Time to walk away question

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


Babscanes
Posts: 72
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2013 12:53 pm
Status: Offline

Time to walk away question

Unread postby Babscanes » Tue Jan 08, 2019 2:50 am

Hey guys I am really considering going full on public land after all these years on private. I have been on here for years reading and learning and really appreciate all the advice.

I just walked one of the properties I have hunted for ever and counted stands and its insane. Between mine and others, some with and some without permission you cant go very far without coming across a stand. I mean every 200 yards in some spots. I honestly think the pressure will be less on public and there will be more cover.

Did any of you fell remorse for leaving a long time spot?

I have done pretty well there considering the pressure but I just think I'm done. Maybe throw a sit in here or there with family for that aspect.

How did you know it was the time to leave? In my gut I just think its time. I guess that's the answer right there.


User avatar
KPnorthdakota
Posts: 180
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2016 7:39 am
Location: North Texas
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby KPnorthdakota » Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:02 am

I think only you can answer the "do I walk away" question.

However, if this private land is free and you can claim a couple of spots and everyone else will give you a fair amount of space around those stands, maybe you could just hunt it a few times a year. You may find out that your spots become the sanctuary spots for the deer.

Anyhow, I wish you the best on your decision.
Jdw
500 Club
Posts: 776
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 9:00 am
Location: SE Ohio
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby Jdw » Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:10 am

I would spend a lot of time scouting this spring, then hunt the best places you find scouting.
Let the sign and sightings tell you which properties to walk away from and which ones to put more time into.
Kokes
500 Club
Posts: 1612
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2015 3:33 am
Location: Parry Sound, Ontario
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby Kokes » Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:41 am

private and public land hunting doesn't have to be one or the other...why not scout hard on public then sparingly hunt your private here and there when you feel your odds are best...
EllieTheChubb
Posts: 333
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:22 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby EllieTheChubb » Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:54 am

Babscanes wrote:Hey guys I am really considering going full on public land after all these years on private. I have been on here for years reading and learning and really appreciate all the advice.

I just walked one of the properties I have hunted for ever and counted stands and its insane. Between mine and others, some with and some without permission you cant go very far without coming across a stand. I mean every 200 yards in some spots. I honestly think the pressure will be less on public and there will be more cover.

Did any of you fell remorse for leaving a long time spot?

I have done pretty well there considering the pressure but I just think I'm done. Maybe throw a sit in here or there with family for that aspect.

How did you know it was the time to leave? In my gut I just think its time. I guess that's the answer right there.


My family farm sold a few years ago and my favorite hunting spot along with it. A five generation farm purchased in the late 1800's. It was an emotional experience for the whole family. Looking back I realize I was pidgeon holed. I always filled the freezer and didnt have to work for it. 90% of the deer I harvested there were from the same tree. Losing that spot led to alot of growth as a hunter.

Since then I have come to realize that sometimes private with alot of predictable pressure is better than public where its never the same.
Easiest example I can think of is from the hunting public. they had the "buck nest" completely dry up because of hunting pressure. Didnt hunt it for a whole season. The next year it was filled with deer again and no hunting pressure.

I think the best thing to do is to just get more spots, dont let anything go. Leave your options open and hunt the sign.
User avatar
Hawthorne
500 Club
Posts: 6217
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2014 2:13 pm
Location: michigan
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby Hawthorne » Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:55 am

Jdw wrote:I would spend a lot of time scouting this spring, then hunt the best places you find scouting.
Let the sign and sightings tell you which properties to walk away from and which ones to put more time into.


X2. I’ve walked away from 2 private farms since joining the beast. My potential for nice bucks is actually better on public compared to those two farms. Both of them hunt small and get a lot of pressure
tim
500 Club
Posts: 2731
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:43 am
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby tim » Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:58 am

Babscanes wrote:Hey guys I am really considering going full on public land after all these years on private. I have been on here for years reading and learning and really appreciate all the advice.

I just walked one of the properties I have hunted for ever and counted stands and its insane. Between mine and others, some with and some without permission you cant go very far without coming across a stand. I mean every 200 yards in some spots. I honestly think the pressure will be less on public and there will be more cover.

