MI PUBLIC REPORT

[oldrank]

Rain...

[Ranger12]

Mi Public land has been heating up for me. Last weekend was plenty of small bucks searching and wandering in on places at odd times. A lot of big buck sign popping up as well. I have a spot that I used to only hunt once a year, at the beginning of rut but haven’t hunted it in 15 years. I sat out on what was know. Bedding a long time ago with a stiff south wind. Sat from 11:00am planning for a midday/ evening sit, and this guy came out at 3:30.

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I I hit him a bit far back. I watched him barrel out of there and into the cattails, and then I seen him walking slowly... uh oh. So I got down and let him lay. Walked the 1.25 miles back to the truck to unload equipment and back out to grab the deer. I get all the way back to my tree, and a way bigger buck spooks 15 yards in front of me, from under my tree!!! And then to top it off, I go to where I last saw my deer and he spooks off further into the cattails!! not dead yet.. unbelievable.

I went back in the morning and searched hard for blood and found him 50 yards from where I spooked him. I decided to quarter him and pack him out, as there was
No way to drag him through that spot. Brutal!! but a awesome memory and great solo public land hunt.

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[d_rek]

Took the dog out small game hunting on a small piece of public near me yesterday. Used the opportunity to do a little in season scouting. This is a piece I have scouted before and it being so small I already had a good idea of how deer were using it if they hadn't been pushed off to neighboring private. Didn't manage to rustle up a single squirrel or rabbit (dog didn't mind) but we did kick a smaller buck (appeared to be a 4pt - thin antlers) who was bedded in a creek bottom. I had found his rubs and a some fresh scrapes just a few minutes earlier in the open hardwoods. I figured there had to be a buck bedded nearby - either along the riverbank or on the creek bottom - as it gets pretty thick there and the sign was real fresh. There is a big stand of pines where I believe does bed and he cruises that bedding looking for hot does and leaves his sign in the woods at night time, returning to the river bank/creek to bed. Anyway got some new pins and intel which never hurts to have!

[Mopar1169]

Ran out for a couple hours tonight. Had a six point about run me over on the ground. Then two nights ago saw a small 8 right at closing time had to wait 20 minutes for him to move on finally. Finally got a cold front coming so hopefully stuff starts to pick up been so warm lately.

[MichiganMike]

Yesterday 11/13. well had my first encounter of the year with a mature buck. I was climbing my tree just ready to get in it and here he comes chasing a doe. They stop about 50 yds away from me and he starts mounting her. I can't move- bow on the ground, and im on my top stick holding on the platform of my stand watching their show. He gets done after a few minutes sniffs the ground where I walked through and starts to snort wheeze. She goes down the hill to the swamp where she is bedding slowly flagging her tail horizontally for him it looked like- and he eventually follows. he's bedding down there some where as well. Gun season starts tomorrow so I can only hope hes still in his core area and not off chasing other does. He is definitely the dominant buck in the area (his snort wheeze gave it away and good thing I wasn't on the ground!). Hes was probably 140 maybe 150 class and in Michigan public as you all know- that's huge. would like to hear some thoughts on this scenario. Would you try again in this area thinking hold tight because of his dominance? or assume hes off to other does?

[Ranger12]

Any MI PUBLIC REPORTS updates?? any firearm news? pressure?

[d_rek]

Any MI PUBLIC REPORTS updates?? any firearm news? pressure?

Just got back from 7 days in Missouri. Wont be on public until next week - probably day before thanksgiving. Plan on getting in mid morning and doing a spot and stalk until early afternoon and then setting up on a spot with some good exit trails to neighboring private. From what I heard the opener was miserable and not many went out.

I've also had good luck getting on deer midweek and mid day during firearms season. Most people aren't in the woods and if you sit the whole afternoon good chance someone pinballs a deer past you on their walk in.

[mipubbucks24]

I drove around a piece today the 20th, still a lot of guys Gun hunting the public. Saw 7/8 trucks in about a mile drive through public. Some of those were regular during bow, some are new. I’m going to use my public doe tag to really scout and try to find new areas for next year. I already found 1 awesome spot for near Halloween next year. Just need to keep adding to the catalog.

