# Getting ready



## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

Well, I lost pretty much all the land that I have hunted for the past 10 years. 700 acre tract went for twice what I have been paying. I passed. With corn nearly double and gas high I opted to let it go. Killed a pile of deer but not worth what the other guys paid. 

Leased 20 acres from a guy and the following week he cut the timber on it. Now I have a 20 acre tract of land with no trees on it. It is growing up really fast and deer still use it. Put 2 box stands on it overlooking the entire cutover. Looks promising. 

Last week I scored a spot on a 600 acre tract that 9 people hunt. My son's ball coach got me in. It is not really a hunting club. We all just do our own thing. Most of the guys wear aftershave and smoke in their stands. They don't kill much. A few of the guys know what they are doing and their harvest reflect it. One of my stands is in a section of 8 year old pines. The guy before me cleared a lane that is 30 yards wide and about 200 yards long. I decided to take the tractor down there and plow it up. Plowed about half of it and planted oats and turnips. Started on the 2nd half and plowed into a yellow jacket nest. Got stung a few times and abandoned the 2nd half. Went back today and cleared out another lane thru the pines about 60 yards long. That stand is ready to go. I just need some rain. I thought we would have got some from Irene but not a drop. Just a bunch of wind. The guy that got me in climbed up in the stand and said I have it set up perfect. He said that is his favorite stand on the whole place.

Got one stand left to set up. I have it cut out I just have to drag a box stand in there and get it in place. It is in a pine thicket. I can see about 100 yards in one direction and 75 or so in the other. Should be a good stand. 

Anyone else getting ready??

Darin


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## Paymaster (Jan 22, 2009)

Yes! I am get'n ready but I am almost 100% public land huntin. I do ok though. Thing with public land is to get in there and sit tight, be patient. I don't get bent out of shape when someone walks by me. I get ready to see the deer that person pushes over me trying to avoid that hunter. I hunt from the ground as well. I walk in as far as I think I need to to avoid most of the nimrods out there and the ones that end up walking by me are usually trying to go even deeper than me. I can't count the number of deer I have had step out on me being pushed around by folks leaving or moving at 10am. I pay $19.25 a year to hunt Public Lands and have thousands of acres at my disposal. Best deal I have found and been doing it for about 40 years now.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

I used to hunt public land in the Uwharrie National Forest and Sandhills gamelands. Came mighty close to getting shot late one evening. What made it so bad was the guy was hunting with a bow. I was within 30 yards and he drew back on me as I walked out. First off it was dark and I have no clue how he could see me. Second, my big ass does not look much like a deer. He was going to shoot at the noise I was making as I walked. When I spoke he about fell out of the tree. 

I shot a few deer years ago on public land. The last time I hunted public land was when a guy shot another guy. Shot him in the chest with a 30-30. My buddy watched him die. Dragged him out of the woods. He was shooting at a running doe and just by chance there was a guy off in the distance on the other side of the running deer. 

I have been fortunate enough to never be without anywhere to hunt. I lost all my land this Spring and I now have several places to hunt and they are close to my house. All of the land looks promising. Now I pay for it but what I have to pay is pretty cheap compared to what some have to pay. We had 700 prime acres of deer habitat to hunt. We got it for a few dollars per acre, Split up 3 ways was not bad. It was 30-45 minutes from my house and the deer ate about 50lbs of corn a day. It got to be where I could not afford to drive down there and pay for all the corn the deer ate. 

I kill my share of deer each year. If I had a hunting buddy willing to walk miles off the road on public land and hunt I would gladly do that again. I just can't hunt in the crowds that hunt along the roads anymore. It scares me. 

Darin


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Patiently waiting for October 1st! Have a few new spots for this year, too. Can't wait to give them a try. The place behind the house is convenient but hard to pattern the deer as they don't bed on it. They just pass through when they please, often at night.


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## LaidbackVA (May 17, 2007)

I lost a 110 acres, that I'd hunted for 4 years, this past winter. I'd like to find some land in Franklin County, VA near Hardy but I'd take some alittle farther if I had too. If anyone knows someone that needs hunters please let me know, 

THANKS

ron


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