Did any of you fell remorse for leaving a long time spot?

I have done pretty well there considering the pressure but I just think I'm done. Maybe throw a sit in here or there with family for that aspect.

How did you know it was the time to leave? In my gut I just think its time. I guess that's the answer right there.

When I tell guys that I’m hunting private but it’s pressured they usually don’t believe me I think. I know exactly what this is like. Public is not the only pressured land. I wish the private I hunted wasn’t but this right here what you describe I’d bet is much more the norm than most wanna believe.
User avatar
SamPotter
500 Club
Posts: 1233
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2012 1:01 am
Location: CT, NY, now IA
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby SamPotter » Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:49 am

It has become apparent to me that the public land around me gets LESS bow hunting pressure than the private I have access to. I’ll be making the switch next year.
User avatar
ghoasthunter
500 Club
Posts: 2211
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:09 am
Location: New jersey
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:55 am

my buddy has a 300 acre lease he hunts with 4 other guys beautiful food plots prime doe bedding standing corn and beans. well i hunt a swamp a half mile away and see all his big bucks that he has on cam at 1 in the morning in daylight lol if the property does not have good bedding for mature bucks and i cant create bedding i dont waist my time with it. id keep it for more family based hunting its still fun but if your on a certain goal you need to figure out how too make that goal work.
THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL A HUNTER HAS IS BETWEEN HIS SHOULDERS
bucksnbows
Posts: 129
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 9:31 am
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby bucksnbows » Tue Jan 08, 2019 11:49 pm

I wouldn't walk away from the private if it's free access.
Just make it another property to hunt and treat as you would public land.

My problem is I usually lease and feel invested in the property.
Hard to not hurt something you pay for.

But that's going to change this year.
User avatar
Ghost Hunter
Posts: 4891
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2012 10:00 am
Location: South Arkansas
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby Ghost Hunter » Wed Jan 09, 2019 12:15 am

Hunt both places. That's what I do. But, this year where I hunt on public. We have had so much rain that it has stayed up.
I'm reason they call it hunting and not shooting.
Rich M
500 Club
Posts: 3980
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2016 1:29 pm
Location: Sunny Florida
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby Rich M » Wed Jan 09, 2019 12:51 am

Hunting is supposed to be fun. Do what makes you feel best.
Redman232
Posts: 1251
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 2:20 am
Location: NE Indiana
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby Redman232 » Wed Jan 09, 2019 1:48 am

The property I've had the most success on is private. It's about 80 acres, has 17 treestands owned by 6 other hunters. The amount of pressure it receives blows the public I hunt out of the water. I'd much rather hunt the public around me, but the private is close to home. The public is more of an adventure each time out where as the private, I know what i'm getting into, which takes a little away from the experience in my opinion.
tim
500 Club
Posts: 2731
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:43 am
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby tim » Wed Jan 09, 2019 4:02 am

Redman232 wrote:The property I've had the most success on is private. It's about 80 acres, has 17 treestands owned by 6 other hunters. The amount of pressure it receives blows the public I hunt out of the water. I'd much rather hunt the public around me, but the private is close to home. The public is more of an adventure each time out where as the private, I know what i'm getting into, which takes a little away from the experience in my opinion.

This is the norm and I hear guys hunting public all the time giving excuses about pressured deer. No doubt those deer are pressured as I hunt some public at times but to think some private isn’t equally as pressured is dead wrong. The only difference anymore is on private it’s not against the law to keep your stand up so it’s a little easier to see where the other hunters are hunting(I know they are left on public also )
User avatar
DaveT1963
500 Club
Posts: 5196
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 1:27 am
Location: South
Status: Offline

Re: Time to walk away question

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Wed Jan 09, 2019 7:26 am

Depends on the state. In some states hunting on public can be as good if not better, But in other states the public land is almost a waste of time if you are looking for mature animals. Most of the time, private land that is hunted right is far better then most public. And as private land opportunities continue to shrink public is going to be hit harder and harder - that's just life. I hunt 100% public land these days unless I travel out of state to hunt with friends.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 68 guests