I thought we all could share some tips on how we kill deer on high pressure public lands. One thing I've learned is if your gonna kill big deer like a 4 or 5 year old buck on public ground is stop hunting the obvious places. Now here me out I'm talking we all know funnels, acorn trees, and trails work but not very often on mature deer. I've learned the key to killing them is simple and no one hardly does it. I'm talking find out where he beds get as close as you can and hunt him there otherwise in my opinion you might as well be on mars. The best time to do this is after the season of course finding a mature bucks bed is like a gold mine. If you do find it get in it see what he sees and why he bedded there. Pay attention to what wind he's using while there and I promise you you'll kill more big bucks. I use the muddy outdoors hunter stand with 4 sticks works great a d is light. That way your not looking for a straight limbless tree your just looking for any tree to get in. Because we all know usually where a buck beds isn't gonna have good trees close by.

Also don't afraid to get on the ground and hunt them the first buck with a bow was 10 years ago on wheeler from the ground it can be done. As of now I've taken 7 deer from the ground all on public land.

Go after the season ends, walk, look and learn. And you're right about hunting from the ground. You don't have to be in a tree.

Time on the ground. Map your points and think about what an area will look like in early season vs late season.

Once you think you have walked far enough from where you think other hunters stop, walk a little farther.

Here is my tip. Most people drive to a gate or dead end parking and start walking. Next time park then turn around and walk back down the road a hundred yards and hunt right there in that general location. Thank me later.

Did a lot of public land in Michigan... I hunted a lot of places where I could see cars on the highway. Saw nice bucks that way. Like previously mentioned typical behavior is to go as far as you can, so I hunted close. I also hunt a lot of swaps and swap edges. That's where they like to hide and I saw ALOT of mid-day movement. I also did a lot of late morning/early afternoon hunts with success. Another thing I liked was hunting near old home sites, fruit trees were plentiful there, mainly apples.

Better know the area doing that or you'll just come out on another road, lol. Did that once!

We mainly hunt by boat on the upper delta, so no roads really. Just a compass n gps mainly. We try and walk down creek beds a ways so we don't get to lost.

I used to believe that myself. Tell you a quick story about that. We were in Missouri hunting this year and I seen a spot on the map that was about 2 miles from the closest parking lot. I thought, ain't no way someone is stupid enough to walk that far so I struck out for it. When I crested the hill that falls off to the property line there was 2 guys in the road putting a tripod stand up in the middle of a CRP field. While I was talking to them, 2 more guys walked up. They told me they had 3 buddies that were hunting along the west side that day and said there was another guy on the line where we were headed. So there ended up being 8 people in that little 40 acre square. I said, self, piss on this I'm going back to the truck. I was about 200 yards from the parking lot and I look off the hill and there is a 130" 8 point looking right at me. I hit the dirt and watched him for a bit but he had already seen me and went back the way he came. I knew then I needed to spend my time closer to the truck. Next evening I go and climb a tree right by where I seen the buck and about an hour before dark I see him and a doe working there way up towards a turnip patch on the hill where I had been the day before.

All the pressure around the farthest edges had the deer pushed off onto private ground and up around the parking lots on public ground. I ended up missing a good 8 point about 70 yards from my truck the day before we left. The same holds true for our WMA's in bama. The only way your ever gonna find a place to yourself is hunt close to the road or parking lot, or be willing to risk your life on an ATV.

Most of Alabama's WMA's are quiet large as compared to the number of bow hunters that frequently hunt there. I would bet that the average lease gets more pressure per acre than an Alabama WMA. Barbour is almost 29,000 acres. I have never seen over about 30 people hunting it at one time other than the scheduled gun hunts. The gun hunts may get a couple hundred hunters. I think Alabama public land is some of the best hunting in Alabama. In the early season I look forward to the hunters pouring in for the gun hunts to get the deer moving. The key to success is staying in the woods a lot during hunting season, find where the deer are bedding and where they are feeding and hunt them. Even if pressure pushes them out of an area, figure out where they went. Growing up we didn't have the money for private leases, so Barbour county WMA was like our hunting club. I have done most of my hunting on public land primarily with a bow and think they are a fabulous place to hunt.

I have hunted miles deep and yards from the roads(dirt don't have the 1oo yard rule on unmaintained roads on the wma). I actually had a guy stop and ask me if I had seen anything yet while he was driving in one time... I saw him at the check in station and asked him did he have the same luck i did as I checked a big doe. Funny thing is he was telling his buddy some folks don't have a clue as he drove past me... I love shut up juice!

Either hunt close to the truck where people think is too close, or walk way further than most. If your lucky enough to me on places where I hunt, "public land" if your lucky enough to find somewhere, anywhere, that people don't think is a good spot or where they would not normally hunt, that's your spot, far or near, ground or tree, the really pretty good spots, where every one always is usually aren't where the big ones are killed. On the other hand, I have followed somebody's old bright eyes to a tree on the refuge and killed a buck, it's all LUCK, or putting in time scouting.

I think sometimes we over think everything. People say smell and scent is a big deal but I've had bucks and does check out my dip spit directly below me and seem to appeal to it. People say go as deep as you can but I have nice bucks on camera near and far. They say don't hunt on rainy days but those are some of my better days. So on and so on.

Actually, recently I've been going deep into a certain area where I hunt but I realized that the deeper I go the less activity and sign I see....well if that's the case why am I going deeper? Why not hunt 50 yards into the woods where I'm seeing the most sign? Some will say it's all does...well that's where you want to be when run starts right? Don't over think it.

I think the secret is to do the simple things that will allow you to be successful. Scout, learn the area, learn the movements and tendencies, and don't over think it and put your butt in the stand.

My first thought also. Been there done that.

I find accessability, not distance, is key to finding non pressured areas. It could be 200yds from the truck, but if it isn't easy to get too, most folks won't put in the effort.

I know a lot of people in the state hunt on the WMA's, which can be some really good hunting. However if you can find some out of the way tracts of National Forest land, those can be hidden gems. Not saying they won't be pressured, but during bow season you are very likely to have them to yourself. You'll still need to do your homework and scout them out, but finding out of the way spots can make things a lot easier in terms of lower pressure and more natural deer movement.

...And like many have said, nothing will make up for experience on any public land.

quote]
We mainly hunt by boat on the upper delta, so no roads really. Just a compass n gps mainly. [/quote]
Look at maps and find big peninsulas and put 2 people a few hundred yards from the point, have someone else slowly push it and you'll be surprised at how many deer you see.

What would be the cheapest(best) way to go about using a lock on stand. I really like the idea of not having to look the perfect tree when hunting. I go to church with a guy who drills a puts pegs in trees but i dont know how that would fly on WMA. I was also wondering how long and how loud it would be to put up climbing sticks the morning of the hunt.

Slaya it's illegal on wma check out the lone wolf climbing sticks or muddy outdoor sticks not to expensive super easy to use hunt anywhere.

With practice you can set up totally silent only takes about 10 minutes if that