Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


User avatar
johndeere506
500 Club
Posts: 1394
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:59 am
Location: MI
Status: Offline

Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby johndeere506 » Tue Dec 01, 2015 8:33 am

Ive started finding new areas the past couple years here. One has decent potential, confirmed by rubs and a few cam pics. The other is a highly pressure area, with low density. I took a buddy out yesterday to the second area, and we saw 15+ deer, because of where I took him. I studied maps, went there once, studied maps more, and went back yesterday. No other hunters were seeing deer, so we did good, even though no bucks were seen. But, Im not hunting deer
Im hunting good bucks (quote Dan). I found some isolated areas, with big "old" rubs, but saw no bucks. How do you choose to keep hunting this place, or cross it off the list? Cams? Fresh tracks? Sightings? Or all of those? Once I start to learn an area I feel its just a matter of time, but Im not seeing any "this years" mature buck sign. Move on?

We screwed up the evening sit, otherwise he could have shot his first buck. It wasnt huge, but was good enough for his first.

MI public is tough hunting. Guys like WTassassin really have me wondering how the heck they do it...


User avatar
Hawthorne
500 Club
Posts: 6217
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2014 2:13 pm
Location: michigan
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby Hawthorne » Tue Dec 01, 2015 8:57 am

This was my first year hunting public in Jackson and washtenaw counties. The hunting was tough. I had one spot where I was seeing deer and for some reason it looked like nobody was hunting in that area. Some of the other spots I was hiking in to the hardest to get to spots and was seeing nothing and it looked people has been hunting it. State ground in the southern part is tough. All I can say is scout, scout, and scout some more.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
cedarsavage
500 Club
Posts: 1137
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 4:42 am
Facebook: No facebook
Location: Michigan
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby cedarsavage » Tue Dec 01, 2015 12:43 pm

It's tough to figure I've bumped into guys over a mile back on weekday mornings it's tough to figure where they'll be and sometimes some real yahoos are motivated to go way back

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
cedarsavage
500 Club
Posts: 1137
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 4:42 am
Facebook: No facebook
Location: Michigan
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby cedarsavage » Tue Dec 01, 2015 1:06 pm

I guess I didn't answer your question cuz I don't really have a good answer but I look for other hunters sign and sometimes it takes a couple seasons to figure out a spot

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
Btoeps74
Posts: 84
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2013 6:53 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby Btoeps74 » Tue Dec 01, 2015 1:22 pm

With Michigan, it kinda depends on what part of Michigan too. Upper or lower peninsula. Lots of different pressure.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
seazofcheeze
500 Club
Posts: 3860
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2013 1:13 pm
Location: Billings, MT
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Tue Dec 01, 2015 2:16 pm

I think Michigan public land is really hit and miss. I think a good buck bedding area is still a good buck bedding area, but the biggest problem on the public I hunt is lack of mature deer (so much so that I am happy withat a 2.5yr old buck on public). So, you can have a great area (s) and still not see the kind of bucks you want to be seeing. This year I casted a really wide net, running 5 cams starting in mid-July trying to locate "shooter" bucks around areas I had scouted in the spring or seasons past. I also went shining/glassing probably 15-20 nights during that same time frame. The bucks are there, but they are fewer and farther between. I think about the only way to have consistent success on public land is to put in lots of time. Time scouting in the spring trying to locate MANY high percentage spots/buck beds. Time running cams/glassing in the summer. The more focused time you spend prior to season, the higher more your odds increase.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
User avatar
Ack
Posts: 3030
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 6:52 pm
Location: Michigan
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby Ack » Tue Dec 01, 2015 7:36 pm

seazofcheeze wrote:I think about the only way to have consistent success on public land is to put in lots of time.


