Public vs. Private

[ajupsman]

I'm wondering what everyone's thoughts are on the pros and cons of hunting public and private land. My buddy and I have come from New Hampshire the last two years to hunt the rut and so far all we have hunted is public land. In 2011 we hunted 6 days in Muskingum county and I shot a button buck while my buddy got skunked. Our combined deer sightings on stand were around 12 with my buddy seeing one decent buck. This year we hunted 7 days (planned on 8 but got rained out 1 day) in Coshocton and Muskingum counties. I got skunked but my buddy got a doe and a decent buck. Our deer sightings on stand were down from last year to less than 10. My buddy did have a "magic 24 hours" where he saw 3 nice bucks and a couple of does but if you take that out of the equation our deer sightings on stand drop below 5. That's a lot of deerless sits. Now, for us to take 3 deer in 2 hunts on public land, with one being a decent buck would have to be considered a success. However the lack of deer sightings on stand has been surprising. We are realistic and didn't expect to see herds of deer every day but I really thought we at least see a few deer every day. The lack of doe sightings has been surprising as well. I think we've only seen 3 does in two years. Any idea why? The other obvious problem with public land is the other hunters. This year I saw more hunters on stand than I did deer. Most that saw me turned and left but I did have one guy set up 75 yards behind me. To say the least that ticked me off. One thing we've learned this year is that we need to go further in to the woods. Most hunters won't go more than 200 yards from their truck. My question for everyone is, are we missing the boat not hunting on private land? Both of us love the challenge of a do-it-yourself hunt so we really don't want to use an outfitter. Also the lower cost of a DIY hunt on public land allows us to double our hunting days when compared to a guided hunt. We are talking about a lease but we're 14 hours from the area we hunt so how much use are we really going to get from a lease. Is private land that much better that it makes sense to lease land that we're only going to use a couple of weeks a year? Our final thought was should we hunt a different area of the state? The counties we hunt are two of the most popular in the state. It's fun to be in an area like that during hunting season because everyone is there for the same thing. It's a great atmosphere but I can't help but wonder if we'd see more deer in an area that is not so popular. We checked out public land in Ashtabula and Trumbull counties on the way home and it looked decent.

Sorry for the long post but I'll be interested to hear your opinions. To be clear, I'm not asking for any specific areas or strategies. I can't stand when people ask questions like that. I'd just like to know if we're crazy for driving 14 hours to hunt only public land.

[Seeker Bp]

Personally, I hunt both private and public...Of course my private land holds more numbers of deer than most of the public land we hunt, but alot has to do with no traffic on private to a multitude of traffic on public. And I too have seen an increase of bowhunters in the past couple years in the public areas. Sounds to me that you have done pretty good for yourselves by getting the deer that you have out of public area, and yes most hunters can still see there truck from there spot.. Getting deeper is the key...I think that most stay closer because they want an easier drag if they do bag. About the only other options are to start knocking on doors and try and find that perfect piece of private that the landowner wants you to hunt. In this day and age, its getting tougher to find. Good luck this season.....

[whodey1966]

My biggest I have ever killed(11 point) was on public land with my bow. You never know!

[radicalxl]

There is a reason out of state hunters use outfitters, they put you on deer. I have had the good fortune of living among them my whole life, and never gave anybody any money to hunt either. Most of the real good years I have had came because I spent more time scouting and setting up blinds than I did hunting. This is where you guys are at a disadvantage. I just can't imagine having to go into a place basicly blind and expect much at all. But as an old saying goes, good things take a while to develope, great things happen quickly. I agree with Seeker you guys have had alot more sucess than most have had in your situation. Sounds like if you seriously want to hunt Ohio, knock on the doors as Seeker has said, lease as you have said, or buy. At least if you buy and don't use it much now, you may in the future and you have something of value to show for it. With any of these options still comes the fact of having to scout and learning the lay of the land. Do what you can do throughout the year to get to know the area your hunting. I know if I had ever been forced to hunt in an unfamiliar area, thats what I would do. To a guy who has never had to do that, it is pretty much a no-brainer. Good luck to ya.

[ajupsman]

My biggest I have ever killed(11 point) was on public land with my bow. You never know!

In my opinion that's a trophy no matter what it scored. My buddy's buck this year was probably around 110 inches but combine that with the fact it's a bow kill on public land that makes it a trophy buck. Eye of the beholder I guess.

