How far?

[CrazyBaldArcher]

I've been following the hunting public for a while on YouTube and they talk about going farther any the majority of hunters.

That brings up two questions I have:

1. So, far do you think the avg hunter walks on flat ground on public land?

2. So, far do you think the avg hunter walks in hill country on public land?

Here are my thoughts;
1. 3/4 of a mile
2. 1/4 of a mile

[Bowhunting Brian]

I don't think they mean a certain distance necessarily. More or less terrain. Most people stick to the woods or edges. These guys will push back even farther into the harder terrain to get to where the deer are. Lots of these spots are difficult to get to that the average hunter won't go. Hence they go in "farther".

[<DK>]

Awesome username.

Not sure about average hunters but I tend to stop seeing hunter sign at
1 milet

3/4 mile

I have found ladder stands in some distant places before though.

[Abishai]

I think it depends on the terrain, road access, water ways, etc.

I think if you or I am walking in somewhere, and we think in our heads, "This is probably far enough" to walk about another 500 yards might be good.

In Kansas where I hunted, a lot of areas were squared off with roads around them in square mile blocks. Swamps, creeks, hills--I think that it depends and ther's no set mileage amount.

But...I have included a link to a QDMA deer study on hunting pressure in relation to terrain and road access for extra reading.

https://www.qdma.com/finding-un-pressured-deer/

[CrazyBaldArcher]

This is why I ask these questions.

This is what I was looking for a study on how far people walk from the access points/roads.

Thanks Abishai

[Bowhunting Brian]

Distance also doesn't matter either if you can't be in a spot where a buck will be on his feet during shooting hours.

[mauser06]

IMO access matters more than distance.


A trail, right of way (powerline or pipeline), logging roads, fields etc, I've seen guys wander pretty far from the truck on....but, most won't go far from those.

I had a spot on the lake Michigan shoreline. It was about 1/2 mile from the parking lot down the beach and about 1/3 mile in from the beach. I only found 1 hunter or sign of hunters 1/4mi or so from the truck. He was right at the 1/2mi mark. But he looked at me like I was absolutely nuts when I said I was at least 1/4mi in from there. The guy had some health issues and such. If the beach access wasn't so easy, I am certain he'd been much closer to the truck.


Water is a big deal. Even a small wet spot that rubber boots would easily handle.

Thinking of my scouting and hunting, I feel like 1/4mi or so would be a good guess on distance. But that's from easy access...not necessarily the truck.

[Perfectionitz]

I think the right question so how far from a trail? I know guys that will walk about 1/2 mike down a trail and then hunt 60-75 yards from it. I go way past them right into the last trees into the marsh and they think I’m crazy... :)

[antlercrazed]

It's all about access.I know if I was near super good public ground my main concern would be finding really good access Hopefully from private.And if that cannot be obtained then I would look at stuff like creeks and other things that the average guy is going to want to avoid.You may find a spot with a 20ft wide 15ft deep creek running through it 100 yards from a parking area and be able to paddle down it as far as you want and cross it and never see another person.As far as flat Perfect ground goes I think the average hunter stops at the first good deer sign they see which may only be few hundred yards off the trail,so I would look for areas nowhere near a trail system or parking area and go scout before the season and go to that spot when season starts and scout for people at that point

[Ditz]

I think it depends on the terrain, road access, water ways, etc.

I think if you or I am walking in somewhere, and we think in our heads, "This is probably far enough" to walk about another 500 yards might be good.

In Kansas where I hunted, a lot of areas were squared off with roads around them in square mile blocks. Swamps, creeks, hills--I think that it depends and ther's no set mileage amount.

But...I have included a link to a QDMA deer study on hunting pressure in relation to terrain and road access for extra reading.

https://www.qdma.com/finding-un-pressured-deer/

I hunt portions of Sproul State Forest which was looked at in this study, and my experience correlates almost exactly with the evidence that was presented.

When I get 1/3 to a 1/2 mile in from an access point, or forest road, the hunter sign starts to drop significantly. Go one mile back and it drops off even more. Add an elevation gain to that and the hunter sign drops off even quicker.

Just have to keep in mind that out walking other hunters isn't always the goal. Some of the best over looked spots are often a 1/4 mile or less from the parking/access points. The challenge is just finding those good over looked spots.

[tgreeno]

Walking further than other hunters in the wrong area, isn't gonna do you any good. You need to be in the right area, no matter how far you are walking. Sometimes it's a couple hundred yards, sometimes it's a couple miles. Having some type of barrier to go thru can also help you. A river, marsh or super thick can deter some people.

[PK_]

1. 1/4mile

2. 200 yards

[Brandonkinchen]

I think it depends on the hunter and the pressure of that area. The key isn't how far...it's how far from others. Sometimes the answer is right off the road... If the hunters are going in deep.

[Rob loper]

From what i am learning and have read it Doesnt really matter ow far you walk.
It is wherever there is the least pressure and the terrain gives the buck an advantage too bed there.
This could be an overlooked spot where he watches access or 2 miles back into a meadow waist deep in muck.
Bucks are gonna go where they feel safe. And wind sight and hearing is an advantage

[CrazyBaldArcher]

Far enough, I may have not asked the appropriate question.

The reason for my question was this, there's a flat piece of public where two rivers run through.
The piece is a combination of lots of agriculture and timber.
All the pieces of timber are next the rivers.
There are no satellite pieces of timber, but there is a marsh about 3/4 to 1 mile from the access point.
There is only one access point on the far east side.
From the access to the farthest part is 1 1/4 miles.
My only issue is it's 40 minutes from a metro area.

Another area I know of is very hilly.
There's no agriculture nearby, it's nothing but timber.
There are a few trails with a dirt road that deadends in the conservation area.
It's an hour away from the same metro area mentioned above.

Each are several thousand acres.

Which would you choose?