Views on Public hunting land

well guys, I guess I can’t complain too much, I hunt private land and have a state forest that butts up to th back side of our farm. well I have had more guys sitting in my deer stand in the last few years than I can remember. the funny thing of that is, there is a no trespassing sign nailed to my deer stand right on the side that faces the state land. I have it head hight so it isn’t covered by brush and stuff like that, plus you have to walk right past it when you go to use the stairs up to my stand. then to top it off, they always leave me a present in my folding chair, so this year, I am building an enclosed one with a padlock on the door. I catch them in my stand this year, I am going to add some 220v electric to the metal handle. then maybe they will get the hint, stay out!!!!!

shane

This will be my first year hunting, bow hunting specifically while I have a shot at private land most if not all of my learning hunting will be on public my question would be if someone does come through small game hunting or tree huggers what’s the safe and proper thing to do from my tree stand to alert them of my presence? Start hooting and hollering or just whistle at them? Obviously silence is key deer hunting but I’d rather not be in danger when they come by unknowingly with me in a tree. Most likely wait till they are close enough and try having a conversation with them but that poses its own dangers, Anyone have experience with this situation or any other helpful advice for a newbie thanks in advance

Clear your throat and wave at them. Not everyone in the woods on public land is disrespectful of each other.

Morel King wrote:

This will be my first year hunting, bow hunting specifically while I have a shot at private land most if not all of my learning hunting will be on public my question would be if someone does come through small game hunting or tree huggers what’s the safe and proper thing to do from my tree stand to alert them of my presence? Start hooting and hollering or just whistle at them? Obviously silence is key deer hunting but I’d rather not be in danger when they come by unknowingly with me in a tree. Most likely wait till they are close enough and try having a conversation with them but that poses its own dangers, Anyone have experience with this situation or any other helpful advice for a newbie thanks in advance

Carry an orange vest. Keep it in you pack until needed. If you see someone coming, wave it at them. They can be seen from a long ways.
DT

I normally strap a cheap orange vest to the tree. Deer never seem to care, and the other hunters almost always steer clear. If they don’t notice it a whistle and wave normally gets you an apologetic wave. I never hunt public without something orange visible in the tree with me. You’ll find that normally during archery season people are pretty respectful if they see you from a ways away.

Hey, great to pick up a 13 year old post.

Over the years I’ve hunted plenty of public land. Private only the last 30 years though. I think the public areas are often as productive as private but a lot depends on the size of the plot and relationship to nearby “larger” towns and cities. What grows on the public stuff also can have a bearing. Many years ago I watched a pair of bucks get pushed out of a stand of woods and they headed right to a public plot popular with pheasant hunters. Deep grass is what they went and laid down. I think a lot of this gets passed by if there are no trees.

Public/private doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to slob hunters. As a rule your public stuff will have decent hunters using it but then there can always be those who just don’t give a rip. But I’ve seen so crap hunters come right into posted private property without a worry and do some dumb stuff too.As a good hunter you have to be ready for anything nowadays.

just remember…there’s a reason a lot of people are hunting an area.

Well last nite was my first nite scouting out a spot for my stand first spot I hit wound up looking great a nice bean field walked to the far back corner seen does and other deer sign possible beds right off the field found the perfect spot for a stand near the field and their main trail and one of the only oaks dropping nice acorns is right back there also ,when I got back to the back corner something was grunting at me could that have been a buck? Really like the orange vest strapped to the tree idea I’m definitely going to plan on doing that and having some orange to wave at them with for when I do have encounters , I realize it’s a little early to be worried about it being pressured yet but there weren’t any fresh tires tracks or boot prints here also I took that as good sign