Public Land Expectations

[whitetailassasin]

ature bucks, it comes down to one thing in my opinion...COVER. Food can be found, traveled to, or browsed. Yes it is very important, but when choosing public to hunt my search starts with the mindset of "where could a buck hide out and grow old." Even with the best food, fields, food plots in the world, a buck can only get as big as it can old. Some very good insight on this topic.

Absolutely spot on!!

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[keb]

Id say shot what makes u happy, a mature 4 year old plus that may not score much might make you happy on day 11 of a rough hunt, I know it did for me this year.

We all have big dreams, sometimes we get there, sometimes we get oh so close, and sometimes the dream becomes a nightmare, and you would be happy with a doe.

Its all about the pursuit and challenge the end result is not that important I have come to see.

[SEMObowhunter]

I know central Missouri and north central Missouri public land holds good deer 120-140 class animal. I have full confidence I'll find one. But like it's always stayed on here you have to stay realistic on what ur land holds... If it's 100inch 8pts then boys let's hunt 100 inch points. And I'll smile the whole time

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This is what I'm talking about! Everyone would like to shoot Booners, but you can't shoot Booners when they ain't there! I enjoy the chase, the search, the agony, the what if's, no sleep, and all the money down the drain more so than killing a deer! I guess I like the hunt....not the kill so much anymore. I don't know if that makes any sense haha. I take more pride in killing a mature deer on public ground than anything. That is what makes it all worth while to me anymore. Where I live in SEMO, there are enough 120-150" deer to go around. They aren't behind every rock but you can find one to hunt with a little effort. There have been higher scoring deer killed in the past few years but they are by no means plentiful. I don't get wrapped up in the score, I just like to chase them.

[Southern Man]

I know central Missouri and north central Missouri public land holds good deer 120-140 class animal. I have full confidence I'll find one. But like it's always stayed on here you have to stay realistic on what ur land holds... If it's 100inch 8pts then boys let's hunt 100 inch points. And I'll smile the whole time

[ Post made via iPhone ]

This is what I'm talking about! Everyone would like to shoot Booners, but you can't shoot Booners when they ain't there! I enjoy the chase, the search, the agony, the what if's, no sleep, and all the money down the drain more so than killing a deer! I guess I like the hunt....not the kill so much anymore. I don't know if that makes any sense haha. I take more pride in killing a mature deer on public ground than anything. That is what makes it all worth while to me anymore. Where I live in SEMO, there are enough 120-150" deer to go around. They aren't behind every rock but you can find one to hunt with a little effort. There have been higher scoring deer killed in the past few years but they are by no means plentiful. I don't get wrapped up in the score, I just like to chase them.

Yea I'm not a big buck killer, I'm a medium buck killed

[fishlips]

Bucky put together the following list in this thread (http://thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7247). My approach the last 10 years hasn't been much different.

1. Get away from big cities if possible
2. Look for special access (only open for a small porition of the year)
3. Look for limited road access (very few access pts - bonus)
4. Look at surrounding land owners properties (you want to find areas that have large chunks of land privately held - big farms!, especially those surrounding the public you gonna check out)
5. Water creek/river +1, large hills +1, bluffs +2, marsh/swamp of good size > say 600 acres +1
6. Historical record books
7. New property, First time open to public hunting +++ pending size/location
8. If you are in the area, check out a local bar/sports shop... big bucks on the walls? If so ask some basic questions - this works well in bars where someone that does not give a crap about hunting will spill their guts (you gotta sort through the BS though)
9. Tag restrictions - draw +, OTC -, CWD free -, special permit +, high cost + (if you can afford), limited harvest quota + (more for next yr = increases odds of upper age classes)
10. This one is important, is there a sanctuary? - restricted hunting area, unaccessible to hunting, camping area, neighboring property that is not hunted/conservationist/tree hugger/etc, smaller city adjoining property - deer will retreat into city, especially older age class deer

I'm sure there are some I'm forgetting... but this is my thought process of whether or not it is worth my time

Good list, my method is pretty similar.

In Iowa obviously we have some pretty good hunting....even then I think probably less than 20% of the public land I scout is what I would call "good" for holding big bucks. Higher pressure states I bet that percentage is even lower. I think a lot of guys give up or settle for mediocre hunting spots too easily...keep scouting new stuff all the time and you will start finding great hunting. I keep tabs on close to 4000 acres of public all together and probably only have a dozen or so real hot spots year to year across all that area. I expect a 4 year old or older buck to be in most of those spots.

Thanks for posting this. I think this is a good reality check for a guy like me with not a ton of experience. I think I got discouraged thinking I live in SC WI and there is a good amount of public around, yet I have not found a pile of great spots. I think that the more realistic view is that there are some great spots, but I have not worked enough to get there and they aren't as numerous as I thought. And I know I have settled on some mediocre spots before. I think one of my biggest weaknesses is playing it too safe with hunts and scouting. I think I would learn a lot more by pushing the envelope more for time to time.

[justdirtyfun]

Bump.

Now is a good time to evaluate current and possible locations. I'm running with low success (no mature buck ever) but have good ground ready for 2016. With the checklist mentioned and scouting in order, a 2.5 or better should be realistic. I am in Illinois after all.

