Hunting deer on public lands is very different from hunting on private lands. One of the most significant differences is the other hunters. There’s no guarantee that just because you found what you think is a good spot, others haven’t discovered it, too. Scouting is so important when hunting public lands to get a fix on access points, where other hunters are likely to access the property, and how you can use that to your benefit. Often, there are several ways to access public ground. One might be easy, and that is the option most hunters will take. A more difficult access that requires a longer walk, crossing a creek, stream, or swamp, or obtaining permission to cross private lands, will likely be met with more success.
Use pressure from other hunters to your advantage. Get in the woods at o dark 30 and be ready when others enter the woods. Let them push deer to you. Scouting ahead of time will help you pinpoint productive stands, funnels, and escape routes.
I scouted a piece of public land for the first time, and it looked like prime deer habitat. I had no idea how much hunting pressure there would be on opening day, but I reasoned most hunters would access from the west. Access from the east was tougher and required a longer walk, but I figured the other hunters would push deer my way.
Opening morning was foggy, so I waited until the first light to walk in. I’d just settled in nicely when I noticed a flash of white in the thick cover. I thought I might be a bird, but then I saw a glint of antler. The buck walked on the well-worn path I figured the deer would use. He stopped in an opening and stood broadside at 100 yards. He was looking back the way he’d come, obviously worried about the other hunters he was escaping. I counted 5 points on one side of the deer’s rack before I fired.
Scouting before the season will help you understand the lay of the land and how land management can affect deer movement. Land use can change. If an adjacent tract of land is clear-cut, it can change the way deer move and affect where you’re going to sit. You won’t know that unless you scout before the season.
What the closest farm has planted can affect how you can expect deer to move or not move. If the farmer has large fields of standing corn, deer might spend the whole day there. If it’s harvested beans, the deer will hide in the adjacent woods or swamp and move out to feed at night. If the farmer decides to cut the corn during the season, being in the neighboring woods can pay big dividends. Knowing of a particularly good acorn crop may make targeting an oak ridge a good strategy.
Large tracts of public land attract large numbers of hunters. Most will access from a few given points. The key will be to get farther in earlier than the others. Use a mountain bike to escape the road if motorized access isn’t allowed.
Don’t overlook smaller tracts of land either. Hunters may think that a 20 or 40-acre piece of land may be too small to hold many deer. Deer may gravitate to small honey holes when hunting pressure forces them out of prime cover. Many think hunters will overrun a small piece of cover, and that may be true, but don’t write these areas off without scouting them before and during the season. A wise buck can spend the entire season there without being noticed if the covert provides food, water, and security.
In a small tract of land, a buck will be on high alert and rely even more on its heightened sense of hearing, smell, and sight. Make note of the wind direction and use it to your advantage to slide into the edge and wait until the buck stands up to stretch or succumbs to the allure of a hot doe to slip from his hide.
Good stands can be a one-time phenomenon or consistently produce good bucks. Don’t get hung up on history. Just because you shot a buck from the spot several years ago doesn’t necessarily mean another will stroll by anytime soon. Hunting pressure can change how deer travel, so be prepared to make a move. Rely on your scouting and hunting strategy, dependent on variable wind directions, hunting pressure, and land management.
Trail cameras can be a good way to track deer movements and pressure, but you’re taking a risk. Thieves who think the spot is theirs can steal, damage, or remove the card from visible cameras. Tend to cameras regularly if they’re the type that have SD cards, or purchase ones you can monitor via the Internet or your cell phone. Hang cameras high off the ground, pointing downward to produce the best image, and keep them out of reach of height-challenged thieves. Brush them in as best as possible to avoid detection.
Tree stands permit you to survey large tracts of land, but can be a cold proposition. A ground blind limits visibility, but it’s a better option if it keeps you in the woods. Pop-up blinds are portable, conceal movement, and keep you warm. Sometimes, mobility is the key. If you’re not seeing deer, don’t be afraid to move. Ground blinds permit you to hunt areas that might not have trees suitable for tree stands. Relocating can also keep deer from patterning your movements.
Make up your mind in advance. It’s been said, “Never pass a deer on the first day you’d shoot on the last one.” With APR, your choice may be predetermined, but if you see a buck, realize it may be your only chance of the season, and be prepared to take advantage of it. If you’re looking for meat for the freezer, take advantage of antlerless deer quotas.
Whether you’re hunting on private or public land, patience and perseverance are a large part of deer hunting. Scout, hunt smart, and take advantage of other hunters to fill your tag this season.