Seeker and radicalxl, thanks for posting. I like hearing the opinions of experienced hunters who live and hunt right in the thick of it.

[teej89]

My dad and I did a DIY in Ohio this year, granted it's only a four hour drive from where we are in Pa but we scouted it once in August then discarded the area we scouted and he decided to go back in early october and he checked out an area and found me a tree and in two weekends we were there fri- 1/2 day sunday we each had an opporunity at +125" bucks one day I saw over 12 deer, but I saw deer every day and had turkeys in bow range 3 times haha

what we did was use topos mixed with areal photos mixed with Bing Maps, their 3d map is pretty impressive, it's literally like you're flying over the area. The key is to walk far and sit ALL day, I'd say a majority of the deer were between 10:30 and 3:30.

Private land can be awfully expensive if there are only two of you, for 100 acres with crops on it is gonna be getting up there with the costs of an outfitter. I mean if you don't mind paying the price and can get down a couple times to scout, private land is always good, low hunting pressure and if it's against state lands it's a buck's safe haven from all the hunters on state land.

[teej89]

and to add we were in muskingum county also, there were always cars parked in our lots but never ran into anyone.

[MICH]

i would say get away from the 2 cty's you hunted in, if you headed alittle more south & west, try going alittle earlier near oct. 30....

[blackbeard]

Radical pretty much covered it. Some public land is going to be less crowded but its all going to be tougher hunting than private. Land access is getting harder and harder to obtain, but being a local helps and being an out-of-stater is a disadvantage. I admire you out-of-staters though that hunt public and do it yourselves rather than going to an outfitter for the easy way out. Outfitters and land leasing are not good for Ohio's deer hunting......but I don't want to get that argument started, we've all voiced our opinions on that one before. Good luck and keep up the hard work.

[ajupsman]

i would say get away from the 2 cty's you hunted in, if you headed alittle more south & west, try going alittle earlier near oct. 30....

In 2011 we hunted the week of Oct. 30rd. We didn't see much rut action going on until the end of our hunt. We still saw quite a few hunters but not quite as many as we saw this year when we hunted the first two weeks of November. I think to really avoid the hunters on public land you'd have to hunt early or late season and that's not as fun. We are willing to make the 14 hour drive to see the rut action you have in Ohio. We don't have that at home.

[Griz]

In 2011 we hunted the week of Oct. 30rd. We didn't see much rut action going on until the end of our hunt. We still saw quite a few hunters but not quite as many as we saw this year when we hunted the first two weeks of November. I think to really avoid the hunters on public land you'd have to hunt early or late season and that's not as fun. We are willing to make the 14 hour drive to see the rut action you have in Ohio. We don't have that at home.

I agree with you a 100% on being in Ohio for the rut. But the big question is when is the Rut!! Its not at the same time every year, as you know from your experience. I happened to see a few more deer and had my chance, but according to someone I know who hunted the same area I did. I missed the peak rut. He said it started end of Oct and went into the 1st week of Nov. So, all we got was left overs I guess. he also said he saw 85 bucks in a 10 day period two yrs ago. This year he was there the same time I was and saw 8 bucks in a 1 week period. He was hunting the same ground. I know this person and he's a good big buck hunter. He kills some really nice bucks in NH. So as you know thats an acomplishment. Being working men, its hard to take more than 7 to 10 days for the trip. So its the luck of the draw on whether your there for the rut or not. Blackbeard had some info from deer and deer hunting that was pretty close to being right. So whats up for next yr?

[teej89]

So its the luck of the draw on whether your there for the rut or not. Blackbeard had some info from deer and deer hunting that was pretty close to being right.

he got the info from Charlie Alsheimer, he does rut predictions and is pretty d*mn good at it too, he wrote a book with all his predictions and I don't have the book on me but I had to laugh at his prediction for next year. If I remember correctly he said it's going to occur in mid october, however he said with the late/early (i forget which again I don't have the book on me it's at home) full moon the rut could also be extremely late like the third week of november. Therefore it makes planning a trip to ohio a crap shoot haha

[Griz]

he got the info from Charlie Alsheimer, he does rut predictions and is pretty d*mn good at it too, he wrote a book with all his predictions and I don't have the book on me but I had to laugh at his prediction for next year. If I remember correctly he said it's going to occur in mid october, however he said with the late/early (i forget which again I don't have the book on me it's at home) full moon the rut could also be extremely late like the third week of november. Therefore it makes planning a trip to ohio a crap shoot haha

Thanks, you just made me feel alot better for next yr. HaHa! I quess it really doesn't matter to me. Hunting in Ohio is so much better than hunting here at home. Tough to say but its the truth. You guys are lucky, lucky.

