Poll - Distance from parking area you hunt

[rhagenw]

just so we’re clear, I’m not asking these questions to preside over an argument whether huntjng close or far is superior. I like hearing everyone’s opinions.

but the purpose of the exercise is to get a general sense of how far MOST PEOPLE walk on MOST OF THEIR HUNTS.

He is gathering data on hunters tendencies to increase his odds of finding on molested spots lol don't answer him fellas

 

[kyler1945]

He is gathering data on hunters tendencies to increase his odds of finding on molested spots lol don't answer him fellas

hahah fortunately it’s easier than water boarding the truth out of internet strangers… I just hunt where deer are. It’s almost always where people aren’t!

 

[Bowmanmike]

Most state land near me is no bigger than 1000 acres or so. And most of those have roads nearby or access roads in it,so I couldn't walk a mile if I wanted to,at least not in a straight line.
There is one forest that is over 8000 acres,but I haven't tried that yet. Also,the pressure here during bow season is non existent. More state land acres than people here in Central NY.

 

[AttackMode]

I hunt mountainous terrain that covers tens of thousands of acres. There's is limited parking areas and tons of woods in between. I don't have a set distance I travel but I've killed deer as far as 4 miles in and some as close as a couple hundred yards.

 

[TNSTAAFL]

What prompted me to dig up this thread was fussing over advertised weights of items, and how little it actually matters. Especially given how little distance/time most folks are actually carrying said items.

As a card-carrying advertised weight fusser, I guess I'd say that I walk just far enough, on average, to be annoyed by any real, perceived, or imagined differential in advertised weights.
The distance it takes to reach said annoyance is directly correlated with the particular distance, far or near, that I chose to walk on any given hunt.

 

[MattMan81]

Southern Michigan doesn't have anything more than 1/2 mile from a road

My few trips to public last season, I walked a long ways. Found fresh sign 100yrds from the truck on the way back thru. It was late season. But none the less further in all I found was lots of tree stands still up and hunter sign.

 

[Bdwilliams]

A buddy and I kept passing on a spot 50 yards from the parking area this season, even after we'd bump deer in there a time or two. It just felt like a dumb setup but I bet a fella could've killed one there. Everyone overlooks it...

I believe I read somewhere that the average distance hunters travel from the parking lot was 400-800 yards. If I have time I'll try to find the publication...

 

[Bowtie747]

I’ll add another thing and see if anyone agrees. When going into a new area it seems some areas “guide” you or “push” you a certain directions. Where it’s terrain or trails. I tend to try to recognize that and fight that urge and go a different way.

 

[Plebe]

I’ll add another thing and see if anyone agrees. When going into a new area it seems some areas “guide” you or “push” you a certain directions. Where it’s terrain or trails. I tend to try to recognize that and fight that urge and go a different way.

I've sensed that, but often I'll go with it to good results.

 

[Bowtie747]

I've sensed that, but often I'll go with it to good results.

I totally get that. Like the instinctive hunt here feeling. I’m talking more heavily hunted areas. I use it to get away! I also agree sometimes “it” leads you to a good spot. It’s kind of a double edge sword haha

 

[Plebe]

I totally get that. Like the instinctive hunt here feeling. I’m talking more heavily hunted areas. I use it to get away! I also agree sometimes “it” leads you to a good spot. It’s kind of a double edge sword haha

I'm on board with that too.

 

[Bwhana]

I usually (90-95%) hunt where I can see the face of the drivers in vehicles passing by on roads, yet I still cut every single ounce of weight I can. I will not carry a water bottle most hunts just to save weight - just thing! That said, please hunt deep everyone, that's where the deer really are.

 

[woodsdog2]

I'm all over the place depending on the location and terrain and what previous scouting and realtime pressure dictate. Proper undetectable access dictates to me (usually) how long my trek will be. Depending on the location and pressure over the course of the season, typically my distance increases as the season progresses on average.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

Wait y’all get out of the truck to hunt?
What is that shiny light bar on top of the truck for again if not hunting from the parking lot

 

[1simplemann]

Typically my walks are no longer than they need to be. As long as my access is good, I will hunt close to the truck or as much as 1 3/4 miles. On that particular tree, I'm literally 200 yds behind another hunter's house. I only hunt it when he's not hunting. When he hunts he comes in from his back door and walks across the field to the woods. He totally blow out the deer. There's some great bedding on an island behind his house. With proper access, it's a great spot. I used to be able to access from the other direction and it was only 300 yds. Now I'm forced to take the long way.
I used to have a spot that had really good hunting close to the truck. 100-300yds at the most. Proper access was the key. I had that spot for 10yrs till it got opened to the public. It was a nice spot w/ good bucks on it and there only a few of us that hunted it. Then it became 6 guys a day for the whole season. Time to find a new spot!

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I tend to hunt the spots close to the road (that I am interested in hunting) during bow season when I have the place pretty much to myself. Once the gun season starts, I tend to do what the deer do and go farther in to avoid pressure near the roads. I walk until the deer sign gets hot and the human sign gets cold. I too have noticed that the stands that I find are within 300 yards of the road or closer. Most are within that 50-to-150-yard range. None I have seen are past a creek or ditch that they would have to cross. I am sure there may be a few mobile guys hunting that aren't leaving obvious sign like ladder stands.

The only guy I talked to out on the hunting land this past season was a guy in his 60's who told me he had a climber out and hunted from that spot all season. In talking to him a big issue to him was how was he going to get a deer out if he did kill one. He had to be able to get a 4 wheeler to his spot should he get one.

A little off topic but another thing I have noticed is what seems to be a fear of the dark. I can't count the times I have heard trucks crank up on the road 30 to 40 minutes before dark. Guys are getting down and leaving the woods at prime time. All I can chalk it up too is not wanting to walk out in the dark. Has anyone else observed this?

 

[GeoFish]

Wait y’all get out of the truck to hunt?
What is that shiny light bar on top of the truck for again if not hunting from the parking lot

Too many people using your method of hunting in Kentucky LOL.

 

[boyne bowhunter]

Too many people using your method of hunting in Kentucky LOL.

Wait y’all get out of the truck to hunt?
What is that shiny light bar on top of the truck for again if not hunting from the parking lot

everywhere . . .

 

[1simplemann]

I tend to hunt the spots close to the road (that I am interested in hunting) during bow season when I have the place pretty much to myself. Once the gun season starts, I tend to do what the deer do and go farther in to avoid pressure near the roads. I walk until the deer sign gets hot and the human sign gets cold. I too have noticed that the stands that I find are within 300 yards of the road or closer. Most are within that 50-to-150-yard range. None I have seen are past a creek or ditch that they would have to cross. I am sure there may be a few mobile guys hunting that aren't leaving obvious sign like ladder stands.

The only guy I talked to out on the hunting land this past season was a guy in his 60's who told me he had a climber out and hunted from that spot all season. In talking to him a big issue to him was how was he going to get a deer out if he did kill one. He had to be able to get a 4 wheeler to his spot should he get one.

A little off topic but another thing I have noticed is what seems to be a fear of the dark. I can't count the times I have heard trucks crank up on the road 30 to 40 minutes before dark. Guys are getting down and leaving the woods at prime time. All I can chalk it up too is not wanting to walk out in the dark. Has anyone else observed this?

Fear of the Dark is a good point. I had a guy that had permission on the same property that I did. We hardly saw each other. I was in the woods well before daylight and he arrived at or after daybreak. He was always gone before me at lunch time or after an evening sit. He never went in far. 200-400 yds max.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

Too many people using your method of hunting in Kentucky LOL.

I mean if it ain’t broke….