Public Hunting Woes

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Jeremiah

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I found what I thought would be a decent spot to wait for a deer on public land and went out this morning. I set up and settled in about an hour before shooting time.

Then I hear a couple people come up behind me. They were talking loudly and it sounded like they were setting up something. I whistled a few times but it didn't deter them. 5 min later they had moved on. phew.

Great, here comes another couple of people, stomping through the trail talking. They didn't stop so maybe it will be ok still.

20 min to shooting time. Now a boat pulls in (i'm fairly close to the lake). They pull into shore and start unloading their equipment which of course means a lot of talking and slamming doors.

The sun starts coming up and I'm still thinking I might have a chance at something, but about 30 shotgun blasts and 20 min later and I give up and move on.

Apparently my decent spot to wait for a deer was a GREAT SPOT for duck hunting.
 

deerwhacker444

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You'd probably be surprised at what deer will put up with. If there's food and cover in the area, I bet the deer will still be there. Plus,..the people moving around might help move the deer around. If it's a good spot, I wouldn't give up just yet.
 

Davs2601

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Yep stay away from the lake during duck season. I made that mistake once. Look at the bright side, its a beautiful day out there and Im stuck at work.

Also my budy duck hunts out there and now takes his bow because the deer act like they dont care and has had multiple changes to take deer within 20 yards during duck hunting.
 

firewalker600

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A couple of years ago I was bow hunting and a sea of orange came out from everywhere and the sounds of dogs barking. I found out it was the opening of quail season. Its a funny thing hunting public land. I wish you better luck next time.
 

dennishoddy

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A couple of years ago I was bow hunting and a sea of orange came out from everywhere and the sounds of dogs barking. I found out it was the opening of quail season. Its a funny thing hunting public land. I wish you better luck next time.

Biggest buck I've ever seen in the wild came across an open field on my place opening weekend of pheasant season. He had been flushed from his hiding area by a line of pheasant hunters.
I didn't shoot, as I was afraid of it not being legal.
According to the regs as I read them, taking deer with aid of dogs is not legal.
I guess that could be interperted a couple of different ways, as they were not my dogs, nor were they on my property, but still..... I'd rather err on the safe side.
 

RedTape

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I was duck hunting several years ago during deer gun season on some public land. We were on the edge of a flooded field and some deer hunters walked out into the non flooded part a few hundred yards away. Shortly afterward a does steps out of the woods behind us and they start blasting away at her. We were all jumping behind trees hoping not to get shot. Not a good time...although I can't help but laugh now, there was an awesome buck about 20 yards from us and would have walked out right behind the doe.

My point is. Sometimes more people in the woods just keep the deer moving. The glass might be half full.
 

okieboomer1

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I saw more deer sitting in my duck blind Saturday morning than ducks. If you are hunting public land around a lake you gotta work hard to get a good spot.
 

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