# Public land short and sweet



## MrWiskers (Feb 25, 2006)

Planed on getting out early this morning but had a cold and slept in until 10:00 . Raked some leaves first off and did some honey dos . Didn't plan on going but something kept telling me today is the day to be in the woods. Around 1:00 I committed and was on the road by 1:30 heading west to my favorite hunting spot. As I was pulling into where I planned to hunt there where already two cars there ( one had PA tags ) . Not knowing where to go I decides since I was late and by myself I would hunt near the road in a area I haven't hunted in years. Walked down the road a hundred yards or so to a spot where deer paths cross the road and head to the fields. Followed a path back 70 yards and climbed the only tree in The area I could climb. This tree was very skinny and I only went up 10' just universal the under brush. As I was strapping my stand in I heard a dear running toward me through the woods. It was a doe being run by a spike, he was grunting the whole way bit wouldn't stop for my whistle. I would have been happy with either of these deer. Got my stuff pulled up and settle in. I called my wife to let her know I was in a different area than I planned. Looked at the time and it was 3:15. Looked over my shoulder for some reason toward the field and saw a deer moving through the woods on the same trail the others had followed. I saw it was a buck but didn't focus on his head gear. He closed the 50 yards fast and I whistled him to a stop at 25 yards. Perfect double lung and off he goes straight toward the road. He stops and wobbles and fell over in sight 50 yards from my stand 25 from the road. Climbed down and walked over to him WOW ...thanked the gods for blessing me and said my prayer . Gathered my stand and thing and then went to work field dressing. As I was driving back to pick him up another nice buck ran across the road at the very same spot. Got the deer and my stand into the truck and was heading home by 4:30 . Had a hell of a time getting him in the truck by myself lifted his head as high as I could and tide a strap around his neck and tied it off inside the truck bed then lifted his rear in. Love my crossbow performed very well, got it three days ago


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## dialout (Feb 5, 2011)

Very nice. Congratulations


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## jwfishn (Jul 8, 2009)

thats a good buck for public land.


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## chriscustom (Jun 17, 2006)

Thats speaks highly for public lands. I'm going to some public land in the morning.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

great job!


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

Great hunt !


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## Dewy (Jan 9, 2005)

Great buck man, congrats!


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## MrWiskers (Feb 25, 2006)

Thanks for all the replies guys very happy with him


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## Baxter (Jul 3, 2015)

Nice buck


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## letmefish (May 23, 2015)

Congrats on a very nice Buck!!!

Only problem with hunting on "Public Land" is that the deer typically go completely nocturnal. Usually if the area is getting A LOT of pressure they seem to disappear and come back after dark.

I have actually watched Deer leave a piece of Public Land just before sunrise and travel to neighboring tracts of land where hunting is not allowed. It's kinda funny to see it unfold. The hunters walk in on one side and the Deer walk out on the other side. Kinda like shift change at a large factory really.

A few years ago I watched a few Deer stand around and wait for sunset before crossing into a tract of Public Land where someone had setup a small food plot. It is as if they even know where the boundary lines are.

Many times a Hunting Club will lease a tract of land that is right next to Public Land because they know that all the hunting pressure will push the Deer onto the property that they have leased rights to hunt on.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

Most people that hunt public land won't walk far enough in to get into good hunting. Most hunters are lazy and won't venture very far from the truck. We went hiking on Sunday at Burkhead Mountain at the Thornburg trailhead. We walked about a mile and a half in before my wife and son got tired. It looked like a really good spot to hunt but getting a deer out of there would be brutal. Maybe get a few people to go for the day would be the ticket. You can't use motor vehicles of any sort. Maybe a deer cart would be the way to go.

I have plenty of private land to hunt but it would be interesting to try my luck on the game lands maybe late in the season.

Darin


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## letmefish (May 23, 2015)

Finger,

That is very true, most hunters (or gun toters) are very lazy. They might not mind walking a while, but no way would they want to move a Deer carcass that far. They'd probably just cut off the hams and leave the rest. Oh and the Antlers too, don't want to leave those... they make a tasty soup Hehehe.

Late in the season on Public Land would be a real challenge as the Deer has all but been chased off by gun toters crashing through the bush. Sometimes 4 or 5 a day or more aimlessly walking through the same tract of land. I can't tell ya how many times I've been hunting on Public Land and some knucklehead (that I could hear from 300yds out) comes walking right through my spot. Then has the nerve to want to strike up a conversation. May as well, since you've chased off all the Deer for the morning. But on the flip side, I've used that to my advantage and let the knuckleheads push the Deer right to me

I could tell you lots of stories of some of the craziest things I've seen "gun toters" do while hunting on Public Land. Stupid things that a "real" Hunter would never even consider doing.

Hunters and Gun Toters, there is a BIG difference between the two!!!! Big difference!

Just cause some bozo puts on Camo clothing, and picks up a rifle or a shotgun doesn't make him a Hunter. It's folks like that, that give "real" hunters a bad name.

If you are willing to put in the work you could have a challenging but rewarding hunt on Public Land where others have failed. Late in the Season though, it'll take some effort. Then again, there's always "LUCK". Hehehe. 

If I had my choice though, I'd rather spend my time on Private Land. Much less chance of getting shot by some idiot gun toters.


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