Private land bordering public

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Ditz
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Private land bordering public

Unread postby Ditz » Sun Jul 29, 2018 1:08 pm

I just finished watching The Hunting Public's new videos on mapping and it got me rethinking some of my cyber scouting, more specifically how I look at ease of access. I have some large areas of hill country public (40,000 plus acres) that I'm trying to narrow down the areas I want to focus my scouting on, and the areas I want to eliminate right from the get go just by looking at satellite images, topography, and specifically ease of access. Some of the areas that look promising (based on hill country beast tactics) are very hard to access from the public side (good thing), but are not that difficult to access from the private side. The private parcels that border it vary anywhere from 15 to 100+ acres and are mostly wooded land.

Do you guys eliminate these areas right away and not even scout them due to ease of access from the private side, or are you mostly just concerned with the ease of access and hunting pressure from the public side? Do you scout these areas anyway and while you're looking for deer sign just keep your eyes open for other hunter sign as well? I know every land owner is different and some may just stay on their land (or not even be hunters) while others venture onto the public land with a big crew of guys.

I love to scout, but with limited time I'm just trying to narrow down these large parcels of public hill country. Hopefully all that made sense. Thanks.


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Re: Private land bordering public

Unread postby Motivated » Sun Jul 29, 2018 1:29 pm

If you can zoom in close to an aerial photograph and see trails or an obvious food plot near the border of the public and private, then chances are there's going to be pressure in that area. That is the only way I know how to eliminate areas based on aerials.

Everything else you just have to put boots on the ground. My two cents.
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Re: Private land bordering public

Unread postby Scratchman » Sun Jul 29, 2018 1:41 pm

Motivated wrote:If you can zoom in close to an aerial photograph and see trails or an obvious food plot near the border of the public and private, then chances are there's going to be pressure in that area. That is the only way I know how to eliminate areas based on aerials.

Everything else you just have to put boots on the ground. My two cents.


I have thought that the food plot just off public is an interesting proposition . The landowner would hesitate to go onto public there because it would damage security in the way deer access his plot. I came across this scenario during a winter scout. It is just outside a public swamp. I have thought. That sitting the ingress trail may be a good proposition.
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Re: Private land bordering public

Unread postby PK_ » Sun Jul 29, 2018 1:44 pm

Depends on some things. I hunted situations like that and some guys would have nice ladder stands along their property line and you could tell they never stepped into the public and all the good stuff (bedding) was on the public...

A lot of guys who own a decent size chunk of land are proud of their property and don’t care to hunt outside their lines.

But the best situation is deep public that backs up to somewhere that allows no hunting and no access for hunters into the public.
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Re: Private land bordering public

Unread postby headgear » Sun Jul 29, 2018 1:46 pm

I would give them a look, like you said you never snow if the owners or other who hunt the land venture off it. Sometimes there can be a lot more pressure on that private than public and that isn't a bad thing when you hunt public.

Don't overlook those overlooked spots too :lol: even with limited time to scout an extra 20 minutes to check out a couple of spots close to the road or parking are worth it, sometimes you can strike gold.
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Re: Private land bordering public

Unread postby JRM KY » Sun Jul 29, 2018 2:16 pm

Been in this scenario a couple times here locally and I find it easier to just ask them about it. Not for permission to access right away but with deer hunting in general and it usually takes about 5 minutes and you can tell without asking. Now when I'm on the road or out of state just boots on the ground because most think not so highly of out of towners.
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Re: Private land bordering public

Unread postby UofLbowhunter » Sun Jul 29, 2018 3:56 pm

Ditz wrote:I just finished watching The Hunting Public's new videos on mapping and it got me rethinking some of my cyber scouting, more specifically how I look at ease of access. I have some large areas of hill country public (40,000 plus acres) that I'm trying to narrow down the areas I want to focus my scouting on, and the areas I want to eliminate right from the get go just by looking at satellite images, topography, and specifically ease of access. Some of the areas that look promising (based on hill country beast tactics) are very hard to access from the public side (good thing), but are not that difficult to access from the private side. The private parcels that border it vary anywhere from 15 to 100+ acres and are mostly wooded land.

