public vs private

[Edcyclopedia]

Give me miles of public land......... and 3" of new snow!

Magic, you need to get yourself a gopro cam or something similar and wear it mounted to your hat. Would be super cool to see things somewhat like you do when your hot on the hoof of a big buck. burn it to a dvd and offer it up for a few $$$

I've played around with a cam. a bit but it's tougher than it sounds. I have a mount built on my scope but with the snow and cold it can't stay on there. I decided that it was more important to enjoy the hunt instead of worrying about getting footage. [glow=red]Maybe someday I will get some good footage[/glow]. I did get some cool footage of a buck that I tracked up on and decided not to shoot. Dan has asked me to have input for a future DVD so if things work out maybe I'll end up on a DVD someday.

I've threatened to follow you around with a Vid Cam if you fly to NH

[kenn1320]

Give me miles of public land......... and 3" of new snow!

Magic, you need to get yourself a gopro cam or something similar and wear it mounted to your hat. Would be super cool to see things somewhat like you do when your hot on the hoof of a big buck. burn it to a dvd and offer it up for a few $$$

I've played around with a cam. a bit but it's tougher than it sounds. I have a mount built on my scope but with the snow and cold it can't stay on there. I decided that it was more important to enjoy the hunt instead of worrying about getting footage. [glow=red]Maybe someday I will get some good footage[/glow]. I did get some cool footage of a buck that I tracked up on and decided not to shoot. Dan has asked me to have input for a future DVD so if things work out maybe I'll end up on a DVD someday.

I've threatened to follow you around with a Vid Cam if you fly to NH

Thats what Im talking about Ed! I just watched some video footage Tadmdad put links to and you need a camera guy for good footage. The helmet cam works great for understanding what the hunter is doing, but you arent going to see the deer your shooting at on that camera.

[goldtip5575]

[tab=30][tab=30]

Where Im at the private gets pounded just as much as the public. The difference, the public is nastier/wetter/thicker then the private I have access to. My theory is that should allow a couple of bucks to get past 1.5yrs old, so Im pretty excited to give the public land a try. As far as private and leasing, I dont do it. I would rather spend the money on food/gas/lodging/non resident tag/ and head out of state for a week, then to pay a lease here in Mi. My friends ask whats the difference, money is money. I respect the landowner and his desire to make some extra income, but leasing is forcing many out of hunting and thats unfortunate. As a kid my dad took me to private land and he knocked on doors and got permission with a handshake. I do the same now, and yes, there are landowners who will still let you hunt for free.

I agree, leasing and the desire for growing monster bucks and "locking" them up is destroying the sport. I love big bucks as much as anyone but it has gotten to the point where lack of areas to hunt are causing more and more people to stop hunting each year than any other thing. I think this big buck craze is getting out of hand, everyone thinks you have to have 2000 acres to yourself to kill big deer, and while that may be partially true it sure doesn't help the rest of the sportsmen out. I remember when I started hunting it was hard enough to gain access to private land although it was possible. Now if the area has a good deer population at all it is going to cost thousands a year to hunt. I am glad that farmers can get some extra income, but pretty soon there wont be enough land to go around and hunting will turn into a rich mans sport.

[tab=30] I thought one bought and owned private land to use it as THEY wish.

[goldtip5575]

[tab=30][tab=30]

Where Im at the private gets pounded just as much as the public. The difference, the public is nastier/wetter/thicker then the private I have access to. My theory is that should allow a couple of bucks to get past 1.5yrs old, so Im pretty excited to give the public land a try. As far as private and leasing, I dont do it. I would rather spend the money on food/gas/lodging/non resident tag/ and head out of state for a week, then to pay a lease here in Mi. My friends ask whats the difference, money is money. I respect the landowner and his desire to make some extra income, but leasing is forcing many out of hunting and thats unfortunate. As a kid my dad took me to private land and he knocked on doors and got permission with a handshake. I do the same now, and yes, there are landowners who will still let you hunt for free.

I agree, leasing and the desire for growing monster bucks and "locking" them up is destroying the sport. I love big bucks as much as anyone but it has gotten to the point where lack of areas to hunt are causing more and more people to stop hunting each year than any other thing. I think this big buck craze is getting out of hand, everyone thinks you have to have 2000 acres to yourself to kill big deer, and while that may be partially true it sure doesn't help the rest of the sportsmen out. I remember when I started hunting it was hard enough to gain access to private land although it was possible. Now if the area has a good deer population at all it is going to cost thousands a year to hunt. I am glad that farmers can get some extra income, but pretty soon there wont be enough land to go around and hunting will turn into a rich mans sport.

[tab=30] I thought one bought and owned private land to use it as THEY wish.

[goldtip5575]

[tab=30][tab=30]

Where Im at the private gets pounded just as much as the public. The difference, the public is nastier/wetter/thicker then the private I have access to. My theory is that should allow a couple of bucks to get past 1.5yrs old, so Im pretty excited to give the public land a try. As far as private and leasing, I dont do it. I would rather spend the money on food/gas/lodging/non resident tag/ and head out of state for a week, then to pay a lease here in Mi. My friends ask whats the difference, money is money. I respect the landowner and his desire to make some extra income, but leasing is forcing many out of hunting and thats unfortunate. As a kid my dad took me to private land and he knocked on doors and got permission with a handshake. I do the same now, and yes, there are landowners who will still let you hunt for free.

