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Have you checked the green area next to the highway on ramp?

MattMan81

MattMan81

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2020
Messages
5,992
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The Mitten
Just throwing this out. I'm no super public hunter. But I couldn't help but notice this morning a buck jumping back into the bushes along my highway entrance ramp. In between the on ramp and the highway. I have noticed rubs on trees on the opposite direction entrance ramp as well.
So just a thought for some of you public chasers. Don't over look them using those areas for cover.
 
MattMan81 said:
Just throwing this out. I'm no super public hunter. But I couldn't help but notice this morning a buck jumping back into the bushes along my highway entrance ramp. In between the on ramp and the highway. I have noticed rubs on trees on the opposite direction entrance ramp as well.
So just a thought for some of you public chasers. Don't over look them using those areas for cover.
Click to expand...
I have 800+ acres of private I hunt the back of it runs along the highway and that’s always the best hunting.
 
I have often thought about these exact same areas. I have witnessed both bucks and does using them. Unfortunately unless you have private or some public that happens to abut next to these areas you are out of luck. All of which I have none. I've pretty much written them off, but if you are lucky enough to be able to get into or just next to one these areas I'm sure it would be money!
 
This brought to mind an old thread I remembered, I included a link here.

Hunting near busy highways

I’m looking for advice/stories about how folks hunt near a busy highway like an interstate. I recently obtained permission to hunt a property that basically borders a busy section of interstate, and I definitely haven’t cracked the code on these deer yet. I’ve seen a decent amount of deer sign...
saddlehunter.com
 
I saw a pair of velvet bucks on the off ramp of a turnpike one summer and tried my hardest to find a way into it. Two sides were state highways, one side was an HOA neighborhood and couldn't get any permission to access. The last was a across a big creek (yall up north would call it a river) and the the opposite bank was owned by a dirt pit. No permission there either. I've seen these deer for a while now and two of them are easily booners.
 
Micneador said:
I saw a pair of velvet bucks on the off ramp of a turnpike one summer and tried my hardest to find a way into it. Two sides were state highways, one side was an HOA neighborhood and couldn't get any permission to access. The last was a across a big creek (yall up north would call it a river) and the the opposite bank was owned by a dirt pit. No permission there either. I've seen these deer for a while now and two of them are easily booners.
Click to expand...
I know this is an old post, but I just read it.
If I had an opportunity at a good buck, I would use the creek to access that area. If the creek is as big as an "up north river", it should have a boat ramp somewhere. I would motor in with a small boat or kayak/canoe even if it was a few miles away, and cut the motor when you get close. Water access is a great way to get in and out without detection.
 
I have seen and know of a few spots right next to roads where deer are hanging out and bedding. I've thought of hunting those spots but a few things stop me. First I don't want to arrow a deer and god forbid it runs out in front of a car and gets hit or worse causes damage or injury to the car/occupant. Second in my area of NC you cannot discharge a firearm, bow, or crossbow within so many yards and feet of an active road. Seems the deer know this just like they seem to know the day and hour bow season starts in my county as well. Crafty little devils. I keep tabs on these spots though as they are the preferred bedding area for a couple of farms I hunt and I like to know when the deer are coming and going.
 
There's some public off a very busy interstate here and some guys pull over right off the main interstate and get their vehicle in the grass and hunt it. I've also seen vehicles pulled over next to runaway truck ramps in this area likely doing the same thing. I'm almost jealous of someone that brazen, but I know it's illegal and not safe, so I'm not going to try it.

edit: a taxidermist I know killed a huge 10 point that was bedding in or near a large culvert behind an autobody shop. I don't think it is all that bucks figure this out. I think a lot of it is little bucks that are born in areas like this (near an interstate) just have a survival advantage if they can avoid the tractor trailers during the rut.
 
I have a love hate relationship with a spot in between the interstate and a pond. I usually save it until I’m really desperate because I’m ultimately in the woods for the peace and quiet and there is none of that at this spot. It can be great because bucks use it pretty consistently especially during the rut to travel between two big chunks of woods but I hate it In there because of the sound of the traffic. It always amazes me how many times people hit the rumble strips.
 
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I've got a spot like this in mind right now to go figure out before the green up. All last season I would drive by a doe group on the side of the road on public and every night I would say "I'm going to figure that spot out before next year". I think it will entail about a 3/4 mile walk from a bridge to a drainage then another 500 yards up a draw to where they are living. It's a hard spot to get too and I think if I parked at the road, they would be on to me ASAP. I plan to figure it out, go in and hit that spot hard and then move on and let them be until the next season.

I've got another spot like this that is good the first week of the season if there are acorns in there. Someone else knows about this spot and if I wait too long to exploit it, they will get in there first. It's a spot that if the conditions are right, I can have a pretty good chance of getting a deer in there every fall.

In a situation where I was hesitant to hunt the spot due to traffic, or neighbors, etc, I might not hunt it at all but just go in there and crash around enough to make the spot unattractive to the deer and move them back to a spot where I did feel comfortable hunting them.
 
One of the very biggest most monsterous bucks I've ever seen was in late August, down inside between highways in Williamsport PA.

In all the green foliage I saw the red coat of a deer and I'll never get over how big he was. The velvet probably exaggerated him somewhat but he would still be a giant. Next to a river too.

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I hunt in Michigan, sometimes near a paved road, same thing I enjoy peace and quiet, but occasionally I hear clip clop from horseshoes hitting pavement from Amish buggies. That's annoying
 
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