[GIDEON]

Predominately hunt public, more exactly Federal land in North East Mich. Main reasons are, we like hunting with rifles, we like the area, and enjoy a great deal of success. With that being said, we do have access to a couple hundred acres in the Moscow/Brooklyn area. Which is presently being hunted by some retiree's from church. A lot of land in the Fenton area, but dont like the owners(A**hole cousins). Getting ready to close on 22 acres of wooded property,(hopefully the adjoining 10 too) about 20 minutes from my house, I live in Westland. My son went out and walked 40 acres that just went up for sale by his place, 1/2 mile from the land I am purchasing. Who knows in a couple years I may be hunting from the front porch.

 

[Lumberman]

I have 80 heavily managed (professionally designed) acres in Lake county. I think it’s the nursery for the entire township. I should be able to charge my neighbors tax. I sat it a total of 4 times last year. I get bored of starting at the same stuff. Did see 6 small bucks one morning during the rut. The big bucks just do not hold on it. No idea why. Literally have tried everything. Only hope is a rut buck. Which happens.

Spend the other 80% of my time on public. Almost never hunt the same tree twice and I love it. Hunting was tough. Never had a shot at a buck. Passed a smallish 8pt. That was the only 8pt I had in range.

 

[RS1983]

Killing deer in the big woods is the apex of true hunting skill.
A six point taken somewhere in the middle of a 20,000 acre national Forest during a still hunt is a lot more impressive to me than a 12-point killed from a tree stand overlooking an artificial food source deliberately placed by the Hunter to draw in the quarry.

Public land hunting is about finding the animal and figuring out how to get after it. Private land hunting (in Southern Michigan) is more about altering the land to draw the animals to you.

 

[trucker3573]

I can’t fathom anyone in their right mind preferring public land. If you do please state where you hunt as I will certainly avoid it like the plague. Lol

For sure in southern part of Michigan. I have found more desolate public land up north I guess
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[Lever4ever]

I can’t fathom anyone in their right mind preferring public land. If you do please state where you hunt as I will certainly avoid it like the plague. Lol

For sure in southern part of Michigan. I have found more desolate public land up north I guess
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Why would you not like hunting secluded state land, it takes time to get out there and find them. For some reason I lot of guys have forgotten what hunting is, it's hunting. It takes time to figure out where there at, hinding, bedding etc. After that it's working the trails, walkin out the tracks and ...well hunting! I've tried sitting in stands on private, stuck on a postage stamp of land, not for me, I find it confining. No offense meant for those that have built up deer paradises for themselves, I'm happy for them. But like the old cowboy song, "don't fence me in".

 

[trucker3573]

Why would you not like hunting secluded state land, it takes time to get out there and find them. For some reason I lot of guys have forgotten what hunting is, it's hunting. It takes time to figure out where there at, hinding, bedding etc. After that it's working the trails, walkin out the tracks and ...well hunting! I've tried sitting in stands on private, stuck on a postage stamp of land, not for me, I find it confining. No offense meant for those that have built up deer paradises for themselves, I'm happy for them. But like the old cowboy song, "don't fence me in".

I’ll have to keep looking for the secluded spots around Livingston county. My buddy and I used to hunt a couple areas in Sterling Michigan that saw little to no bow hunting pressure but it’s a bit of a drive.


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[brushbuster]

Ive hunted public land all my life, its work, you can get really secluded or you can be right on top of people. I don't see a lot of deer, sometimes I use people to my advantage usually people don't bother me. I have hunted private land down state as well, and I gotta say the hunting is far better, if you can call it that. the property I hunted it was more sit down and start counting. That was a fun piece of property. I like both but damn, hard to beat a good piece of SLP private land.

 

[Barothy]

I have 10 acres and a cabin in the NW12 and have 1000 acres of Federal land outside my door. I also have the luxury of hunting through the week and not the weekend. The 10 acres has provided a number of deer over the years as well as the surrounding Federal land. Years ago I always had to drive to my hunting spots. Now, I wake up have breakfast, get dressed and head out. I have read others stating to never own land next to public land but in my case I think it's great.

