got to head out for the evening,on public land, which I expected to have some people hunting this evening but as I passed 11 trucks, just sort of took the wind out of me. hope everyone else is having a better season than myself.
When I started bow hunting in the 80's I would go weeks without seeing deer on stand. I hunted public land as well as anywhere I could get permission. It took 5 years of hard hunting before I shot my first deer with a bow, and I have taken deer every year since, mostly with recurves or longbows. If seeing some trucks on public land discourages you then you should reevaluate your reasons for bow hunting. Mid-Missouri is blessed with some great deer and good deer numbers. Learn to hunt smarter than the other guys and put in the time, and you should have some good hunts. My private land is typically loaded with deer, but this year I have put in around a dozen sits and have only seen deer from the stand twice. I am not sure what is up, but it will make me hunt harder and smarter.
Another quick antecdote....I used to hunt a public area called Hollow Bend in central Arkansas. It was only open a month of the year and was bow only. I would usually camp out at the gate the night before because over 400 hunters would be lined up before first light when the gate opened. I have set in a stand while flashlights converged on my position like villagers chasing off Frankenstein, and yet I had some of my greatest hunts (from the perspective of seeing quality deer) at that place. Keep with it. Learn to hunt smarter...or figure out that it just might not be your cup of tea and move on to something else.
Deer have a unlimited supply of food this year in the deep woods. They're there. I have seen a lot less deer this year wandering around than the past few. For good reason.
If I had to hunt only public land, I would find a way to hunt it during the week. Even if that meant taking vacation days to hunt it during the last week of October or the first week of November. I wouldn't just give up completely.
When I started bow hunting in the 80's I would go weeks without seeing deer on stand. I hunted public land as well as anywhere I could get permission. It took 5 years of hard hunting before I shot my first deer with a bow, and I have taken deer every year since, mostly with recurves or longbows. If seeing some trucks on public land discourages you then you should reevaluate your reasons for bow hunting. Mid-Missouri is blessed with some great deer and good deer numbers. Learn to hunt smarter than the other guys and put in the time, and you should have some good hunts. My private land is typically loaded with deer, but this year I have put in around a dozen sits and have only seen deer from the stand twice. I am not sure what is up, but it will make me hunt harder and smarter.
Another quick antecdote....I used to hunt a public area called Hollow Bend in central Arkansas. It was only open a month of the year and was bow only. I would usually camp out at the gate the night before because over 400 hunters would be lined up before first light when the gate opened. I have set in a stand while flashlights converged on my position like villagers chasing off Frankenstein, and yet I had some of my greatest hunts (from the perspective of seeing quality deer) at that place. Keep with it. Learn to hunt smarter...or figure out that it just might not be your cup of tea and move on to something else.
Hollow bend! I know it well! For perspective that is public land hunting most everywhere here in Arkansas. As Dr. Brady said it can ultimately be a good thing in many ways though. I have become a much better hunter due to pressure (though I'm sure some will question that from my first and only thread to this point) The hunting pressure can be used to your advantage if put the time in and do it right. Even on the private land I hunt, I have come to appreciate other careless hunters in my general area. As I killed my best Arkansas deer last year, because of other hunters keeping him pushed to me. Stay after it!
after waking up this morning, it didn't seem so bad. the one thing i have going for me is that i work one day on and two days off so i will be able to hunt during the week. just a little frustrated last night, thats all
When I hunt public land I ALWAYS go in about 3 or 4am. Get settled and listen to the dark for a couple hours. Let the wandering pumpkins push them to you. Sure, I've had guys wander in near where I'm at closer to daylight. I just give them a quick couple blasts w/ the flashlight and they've always just respectfully (believe it or not) headed off in another direction. It is public land. Your going to encounter other hunters from time to time; still beats sitting at home watching hunting shows on T.V. Don't give up, just hunt smart and get in EARLY.
you should probably thank every individual on websites like these that openly inform everyone of the good public ground. I don't even hunt public land and I cringe whenever someone posts up this spot or that spot!
You need to get away from driving distance sometimes. I drive an hour every weekend to get away from the crowds. There's a few public areas very close to home but they're always packed with cars because they're easy to get to. From experience those places don't hold deer for long and all that deer sign you see are made at night. So those hunters are getting excited over all that fresh sign for nothing.
Your correct cy912 all the private land sissy hunters have lured them away with those darn bait plots
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