My First Time Public Land Hunting

[schopie4]

I went on my first public land hunt this morning at Rose Lake. I grew up with a significant amount of land in ogemaw county, and have always hunted there. I decided to try late season bow hunting this year as something to do that would relieve some of the stress I have accumulated throughout the semester at MSU. I had a great experience. I was at my truck gathering my gear, when some pheasant hunters pulled up. They asked where I was hunting so that they wouldn't interfere with my hunt. After I told them, they even said they would swing through a corn field to my east and see if they could push anything my way. I was feeling really good going to my stand location because the hunters had been so nice about avoiding my area, and even helping me out a bit. While I was hunting, I spotted a man dressed from head to toe in blaze orange, and waved at him. I think he was scouting because I didn't see a weapon. He waved back, then he backtracked and made a huge arc around me to avoid walking right through my hunting area. After reading some of the posts on this site, I was a little nervous about hunting public land, but these people showed me that there really are only a few bad apples in the woods. So thanks to those hunters, whoever you are.

As for the hunt this morning.......nothing. The wind was blowing a good 20mph most of the time, and it was constantly changing direction. I think that the deer were probably bedded down waiting it out. Oh well, it was nice to escape to the woods.

[hartman886]

For a story on our simmular experiance read our THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO HUNTED WILDERNESS STATE PARK. Chris

[TnRidge]

http://michigan-sportsman.com/forum/images/smilies/cool.gif It's nice to read about a positive experience on public land .

[PrtyMolusk]

Howdy-

That sure is good to hear, as I'll be testing public land next season.

[Banditto]

I love hunting state land for the sheer fact that there is a lot of pressure. It keeps the deer moving around a lot. You have to use everything to your advantage.

[William H Bonney]

Thats always great to hear.

[Randy Kidd]

I have been hunting state land for over 40 years now, Both small and big gamem and I can count the number of times I have had a bad expierence on one maybe one and a half hands. By and large 99.99% of the hunters I have encountered it has been a pleaseant expierance, I know a lot of guys count a hunter approching their area as a bad expierance, I don't, when they notice you they give a slight wave to acknowledge that they see you and either backtrack or change direction. I have been helped with tools when I have had a vehicle problem, I have been helped dragging a deer out, I have been give a cold drink in the parking areas after a long hot walk out. I have been given a squirrel or rabbit or two when I had a near limit and someone only had one or two. Every year on Thanksgiving day a guy who owns the property across the road from the state land that I hunt has a deer drive on his property. He always drive over and asks everyone there if they would like to come on to his property and be a stander along his side of the road, granted it isn't the prime spot, but several deer have been taken this way over the years, We in return watch out for his property, These are all complete strangers for the most part, I have found that by far a vast majority of State Land Sportsmen are just that sportsmen.

[bigair]

Was that you waving. Hey, No problem. Anytime I can help a fellow hunter. :lol:

[Huntsman27]

Weve hunted Crawford Co State land for years, and had mostly good expiriences there. A few dipsticks but they were the minority.

A few years back my Brothers Ford 4x4 decided to toss a tie rod and while we were working on it, some hunters stopped on the way out and offered to bring the tools back out to us [we camped on State land], and run us into town. Although we had the means to do the job, and my 4x4 Chevy to run to town, it was appreciated that they had offered.

Thats just a sample of the way hunting should be. No reason people cant be civil and get along.

On the other hand a short story of the opposite side of the coin.

A day before season opens, I went to check my blind. Everything was in order, but I saw some tracks down in the valley I cover. I trotted down there and see .............a cobbled together blind not 50 yards away [any deer this guy figured he would get, Id have clobbered long before he wouldve seen it.] So Im looking at this guys blind. Fresh cut trees.....live trees mind you, just he decided to cut them, nail them to other trees, make a roof of plywood, brought a chair out, and had dumped 4 bags of bait. My brothers and I decided to give this guy a lesson,,,,we packed up his bait and placed it in his blind. We video taped the whole thing before we started, and video taped the obvious ILLEGAL blind. We then left him a note. The note said we would give him 2 choices, 1 remove this mess, and dont come back, or 2 we contact the DNR and give them the tape, his truck plate number and he probably gets arrested...........The dope still decided to hunt opening day out of the blind! I just shouted from my blind and told him he would have company shortly..........all I observed was a flashlight bouncing through the valley.....figure he made tracks to another spot. Never have seen or heard from him again. Rich

[hartman886]

Weve hunted Crawford Co State land for years, and had mostly good expiriences there. A few dipsticks but they were the minority.

.

Thats just a sample of the way hunting should be. No reason people cant be civil and get along.

On the other hand a short story of the opposite side of the coin.

A day before season opens, I went to check my blind. Everything was in order, but I saw some tracks down in the valley I cover. I trotted down there and see .............a cobbled together blind not 50 yards away [any deer this guy figured he would get, Id have clobbered long before he wouldve seen it.] So Im looking at this guys blind. Fresh cut trees.....live trees mind you, just he decided to cut them, nail them to other trees, make a roof of plywood, brought a chair out, and had dumped 4 bags of bait. My brothers and I decided to give this guy a lesson,,,,we packed up his bait and placed it in his blind. We video taped the whole thing before we started, and video taped the obvious ILLEGAL blind. We then left him a note. The note said we would give him 2 choices, 1 remove this mess, and dont come back, or 2 we contact the DNR and give them the tape, his truck plate number and he probably gets arrested...........The dope still decided to hunt opening day out of the blind! I just shouted from my blind and told him he would have company shortly..........all I observed was a flashlight bouncing through the valley.....figure he made tracks to another spot. Never have seen or heard from him again. Rich Sounds like it was handeled very firmly but fairly. He was in the wrong and new it. It is always better to give him a choice. And even after he had the choice and picked the wrong option you still gave him a fair chance to leave. Chris

[Bwana]

I posted recently about a negative experience on Federal Land. It was my first negative experience since I started hunting in 1979. The majority of he time I have had great experiences.