[Ranger12]

Absolutely. I ran into a ton of trucks and the biggest row of hunters I’ve ever seen, getting ready to push a entire block of public! It was seriously like an army. But I did still end up seeing deer. Mostly does.

[oldrank]

Went out yesterday. Cars everywhere. I had 2 guys come in and set up 70 yards from me. I moved ahead of them. I had 2 does come in 10 minutes later. The pressure will keep the bucks pushed into the safe areas. Ill wait patiently for an opportunity to slip in somewhere that is being overlooked for a few days.

[MichiganMike]

Went out yesterday and still hunted my way to a destination spot I scouted early season. Though it takes longer, I was able to use a motorcycle trail most of the way to keep quiet and off the forest floor. it was quite still with crunchy leaves in the morning. Had a doe and a yearling come through on a runway I crossed. I hid against a pine as they were coming behind me. They walked where I crossed the runway and mom must of got my scent and spooked. They ran off about 50 yds and stood there. I could of shot mom but passed her up for now. Late morning into afternoon I met up with my brother and drove some marshes for him to help him fill a tag. Absolutely nothing holding up in there. Im sure the area was pounded and they abandoned.

[MichiganMike]

Went out yesterday and still hunted my way to a destination spot I scouted early season. Though it takes longer, I was able to use a motorcycle trail most of the way to keep quiet and off the forest floor. it was quite still with crunchy leaves in the morning. Had a doe and a yearling come through on a runway I crossed. I hid against a pine as they were coming behind me. They walked where I crossed the runway and mom must of got my scent and spooked. They ran off about 50 yds and stood there. I could of shot mom but passed her up for now. Late morning into afternoon I met up with my brother and drove some marshes for him to help him fill a tag. Absolutely nothing holding up in there. Im sure the area was pounded and they abandoned.

forgot to mention came across a pretty good buck/rut bed in the marsh I was driving. I think this buck was taken, but not 100%. My brother was camping in this area opening weekend until tuesday and ran into a guy driving down the 2 track on opening day. He stopped and had a pretty good 8 pt in the back. Looked to be a 2 1/2 year old or so. Was near this area.

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[MichiganMike]

Made it for my last day of gun season yesterday. good movement in morning and evening but nothing visual. Had does blowing at me in evening down a ridge- I was up on top in the oaks. I should of known better and set down there in the first place. I decided to be more casual and set up in oaks where there is better visibility. Hunting pressure has definitely put them on high alert and locked down in the swamps. Ill try and fill a tag with one of them Late season bow.

[oldrank]

What are you guys seeing now? Im in zone 3 and the public land is looking like deer are extinct. Movement is looking to be mainly at night. I got a plan but man it has been rough lately. Pressure is still high. Lots of guys still gun hunting.

I have one buck tag left. I may just eat it. It will keep me in the woods though. It will have to be a good buck for me to pull the trigger. Might just tag a doe with it if it gets close to the end.

I know where the deer are, I'm just not sure I have the time or energy to get to em. The old body has taken a beating this season. Trying to mentally motivate myself for one more good push.

[d_rek]

What are you guys seeing now? Im in zone 3 and the public land is looking like deer are extinct. Movement is looking to be mainly at night. I got a plan but man it has been rough lately. Pressure is still high. Lots of guys still gun hunting.

I have one buck tag left. I may just eat it. It will keep me in the woods though. It will have to be a good buck for me to pull the trigger. Might just tag a doe with it if it gets close to the end.

I know where the deer are, I'm just not sure I have the time or energy to get to em. The old body has taken a beating this season. Trying to mentally motivate myself for one more good push.

I road scouted a couple afternoons last week to check activity on neighboring private adjacent to public. Seen tons of deer in those fields, only a couple of small bucks. I'm sure any shooters left are sticking tight to cover until well after dark. I had plans to throw a sit at a landlocked piece of public adjacent to private with a river crossing where I seen a pile of deer, but realistically not sure i'll make it up there this week.

Also saw hunters out in the middle of the week which was surprising. 2/4 parking lots I checked had 1 or more vehicles in them. Usually after firearms ends so does the public land pressure. But with the whole 2nd firearms season we'll see how things go.

Seeing signs of improved daytime movement on private by me though even just a week after gun. Neighbor shot a small buck chasing a doe at 8am yesterday morning, and my cams are showing does moving at first and last light (with daylight to spare).