[ajupsman]

I agree with you a 100% on being in Ohio for the rut. But the big question is when is the Rut!! Its not at the same time every year, as you know from your experience. I happened to see a few more deer and had my chance, but according to someone I know who hunted the same area I did. I missed the peak rut. He said it started end of Oct and went into the 1st week of Nov. So, all we got was left overs I guess. he also said he saw 85 bucks in a 10 day period two yrs ago. This year he was there the same time I was and saw 8 bucks in a 1 week period. He was hunting the same ground. I know this person and he's a good big buck hunter. He kills some really nice bucks in NH. So as you know thats an acomplishment. Being working men, its hard to take more than 7 to 10 days for the trip. So its the luck of the draw on whether your there for the rut or not. Blackbeard had some info from deer and deer hunting that was pretty close to being right. So whats up for next yr?

Pretty sure we're headed back to the same area and the same dates. Going the first 2 weeks of November fits in to my schedule better than going in October. We'll make a few adjustments to our game plan and probably try to do more scouting than we have in the past. Although it's hard to resist the urge to get in a tree the first day.

[joejoe8]

Been hunting Ohio for 6years now, time wise I'll always be there on Nov. 9th. Scouting is the key on public land. good luck

[Griz]

Pretty sure we're headed back to the same area and the same dates. Going the first 2 weeks of November fits in to my schedule better than going in October. We'll make a few adjustments to our game plan and probably try to do more scouting than we have in the past. Although it's hard to resist the urge to get in a tree the first day.

I find if you scout without a tree stand on your back, you can't get in the tree. Its so hard to do during the rut, you feel like your going to miss something if your on the ground.

[mrbb]

well a little late getting here, and so far a lot was covered but here in my 2 cents
I have been doing DIY hunts in over a dozen states for over 20 yrs, on both public and privates lands I either rented or paid to have some private lands to myself while I was there to help avoid the walk ins and ruining a far off hunt
But I have killed the game I was after 90% of the time on both public and private lands hunts
when going in cold, its always best to do as much reserch as you can before planning the hunt or going there, like google earth, talking to game depts on areas you like/thinking about trying, to even calling a few local gun stores or butcher shops in them area's
ALWAYS take what you hear witrh a grain of salt
then really look over area's with aerial photo's all so much easier now than just 10 yrs ago too!

doing a DIY hunt isn't walways cheaper or better or worse than doing a guided hunt, I have been doing a DIY hunt in ohio for 10+ yrs, and typically a hunt will run me over a grand, and I again go in cold, where some outfitted hunts can be had for about $ 1250 and up and many include meals and lots of stands to pick from, , leaving you a lot more room in the truck on the way down, its hard to fit as many things as you would like traveling/driving to hunt(much better than flying however for sure)
I have private lands I hunt here at my home state, I have LOTS of deer, too many
so far the past 2.5 days of rifle season here on 13 hr day sits I only seen 2 deer, if I didn't know how many deer I have I would think the place sucks, but they just go nocturnal from pressure
like I believe they do in may many other places
which is just saying, cause you and your buddy didn't see many deer, doesn't mean there not there

pro's to private lands
you can have a better idea on who/how many are hunting it, but trespassers still happen! and people will crowd the borders, so unless you own TONS of acreage, pressure will still effect your deer a LOT, so thats not a as big a pro as many might think

pro, you can plant food to hold attract deer all yr, build safety area's to ry to save deer and allow them to age, you can set up stands and leave, you can monitor lands better with camera's and just watching, IF close enough to do so
all the while hopefully making the lands more attractive to deer/wildlife
you can enjoy the lands all yrs too!
Pro private lands, and maybe the biggest to me
is you can set up your own QDM practice, and HOPE your bucks make it to a size you want!, and thats a BIG hope if you don't own huge acerage!
Pro's to public lands
there are thousands of acres of hunting lands, some WAY better than some private lands too, comes down to you finding them, and in most states MOST deer are kiled on public lands, so there are lots of deer on them too!
the state pays(well hunting lic's sales do to so thats you and me)
to maintain them, plant food plots on them, and buy and add more all the time as they can
hunting pressure can both work in good and bad ways, same as on private lands
if you learn how to work it in your favor it can be a BIG possitive tool

