How do you hunt public
Massachusetts
Man I am glad that I forked over the money to buy a lone wold hand climber for this season, it seems like all my public land spots are starting to see more hunter sign than deer sign. of my four stands I have found either another stand, cateyes, or cams pop up in the last few weeks. For those of you that hunt public how do you prefer to hunt? Climber? hang ons? for me i think its likely the climber will see the most love this year
The primary public spot I hunt is with a hang on, that I hope is still there :) Nobody bothered it last year. But in that spot I'm probably walking about 3/4 mile from the nearest parking. That in itself is a deterrent for most people. The area does get some ATV use though.
It's getting to the point I might just hunt in the backyard this year. Everywhere I go I see cameras. And these are areas that I have been hunting for a few years with no sign of anyone whatsoever One of the main problems down here in Z11 where I hunt is. It's so overgrown in the woods that there are only so many spots you can set up a stand. The majority of areas are so overgrown with pickers and swamps they are literally impenetrable . I miss my old hunting areas a lot!!!!
Hang ons that are usually put up early in far back areas. Climber when I want to get in close or want to be mobile.
probably going to hunt a lot of subrurban this year, public has already proven problematic in certain spots
Climber 85%~ fixed 14%~ and the rest from the ground ... probably not accurate exactly, but close.
I tend to look at arial photos from points in the year which have no leaves... you can see where thickets are. I target spots that look horrible from the road, thickets or swamps... or require fording water. Really limits a lot of hunters if it looks hard to get in.
Next, i consider spots that are so obvious its insane, at least during archery a fair number of hunters over think and skip these areas.
Next, i look real close to roads, or rub the 500 foot buffer zone, because when hunters push in, deer often push in, towards homes and roads vs deeper into the woods.
Wasnt sure if u were curious about stand type alone or other ideas too...?
Back when I hunted public land I always used a climber and I went deep into he woods. A lot of hunters only want to stay close to their truck. Don't be that guy. Let them push deer to you.
Thanks for the replies, I was curious more about the best tactics. I'll have to keep these in mind while looking for climber spots
Hate to sound like an ass but if I was forced to hunt on private land in Mass I think I'd skip it and head out of state. When I go in the woods I'm looking for peace, quiet and no stress. I put a lot of time into my spots and would hate to endure the stories I hear from you guys. Sorry to sound grumpy but I can bowhunter in NH and see nobody and plenty of deer.
I try to get permission to encroach on someones private land 300- 400 feet from their house or less if reasonable. If you get inside that 500 foot mark it looks like it is a private property owners stand . And that is often good hunting too.
Other than that only the odd spots that most would avoid will get a fixed stand . Those places that take a little creativity or hard work to access .
Beyond those fortunate finds or private land , the climber is the best thing for stealth and versatility .
On public it often seems that deer, especially mature deer, will find the thickest nastiest cover or somewhere people will not go. Across a river, in a pricker thicket, right up against houses, brushy areas along highways, etc. So you either get wet, bloody, arrested or watch the trophy buck you just shot bounce off a semi.
I read a story about one guy that shot a nice buck in a bed 50 yards or so off a parking lot loaded with hunters. So sometimes hunt the obvious, overlooked spots, like Will said.
I hunt public land but I try to find small parcels of public land. I have a spot,in Z10 that is surronded by houses but more then enough room where you are far enough away from them. There isnt much pressure minus one guy I see every year so I use pop up ground blinds and I have a hanger as well. On the big state forest lands I find that if you walk into the woods about 150 yards off a main hiking trail, there tends to be a big game trail that parrells the actual hiking path and on those I'll find or make a natural blind.
Awalk - I noticed that too. I think the old game trail became the walking trail and deer still need to get where they are going so they start a new one just like it but in better cover.
mrw, They are there indeed and it is a challenge but sometimes it gets bothersome to hunt this way. I know of a man that loves that kind of thing and does very well with it . I'm trying some new ground with big woods and it has those more traditional challenges . Nice change for the better.
I hate hunting around other hunters and won't. I suppose that is easy to say living in Western Mass compared to Eastern Mass. But I will put in whatever effort it takes to avoid them. That may mean traveling a few hours, or finding spots where access is limited by water and using my kayak to access. October 1st I will be paddling up a waterway on NY public land. Based on past years there will be a dozen or so hunters to my east but the water is too deep to wade. I'll have 400 acres to myself. There are often small WMA's and WCE's that are overlooked, especially in Western Mass.
