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Anyone else hunt National Forest land?

My dream of owning my "40 up north land" is finally coming true. It is bordered by 1000's of acres of NF land. Do any of you guys extensively hunt public land?

I have shot my share of deer and am not kidding myself to the challenge of hunting big woods. I shot my first public land buck (6 point) last year with a bow and it was every bit as exciting as the 140" buck I shot the year before off of the food plot of my lease.

My boy is 13 and hunting now. I'm looking forward to teaching him some woodsmanship....something different than walking to the blind and sitting over the lush green foodplot...not that there is anything wrong with that!

So do any of you guys have any big woods stories, memories or advice??

I hunt mostly on National Forest but this year it will be a bit less than in the past. It is different than ag land hunting for sure and I like it.

I wish the USFS would get the message that they need to do more habitat management again. They need to step up logging a bit and improve the wildlife opening program.

I agree Smokey. The best hunting I had in the area I hunt North of Winter was in the early 80's after they had done some bigger cuts in the area's I focus on. Lots of deer around, and lots of feed for them.

I agree Smokey-

The county land where I shot my buck last year does a great job of timber management. There is some great habitat as a result of the cutting that they do. We saw a lot of deer last year due to that fact. From what I've seen on NF land around the area of my land not much goes on as far as timber management.

What none of you guys say, is which county you are in????? Not all counties are created equal......

I hunt the north, because I also am living my dream in the UP, and hunt both states.......

If the USFS are not part of the picture, in these counties deer meetings, than whats the point, since they control so much land.......

I still see some great deer, for this area, Florence and Forest County, but its not easy and it takes hard work and boots on the ground.....

I had a long conversation with a USFS worker on Sat nite. He is just trying to make his 3 years to retirement. That would be 30 for him. He says if your are pro logging, your not in good company. The orders come from the east, and the antis, have their hooks in deep, in how the forest will be managed.....

It is not a month goes by, where he is not informed on some new plant or flora, that is in need of protection, and I am not saying, that is not important, but present management, does not believe in diversity.

Deer and grouse and woodcock cover is no priority for the USFS, and that is a sad state of affairs.......

Me I suggest you write letters to Tammy Baldwin, and Ron Kind, and Sean Duffy, and Jim Sensenbrenner and Paul Ryan etc, and scream as loud as you can, that our woods in Wis and the UP, are dying.......

Predators aside, if you have sustainable habitat, and some good wintering yards, you know what, the fawns that come, will be alot more healthier......

Instead of fighting about xbows, how about fighting for habitat.......

Now most private land owners in the south and central could give a rip, I know I just spent 4 days in Waupaca Co with my wifes relatives, and believe me these guys could care less about norther wis, but me, even with prime land to hunt, I do care about what we as all citizens have left.......

The RGS does great habitat work, but they are still not agressive enough in getting on the USFS about what Wis needs......

And oh by the way, those fires you watch out west, well there goes alot of money, that could be used here...............

If we do not get serious about habitat, who cares what weapon you shoot.........

Razorhead, I have been saying this for some time. As a former USFS employee of 33 years and retired for the last two I could tell you a lot of horror stories. Teddy Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot are rolling over in the grave over what the Forest Service has become. There are some good people their but a loot of bad too and management is way out of touch.

Deer are considered vermin or an invasive species by much of the staff in the USFS here in WI. The Rangers are mostly clueless. Although there is a new Ranger on GD District. The previous Ranger and District and staff in Hayward had no idea on what the deer situation was and used old, outdated data for decisions.

I have been working with WBH to get more involved with the USFS over deer hunting. If more bowhunters would join we could have a stronger voice.I agree about the letter writing, every hunter should do that.

I will be attending the CDAC meeting this week and plan on bringing up the USFS situation but doubt they will do much since that is dealing with the State not the Feds.

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