Do you guys eliminate these areas right away and not even scout them due to ease of access from the private side, or are you mostly just concerned with the ease of access and hunting pressure from the public side? Do you scout these areas anyway and while you're looking for deer sign just keep your eyes open for other hunter sign as well? I know every land owner is different and some may just stay on their land (or not even be hunters) while others venture onto the public land with a big crew of guys.

I love to scout, but with limited time I'm just trying to narrow down these large parcels of public hill country. Hopefully all that made sense. Thanks.


I would never eliminate nothing! I have found some great bedding in places that has pressure all around that people are not far away or from parking for that matter. The more you read on the beast the more you See dont over look nothing. Limited time sucks yes, but you can scout all year, go when you can, you wont learn nothing with out boots on the ground. Every detail information will help, from bedding, tree stands cover and food, its all a piece of the puzzle. It just takes time to learn and put it togather!
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Re: Private land bordering public

Unread postby brancher147 » Mon Jul 30, 2018 12:59 am

If it looks good on topo/map I would put boots on the ground. Look for 4 wheeler trail from private or obvious trail to public boundary, most times it will be very obvious if they are accessing public from private. That being said, I have seen some great mature buck bedding a couple hundred yards from treestands on private. Just depends on the setup/wind/terrain.
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Re: Private land bordering public

Unread postby Barker » Mon Jul 30, 2018 2:05 am

What I am finding in my situation is that the private land bordering public is receiving very little hunting pressure except for gun season. Through trail cams on travel routes adjoining the private to the public I am noticing the deer bedding on the private side and venturing over to the public land right at last light or under the cover of darkness.

Most of the private land owners here have set stands and blinds on their land in easy to access locations for them. If you can find the spots where the terrain/vegetation gets a little harder to access where the private meets the public that could be an ideal location to look into
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Re: Private land bordering public

Unread postby Ditz » Mon Jul 30, 2018 5:20 am

My gut was telling me that I have to at least check these areas out if they look like they could have potential on a map. Most of these spots in hill country the private land is mostly in the valleys and does not extend all the way up to that 1/3 elevation/military crest, which would leave the good bedding on the public.

Even though it is a short walk up the ridge from the private land to access these possible great bedding locations, I have to remember that most hunters don't think like us. I know two private land owners with less than 100 acres who border public land and have never hunted on the public. They hunt their land hard the entire season, creating lots of pressure, and probably end up pushing deer over onto the public.

I guess the only way to know for sure if the public is getting pressured from the private land is to put the time in and check these areas out. I could be missing a potentially great spot if I just cross these areas off the list.
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Re: Private land bordering public

Unread postby mike perry » Mon Jul 30, 2018 7:44 am

I’d add that if you’re access would be easier to some good public land through the private it’s a good idea to ask the landowner if you can access the public through their property. I’ve had fairly good luck getting permission to park on private land and be able to access public land easier. Even had a few people tell me I can hunt their land as well as walk through it. Talking to these landowners will give you all you need to know. You’re either going to find out if they or a family member is hunting. If they allow you access ask if they are allowing anyone else access. Even if you find they hunt and won’t allow access I would not give up on the public if it looks good borbering their property. They may be a fair weather hunter or not to serious about there hunting anyway.
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Re: Private land bordering public

Unread postby Twenty Up » Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:17 am

I’ve seen the best bedding adjacent to private and the landowners never set foot on public...
I’ve also seen private land owners make atv trails onto public to access permanent stands..
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Re: Private land bordering public

Unread postby AfootTrack56 » Tue Jul 31, 2018 9:18 am

A lot of my best spots are right along private/public lines. If it’s hard to access from the public, you’ve probably got a gem. Lots of land owners seem to think that hunting private is better cuz they own it. On the flip side, lots of public hunters don’t hunt the edges in fear of wounded animals crossing the boundary. It leaves a void, thus making a good sanctuary for smart bucks. The deer don’t care if it’s public or private. If they feel safe, they’ll hang out. Slip in, and kill em. Good luck!!
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Re: Private land bordering public

Unread postby <DK> » Wed Aug 01, 2018 8:34 am

AfootTrack56 wrote:A lot of my best spots are right along private/public lines.

x2

Dont write off anything w/o checking. Many private lands bordering public you can see on a map they have a built deer blind in the middle of a field and yet I still find bucks bedded on the edge. What is just as important as them hunting is what kind of crops they have on their land. This can be an important tool figuring out how to apporach these property line bucks.


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