How many Years?

[Singing Bridge]

I hunted turkeys with Greg a couple of times many years ago, but that's about it. I've seen or briefly spoken with the others at deer shows, wild game dinners, or local sporting goods stores. Deer hunting is obviously deeply embedded in our culture here.

[NatureBoy]

I hunted turkeys with Greg a couple of times many years ago, but that's about it. I've seen or briefly spoken with the others at deer shows, wild game dinners, or local sporting goods stores

[T-Panic]

Ever since I've been hunting from the age of around 17 years old. Public land is all I've known. I have hunted some private but believe it or not most my luck has been on Public land. I did quit hunting for a few or more years because where I was living before, most of all the land got posted or leased out to hunting leases. So discouraged about the hassles involved in hunting I quit. My children showed interest and that's all it took and I was hunting again. Haven't looked back!! I did get permission (actually paid 20.00) last year to hunt private and that's where I got my deer but the area is surrounded by public and people that don't have permission still sneak in and hunt it. Public is hard but you have to learn to use other hunters to your advantage and the best thing to do is to hike in and get away from everyone on there ATV's, most drive around till they see a deer to shoot. I don't own a ATV so I park and hike till there are no roads to get bothered by.

[virginiashadow]

I have hunted the public lands here in Virginia for 17-18 years. The first 3 years I hunted extremely pressured public land. I did not even see a deer. I was a novice hunter who had no one to show me how to hunt, hunting pressured land. I even tried to walk in farther than every else, hunt longer, and do my best to be still, even while freezing my but off. Still, no deer even spotted.

I am currently hunting a military base that offers public land hunting. It receives a moderate amount of pressure, and is vast as it has around 47,000 huntable acres. There are virtually no crop fields, and most spots are rolling hardwoods that stretch forever. I have hunted this spot for 10 years now. Thank god for the people who have gone out of their way to teach me how to hunt, and hunt smarter.

[Ack]

I've been hunting public land here in Mid-Michigan for 25 years now.

[Singing Bridge]

and is vast as it has around 47,000 huntable acres. There are virtually no crop fields, and most spots are rolling hardwoods that stretch forever

shadow- sounds like a VERY interesting and good sized chunk of hunting ground. Having the same type of cover over a huge expanse can certainly make it tough, sounds like you've got a pretty good jump on what to look for.

[Singing Bridge]

Thought some of the new Beast members may be interested in participating on this one...

I was truly surprised at how many hunters are on here that have been hitting public land for over 15 years.

[headgear]

Good idea Bridge. I've been hunting bigwoods public in Northern MN for 19 wonderful years. Pretty much the definition of high pressure brown its down hunting, we also compete with a very abundant population of wolves that keep the deer on their toes. I recall many of my early years we had some bad winters and it was a pretty big deal when someone even saw a deer, let alone shot one. Very hard hunting but I wouldn't have it any other way.

[blackwolf]

32 years, low pressure bow season. Low to moderate pressure gun season.

[Dewey]

I have been hunting public land for 26 years now and I look forward to the challenge more every year it seems.

We have over six million acres of public land in WI so I don't ever plan on leasing or buying my own hunting land. I would get very restless only hunting less than 500 acres since I love to explore new areas constantly.

[blackwolf]

Dewey, I can sure relate to that! I think I need at least a couple square miles to roam!

[Singing Bridge]

I'll second that- unfettered access rules my hunting thoughts.

[headgear]

Dewey, I can sure relate to that! I think I need at least a couple square miles to roam!

No doubt about it square miles are the only way to go. I also love the midweek hunting, usually just me and the old man, 13 prepped stand locations to pick from plus umlimited mobile options and miles of woods.

[onebuck]

I have been off and on hunting public for gun seasons for 15 or so years, but have probably not hunted private land with my bow in over 5 years. Public around here can be very heavily pressured or not at all, depends on the time of season. Generally I don't share the parking lots with anyone though (if I park in a parking lot).

[oldrank]

My father started taking me to the state game areas fishing when I was old enough to walk... he started me hunting the same lands when I was 12... I started hunting them on my own as soon as I could drive and have never stopped. I am 39.... I would say just for deer hunting 27 years on public. I got serious about it in my early 20s and still hunt a lot of the same spots I found years ago. I would say ive killed over 40 public land deer a little less then half were bucks. 99 percent of the public I hunt is in Southeast Michigan. I have made a few trip to the U.P. n a few over to the upper west side of the state and had pretty good success doing that also. But I love playing on my home field.