Bowsite.com

Public land

Just wondering how many of you hunt public land and if you see any nice buck. I started strictly hunting public land last year and seen a handful of buck (2 were real nice) but all just out of bow range. I enjoy the challenge of taking a big buck on public land

I've been hunting public land for several years and have seen very few deer but have seen some nice bucks.

Public land hunter for the most part. Everything around here is posted anymore, either private or a hunt club. I'm fortunate to have some flood control dams around or which the flood zones are public. This year I've lost alot of real estate. Was at one last weekend and it was kind of eerie to realize the water level had been 15' over my head at one of my favorite spots.

I hunt public 90% of the time. Have seen some real good ones on public, but you gotta be willing to hike. Some aspects are more fun than hunting the same private places, but there certainly are some inherant frustrations. Here in southcentral PA, there isnt ANY nook or cranny on public land that doesnt get at least some pressure.

I hunt a SGL of over 7000 Acres out my back door. There's limited access due to no parking and it's one of the best SGL's I've ever hunted. Passed 10 legal bucks last year and 15 the year before there. Archery in the last 6 years I have only seen 1 other hunter which is my neighbor, Opening day of gun it gets packed but by noon on the opener it's a ghost town and all to myself once again. By the second day of gun the deer go back to their routines.

I grew up hunting Delaware state forest in NE PA and still do often, but split my time between there and private land that I hunt closer to the home in the Lehigh Valley. I've seen plenty of nice buck over the years within a 1/2 mile off the road,but mostly during archery when hunter #s in the woods are less than a 1/4 of rifle hunting. I always feel that the public land deer means more to me than the private just because of the # of deer I see on public vs private IMO.

public land hunter most years see some good ones ,need to get out there and find them get away from the roads and where most people park

Seen a dandy on Tuesday night and walked up to where he was standing and noticed a scrape line. Out last night and this morning and had one chasing right at dark. I didn’t want to bump them so I sat in my stand till it was pitch black. Very little activity this morning and their not moving till 8:30-9 am. Undecided if I should move my stand to the scrape line

We hunt public land for pheasants and see lots of deer every year. One good buddy doesn't care for hunting birds so he hunted deer on his own on the game lands.

Skook make the move before its to late. Good luck

On Saturday I ended up going to a place where I Turkey hunted this past year. A nice sized pond surrounded by a field. The wind was blowing and the creek was flowing so I had to use my eyes for any movement in the bush. At 5:00 something caught the corner of my eye and to my surprise there was a nice 8 point standing under my stand looking up at me. He high tailed it out of there and I watched him go around the pond and circle up through the field. I decided to come down out of my stand and move up into the field, hoping to get a 2nd chance at him. I called and rattled and 2 small bucks came out of the woods. A hot doe ran through the field and they chased after her. Dark was approaching and decided to sneak out of there when the coast was clear. I bumped a few more walking out and heard 2 buck battling it out over the doe.

I decided to suit up tonight and sit out in this rain and see what happens.

On Saturday I ended up going to a place where I Turkey hunted this past year. A nice sized pond surrounded by a field. The wind was blowing and the creek was flowing so I had to use my eyes for any movement in the bush. At 5:00 something caught the corner of my eye and to my surprise there was a nice 8 point standing under my stand looking up at me. He high tailed it out of there and I watched him go around the pond and circle up through the field. I decided to come down out of my stand and move up into the field, hoping to get a 2nd chance at him. I called and rattled and 2 small bucks came out of the woods. A hot doe ran through the field and they chased after her. Dark was approaching and decided to sneak out of there when the coast was clear. I bumped a few more walking out and heard 2 buck battling it out over the doe.

I decided to suit up tonight and sit out in this rain and see what happens.

public land buck

I got a heavy 21 inch wide 8pt on public land in Northampton Co wednesday at 2:30, he was all rutted up and bind in one eye from fighting, had only been on stand for 30mins when he came cruising by. My biggest buck to date.

Didn't happen without pictures, Bonafide boy..

Love to see the pics of that guy! Took a shot at a lonely doe tonight and had a complete miss. I’m guessing she was farther than 30 yards

Nov 7 @2:30 Northampton Co.

And?

Anyone can kill a blind deer:)

RC-Even PaShLongbow? Wouldn’t his tears get in the way?

LMBO Roy! : )

Congrats Bonafide! He was a FIGHTER, that's for sure!

100% Public big woods hunting here don't see many deer , but the satisfaction of connecting is beyond words

Love Hunting Public Land. Have some great buck on trail camera and had some great encounters with two really nice 8pts this archery season. I really love the challenge of hunting public land.

Nice buck Charlie! What part of the state is that?

Rut, you want the coordinates? :)

No, just the township Phil. ;-)

Register here to reply to this topic