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Crowded woods

Spence71

Spence71

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2019
Messages
649
Last weekend I was set up. Waiting on a doe to get in a better angle so I could grab my bow. She was paying me too much attention from 6:00. She got to about 10 and went behind a tree. Grabbed the bow and clipped in. About the time I went to pull back(less than 20 feet away) something spooked her. Wasn’t me. It was the two hunters slowing walking down the service road. I’m 25 yds off that road and right at 1 mile back. Other than a Toyota truck. Haven’t seen anyone Well. Those guys own that Toyota apparently. A minute or so after they passed. A buck came out from the woods on the quick, my guess is they bumped him too down their path. He caught their scent and bolted back into the woods. Nothing else last weekend

Get out here this am... that truck was already here. Dang it. Okay, back up spot. “Man, I hope that white ford wasn’t parked near that other entrance. Dang it. He was. So now I’m at site 3. And only here because I drove 90 min out here. But... like 1700 acres around here of public land and amazing how 2 cars can screw up your morning. .

Set up by some private soybeans. We’ll see.
0ca3e34ebbe4126cc777c3136a759e7c.jpg



Now then, get your equipment--your quiver and bow--and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.
Genesis 27:3
 
Good luck. It's tough hunting public sometimes. Specially the small pieces
 
Aeds151 said:
Ya. You gotta get a way from road hunting


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Click to expand...

Last weekend was just dumb bad luck. And this week... my plan was go to that same area and try to get to the other side of the “field”. Guessing it was clear cut and burned 4-5 years ago. Tons of tracks and such. Just 4 more than I’d like to see. Size 10-12. Ha.

I figured a mile or so down a gated forest road might be an okay set up.

Today’s road is farm access. That one don’t count.

Next trip will be a different gameland. Think I’ll head to Alcoa next.


Now then, get your equipment--your quiver and bow--and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.
Genesis 27:3
 
And first year public hunting. So it’s a learning curve for sure.


Now then, get your equipment--your quiver and bow--and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.
Genesis 27:3
 
@Spence71 friendly suggestion to reduce the "crowded woods" problem: try to resist naming any area you're hunting online, ever. Between your posts in this thread and your post history, I know where your next trip is taking you. The issue isn't guys on here "stealing" your spot, it's guys punching your destination into Google and Google leading them here. They see it being discussed amongst the dedicated hunters here, and assume it must be good.

Just a suggestion, good luck.
 
Spence71 said:
Last weekend I was set up. Waiting on a doe to get in a better angle so I could grab my bow. She was paying me too much attention from 6:00. She got to about 10 and went behind a tree. Grabbed the bow and clipped in. About the time I went to pull back(less than 20 feet away) something spooked her. Wasn’t me. It was the two hunters slowing walking down the service road. I’m 25 yds off that road and right at 1 mile back. Other than a Toyota truck. Haven’t seen anyone Well. Those guys own that Toyota apparently. A minute or so after they passed. A buck came out from the woods on the quick, my guess is they bumped him too down their path. He caught their scent and bolted back into the woods. Nothing else last weekend

Get out here this am... that truck was already here. Dang it. Okay, back up spot. “Man, I hope that white ford wasn’t parked near that other entrance. Dang it. He was. So now I’m at site 3. And only here because I drove 90 min out here. But... like 1700 acres around here of public land and amazing how 2 cars can screw up your morning. .

Set up by some private soybeans. We’ll see.
0ca3e34ebbe4126cc777c3136a759e7c.jpg



Now then, get your equipment--your quiver and bow--and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.
Genesis 27:3
Click to expand...
Sounds like my night last night, and every other night for that matter. Weekday mornings are the only hunter-absent days for me. Fortunately, they’re the bulk of my hunting time. Just gotta tell the deer that...
 
Gotta love public land. I like to have Plan A-E ready every time out. I’ve made it as far as Plan D on a few occasions
 
Being new to public land, getting a mile back is great . But you did learn what that buck & doe did to escape pressure on that trail. Now get off that trail & take advantage of that. I’ve hunted public land for years & used to see small deer & lots of hunters. Then I started scouting more & hunted spots with more difficult access & it really changed all that.
 
As said above you can’t escape pressure close to a road. Really any easily accessible area. That’s gated roads, firebreaks foot trails etc. in some places you can walk a mile or more and have company. Other places you can snake through a hundred yards of thick cover and have it all to yourself. Wading across a creek can have the same effect. It’s amazing how close you can hunt to an access point and escape pressure if there’s just a couple obstacles to get there.
 
I think some hunters are just hikers carrying a weapon. I’ve meet plenty on public that walked 5-6 miles back through thick woods. That’s not me. I would only shoot a monster that far back then all I’d be thinking is I have to get a monster out. My long winded point is on public near a trail or road no matter how far back expect to see people.


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Yeah. All good points. And funny. Met a local guy after throwing in the towel today and he gave me 3 good areas. We’ll see. New to hunting. Very new to public and all that. I’ll get there. Maybe without a deer. Ha.


Now then, get your equipment--your quiver and bow--and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.
Genesis 27:3
 
Spence71 said:
Yeah. All good points. And funny. Met a local guy after throwing in the towel today and he gave me 3 good areas. We’ll see. New to hunting. Very new to public and all that. I’ll get there. Maybe without a deer. Ha.


Now then, get your equipment--your quiver and bow--and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.
Genesis 27:3
Click to expand...
It’s still hunting if it ain’t killing. Haven’t had enough woods time to get a deer in 4 years, although I have been close. Very close. I had 2 new daughters in that time though; better than venison (most days lol). I’m hoping to crush the drought this year myself. Good luck! Public land is a grind, but at least it’s ours to own. That’s more than enough reason to use it.
 
Spence71 said:
Yeah. All good points. And funny. Met a local guy after throwing in the towel today and he gave me 3 good areas. We’ll see. New to hunting. Very new to public and all that. I’ll get there. Maybe without a deer. Ha.


Now then, get your equipment--your quiver and bow--and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.
Genesis 27:3
Click to expand...

Your in the woods. That’s half the battle. You learned something and your asking questions from a broad group, no doubt filled with some very good hunters. Keep at it and you’ll be letting deer walk in no time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Exactly. Life and kids are so busy that any time in the tree and doing nothing is a good thing. And the thought of bagging a deer... means thats something else that’d I’d have to do. But I think I could get over that.

Going to go walk one of those site la my breakfast buddy told me about one day this week. I’ve got stuff next Friday AM and sat. But Saturday night I’m going to go scout.

With my bow.


Now then, get your equipment--your quiver and bow--and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.
Genesis 27:3
 
Don't get discouraged because of people passing thru. I've shot more than 1 good buck after other hunters have passed thru. I shot one that came down the same exact trail 2 guys and a bird dog walked down 1/2 hour earlier. I hunt primarily heavily pressured public. Not all deer leave. As a matter of fact, I've found the majority of deer (including mature bucks) will adapt to the pressure. They will stop, lay low & let people pass on by. Not every hunter can go deeper, otherwise, thats where everyone would be. If you zero in on a good buck, don't let the presence of others run you off. Be patient, you might be surprised.
 
I found a spot today in the swamp and im only going to hunt it once this year. If i see anyone else in that area i would be shocked. Its tough to get into. I heard dan on a podcast that i listened to yesterday say you got to hunt where no one else wants to.
 
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