Going All Out On Public Land

Going All Out On Public Land 
 
By Steve Bartylla    
    
"Think you have no chance to kill a huge buck on heavily hunted public ground? Think again."

The sun was still an hour from rising, but it already seemed like I’d had a long day. The half-mile hike back in wasn’t bad. It was slapping on the waders and trying my best to sludge quietly through the two hip-deep swamps of muck that had drained me....

To Read Article: Click HERE  
 
Feel free to share your comments after reading this article by posting on this forum.
 
 

True, True.
 
For years I had to hunt public lands in NY. I seen numerous big deer in my times in the woods. The only problem back then was I was only 18 or 19 yrs old. Really didn't have that much knowledge of how a whitetail reasoned with hunting presure. I was more or less lucky with seeing the deer I did. Was never able to harvest one of the big ones. But was able to see them. And that always gave me hope as to one day taking one of those giants.
If only I knew then what I know now I might have one hell of a trophy room!!
 
Great story Steve.

Hunt Hard, Hunt Safe and enjoy what you got in life
Paul Snyder
LM NAHC,NRA,SCI,DU

duckwild:
 
Glad you enjoyed the article! 
 
I've always had the good fortune of hunting on private land.  Mainly because I had a high school hunting buddy whose parents owned an 80 acre parcel of land in north central Wisconsin and the fact that I knocked on a lot of farmer's doors and asked permission to hunt on their land.  Also, I couldn't stand the thought of walking around the woods on a piece of property in the dark and not knowing who or what was lurking in the shadows, not to mention the threat of getting your stand stolen or accidentally shot.
 
Public-land whitetails are a whole different ballgame than private-land deer.  Bartylla is a good writer.  I enjoy reading his articles.  He is becoming the new Greg Miller of whitetail-bowhunting-outdoor-writing.  There was a time in the 80s and 90s when you could pick up just about any whitetail bowhunting magazine and find a Greg Miller article.  Same thing with Steve Bartylla today.
 
Take care and Good Hunting!
 
Best Afield,
 
Steve   

  Great article!  Love his writing...  I hunt a section of State land that has an island surrounded by a swamp.  I set a stand close to the water & that's all I heard, water splashing, when I didn't see the deer heading to the island.  'Bout drowned trying to walk out to the island!!  Gotta get a "poke" boat or something!!  Local Ranger verified that's where some of 'dem bucks were heading with the pressure!

Jeff

 I love public land have hunted this state property over 30+ years. It`s a completely different game, takes a very long time to figure it all out. One thing that helps me out is I can hunt all the farms that border the wma, plus I live here, The state property begins where our corn field ends. The best spots I have found are pinch points. and my number one choice is an escape route. When the hunters head in and scatter out they push the deer right to me. thats in gun season with heavy pressure. bow season is different story not much pressure can hunt travel routes catch bucks cruising for does. Thats usually the end of October first of November.

  Hmmm...end of Oct, 1st of Nov...I wonder who has vacation then??  Oh, yeah...me!!!!

Jeff

You aint the only one brother............LMAO!!

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

I try my hardest not to book work the first week of Nov.  There's no better time to be in the woods.  In my opinion.
I have found, over the years, that Nov 5-13 are the best times to see lots of deer. At least in the north. Mid to low 30's and the deer seem to be moving like race cars. Does looking for food and bucks, well just looking for action. If ya know what I mean. LOL

Hunt Hard, Hunt Safe and enjoy what you got in life
Paul Snyder
LM NAHC,NRA,SCI,DU

For me there are 20 days -- I call them the 20 Magical Days -- of bowhunting that just seem to stand out as far as seeing the biggest bucks.
 
Here's the breakdown:
 
October 22 through 26 -- Bucks are still in pre-rut, running rub and scrape lines and looking for does to come into heat.  I have seen and shot some of my biggest bucks during this particular 5 day stretch.
 
October 27 through October 31 -- This is another really good pre-rut period where bucks are running rub lines and checking scrapes on a fairly predictable pattern.  If you can find a line of rubs that have fresh scrapes nearby you need to be sitting from dawn until dusk watching for bucks working and checking scrapes and traveling down rub lines.
 
November 1 through November 5 -- This is when does are coming into heat on a regular basis and anything can happen at anytime.  I once had multiple bucks chasing multiple does past my tree stand in Illinois.  It was the 5th of November and I will never forget the day as long as I live.  I saw the biggest typical whitetail of my hunting career that day.  He was a monstrous 12-point, perfectly symmetrical typical with dark horns that sported a massive frame with long main beams and heavy tines that reached skyward.  He was a sight to behold.  He was at least a 200-inch typical!  His rack was so big it almost appeared as if he would tip forward from the weight on his head!  Truly, a once-in-a-lifetime buck!!
 
November 6 through 10 -- This is still a very good time to catch bucks chasing does that are coming into heat.  Rubs and scrapes have become all but abandoned and bucks are still on their feet for most of the day.  Serious bowhunters are sitting from dawn until dusk during this time as well as from the 27th through the 31st of October and from the 1st through the 5th of November.
 
I have found that after November 10th the bucks have hot does locked down and move a lot less, either from fatigue, hunting pressure or a significantly downward turn in does coming into heat, even though in most states the "peak of the rut" is noted to occur on the 15th of November.
 
These are just my personal observations bowhunting for whitetails in certain parts of the Midwest.
 
Take care and Good Hunting!
 
Best Afield,
 
Steve

I couldn't agree more with ya Steve.
 
Although, like I stated, the 5-13 is when I have seen the most deer on the move. Not saying that I haven't seen my good share of deer moving in late Oct ( halloween is also a special time ) but there is just something about the first two weeks of Nov. that no bowhunter should miss!!

Hunt Hard, Hunt Safe and enjoy what you got in life
Paul Snyder
LM NAHC,NRA,SCI,DU

  Yep, Duck, couldn't agree more.  I've seen more deer/activity that last week of Oct/1st week of Nov.  Haven't killed a lot of deer in that time, but it was great to be in the woods then.
   Oh, yeah, and the bonus as a cop was not being on duty Halloween!!!!  

Jeff

 We`ll  do Halloween Hoosier style this year. 56 days and counting. 

  Hmmm... "two digit midget" for the countdown!!

Jeff

Great article. Boy can I relate to the grunt rattle sequence portion of that. I hunted a small little island surrounded by a big marsh last year. After the rut started you could hear grunts and rattles (not real ones) up and down the high ridges on a calm day. It started out bothering me then actually got comical.