Con's to private lands
they cost money, and unless you own enough land you will not be able to protect your deer on them, as they will walk to other lands you have no control over, aka you pass on a size neighbor doesn't end of that one!
the better you make your lands for wildlife, odds are locals will know about it and try to sneak on, or surround the borders, or worse Poach on it
I am sure a large percentage of land owners will fell this one
and unless your there 24/7 it will happen with out you knowing about more times than not!
and again, unless you own a ton of acre's hunting pressure will effect your lands as they will public lands, all the more so in area's know to hunters on both sides

con, leaving stands set up, camera's out
well on both private and public, they can get stolen so thats a wash to me more or less but still a con!

Public lands Con's
you just never kbnow who will show up or when, or where they will set up, some guys will set up spitting distance from you and nothing you can do but move!
over all pressure, can be tons higher at any hr
finding a great spot is harder, as its just as possible a great spot was found by others and come the ay you want to hunt it, so can someone else
quality of bucks can be some times lower, as many public lands have no QDM practice going on, so if its legal it can be killed

other wise its all hunting
the better you are at reading sign and scouting for set ups the better you will be, and FOR sure how lucky you are comes into play on both!
I think its on average that only about 15% of hunters kill there deer, on both public and private lands, last time I looked
so going home with a tag is more normal than not!!
its hunting no matter where you go, its up to you to pick the better places to try and then lern to be better
sorry about the long!

[ajupsman]

mrbb, It may have been a long post but it was a good one. My buddy and I have only been doing this for two years now but I think we're getting a feel for what we need to do in the future. First we need to scout more. Like Griz said, if you scout without your stand on your back you can't climb the first tree you like. I think the biggest key is to get as far away from the normal hot spots as possible. Just because you see rubs and scrapes on the field edges or 100 yards from where you parked doesn't mean they were made in the daylight. Like you said it's still hunting no matter if it's private or public land. There's no magic potion. I think if we continue to scout areas on the computer and on foot we can up our odds and our deer sightings a little. Heck, maybe even an early season scouting/hunting trip for a few days might not be a bad idea. Of course our wives may disagree but that's also another fun part of hunting.

[radicalxl]

Most definetly you need to put in the foot work. You can look at all the maps you want and it may look like like it would hold alot of deer, but thats not always the case. You don't see the pressure put on that area on a map. You don't know the kind of deer it holds either, they may not be up to the standards you have set.

[mrbb]

hey in the early yrs of hunting Ohio, a 7+ hr drive for me, I used to make some trips in the summer to go ask local land owners and scout and see what crops were planted where , and called it a vacation of sorts
might be able to get the wife or other half to tag along to make it an easier sell too
there are tons of great places in Ohio to have great odds on public land
I think too many folks get hung up on needing private land to enjoy and be successful , and its just so not true
just hunting the begining of the season ups your odds a lot on having lands to yourself, and unpressured deer, and on a good note it allows you to learn the area and if you don't do well, lots of time to get a second trip in again can sell the other half on the fact you already have a lic and tag you paid good money for LOl

I would also highly suggest talking to park rangers on your trips to where ever you hunt, they can be super nice folks ancd can tell you where deer are and even maybe lead to private land access on crop damaged lands and or just folks they know if asked will allow
you get out of things what you put in

and theer are tons of cabin rental places in prime hunting areas that have better than average lodging to get the other half to come too, good fishing in Ohio too! lol
good luck!

[MICH]

In 2011 we hunted the week of Oct. 30rd. We didn't see much rut action going on until the end of our hunt. We still saw quite a few hunters but not quite as many as we saw this year when we hunted the first two weeks of November. I think to really avoid the hunters on public land you'd have to hunt early or late season and that's not as fun. We are willing to make the 14 hour drive to see the rut action you have in Ohio. We don't have that at home.

the only reason i suggested later oct. is the acorns are raining & the buc are still somewhat together.....i mostly have oaks on my land and next year i'm doing a4 day weekend the last weekend in oct. just to try it.... but i to like nov.5 thru12.....cannt wait til 2013 season.. state land in ohio is the best public land around, just look at the big bucks that come OFF THEM..