Nailed it. You have to put in the scouting time to find the areas the largest bucks will consistently use from year to year, but to me stand time in these areas is the one thing that will really put the odds in your favor as far as getting on the best bucks year after year on Michigan public land.
User avatar
johndeere506
500 Club
Posts: 1394
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:59 am
Location: MI
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby johndeere506 » Wed Dec 02, 2015 2:30 am

Im thinking the same way here. I did lots of scouting last spring, and located some good bedding areas on public. I think for the most part they are either early season bedding (before gun season) or the bucks are only 2-3 yr olds and get killed every year from these areas. When I really start to hunt public is later in the season normally, when the pressure really has things different than early season operation before all the people hit the woods. I think maybe Im on the right track, just havent found the "prime" spots yet, or havent spent enough time hunting the ones I have found. I think I need to run some public land cams next year, or for the remainder of this year even.
User avatar
whitetailassasin
Posts: 3404
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 12:34 pm
Location: Michigan
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby whitetailassasin » Wed Dec 02, 2015 7:08 am

One of the biggest things that I have learned is that we lack age structure in Michigan(unless it's a managed parcel). So a lot of good buck bedding is taken by the most mature or dominant buck in the area. Which a lot of times is 2.5-3.5 yr old bucks. You will never take a mature buck in an area that does not hold one in. A lot of my scouting time is spent looking for areas that hold mature bucks. Becuause they aren't as plentiful here, you go from hunting an already low percentage animal..to an extremely low percentage animal. I typically have a "few" areas that I've saw mature bucks consistently in, but I actually "hunt" for areas a(and a mean a sometimes...because they aren't all over)mature buck. Once I locate an area holding one, the homework starts, lay of the land, where guys typically hunt, locating not just one bed but as many as I can that he may head to when pressure or if I make a mistake, I find observation points that will confirm on what winds he's us using an area, I pay attention to tracks, rub sizes, opened up rublines headed to bedding, scrapes as well(because sometimes in areas rubs will be void), I also map out entrance and exit routes and prefer to use water if I can to keep scent minimal. This may not be popular with some, but if shooting a mature buck is your goal, then you have to practice and prepare like nothing else matters but that for your season. Guys spend hundreds to thousands, but aren't willing to put that kind of effort into the meat and potatoes that doesn't cost a dollar. Homework. It's will take time in learning an area and how it's being used and how you should be using it. It's so hard trying to use a response message to answer this question, because as I write this many many more things come to mind. Variables that change things. Anyone one of us could probably write a book. Another thought that popped up in my head was you have to be wiling to eat a tag. Some of the areas I hunt have big bucks or a big buck, because I've laid of the trigger on bucks that are border line and the following year make it to what I'm after. If I shoot him at 2.5 yrs old he's 0% chance of making it another year, whereas if I pass him his chances even if 25% are still astronomically better. And I'm starting to get that way on 3.5yr olds as well. Most newer guys to this method of hunting are overwhelmed by the knowledge and the "ah ha moment" that comes with the results and encounters. But it can also burn out a hunter going gung ho when the success doesn't come as planned. It takes time to perfect and even those that have it pretty well nailed down, get taught lessons every year or make mistakes. Put your time in and have yourself as prepared as possible and your odds of finally putting one in the dirt will go up. On a side note, after going to Ohio and seeing first hand the difference of age structure and good bucks to what I'm used to, was night and day. Tough hunting but not tough reading the sign and finding good deer. Closing the deal on one is never easy but out of state hunting for the quality of animal you desire is in the cards for me and should be for any mature buck hunter from Michigan.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
oldrank
Posts: 6158
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2013 7:32 am
Location: USA
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby oldrank » Wed Dec 02, 2015 11:05 am

STEP ONE - Accept the fact that there are no big bucks on stateland.

STEP TWO - Hunt for big bucks on stateland.

Its fun but sometimes you wanna smash ur head against the wall.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
User avatar
Hawthorne
500 Club
Posts: 6217
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2014 2:13 pm
Location: michigan
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby Hawthorne » Wed Dec 02, 2015 11:38 am