Tekoa
In eastern MA running into other hunters and set ups is almost unavoidable. I've had guys set up on me and just not see me or didn't care but I still saw deer. Cant really say anything because it's public land. Climbers are great but its easier to pick some spots out during the season that you know will be free of others most days. I have a couple of hang on sets that I will use for years to come hopefully. There's this one spot I hunt in North Reading that's bow only and I walk by 3 stands and 3 cameras to get to my spot which is only about 800 feet from the road on the edge of a thick swamp. 2 of the stands are less than 150 feet from the paved road (illegal) and one of them is probably only 60 feet from the edge of the blacktop. I can basically see it from my truck if it weren't for the scrub pines hiding it well. I've never contacted these guys yet and the sets are brand new from this summer. I'm not one for making a big deal about stuff but if any of them try to give me shit for walking by the stands on opening day or throughout the season, the warden might get a call from me. I just hate being a rat but I'm not going to deal with idiots carrying weapons either. We will see.
Buckshot - I hear you on that stuff. I think I posted about the mega giant buck I saw a few weeks ago. I remembered a little private spot which functions as public due to it's owners rules. I checked it last year and I looked ok, but found a stand across a swamp where I wanted to go, so bailed on it and hunted the same bit a different way until I was asked to leave by a landowner who, I'm 95% sure was full of crap, but I didnt want to cause issues. He claimed the area had been shut down, but my contacting the owners of the property I went in on (a local land trust I hunt a lot on in various areas) and they said the land owner was wrong... Ill try again this year with access in written form even though it's literally public.
Regardless, I went to scout the spot closest to the giant deer sighting, and found a stand. At most 300 feet from the house across the street from the area you can park. I mean, first week of sept, full foliage, ON THE GROUND, and from the base of the tree I could plainly see the house. The guy was on a hell of a run, so if he has permission from the home owner or IS the home owner... he's in a good spot where a swamp meets fresh logging and a thicket. But WOW, talk about being JUST off the road.
I hunt public with wadders or a kayak
Hey guys - pretty new here, although I've lurked for a long time. Thought I'd chime in here.
I occasionally hunt public land here in zone 10, and I haven'y seen a person in the last 2 seasons at the spot I typically go to. There are stands every couple hundred yards throughout the property, but those stands have been there for at least 3 years and I've yet to see anyone in them.
I saw a big mature 10 pt last year from my climber, chasing 2 does, but he didn't even come close to slowing down near me. Also had a small 8 walk within easy shooting range, but I passed because I only had one tag left and was looking for the big one.
Anyway, my point is that when I was scouting the place, I assumed it would be loaded with hunters, but as I said, I've never even seen someone there (I usually hunt midweek), even during shotgun, other than a truck or two in the parking areas.
I used to avoid areas near the stands, but I keep an eye on a few in the area I really like, and no one sat in them last year - same leaves piled up on the base of the stand throughout the season, no fresh screw-ins marks on the base of the tree. If someone happens to be there when I go in, I'll obviously give them a wide berth, but I'm not inclined to let a couple acres go unhunted because someone put stands up a few years ago and is never in the woods.
Is this just extremely unusual, and/or am I really breaking some unwritten rules here? I fully respect someone else's spot, assuming they actually hunt it, but laying claim to an area by throwing a stand up and just leaving it there seems crazy to me in a popular public land area.
when I hunted public land in MA I always / only used a climber. 'carry in / carry out' is the best way IMO on public land in MA. the downside was after scouting in the summer and clearing lanes without a stand in sight then heading in during the season and 'brighteyes' and stands all over. figured if I had set up a hang on stand others may have moved on. they may also have stolen my gear. I think that is another reason I used a climber, and don't use cameras either. another downside is you are limited to certain trees, unless you're like Will and bring a saw w/ you :-) (I've done that too)
"I fully respect someone else's spot, assuming they actually hunt it, but laying claim to an area by throwing a stand up and just leaving it there seems crazy to me in a popular public land area." this sticks w/ me. couple of nice spots, never saw hunters in the stands, never saw car/truck parked along the road. but still avoided these areas. Do Unto Others.......if nothing else it makes me feel better. I know guys on here say leave a note, make a friend, but I also know us hunters can be territorial and I just want to avoid confrontation. also see below
agree w/ Proline & others, it's MY time, me and the woods, and chipmunks, squirrels, birds, and if lucky the occasional deer or turkey. I don't want hikers, or bikers*, or other hunters. I lived in Z10 and would travel to Z5 just to get away from people. the few times I did hunt Z10 I was never alone and would have hunters all over the woods. don't get me wrong I did occasionally see other hunters out in Z5 but it was rare. Gun season all bets are off.
since I only hunt NH now it is a totally different game. ladder stands all over the place and I would never think to sit in somebody else's stand. last year I actually bought a hang on and sticks. left it up all year, kinda forgot about it, ok I got lazy, and the only thing that was missing was a pin for my sticks. other than that untouched. I will sometimes see a car/truck parked next to mine but hardly see other hunters while on stand. I only see hunters during gun season which opens early in NH. they see me, apologize and walk off the other way.
