Access questions

[Ahepler2188]

Everything I’ve read about public land hunting is to get 45min of straight walking or at least a mile away from the access. When speaking specifically what are we talking about...like a Public road that can be drive /parked on or does that also mean any paths or human trails? The difficult thing I’m running into is there are game commission and logging roads ALL over the place in the game lands and federal land that is within an hour drive of my house. I’m considering traveling a little further but that won’t always be possible. I’ve found great sign and great bedding anywhere from a mile to 2.5 miles in. I’ve also found a few signs of hunting pressure but it seems to get lower the further in I’ve made it.
Thanks!

[wolverinebuckman]

Places that are within an hour's Drive of my home are a lot like this too, in that there is nowhere that is deep enough to walk in that you get away from other Hunters. It's just not set up that way. However, during my spring scouting this year, I started to learn what the meaning of "overlooked spots" is, it sounds like that's what you're going to need to look for too, as opposed to out walking other people... Just my thoughts.
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[Ahepler2188]

Yea out walking people would be to easy I guess

[mike perry]

You definitely don’t have to out walk anyone, you simply have to find the spots where no other hunters are going. In public swamps and marshes and private farms I hunt I usually have luck doing this by hunting spots that you have to access by crossing water. I don’t know why 95% of hunters are afraid of water but I’m just glad they are. You may not have to go far to get away from other hunters when using water as a barrier, I’ve hunted public land in PA where there was 100 yards of swamp and muck along the road then a creek and the land on the other side of the creek was not hunted all year. Drive a 1/2 mile down the road to the parking area up on the hill and it’s full and all the wide open timber is full of hunters. I often wonder what that guy in the 5th truck that pulls up to park has going through his head while he getting ready to enter the woods.

I don’t hunt hill country but I’d assume the steeper the terrain the less hunters you’d find there, most guys are lazy or unable to walk steep terrain and drag deer out of such areas.

[SwampThing1980]

I suggest you listen to podcast #21pf the huntingbeast. Podcasts are located in the very bottom of the main forum page. This may help you out significantly in regard to your question.. the just of it is that it’s not distance but “sign” that determine the location of your setup. Dan repeats quite frequent in his podcasts that he sees the majority of the biggest bucks in overlooked spots. Mostly close to roads etc. hope this helps..

[Tennhunter3]

Find the spots that are really overlooked most near roads if there's hunting pressure far in or severe weather in forecast for a quick set.

I look for tiny spots of where public meets private or a tiny drainage between two gravel roads no one bothers to ever go in.

I'm currently after a 155 inch 10 that beds 35 yards off a gravel road along a steep drainage. The biggest bucks bed in some crazy spots.

[Boogieman1]

Like mentioned crossing water is a good one, however some places don't have it. I find that super thick thorny areas u often must tunnel through on your hands and knees keep most people out As well as any steep hills or ridges. Flood areas that are muddy are usually a no go for many. Easiest way I can explain it is try to get in somewhere that makes life really difficult or in a spot nobody in there right mind would think to hunt.