Go ahead and hunt it or not?

[Arkie]

I scouted some “new to me” public land back in the summer and marked it up on OnX to come back to during bow season. There are several bedding areas that I found, and I’ve now been back to hunt a handful of different spots all within 50-150 yards of these bedding areas. I’ve seen the same shooter buck coming out of one of these spots 2 of the 5 times I’ve set up out there. He’s been able to slip by while remaining in the thick cover at both spots I saw him from. I did a quick run through of the perimeter of the largest bedding area after I got down this morning. There’s a ton of fresh rubs, scrapes, and heavy trails leading into/out of the main area. It’s very thick, but I found a good tree along the main trail very close to where he’s bedding. The issue is, someone has a trail camera over one of the scrapes. Like I said, I’ve hunted 5 different spots all within 50-150 yards of this and I’ve never ran into anyone else out there. Do I go ahead and set up as I planned the next cold front or stay out being that close to someone else’s camera? I’m new to public land hunting and want to make sure I’m not breaking any unwritten rules.


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[iamcorey]

Hunt it but get there first when you do. How many places to access are there?


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[Arkie]

Only one spot for public access unless you kayak/boat into it.

The entire north and east side is river, west and south is private land. There’s about a 20 yard wide section you can access on foot that eventually opens up. It’s a little over a mile one way in to this spot.

I’m thinking it might be a private landowner that’s coming in from their adjoining land.
It’s a long and skinny piece of public land so it would be hard not to run into someone else walking into/out of this spot.


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[Arkie]

Btt


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[MEB]

Do it. You found the spot on your own. Especially if there isn’t a tree stand visible from where you want to set up.

 

[Sgt. Beardface]

Set up in the exact tree that he put the trail cam on. Slip an aider over it and use it as an extra step, then finish your climb. It is public land, and while I don't prefer to hunt where I know someone may be, there are times that it happens. Where I am currently hunting I don't even let people see where I am walking in and out of, as this year hasn't had the best results on the land, I would have thirty people in there banging around as soon as they knew there was sign, and deer there.

 

[Hunter260]

Hunt it! It ain’t his land. If it was my camera and I saw you shoot a deer there I’d help you drag it and pat you on the back. For all you know the guy has another spot

 

[Chimney7]

I say hunt it. There are so many variables with a random trail camera that you can't let it impede what you're doing. Sounds like you're on a good buck, I say get in there after him.

 

[Tjraley2]

Yep, hunt it.

 

[Sniper4hire]

As Eberhart would recommend, be in that stand two hours before daylight to beat your buck in there. He will get up and stretch a couple times and move around a bit within his safe zone.
No way the trail cam guy will beat you in there if you do that, and he's probably hunting outside the bedding area, you be inside.