MI PUBLIC REPORT

[braveheart]

Good deer numbers is a good start to walking on new land. Sounds like you found a good place to hunt. I know it's early, but at least you're seeing bucks. Give 'em a year or two.
Good luck!
I haven't been out yet due to a leg injury and it's killing me. I hunt heavily pressured Jackson and Washtenaw counties, but was really looking forward to the opener. I may be able only to ground hunt this season, but I will hunt!

[Ranger12]

Just got back from my public adventure for the week. Non stop drizzle for me. Lots of scouting. Not much sign, water levels are lower than last year. I did find some acorns, and squirrels everywhere!
Hunted a new overlooked spot yesterday. Found some giant historical rubs.

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Found some nighttime bedding and kept going to what looked like a slam dunk, but the only thing I saw was a doe and little one catch my wind from a totally unexpected location, and backed out.

[Uncle Lou]

I actually hunted the opener. I think it was the first time in 14 years. Was hoping for some luck as I went in blind in a doe bedding thicket that I know, just wanting to shoot something. Crept my way in and got a good downpour at 7:15pm, couldn't see anymore so started heading out to get out clean. Came across a little opening on my way out and saw 3 deer. Two looked like 1.5 year olds about 60-70 yds. Almost made a move on them as I had a nice draw in front of me. I was gonna but scooch down it and come up behind a little bush and try to get a whammy, but just wasn't feeling like I could get away with it. So I went in on Friday and laid in a briar patch hoping they would do the same. Stupid deer, no show. I just want to shoot something.

Good luck all

[Wetfoot]

Haven't been out yet. Been dealing with a bit of vertigo since last Tuesday. Seems like it's starting to clear. I'm feeling pretty good about going to the Michigan Beast Challenge next weekend. Don't expect to see much competition from other guys up here. But I've never been as far east as that in the UP, so you never know. Good luck to everyone out.

[mipubbucks24]

Went out this morning and tonight, found some really good big buck sign but it looked like it was 2/3 weeks old. I should have pushed in further but then I would be right up against the line. But turns out I was hunting the wrong side of the property there was a bunch of deer on a private field just off the public. Looked like a decent buck too. New piece for me has good deer numbers. Saw 2 does in the morning but they saw me too, lol.

[oldrank]

Good night last night

[Hawthorne]

Good night last night

Michigan 11 pointer

[Ranger12]

Scouted all day Saturday and had enough time time get in the tree in some positive sign that evening. Found big runs but out of 5 miles of hiking and scouting swamps, I found zero buck sign. I did get on buck sign on a totally different think of public and had a doe and spike come in from bedding. The spike was moving. Early. I was off from bedding and can’t wait to get in there next week, if it’s still an option of course.

In regards to the miles hiked and lack of sign, there were trucks and tree stands all over and at any obvious point on a map, there would be a stand there, with a trail camera and old deer sign. The deer are not as foolish as some of these guys think they are...

Beautiful weekend.

[d_rek]

Local by me is getting hammered. Multiple vehicles in every lot at all times of the day. I sat a spot I scouted previous years with bedding at the edge of a swamp that's right off a busy road. Had another hunter walk in on me before I got setup walking in off the neighboring private. I consider this spot pretty 'overlooked' in previous years being so close to road but I also found another ladder stand a little further from road. I ended up setting up 150 yards from the road on heavy trail going in and out of bedding. Took a doe - my first public land deer - that evening.

My mentality right now is overlooked, overlooked, overlooked. Look at the typical 'good' spots on the map and cross them off. Look at the worst spots and scout them for sign. Setup on whatever is hot.

Public is going to be tough this year, fellas. And I heard news report this AM that said license sales are up 27% from 2019. I don't expect it to hold through to 2021 but you're dealing with almost 100k extra hunters out there this year most likely. Expect extra pressure this season.

[oldrank]

Took her off of public last night. It was time. I can only pass so many before I get hungry.

Public is still getting hammered but most are clueless. I have had kill opportunities every hunt so far. Lots of guys seem to be hunting the same sets every day. I would assume they are still baiting or just not good at hunting.

[MichiganMike]

Been really tough on the N/W side of state. Cant seem to get eyes on anything. Plenty of sign but must be all night sign. Set up in what I thought are key spots but nothing. Some heavy pressure around the area. Im giving it a rest until Friday, supposed to cool down so will hopefully trigger some movement. Had a client of mine give me a good tip on an overlooked piece of public butted to private he used to own. Only about a 7-10 acre chunk of public along a roadside bridge that is all dense-creek bottom. Said its a big buck mecca and travel corridor like no other. He claims he had trail cam pics of drop tines coming out of there on his property in the past. He (and now I) are the only ones that know about it. Might be worth a shot.

[Hawthorne]

I think pressure is up in my area from just a few years ago. I have seen boot prints in areas I haven’t seen them. I’ve seen 5-6 does and 3 1.5 year old bucks. No shooters yet

[naternate]

Pressure seems about average for me in SW MI. Had a big buck patterned over the summer but pressure near his core area I think has moved him out so have to find him again. Very few acorn on the ground right now. Found one stand dropping and looks like it was getting hammered. Not a lot of buck sign so far but did find some fresh rub on a swamp point but no sighting that evening. Scouting and hunting this weekend so hopefully something better to report then

[stingerflinger]

less acorns this year so far for me and many places normally with water are dried up this year thanks to the hot and dry summer. in public hunting seems to have decreased since the opener and that weekend, but i am seeing more reflective tags and ribbons marking spots/trails everyday. had guys running around blasting coyote calls a few days ago lol maybe to scare deer?! for me action seemed to slow a bit during that warm front but im excited to see what this cold weather this week will bring!

[Acer18]

I definitely noticed an increase of pressure this year. Counted over 25 cars on opening morning between two peices of public up north (totaling about 13,000 acres). Not bad given the size of the properties but definitely an increase from years past. Did see over 50 deer on their feet while driving, half or so on public while driving around Thursday morning. Hunted from Thursday night until we left sunday morning and saw a total of 16 deer from the stand, only 2 small bucks. The 1st couple sits were deep bedding areas that normally hold some good deer but produced the least amount sightings (a spike in one and a doe n fawn in the other). Pressure must not pushed them in there yet.. I normally hunt those 2 deep bedding areas later in the year, but saw the pressure opening morning and thought they might be good.

Friday afternoon I made some adjustments and got on some fresh sign; hot acorn trees at the edge of suspected bedding areas and started really seeing the deer the last 2 days. The county I was hunting in started APR restrictions last yr and every hunter I talked too brought that up; might be why I saw more pressure, atleast in the parking lots than years past. Never did run into somebody in the woods but my buddy and father n law did. Also holy reflective tacks near the parking lots batman.

Headed back out this sunday closer to home (sw mi).