What sized land is worthwhile?

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Octang
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What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby Octang » Wed Feb 22, 2017 2:15 pm

I know the answer is going to be "Depends..." but humor me. How big does the plot of public land need to be before you think it is a worthwhile place to scout? My concern is too small of areas will have too much hunting pressure across the whole thing, right.

I want to check out some land by a small town in the middle of nowhere that is a little under 200 acres I'm guessing. Since it is the biggest piece of public land in that area I don't know how slammed it gets by hunters. And also, since it is a good drive away from where I live, I don't want to waste a lot of time on some land that is over pressured.

As far as I can tell, it only has one access area, making the most remote spots a 3/4 mile hike for any hunters, which should lessen hunting pressure back there considerably... unless people on adjoining private land access the more remote areas.

I just finished my first season hunting public land, so I don't have a lot of experience on different plots yet, so I'd love some input!


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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby BassBoysLLP » Wed Feb 22, 2017 2:24 pm

Size doesn't matter. It's about the quality piece. One of my favorite pieces is only about 4.5 acres.
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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby Crazinamatese » Wed Feb 22, 2017 2:29 pm

I hunt a few public sections that are around 80-100 acres and they are usually ignored during bow season. Maybe because of the size?? But I see plenty of deer and fill tags almost every year in those places.
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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby Octang » Wed Feb 22, 2017 2:30 pm

BassBoysLLP wrote:Size doesn't matter. It's about the quality piece. One of my favorite pieces is only about 4.5 acres.


Certainly a good point.

I think the piece of land has quality potential. In satellite scouting I've identified a few spots where I think bucks will be bedding in a small marsh area off of a larger forest. I guess I'm concerned too many people may be banging around that forest nearby the bedding and the deer will be scared out of that bedding long before I ever hunt it.
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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby Octang » Wed Feb 22, 2017 2:32 pm

Crazinamatese wrote:I hunt a few public sections that are around 80-100 acres and they are usually ignored during bow season. Maybe because of the size?? But I see plenty of deer and fill tags almost every year in those places.


Thanks that is reassuring that I can look at smaller tracts too. Unless I get an avalanche of people telling me don't waste my time, I am very likely going to check it out and hunt it at least once next fall.
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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby kripp53 » Wed Feb 22, 2017 3:31 pm

One thing I've started to do is to see if the small parcel is connected to any big private tracts. That way you can hunt bucks that go between private areas. I also like small spots that are marshy or near highways, people don't seem to hunt those spots as much.
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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby dan » Wed Feb 22, 2017 9:17 pm

You never know till you scout it... You can guess all day. I try to find spots away from town and smaller pcs when there is lots of options for other people. Hunters tend to flock to the big well known spots, and spots with easy parking and access.
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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby Jonny » Wed Feb 22, 2017 11:10 pm

As long as the parcel is big enough for you to shoot a deer and have it die on the public land. Nothing worse than having a landowner tell you no when you ask about tracking one onto their land.
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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby Twenty Up » Thu Feb 23, 2017 12:40 am

The first rule of thumb with public land bowhunting is there is no rule of thumb ;)

Seriously though regardless if it's 600 acres or 6,000 most of us are keying in on a specific area that could be 5 acres or it could be 100 yard area, where the big deer are moving in daylight.
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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby tgreeno » Thu Feb 23, 2017 12:53 am

Size doesn't matter!

I saw my biggest buck last year, on my smallest parcel, right next to a road. An overlooked spot!

It only matters where they feel safe bedding & are they being pressured there!!!
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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby Octang » Thu Feb 23, 2017 1:54 am

Thanks for the feedback everyone. When I first started looking at public land I figured I had to stay on the biggest plots, but it is nice to know there is opportunity in all kinds of places.
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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby Octang » Thu Feb 23, 2017 1:56 am

Twenty Up wrote:The first rule of thumb with public land bowhunting is there is no rule of thumb ;)


Best meme I ever saw said, "First rule of vegan club is to tell everyone about vegan club." Your comment reminded me of that.

That's my random side-comment for the day, carry on....
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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby hunter_mike » Thu Feb 23, 2017 6:03 am

some of the small properties around me are worthwhile in my eyes. When you zoom the map out and look at the surrounding private property, sometimes the public has some of the best wildlife habitat in it. I havent proven it yet but think if you can find some consistent doe bedding somewhere on that property, you have yourself a nice overlooked spot that you can kill a buck in during rut when he comes to check them out. Like anywhere else, form a hypothesis and test it!
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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby creepingdeth » Thu Feb 23, 2017 9:44 am

I have a few new places to look at before greenup that are all public. I'm hoping that the smaller sizes of these has people overlooking them and writing them off. I wont know until I wander in and not only look for sign, but also hunter sign. I wont know until I go in, and who knows...if one in five will work, I have more tools in the toolbox than last year :D
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Re: What sized land is worthwhile?

Unread postby vtbuck » Thu Feb 23, 2017 9:50 am

Like the guys on here say, "loose lips sink ships". If you find a good spot keep it to yourself. Size doesn't matter.
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