Public land hunting????

[jamoke67]

Me and my dad go up to Onida county Wisconsin and we have a deer camp with a bunch of friends. We don't own any land up there so we go one the hundreds of acres that are public land. So my question is..... Do you hunt on public land? do you have any susses? How do you choose where to go? Thanks for reading.

[dtrain56]

i have hunted public land, and have shoot a nice eight point, where to go..where everyone else wont and don't move ...
 
stay in your stand most public hunters get up around 10 and come back to the woods around 1 ...i have seen all my bucks on public land moving around 11-2
 
i hunt the thickest crap i can find..usually a swamp bottom with lots of growth..and i can really only shoot 100 yards or so if that..we have killed a few bucks off public land (my hunting group) and all are in swamp botoms in tight places within 50-yards of our stands

[schlupis]

Where abouts in Oneida County do you hunt I hunt in Oneida county on private land near three lakes. I would get back in a good 1/4 mile or so and sit all day like drtain56 stated when all the others get up to eat and then come back they will push some deer your way and you will get some shooting.
 
had some buddies that have all shot their biggest deer when the other hunters leave and then come back so be paitent and sit all day. Good luck.

[ChewyTKE609]

My dad and I also hunt Oneida county.  We have a family cabin near St. Germain.  We don't own much land around our place, but there is plenty of public land.  We have decent luck.  My uncle, who stays up north all week, is usually able to bag a buck after opening weekend.  The rest of us are fairly hit or miss.  We all tend to see deer, but don't necessarily always get a shot.  I have to echo what dtrain56 said as well about staying in your stand.  He's right, most hunters that I've noticed, do tend to get up between 10 and noon to head in for lunch, and they come back around two for the afternoon. 
My dad is also a fan of still hunting.  If he's not seeing much during the morning he'll get up and walk the numerous logging roads looking for deer.

[Big Buck Daddy]

I live and hunt in Central Wisconsin.  The last few years work has forced me to stay close to home.  I can't get home from work until 8am so hunting public land works good for me.  Especially after opening weekend, most guys have gone back home.  I like to take my time when I get home, eat breakfast, take a scent free shower, etc.  Then I hit the public land, driving around to the several parking areas to find a open one.  I usually get out around 10 am.  I take a hub-style blind with me for those rainy, snowy, windy days to make the stay more comfortable.  I'll find a good spot and set up and try to stay out until sundown.  I've noticed this works good for me, like most guys say, people start to move and head in for lunch and such.  I'm set and ready for the mid-day movements.
 
I've seen some of the largest bucks doing this.
 
Side-note: Wisconsin passed a new rule for any ground blinds on public land.  Here it is from the DNR's regulations handbook:
[font=timesltstd-roman][font=timesltstd-roman][color=#231f20][size=1][font=timesltstd-roman][color=#231f20][size=1][left][color=#ff0000][size=4]Ground blinds on DNR-controlled lands must display a [/size][/color][/font][/size][/color][/font][/size][/color][/font][font=timesltstd-bold][font=timesltstd-bold][font=timesltstd-bold]minimum of 144 square[/left][left]inches [/font][/font][/font][font=timesltstd-roman][font=timesltstd-roman][font=timesltstd-roman]of material that is a solid, highly visible color commonly referred to as[/left][left]blaze orange that is visible [/font][/font][/font][font=timesltstd-bold][font=timesltstd-bold][font=timesltstd-bold]360 degrees around the blind [/font][/font][/font][font=timesltstd-roman][font=timesltstd-roman][color=#231f20][font=timesltstd-roman][color=#231f20][color=#ff0000]during any gun or muzzleloader[/left][left]deer season. All ground blinds must also be identifi ed with the owner's[/left]customer ID number or name and address when not occupied during the day.
[/color][/font][/color][/font][/color][/font]

[cjgaleana]

This Is my second year hunting and most of the time I am hunting on public land in Huron county, Michigan. I saw lots of orange in the woods on opening day and heard lots of shots go off. I saw about 6 doe throughout the weekend, but never a buck. With all those people in the woods, what are my best options? I was about 300 yards in the woods, which I was thinking may have been too close to the edge of the woods. Also I was using Buck Calls, and the can. I was also using Buck bomb which I sprayed around me and on my pants and boots. Was I maybe over doing it or what? Thanks for reading.

[dtrain56]

To hunt hunt public land you must be willing to go where others aren't -
 
scents are no good-
 
calls are no good-
 
 
hunt thick security cover and escape trails...which are draws ands revines that are over grown with cover.
 
though these spots are tough because you can't shoot as far as you would like it gives you a better chance to shoot or see a buck
 
 

[mag30079]

I gave up on public land for gun season after almost getting shot by a target shooter. Up hill shooting on the second day of gun season. I'll go out for bow, much more relaxing. I talk to a buddy of mine and he hunted public land this past weekend. Someone in there party shot a doe, tagged, gutted it. He had the deer about 80 yds off the road and figured they'd drag it to the truck at the end of the day. This guy got up to go take a you know what and came back to find his tag on the ground and his deer gone.
 
Thats a low blow stealing someones deer.

[highview72]

We hunt public land the opening weekend of the gun season and have always had good luck. (until this year). Like everyone else said, get away from the crowd for your best chance and find escape trails leading to bedding areas in the thick nasty stuff. If you know where others will be hunting, get between them and bedding areas and get there earlier.

[Xplorer]

Shot my best buck on opening day on public land. Sat put as people walked all around me all day long, & caught him trying to sneak around a group that had just walked by. I'm sure I scared the crap outta them when I shot, but they never even seen me or the buck.