*had some bikers bump a 6pt in Z10 some yrs ago. he was going 100mph and circled my stand but never stopped for me to shoot. so maybe bikers aren't all that bad.......
ive noticed some of the same as you, in some spots on cape there are stands everywhere, however they are rarely hunted. from the other hunters ive bumped into a lot of people have multiple stands that they leave up all year, however some years for whatever reason they wont hunt some stands, or they will get too old and be left to rust away. I think that there is a signifgant amount of stands out there that are either forgotten, left to rust, or maybe the owner cannot hunt anymore. Of the stands i encounter while scouting/ hunting public, ide say about half of them i wouldnt personally use due to bad condition. One of my best stands is 30 yards away from an abandoned ladder stand from about 20 years ago! Love seeing those old wooden stands from ages ago too
Lateriser, agreed. In my experience the majority of stands I see on public land rarely get hunted, and there are some areas I hunt with several stands that I've never seen anyone in. I used to go out of my way to avoid other stands on public land but now I just scout and hunt pretty much where I want. I won't set up right on top of them but I won't just abandon the area either. But if I do run into someone else I'll still go out of my way to not screw them up.
I second that Bruce. Use good judgement . A note attached to the abandoned stand or seriously unused stand it either gets removed or not . Drop your name and number . No call is a green light. IMO. If it goes a season untouched then it is evidence that it is not used. Give it no more thought. If you never see anyone there and can't get information then keep hunting there . If you do see someone eventually , Try to talk with them for clarity. Most folks are cool . Avoid the other kind . But use your judgement as to whether this stand is in use or not.
And of course if it is in use , bump off a ways .
Here is a trick I use if I'm scouting an area and come across a hangon stand with screw in steps. If it looks like it has been abandoned but I'm not sure, I turn the bottom step so that it's facing up. If the owner goes to use the stand its a simple thing to just twist it back the right way. If I check it a month or two later and the step is still up I figure that it is rarely used or abandoned and hunt the area accordingly.
I'm with Tekoa on this one, it's my woods - just me, I don't want company! My public spots I get to early and go places where I'll never see another human, until I'm dragging my deer out and thinking up the lie to tell when they ask me where I got it.
And don't forget that on public, other hunters inadvertently create funnels for you!
Hunter ma. Nice trick on the pegs. I am gonna steal that and use it on all the stands that have been sitting in trees for the past couple years. I have always just avoided those areas. I have a dozen plus possible stand locations. 7 of them have fixed stands in them and are according to wind and time of year. Some are early season some are rut only and some are Late season. I will at least check on all my stands a few times a season till it's time to hunt them. There are plenty of rainy days to walk in the woods when I am not in a stand. I have come across at least a dozen stands over the past 5 years that are still hung in a tree with the steps grown into the tree. I think that a lot of the times people just don't feel like taking them down and leave them to rot. Those are the cheap dicks stands. The expensive ones I find are usually sat in, tended to and taken down at the end of the year
Your welcome to it Death. I think stands have gotten so cheap people buy them and put them out on public land to "hold their place" just in case they get around to hunting. That's yet another of my many pet peeves I guess. I think stands that get left in the woods should be required to be marked with the owners name and contact info. Make people responsible for their actions, no ID then let the EPO's take them down.
Hunterma, isn't that in the regs? Fixed stands need to be marked w/ name and address or is that only on certain pieces of land like refuge sites?
Huntma , I agree. Something should be done to make this a non- issue , ID tag with phone number , something . But EPO's will not likely be the answer . Maybe we need a site where people can contact each other with ID numbers in P/M format so discression can still exist but communication is possible .
Before that future system we could print out info and phone number in a clear plastic card holder such as (a fishing license ) on our stands and drop one at the questionable stands that linger in the woods.
That's news to me, first I hear of that.
I label my hangons with my name and phone number. Figure if someone has a problem with them they can give me a call and we can work it out.
