Public Land Forecast

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Singing Bridge
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Public Land Forecast

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Wed Jun 30, 2010 2:55 am

What's the public land forecast in YOUR hunting area? How does it compare to ten years or more ago? Has it undergone change?

In some of my favorite Lower Peninsula public land areas much has changed over the last ten years, thought it would be interesting to see what's happening in other public areas as well.


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Re: Public Land Forecast

Unread postby Ack » Wed Jun 30, 2010 5:56 pm

Singing Bridge wrote:In some of my favorite Lower Peninsula public land areas much has changed over the last ten years, thought it would be interesting to see what's happening in other public areas as well.


I can relate Scott......no more bait piles, grown up clearcuts, less bowhunting pressure, and of course, seemingly better bucks than 10 years ago.
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Re: Public Land Forecast

Unread postby Southern Man » Thu Jul 01, 2010 5:29 am

Interesting question. We have one parcel of public land here worth mentioning, The Land Between the Lakes, 170,000 acres, 85,000 in Kentucky. One of the few places that had a natural deer herd in the 60's. Originally managed by TVA (a power company), it had an open bow season from late September thru mid January, along with 3 firearms quota hunts in November and a youth hunt in late October. They packed the gun hunters in there, logged the out of it until the public made them stop, and never maintained any of it. They always complained they were broke and wanted to put a theme park in there, but the public wouldn't go for it. A few years back the Forestry dept took it over. Instantly, they began maintaining roads and fields, controlled burns and plantings to benifit wildlife. They slashed the quota hunts to one adult hunt and the youth hunt. Bow season is still open as it has always been but the bag limit has been reduced to 1 buck per year. They admit they are having trouble with the deer herd on the KY side, but are working to make it better. They haven't started logging again and I hope the do soon. This area is ridge country, 95% forested and 90% of the forest is oak and hickory. I see nothing but positive efforts there and look for a better future as far as deer hunting goes. It's hard hunting there, especially when you're used to seein 10-20 deer a day out in the counties, but there are some good ones up there.
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Singing Bridge
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Re: Public Land Forecast

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Thu Jul 01, 2010 12:34 pm

Ack wrote:no more bait piles, grown up clearcuts, less bowhunting pressure, and of course, seemingly better bucks than 10 years ago.


I'm cautiously optimistic about the better bucks too- its hard not to be when you are from this area.
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Re: Public Land Forecast

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Thu Jul 01, 2010 12:38 pm

Southern Man wrote:The Land Between the Lakes, 170,000 acres, 85,000 in Kentucky. One of the few places that had a natural deer herd in the 60's.


That's a serious chunk of public ground between two states- and that's a lot of oak and hickory! What you have described sounds pretty promising, especially compared to what was done in the past. 8-)
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Re: Public Land Forecast

Unread postby publiclandhunter » Thu Jul 01, 2010 1:58 pm

I would say that the U.P. is looking good due to mild winter as well as the southern tier due to the poor gun harvest last season. Northern lower will continue to have probelms due to the poor management of herds due to TB, etc.

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Re: Public Land Forecast

Unread postby Ack » Thu Jul 01, 2010 6:08 pm

Singing Bridge wrote:
Ack wrote:no more bait piles, grown up clearcuts, less bowhunting pressure, and of course, seemingly better bucks than 10 years ago.


I'm cautiously optimistic about the better bucks too- its hard not to be when you are from this area.


Yeah....there still aren't enough of them around. It will be interesting to see the quality of bucks around here this year....after seeing a few that were taken last season I think things are looking up!
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Re: Public Land Forecast

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Thu Jul 08, 2010 1:23 pm

publiclandhunter wrote:Northern lower will continue to have probelms due to the poor management of herds due to TB, etc


It looks like new antler restrictions may evolve in much of the TB area as well. Hunting pressure is down in the counties I hunt up there because of all these factors. It will be interesting to see how this ends up.
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Re: Public Land Forecast

Unread postby mcmidc » Fri Jul 09, 2010 3:11 pm

publiclandhunter wrote:I would say that the U.P. is looking good due to mild winter


From what I'm seeing by our place up there it is not looking all that promising. I think it may be a little bit better than last year, but I'm thinking it's going to take a few mild winters in a row for the deer herd up there to rebound. Hopefully there will be a couple of mature bucks around though ;)
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Re: Public Land Forecast

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Sat Jul 10, 2010 6:32 am

mcmidc wrote:I'm thinking it's going to take a few mild winters in a row for the deer herd up there to rebound.


It's amazing how a bad winter or two can demolish the herd in certain areas of the UP- especially in the Lake Superior snow belt.
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Re: Public Land Forecast

Unread postby mcmidc » Sun Jul 11, 2010 12:09 am

Singing Bridge wrote:
mcmidc wrote:I'm thinking it's going to take a few mild winters in a row for the deer herd up there to rebound.


It's amazing how a bad winter or two can demolish the herd in certain areas of the UP- especially in the Lake Superior snow belt.


We are right in the middle of the snowbelt up there. You are right, a couple bad winters will decimate the deer herd. Just tracks around the area are almost non existent. Deer densities are on the low side where we are on a good year, so I'm not expecting to see too many deer again this year. Doesn't matter much to me though, all I need to see is the right one. Theres plenty of better areas I could hunt but it's not always about the deer. 60+ years of family tradition up at our camp and there's no where I'd rather spend time than deer camp in the UP. Good news is that the wolves will probably move out of the area due to the lack of food they'll find in the next couple of years. :lol: :lol:
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Re: Public Land Forecast

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:29 am

mcmidc wrote:Theres plenty of better areas I could hunt but it's not always about the deer. 60+ years of family tradition up at our camp and there's no where I'd rather spend time than deer camp in the UP.


That is a tradition that has been lost for many others, the value of it cannot be replaced. Sounds like a great camp!


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