public lands

[Doc]

In the sense I feel the more hunters there are in the woods the better my odds are.

This has some truth to it. Lately I have spent some lonely days in total silence on the hillside of state land, listening to all the slam-banging ruckus on the private land across the valley. They have plenty of people to keep the deer on their feet, while I sit quietly on stand and the deer are all bedded down in their favorite places, enjoying the peace and quiet.

[Uptown Redneck]

I shall be hunting state land for the first time this season, my buddy and I have found a seculded spot where we will eagerly await (we hope) the arrival of deer being unknowenly driven to us by other hunters

Edited October 22, 2015 by Uptown Redneck

[monkeyman2269]

I shall be hunting state land for the first time this season, my buddy and I have found a seculded spot where we will eagerly await (we hope) the arrival of deer being unknowenly driven to us by other hunters

Hope no one walks up an you I try to go were other people won't go just to find someone lol

[Doc]

Hope no one walks up an you I try to go were other people won't go just to find someone lol

Yes, you always hear that you should go in deep enough so no one else will go that far. Ha-ha-ha..... that has been said so often that everybody wants to go there.

 

I remember a bowhunt where I went way back in on some state land bow hunting. Right at the end of the day I watched some jogger all decked out in his shiny fluorescent tee-shirt and flashy jogging shorts running through the woods like a goofy-looking gazelle. This was on top of a super steep tall hill about 1-1/2 miles from any road.

 

There have been other times when a gang of mountain bikers came shouting and laughing and screaming along the maze of trails that covers the land. Again, a long way from any road and at the top of a monster hill.

 

And then there was the bowhunter that also had heard the story about how if you go in deep enough you will have everything all to yourself. This was dripping with sweat, and panting like a race horse looking for that mythical spot that no one else goes, carrying a loaded back-pack and a huge treestand, pretty much outfitted like a sweaty pack mule. He looked like he was having a wonderful time .... lol. He was a bit disappointed to see me sitting there.

 

So, in today's health conscious world, there really is no place that is too far for a good many people to go.

[BellR]

So, in today's health conscious world, there really is no place that is too far for a good many people to go.

 

Obviously, you haven't spent that much time in the 'dacks.  On small (less than 5k acres) parcels I agree, but up there it's a whole different story

[Five Seasons]

2 Saturdays ago i arrived at the parking spot for my new favorite spot. It's a parking area right next to a small lake/large pond. I haven't had a shot there yet but haven't been skunked. It's pretty good to always see deer on public land.

 

Anyhow, it's about a 1/2 mile hike to my spot, but it's a little out of the way and not an area average joe would think about. In the summer when I was scouting it, I really wanted to get to the other side of the lake due to some really interesting topography. But after some intense machete whacking hiking I was 45 minutes in, sweaty and pissed and gave up before I even reached the area.

 

Anyhow, when I arrived at the parking spot 2 Saturdays ago I saw a guy unloading a small john boat. I figured he was fishing. Nope, this guy was using the boat to access the other side. Dedication.

[Critter4321]

2 Saturdays ago i arrived at the parking spot for my new favorite spot. It's a parking area right next to a small lake/large pond. I haven't had a shot there yet but haven't been skunked. It's pretty good to always see deer on public land.

 

Anyhow, it's about a 1/2 mile hike to my spot, but it's a little out of the way and not an area average joe would think about. In the summer when I was scouting it, I really wanted to get to the other side of the lake due to some really interesting topography. But after some intense machete whacking hiking I was 45 minutes in, sweaty and pissed and gave up before I even reached the area.

 

Anyhow, when I arrived at the parking spot 2 Saturdays ago I saw a guy unloading a small john boat. I figured he was fishing. Nope, this guy was using the boat to access the other side. Dedication.

 

so what kind of boat did you buy LOL!

 

[Uptown Redneck]

2 Saturdays ago i arrived at the parking spot for my new favorite spot. It's a parking area right next to a small lake/large pond. I haven't had a shot there yet but haven't been skunked. It's pretty good to always see deer on public land.

 

Anyhow, it's about a 1/2 mile hike to my spot, but it's a little out of the way and not an area average joe would think about. In the summer when I was scouting it, I really wanted to get to the other side of the lake due to some really interesting topography. But after some intense machete whacking hiking I was 45 minutes in, sweaty and pissed and gave up before I even reached the area.

 

Anyhow, when I arrived at the parking spot 2 Saturdays ago I saw a guy unloading a small john boat. I figured he was fishing. Nope, this guy was using the boat to access the other side. Dedication.

Sure beats machete whacking through the woods, plus you can always go fishing when the hunting's slow

[growalot]

I know a few guys down south that have there kayaks at the ready every season and they hit the swamp areas and small river/creeks to get to  stands they boat in and set up...they have had some great hunting stories to tell...

[monkeyman2269]

I have a kayak that I'm gonna paddle out to a island during gun

[Jeremy K]

We used to hunt state land in Angelica years ago and the deer where everywhere ,every couple years we go back but it's nothing like it used to be ,we hardly ever saw other people hunting there.

[dbHunterNY]

I've hunted lots of state land before.  at most your truck gets towed if you're not parked at a trail head with everyone else.  i've knocked on doors and even made donations to volunteer Fire departments to park at their place to access public land from opposite sides of parks from trail heads.  30 min walk and I'm into the most remote and isolated locations of the park most times.  deer hunting is great then if you know what you're doing.

[The_Real_TCIII]

We used to hunt state land in Angelica years ago and the deer where everywhere ,every couple years we go back but it's nothing like it used to be ,we hardly ever saw other people hunting there.

 

Same on Coyle Hill in Belfast you had it to yourself during archery but its an Amish paradise come gun season