with you.

Also, try and be as courteous to other hunters as possible. You have to share that land, and if they been hunting there for years, you are the new guy. Being nice might get you a tip or two on some good areas on the land.

 

[SpiritoftheWild33]

Everything that Stone says is right on!  I've only been in Ny for 2 years and i'm 2 for 2 on state land.  One thing I've learned about most NY hunters is they don't like to climb mountains!  Try to get to the mountain before anyone else and climb climb climb.   Study topo maps and try to find the most secluded area that you can get to and let the people push the deer to you. You'll be successful.