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[Swampbuck]

Flood waters have destroyed the swamps I hunt. Seems I was just getting to the point of a confidence in getting a yealy 3 yr old but now the population is so bad it's hard to see a deer. Maybe 1/sq mile... to make matters worse we got 2 floods since the season closed so I'm going to have to figure something out or I'll be miserable:(

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[mainebowhunter]

I know where I live, I have scouted nearly 8000 acres so far this spring. Mix of private and publuc. 200+ hrs of scouting in on a lot of new ground. Ruined a pair of lacrosse boots on 4mos. All this work to try and kill 1 or 2 3.5 yr olds in Sept and oct. I am not complaining because I love it. Just the reality of low deer densities. It's the #1 reason bow hunting is not a big deal in this part of the northeast. Normally we don't spend all winter with hardly any snow. Took advantage of it this year.

I have said this before...my goal is to over scout and underhunt.

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[whitetailassasin]

I've scouted several spots this year, all public land(many of you now that's all I hunt in Michigan) and typically I find a lot of sign left from 2.5-3.5 year old deer in the places I tend to target or new areas I've cyber scouted. Realistic expectations for public around me is a 3.5 year old with finding a 4.5 year old, maybe 1-2 a year. If your goal is to knock down 3.5 year olds and higher don't discount the 2.5 year old rubs from last year. If that buck has made it he's 3.5 this year and maybe a worthy adversary. Score doesn't mean much to me, but killing the oldest buck I can find does. History with a buck also comes into play for me, and I try not to get to involved in what others think or feel I should be killing year in and year out. After all enjoying what you do is just as important as the journey it takes to get there.

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[mainebowhunter]

I've scouted several spots this year, all public land(many of you now that's all I hunt in Michigan) and typically I find a lot of sign left from 2.5-3.5 year old deer in the places I tend to target or new areas I've cyber scouted. Realistic expectations for public around me is a 3.5 year old with finding a 4.5 year old, maybe 1-2 a year. If your goal is to knock down 3.5 year olds and higher don't discount the 2.5 year old rubs from last year. If that buck has made it he's 3.5 this year and maybe a worthy adversary. Score doesn't mean much to me, but killing the oldest buck I can find does. History with a buck also comes into play for me, and I try not to get to involved in what others think or feel I should be killing year in and year out. [glow=red]After all enjoying what you do is just as important as the journey it takes to get there[/glow].

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Same thing with post season trail cam pulls. 2.5yr in January is a shooter for me in October. Also, camera pulls in 2015 that show few 2.5yr olds, really keep watch for those bucks as 3.5yr olds this upcoming seasons.

And what I highlighted in red is so important. 2014 in KS, after a tough hunt, I killed a 3.5yr old that I thought was a different buck. I took a rashing for it...some of it was in good fun...some of it...not in good fun. One of my hardcore buddies was downright upset that I shot that buck. Had to step back and reassess what I was doing and why I was doing it. Learned a lot of things that season.

[Rich M]

I sometimes hunt FL WMAs that are 10,000+/- acres. Much of those are swamp/water.

If I get drawn for a hunt, I will target legal deer and see what I see using Beast Tactics. FL requires 3 pts or a 10 inch main beam - on a 75-150 pound animal (guts in). Like a standard size poodle or small lab with antlers due to the heat 9 months of the year.

In 13 years hunting FL, I had taken 3 legal deer - 2 spikes and a doe. If I could take a legal deer or more each year, it would be a leap forward. After a couple years I would switch to larger deer but any legal deer will be good for this year.

Meat is my priority. As the Beast style sinks in I am sure I will add antlers to the mix.

FL is a difficult state to hunt and anyone who does well here can do well anywhere.

[STIKnSTRING]

I hunt exclusively public land close to the city because with 2 kids, it's hard to get up to camp every weekend. My goals every year are the same.
1- Be safe enough to get home to my family after each hunt
2- Learn something new each time I get afield
3- Make moral and ethical decisions
4- Harvest the best animal available to me......... Buck OR doe

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[g-inthewild]

There's a nice public area, conservation land. 2-3 access points. +/- 350 ac. Scouted a couple of times, lots of promising signs, picked 2 stand sites. Going in cold this year to try my luck, not sure of the pressure. Climbed a tree the last day of archery Season, nothing but varmits. Took a better look with aerials, etc. Flushed two on my last scout in Feb. Will do an all day sit opening day to get a good feel for the area, and will move to my second site the next time out. (unless of course I'm wildly successful and bag my limit :) .I like it because there is a lot of private around, and good funnels from non hunted parkland.

[Hawthorne]

Seeing two big bucks this summer has really upped my expectations on public. Every public property I've scouted has showed at least some sign of a mature buck without seeing them. I always find the thickest nastiest hardest to get to areas to scout. I've eliminated a lot of area also thru boots on the ground do to to open of habitat or looks of hunting pressure.

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[Jackson Marsh]

I plan on branching out and hunting different counties and terrain this year for my rut hunting. Found some likely looking spots in hill country, we'll see if it works. If nothing else it's fun to hunt new terrain.