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have to vent

I

ia_buck

New Member
I been bow hunting for two years now on public land and i haven't even got to draw my bow back on a deer yet. Well im sitting in my stand and watch deer about 200 yard away and cant do anything about it they are one privet land i tried calling nothing. Then sunda morning i was walking to my stand and in the field to get to the stand a little basket rack was laying in the fenc line were i walk and of course didn't see him intill i say the white flag. Im siting on a great trail were there are scraps and all sort of signs. I know it takes time but it happen to me last year to. I find out last week that a great buck got taken one the other side of me on privet and th guy said there a bunch of big bucks in the group he saw and of course i getto sit in the stand just to watch them. Sorry i just had to vent thanksfor listening lol
 
Sucks to here about your bad luck but to be honest with you, when hunting public land you can't really have to high of expectations. Yes it can be done and yes you can kill good quality deer on it, as some of the members on this site have done so and or do so, but instead of venting over an outdoor forum you should be trying your hardest to fix problems. Ask yourself what your doing wrong and try and fix it, maybe you have your expectations set to high, maybe your doing the little things wrong stand placement etc, deer hunting is one big game of cat and mouse and it seems to be a losing battle if your not outworking them ( being the mouse). I'm a student at Iowa state, I work 20 hrs a week, I hunt 15 mins from were I live, and yet I still find time to do the right things. I have hunted public but i did my homework all summer long scouting calling land owners and doing things right, so I am fortunate to not have to hunt public. I'm not bashing your or anyone else but it really bothers me that people get on outdoor forums to vent about things they have FULL CONTROL over such as hunting on public land. Seems to be the huge topic to complain about on outdoor forums. Sorry about your luck, the rut is just kicking off and if you put in your time and do things right you should have a crack at a deer that makes you happy. Good luck buddy and hang in there.
 
Any chance of getting permission on the private land? That would be my first thought. Maybe try a decoy to bring them closer???
 
Go knockin on some doors and ask to hunt their land. Worst thing that could happen is they say no.
 
Well i triied to ask the land owner to hunt and they told me no. I know ur not bashing anyone i have scout that area before and saw a bunch walk that same trail all day i even have cameras and got some great shots of deer there. So it not like i just picked a spot and said this looks like a good spot lol. So im sorry that i was venting but its just crazy. Thanks for the advice
 
And im not looking for the 30pointer im more then happy taking a doe. I take a doe everylate muzzle season. I just want to see a deer walk by lol. Good luck to u to
 
It'll all work out. I would try to hunt different areas. Very few people have success going to the same stand everynight. I'd try some different public spots.

Just dont write the land owner a letter.
 
Not sure where you're hunting up here, close to S.City? I may be able to offer some assistance if you want it. You should be seeing deer even if it's little 6's and does.
Not encouraging fence sitting, but get to the farthest back boundary of the property and see how much company you have.
 
I would agree, ask around. Get out the PLAT map and start knocking on doors. Iowans for the most part, are very kind and I am sure some old farmer would love for you to help take deer off his property.

Also, not sure your line of work, but a lot of times you can exchange a service to get on property as well.
 
Public land hunting can be rough. I found it more beneficial to scout the other hunters than the deer. Sure you need to do your work on the deer, but if every other hunter in the woods are rattling every 30 minutes and blowing grunt tubes and setting out scent bombs everywhere, my suggestion to you would be to set up on a good looking trail and sit quiet and don't call. I've had the best luck on public ground getting to my stand super early and just sitting still and waiting. Also, do they only hunt on the weekends? If so, take a couple days off work and hit it during the week. Just like fishing, they know when the weekend hits because of increased pressure. You can rip them during the week when you are the only boat on the water. Same thing works hunting.

Also, seeking out land that nobody is willing to hunt because it's too hilly or access is difficult. Sure it sucks to drag them out of there, but that's the price for success on public land..

Another thing I've done is set multiple stands in an area. This will tell other hunters that this place is really getting pounded, but they are all you and they set up elsewhere.. Not always foolproof as you can tell by other threads, but it's worked for me.. Plus that gives you more options for hunting based on the wind direction.

Keep positive and good luck...
 
thanks guys like i said i have asked and they all say no or the all have family members that hunt..... hunt i live in paullina and hunt by sutherland i could use all the help i can get... thanks..... scoffin i work in excavation and i get laid off in the winter so about thanksgiving.... and as far as other ppl hunting it iv only seen my truck and the guy who owns to the north of the public .... u have to cross privet to get to were the stands are i got permission to walk across but not to hunt it... thanks gundog there is a lot of public maybe ill try to find another spot... and drop its to late for my spell and grammar lol that and i typed it on my phone so u never know what ur going to type lol.... thanks for all the advice
 
I know how you feel i sat a stand for a couple weeks, but one day a bruiser came by. You just never know what's gona happen, good luck.
 
Hunting Nw IA sucks. Everyone and their brother hunts there and land is ultra limited and way overhunted. Do like I do and head to a different part off the state and start door knocking there. Sure you may need to drive but that's how I ended up with 80 timber acres to myself. Befriend the land owner and offer to work the timber such as fixing fences, spraying unwanted weeds, clearing dead trees, etc in exchange of exclusive use of the property. Otherwise look into buying or leasing something.
 
Iabuck if you work in excavating you already have a way in. If your boss allows it maybe use some equipment and help a farmer or landowner out with some work. It may cost you a little money for fuel but you may get exclusive rights to the land for years to come. I had a friend do the exact same thing and now he has pheasant, deer, and yote land to hunt on. I've put some pheasant in the freezer from the arrangement.
 
I already know my boss wont go for that i was going to use the backhoe a.my dad and he said there's no way.
 
Grew up hunting Sutherland area...dad and good friends still hunt the area. They are hunting majority of public land. I know my dad sat all weekend last weekend and didn't have much for movement. Good friend sat this morning in the same public area and saw 7 different bucks. May need to try out a new public piece ... hang tight...it's just getting good. You never know what can show up in that area during the rut. Stay positive
 
since u grew up here u know ever public spot has like 400 ppl in it...and u should know what the waterman is like well it got worse lol its hard to find a good spot.. i think i have got a good spot just might have to move one stand to a differant spot
 
I would pack up and go on a road trip to some of the larger public tracks in central, southern or Northeastern Iowa. You won't have a problem putting a deer in the freezer.
 
Liv4Rut said:
I would pack up and go on a road trip to some of the larger public tracks in central, southern or Northeastern Iowa. You won't have a problem putting a deer in the freezer.
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I will not publicly agree.... but its great advice.
 
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