whitetailassasin wrote:One of the biggest things that I have learned is that we lack age structure in Michigan(unless it's a managed parcel). So a lot of good buck bedding is taken by the most mature or dominant buck in the area. Which a lot of times is 2.5-3.5 yr old bucks. You will never take a mature buck in an area that does not hold one in. A lot of my scouting time is spent looking for areas that hold mature bucks. Becuause they aren't as plentiful here, you go from hunting an already low percentage animal..to an extremely low percentage animal. I typically have a "few" areas that I've saw mature bucks consistently in, but I actually "hunt" for areas a(and a mean a sometimes...because they aren't all over)mature buck. Once I locate an area holding one, the homework starts, lay of the land, where guys typically hunt, locating not just one bed but as many as I can that he may head to when pressure or if I make a mistake, I find observation points that will confirm on what winds he's us using an area, I pay attention to tracks, rub sizes, opened up rublines headed to bedding, scrapes as well(because sometimes in areas rubs will be void), I also map out entrance and exit routes and prefer to use water if I can to keep scent minimal. This may not be popular with some, but if shooting a mature buck is your goal, then you have to practice and prepare like nothing else matters but that for your season. Guys spend hundreds to thousands, but aren't willing to put that kind of effort into the meat and potatoes that doesn't cost a dollar. Homework. It's will take time in learning an area and how it's being used and how you should be using it. It's so hard trying to use a response message to answer this question, because as I write this many many more things come to mind. Variables that change things. Anyone one of us could probably write a book. Another thought that popped up in my head was you have to be wiling to eat a tag. Some of the areas I hunt have big bucks or a big buck, because I've laid of the trigger on bucks that are border line and the following year make it to what I'm after. If I shoot him at 2.5 yrs old he's 0% chance of making it another year, whereas if I pass him his chances even if 25% are still astronomically better. And I'm starting to get that way on 3.5yr olds as well. Most newer guys to this method of hunting are overwhelmed by the knowledge and the "ah ha moment" that comes with the results and encounters. But it can also burn out a hunter going gung ho when the success doesn't come as planned. It takes time to perfect and even those that have it pretty well nailed down, get taught lessons every year or make mistakes. Put your time in and have yourself as prepared as possible and your odds of finally putting one in the dirt will go up. On a side note, after going to Ohio and seeing first hand the difference of age structure and good bucks to what I'm used to, was night and day. Tough hunting but not tough reading the sign and finding good deer. Closing the deal on one is never easy but out of state hunting for the quality of animal you desire is in the cards for me and should be for any mature buck hunter from Michigan.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image


Good stuff WTA. One of my goals is to shoot a mature buck on Michigan public land with my bow. I've done it on private but I think public is the ultimate challenge. Im gonna do some serious scouting this winter and spring.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
mibowhunter
500 Club
Posts: 562
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2011 6:21 am
Location: MI
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby mibowhunter » Wed Dec 02, 2015 11:48 am

The first time I ever hunted state land in MI, i saw a 2yr old 8 that probably scored 110" or so. Little did I know that, 7 years later, that would still be the biggest buck I've laid eyes on. :)

I for one would still love to get Dan over here for a scouting workshop!
User avatar
johndeere506
500 Club
Posts: 1394
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:59 am
Location: MI
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby johndeere506 » Wed Dec 02, 2015 12:53 pm

WTAssasin-That's good stuff thanks for responding. I'm excited for what the next couple years will be like for me. I'm looking forwaRd to learning more MI public and out of state for comparison too.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
User avatar
johndeere506
500 Club
Posts: 1394
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:59 am
Location: MI
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby johndeere506 » Wed Dec 02, 2015 12:54 pm

oldrank wrote:STEP ONE - Accept the fact that there are no big bucks on stateland.

STEP TWO - Hunt for big bucks on stateland.

Its fun but sometimes you wanna smash ur head against the wall.

[ Post made via Android ] Image

That's hilarious, sometimes I feel like this here.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
User avatar
johndeere506
500 Club
Posts: 1394
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:59 am
Location: MI
Status: Offline

Re: Michigan Public land. Need some help learning.

Unread postby johndeere506 » Wed Dec 02, 2015 1:12 pm

One thing that maybe holds me back is believing. To me, I need to see the proof, the actual bucks to REALLY spend some time there. Maybe cams on public will fix that for me. Without a sighting or picture, I feel like I'm hunting ghosts or maybe nocturnal bucks. I wonder if anyone's felt the same.

[ Post made via Android ] Image


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Groundhunter@1, Hooks1, Lonewolf57 and 93 guests