strange experiences on public land.

[Danny boy]

The past couple years there was heavy hunting due to Covid. 6years ago there was a big doe population. The past few years there seems to be more bucks. Or I’ve been watching the the big buck serial killer and taking notes. Lol.
Honestly I think fair weather hunters and poaching has taken a toll on the doe herd. They get skittish and learn to stay in cover . I did see a young buck early October corralling 8 doe’s across a field. So they are around.

[ihookem]

Public hunting sure is strange out there!! I hunted 7 times for gun season , including muzzy and now late season doe hunt in Wisconsin and one deer seen. I thought it was a doe , and watched it fall. I was so happy but walking up to it I find it has real small pencil horns , but a legal buck none the less. I went back 12 days later, and what do you know, a hunter 75 yds form my stand. Then I look , and s stand set up 20' from the where the gun pile was. I should have listened to Dewey. He drags his fee a ways before gutting it just cause of this reason. I walk a little ways and saw no deer. I during gun season I go to a new favorite stand and see orange in the distance so I avoid the area. More deer beds there on that 5 ac. than any place I know. Five days later, I go back and he is there again. so I keep some distance from him. Then 12 days later, he is still there. I say no way, I get close to it and some dude left an orange vest of some sort 75 yds from where I hunt.. I saw no deer there . I took the orange rag . I did it cause he is not coming back for a few dollars blaze orange vest of some sort . Then I figure, someone is trying to put up a blaze orange decoy so others stay away. Being high pressure public land , who would bet against someone doing that? Is it that goofy where you hunt?

[Jackson Marsh]

Public hunting sure is strange out there!! I hunted 7 times for gun season , including muzzy and now late season doe hunt in Wisconsin and one deer seen. I thought it was a doe , and watched it fall. I was so happy but walking up to it I find it has real small pencil horns , but a legal buck none the less. I went back 12 days later, and what do you know, a hunter 75 yds form my stand. Then I look , and s stand set up 20' from the where the gun pile was. I should have listened to Dewey. He drags his fee a ways before gutting it just cause of this reason. I walk a little ways and saw no deer. I during gun season I go to a new favorite stand and see orange in the distance so I avoid the area. More deer beds there on that 5 ac. than any place I know. Five days later, I go back and he is there again. so I keep some distance from him. Then 12 days later, he is still there. I say no way, I get close to it and some dude left an orange vest of some sort 75 yds from where I hunt.. I saw no deer there . I took the orange rag . I did it cause he is not coming back for a few dollars blaze orange vest of some sort . Then I figure, someone is trying to put up a blaze orange decoy so others stay away. Being high pressure public land , who would bet against someone doing that? Is it that goofy where you hunt?

I will carry an extra vest or piece of blaze orange cloth and attach it above me when I ground hunt in thick cover during gun. But it wasn't mine .

[Dewey]

Public hunting sure is strange out there!! I hunted 7 times for gun season , including muzzy and now late season doe hunt in Wisconsin and one deer seen. I thought it was a doe , and watched it fall. I was so happy but walking up to it I find it has real small pencil horns , but a legal buck none the less. I went back 12 days later, and what do you know, a hunter 75 yds form my stand. Then I look , and s stand set up 20' from the where the gun pile was. I should have listened to Dewey. He drags his fee a ways before gutting it just cause of this reason. I walk a little ways and saw no deer. I during gun season I go to a new favorite stand and see orange in the distance so I avoid the area. More deer beds there on that 5 ac. than any place I know. Five days later, I go back and he is there again. so I keep some distance from him. Then 12 days later, he is still there. I say no way, I get close to it and some dude left an orange vest of some sort 75 yds from where I hunt.. I saw no deer there . I took the orange rag . I did it cause he is not coming back for a few dollars blaze orange vest of some sort . Then I figure, someone is trying to put up a blaze orange decoy so others stay away. Being high pressure public land , who would bet against someone doing that? Is it that goofy where you hunt?

I will carry an extra vest or piece of blaze orange cloth and attach it above me when I ground hunt in thick cover during gun. But it wasn't mine .

It was mine. Sorry I’ll pick my stuff up in the future when I’m done hunting your gut piles.

[ihookem]

I was sure it was a beast hunter. Best bedding area that I know of. I might even sneak in there tonight. One of those spots where you say "
" they have to be here , " but wont see them till they stand up.

[ihookem]

I sat today and it was strange again. I suck in the bedroom , thinking I will catch one going out to dinner. At 4PM, I look at the big hill that was corn, and 2 deer out there already at the dinner table. The small one was almost surely a buck and the bigger one was likely too although, I did not get a clear look with the scope. Sure is frustrating, but that is ok... I just keep repeating, " It's not about the kill, it's about the hunt". Just keep repeating, cause that is really what it's about.

[ihookem]

Another strange experience on public land last week. I was driving slow down some public land and notice there are some trails in the cat tails so I start scouting. The cattail swamp is froze solid so it was very easy. I see some beds ,, but I also see this huge willow tree 100 yds off the road so I check it out. Sure enough one of the biggest beds I ever saw. It reminded me of when Dan had that good deer bed and climbed the willow tree and got deer every year. I wondered , how many people drove by that tree and there was a buck under it. No one ever parks there and I dont think this are gets hunted much cause ya got to go through 100 yds of waist high water. I know a way to get there without too much effort. Strange how it might be a really good spot.

[Dewey]

Another strange experience on public land last week. I was driving slow down some public land and notice there are some trails in the cat tails so I start scouting. The cattail swamp is froze solid so it was very easy. I see some beds ,, but I also see this huge willow tree 100 yds off the road so I check it out. Sure enough one of the biggest beds I ever saw. It reminded me of when Dan had that good deer bed and climbed the willow tree and got deer every year. I wondered , how many people drove by that tree and there was a buck under it. No one ever parks there and I dont think this are gets hunted much cause ya got to go through 100 yds of waist high water. I know a way to get there without too much effort. Strange how it might be a really good spot.

What’s so strange about that?

[ihookem]

As strange as it seems , it is quite common . One of my best spots is 100 yds off a major highway. It's a 1/2 mi. walk but no one thinks about hunting close to a road. I only saw 2 hunters there in 5 yrs.

[Dewey]

As strange as it seems , it is quite common . One of my best spots is 100 yds off a major highway. It's a 1/2 mi. walk but no one thinks about hunting close to a road. I only saw 2 hunters there in 5 yrs.

Very common. I frequently find the largest tracks within a few hundred yards of public parking. Betting everyone walks right past these bucks as they watch everyone coming and going. I often ask myself why I walk a few miles to hunt as much as I do. It’s a hard mindset to get into hunting within view of your vehicle.

[Yoder]

As strange as it seems , it is quite common . One of my best spots is 100 yds off a major highway. It's a 1/2 mi. walk but no one thinks about hunting close to a road. I only saw 2 hunters there in 5 yrs.

This year I have six different bucks and a bear on a camera that is 40 yards from a two lane paved road and 150 yards from a huge parking lot where everyone parks to use the rail trail. You can see my camera from the road. I would say half of the places I hunt are like this. So many people disregard everything near the road.