Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

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FlyingMullet
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Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

Unread postby FlyingMullet » Sun Oct 13, 2019 2:05 pm

How do y’all hunt pieces of public that are heavily hunting with Deer Dogs?


cwoods
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Re: Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

Unread postby cwoods » Mon Oct 14, 2019 8:17 am

If you have areas in your state that do not allow dog hunting I'd go to those areas. Even if I need to drive 2 + hours its worth it. If not your going to have to be in spots that the deer are getting pushed into (thickets, overlooked cover and water crossings). Often times deer will try to circle back around and get behind the dogs/hunters. You have to somehow use all that to your advantage but you no doubt have some serious hard work ahead of you. And by all means stay safe, wear orange.
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PK_
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Re: Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

Unread postby PK_ » Mon Oct 14, 2019 12:03 pm

if You can get on the back Side of deep water from where the locals usually let em out.

Hunt blocks of timber that are big enough for a buck to keep circling without crossing a road or fire lane.

Bucks that live 2 or more years in dog country never make it by accident.

A buddy on this site (he will probably pop in) has made note of where the hounds continuously jump bucks and used that to find buck bedding to hunt during bow before the dogs hit the timber.

Other than that, the dogs get the deer up and moving and push them into very specific areas. I love when I hear the dogs sound off. Dealing with the owners when you shoot a deer in front of their dogs. I got no help for you there, just hope they are a good group of individuals.
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fenderbender62
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Re: Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

Unread postby fenderbender62 » Tue Oct 15, 2019 9:41 am

I'm in eastern VA which is notorious for heavy dog pressure.

In the city I live in gun/dog season is october thru mid november, THEN we get bow season. its total upside down BS.

My suggestion is look at your aerial maps and ask yourself, "If I was a deer, where can i lay all day and not come in contact with a human or a dog?" Theyre usually out of the way and overlooked places near roads or deep in swamps and marshes or untouched corners of properties that are extremely thick with briars, enough so to deter a dog from navigating it.

In the past 10 years we have only killed 3 bucks that were 3 1/2 years old and maybe 8 or so that were 2 1/2. The deer realize that the safest bet is to hole up and not move unless you step on them. They'll find their safe pocket and live in it for the entire season.

If you get bow season before gun season, thats your chance to get it done, once the dogs get loose the deer shut down and become strictly nocturnal. I'm not talking get up and move 50-100 yds at last light. I mean STRICTLY nocturnal. They do not move in daylight, even during the rut.
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FlyingMullet
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Re: Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

Unread postby FlyingMullet » Tue Oct 15, 2019 10:42 am

Well I got the balls to go into the dog hunted area. I have another property(NWR) where no dog hunting allowed but it’s basically hunting south Florida type pine savanah.

This spot is typical large oak bottom.

I started by tackling the corners of the property with no fire lanes or roads in corner. There is a road that cuts across the corner but 40 acres would be hard to drive imo in one spot. Just on the other side is a few plots with a fence to funnel the deer

Sure enough a damn good spot. And should get better.

Went to another corner with a slough cutting off the corner. Most likely standers hunting the slough or edge when water is up. Also has private food plot at corner.

Found another spot that’s an island on edge near a food plot.

Probably going to continue the pattern
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FlyingMullet
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Re: Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

Unread postby FlyingMullet » Tue Oct 15, 2019 10:47 am

Good ideas on the hole up.

Right now the beds seemed scattered due hunting season just opening tomorrow.

Hopefully they will skinny up a bit.

But, pockets of deer is no exaggeration here even before the season starts.

Savana is even better since not much food except in oak groves.
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Tufrthnails
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Re: Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

Unread postby Tufrthnails » Tue Oct 15, 2019 12:04 pm

Boundaries can be a good place to cut them off. Fences still in the WMA can be money.
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Stingray713
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Re: Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

Unread postby Stingray713 » Tue Oct 15, 2019 12:29 pm

I’m in Central Va where dog season comes in Mid November. I’ve had pretty good luck the past few years killing bucks that are bedding in overlooked spots where they can watch a road the dog hunters are driving into to hunt.

Not a spot the guys would drive the dogs into, but somewhere with an easy exit where they can see what’s happening. So after finding some beds in spots like this, I get in the woods around 2 hours before sunrise on a weekday that the club with dogs isn’t hunting.

I’ve had 2 mature bucks the past two years bed near me about an hour before first light, then watch and wait until 9-9:30, and when they don’t see any trucks coming through they get up and move a bit.
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Buckshot20
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Re: Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

Unread postby Buckshot20 » Tue Oct 15, 2019 1:44 pm

First thing about hunting hound country is the only thing more valuable than the deer is the dog. Trucks can be replaced. Guns can be replaced. And there will be another buck, but a long legged walker hound that can cold trail can not be easily replaced.

With that said, find a place that they are not willing to dump the dogs. In alligator country that’s rivers and lakes. They can be hunted but it takes the right crew with boats and most people aren’t willing to get their dogs gator caught.

Highway blocks can be good too. Particularly around curvy roads. A straight highway is easy to protect the dogs, but curves, not to much.

I’ve found deer in dog country tend to hold tight to their beds once the dogs hit the dirt. You have to step on them to get them up. They survive by the dogs getting on other sign and not theirs.

There will always be terrain features that they like to bed around. If there is elevation they will use it. In the piney flat woods check the flag ponds and TiTi bottoms. And they love the mucky cypress swamps. The oldest bucks will be in the places where the dogs could die. Plain and simple.
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Re: Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

Unread postby Buckshot20 » Tue Oct 15, 2019 1:48 pm

Also, if it’s dog country, it’s thick country with lots of bedding options. Hopefully you enjoy the pain as much as the reward. Not many deer will reach maturity but if you hunt with them and pay attention to the gps you can learn a lot about their behavior for other places
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Re: Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

Unread postby FlyingMullet » Tue Oct 15, 2019 2:46 pm

Great stuff no doubt. Especially dog safety stuff.

I hunt southern most Mississippi and everyone has a boat. Or atleast enough. Also I haven’t seen them worry about gators. With Thanksgiving and mid January season their aren’t much gators to worry and don’t think they do even though it gets hot. Never seen one in my years of duck hunting prior and I hunted ducks like beasts hunt deer so I would think I would have seen one but not yet.

Nice idea on the beds as well.


If I bump into them I might give them my number and see if they need a stander just to learn. Not much on man drives and dog hunting though from the little bit I have done.
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Re: Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

Unread postby Rich M » Wed Oct 16, 2019 7:27 am

I have a little experience with dogs and dog hunting areas - they like to set where there are a lot of tracks, not 1 set (unless is is huge) and not near wet swamps.

A buddy and I put a feeder near such a swamp, in a funnel and had an exceptional old buck showing. We mentioned the buck to the dog guys and they said that some big bucks live in the swamp cause they can't catch the dogs there so they don't run the area.

Given a choice, I would hunt where they did not run dogs. Can you kills deer that they don't even know exist - yes. Find the bedding and you'll find the deer.

Last note - a lot of dog guys won;t run close to dark, they want to round up the hounds before dark. That lends to evening hunting and deer that may know the evening is safe from dogs.
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83mulligan
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Re: Heavy Dog Hunted Public Land?

Unread postby 83mulligan » Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:15 pm

Hunting pressure from people is a big enough worry, I can't imagine having to deal with dogs too. Good luck, man, hope you figure it all out


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