 

[Uncle Boopoo]

I’ve been fortunate to hunt my families 75 acre swamp in Lake county my entire life. But a change of scenery is nice every now and then. For me, part of hunting is the adventure and you don’t really get much of that hunting the same 2-3 stands on private land.

 

[JBooth]

no need to pick. I hunt where the conditions dictate and where the sign is. Public hunter close to home because its easy to get out. When we go north to our private, we still have tons of public nearby that can be utilized if the conditions aren't right for ours.

 

[Mole Hill]

When on public land it's closer to hunting like I did years ago. Private land turned into harvesting, just set and shoot. Using a recurve keeps it real for me knowing I'm passing many opportunities just by choosing a bow.

 

[d_rek]

This will be my 10th season hunting Michigan. Even though early on I had access to some pretty good private I learned quickly if I wanted to expand opportunity and not burn out spots I would need to spend time on public land.

My feelings are this: both private and public are great... until they're not. The perfect private back 40 can be ruined by trigger happy neighbors, or land owners who aren't concerned with your particular hunting goals, or sudden loss of private, or trespassers, any other number of misfortunes.

Vice versa public can be vast and daunting and inspire a sense of adventure unlike the hyper fragmented small parcels I have acquainted myself with... until you find reflective tacks and boot prints a mile in at the 'deep' spot you thought only you might discover, or a guy walks through the middle of the thickest, nastiest bedding area for miles around 15 minutes after you setup in a perfect tree overlooking it, or the parking lot is full without even room to park on the shoulder.

Both have their pros and cons. You have to adapt and adjust to any and all situations regardless of the land you hunt. Honestly unless I had hundreds or thousands of acres of private to access i'm not sure i'd ever give up public at this point.

 

[pgpn123]

Pluses and minuses to each. I have a lot of respect for someone who takes deer on public. So many variables and likely more effort. Btdt. Living (or just hunting) on private is enjoyable, esp when you make it happen on your own. It is yours. Working on habitat is satisfying and rewarding. You are the steward (for a period of time). There's usually neighbors and maybe dogs to contend with, but there's some good hunting to be had. You may shift your sights to old(er) deer. Note, those don't walk out and say shoot me. And you can still go hunt on public.

 

[Waif]

Neither.
Both.
Or one or the other.

I've spent a lot more time on public over the past 45 years.
Really enjoy hunting my little patch of private today.
enjoyed other private sites in the past to in a limited fashion.

Am I happy being a static hunter today due to disability vs leaving lots of tracks hither and yon? Sometimes...
Public or private don't change that.

My "niche" I can "work" on.
But it's value is no more or less than a sweet spot on public.
Neither are common in the extreme red hot end of the spectrum.
It's the realizing a site works ,before it does. While it's so much easier to call it ;after you suceed. L.o.l..

There's niches a hunter can score in on public. Danged hard to find sometimes , and they are not guaranteed to stay that way long.
Not so different from some private.
Hunter and hunting pressure matters more as/where deer are fewer.
Got tons of deer? Then less matters.

A lonely niche with decent or better hunting is a gem.
Yes we can try to buy and build one. But we can just as well sniff one out somewhere on public. In either case , what's going on around the niche matters. (!)

Show me a hunter with a consistent sweet spot on public ,or private and they might like it best.
And that's my best answer to which is best...

 

[Martin Looker]

The nice thing about my place is that I don't have to work on habitat nature took care of that for me. I have 2 plots that were part of the hayfield that was here when I bought the property. I keep them mowed and plant some rye once in a while and that's all.

 

[throughtheice88]

I could see where hunting public land in the northern LP or UP could be fun, but around here it sucks (think public land around lansing). Just too darn many people. Can be almost impossible to get away from them.

Private all day for me. I also have more fun making habitat improvements than I do hunting these days, so there's that.

Like I said, a hunting adventure in the massive national forests actually does sound fun for a change of pace, but the smaller tracts of public around here are not for me.

 

[22 Chuck]

Its a great feeling owning your own property.

Until you realize someone is hunting there and dumping the household trash as they leave.