I agree, leasing and the desire for growing monster bucks and "locking" them up is destroying the sport. I love big bucks as much as anyone but it has gotten to the point where lack of areas to hunt are causing more and more people to stop hunting each year than any other thing. I think this big buck craze is getting out of hand, everyone thinks you have to have 2000 acres to yourself to kill big deer, and while that may be partially true it sure doesn't help the rest of the sportsmen out. I remember when I started hunting it was hard enough to gain access to private land although it was possible. Now if the area has a good deer population at all it is going to cost thousands a year to hunt. I am glad that farmers can get some extra income, but pretty soon there wont be enough land to go around and hunting will turn into a rich mans sport.

[tab=30] I thought one bought and owned private land to use it as THEY wish.

[hoyt]

I've hunted nothing but public land for the last 25yrs or so. I hunt alone and like the freedom big tracks of public land provide. I don't have to go by any rules but what the state says is legal.

I have no problem getting away from crowds on these big tracks. I walk out my door and onto Shawnee National Forest in Illinois and won't see another hunter..haven't in the last 4 yrs. of bow and gun seasons.

I also love the satisfaction of killing a nice buck with recurve or flintlock on open public land. Got full permission to hunt over a 1000 acres any way I want right across the road from me and have never hunted it. I say I'm going to every yr, but end up getting involved with the areas I hunt and never do it. Maybe this yr.

[Singing Bridge]

I enjoy reading the topics in this forum.
Mostly because I have always seen public land as more of a challenge than private.

However, not sure how hunting land is in your area, but in my corner of TN, private lands are getting more and more hard to locate.

Farms are being leased fast. Working class people like myself really cannot compete with the big checkbook guys. So I have been going back to my roots over the last few years and hunting public land. :)

[ Post made via Android ]

Here in MidMichigan the private land is hunted very hard, and most of our beast members ( I believe) would consider it to be more than they want to tangle with. There is lots of private land to hunt, but the landowners and their family / friends are more than difficult to convince they should be letting someone else on to their property... more and more leases are popping up every year as well. The Michigan co-ops appear to be pretty successful, if you are lucky enough to have good neighbors and own a chunk of private...

As heavy as the private land is hunted around here, there is NO COMPARISON to the extreme pressure on the public land. It's one of those things that has to be seen to be believed, but why would you want to?

[backstraps]

You know singbridge I can relate a couple pieces of property I hunt with what you are saying.

I am not joking when I tell you that I have seen some deer drives where the pushers are almost hand to hand, and they will push a couple hundred acreas at a time! The shooters on the other end have automatic shotguns blasting away.

It amazes me that the deer that survive a deer drive like that gets pushed to the next woodlot, then the next so on so on. The thing that really makes me scratch my head is the deer end right back up in their core areas a few weeks after the orange army goes back indoors.

At any rate I hunt a lot of public ground... I prefer having private that no one else is messing with, but for a working man around here, those private tracts are becoming a thing of the pass!

[backstraps]

One more thing I have noticed, maybe happens where you guys hunt...

On the public ground during the rut, that is the place to be.
Private grounds seems like you dont get to see the bucks as often.
The public ground pressure seems to keep the does stirring around, and
sometimes thay have the ole buck in tote behind them :)

[BCam]

I enjoy reading the topics in this forum.
Mostly because I have always seen public land as more of a challenge than private.

However, not sure how hunting land is in your area, but in my corner of TN, private lands are getting more and more hard to locate.

Farms are being leased fast. Working class people like myself really cannot compete with the big checkbook guys. So I have been going back to my roots over the last few years and hunting public land. :)

[ Post made via Android ]

Here in MidMichigan the private land is hunted very hard, and most of our beast members ( I believe) would consider it to be more than they want to tangle with. There is lots of private land to hunt, but the landowners and their family / friends are more than difficult to convince they should be letting someone else on to their property... more and more leases are popping up every year as well. The Michigan co-ops appear to be pretty successful, if you are lucky enough to have good neighbors and own a chunk of private...

As heavy as the private land is hunted around here, there is NO COMPARISON to the extreme pressure on the public land. It's one of those things that has to be seen to be believed, but why would you want to?

But..... On big chunks of public land you can still get away from the hunters... That aint happening here. A lot of landowners on 1 sq. Mile. Thete aint much that i would consider really managed even if it is said to b... As far as leases go, they r all going to the big city fellas and holy cow do they get all their buddies jam packed on the properties from the openers untill thanksgiving... And i mean everyday! They must have a lot of vac? Lol. I personally like the challenge... Just makes it sweeter when u getr done. Thats about all i can type on this phone before i throw in the woods. Haha

[ Post made via Android ]

[NatureBoy]

Everyone has their own views on what hunting is, but to me, if I have to pay to hunt private . Not for me. On the other hand, I do enjoy "hunting" for new private properties and getting permission to hunt them. I've made some great friends with land owners that way over the years. But I've also found that if the land owner is willing to give ME permission, he's probably willing to give a bunch of other guys/gals permission too = might as well be hunting public...

[Ack]

As heavy as the private land is hunted around here, there is NO COMPARISON to the extreme pressure on the public land. It's one of those things that has to be seen to be believed,[glow=red]but why would you want to?[/glow]

Because we enjoy the challenge, right SB!

[goldtip5575]

[tab=30][tab=30]

Everyone has their own views on what hunting is, but to me, if I have to pay to hunt private . Not for me. On the other hand, I do enjoy "hunting" for new private properties and getting permission to hunt them. I've made some great friends with land owners that way over the years. But I've also found that if the land owner is willing to give ME permission, he's probably willing to give a bunch of other guys/gals permission too = might as well be hunting public...

Ive always heard complaining by some public land hunters about private land hunters (owned or leased).But I never hear private land hunters complain about having to pay more to buy and maintain public land for hunters.In reality most of the land that is leased would never be available for hunters access if it wasnt leased anyways.