627PCFan
Member
For those of you who still hunt public land, lets say east of the Mississippi, how far do you "walk in" when hunting?
If you look down into a steep deep little canyon and think "My god I'd never want to pack a critter out of there." you've found your spot.
I had a great spot about 1 1/2 miles into the Ozark National Forrest. The last buck that I shot there took 2 1/2 hours to drag out and he was small. This area is rough, steep and brushy. I was dragging the buck by my climbing harness. Luckily the trail back to the truck was down hill but there were a couple of places where the deer passed me. It was that steep. This area is closed to RVs and open only to horseback and foot travel. I told a Warden that if I hiked in a mile or two and someone rode a horse by me the rider would walking out. I am older and wiser now, plus I have permission to hunt a few great places so I don't hunt the rough stuff anymore. I kind of miss the good old days when rough country didn't matter though.I'm in the west, California, I hiked in 3 miles to my spot this season. slipped crossing a creek my last day, injured my leg and only got 1 mile in.
I hunt pubic land and find walking more than a mile has always brought success.
My pace is 3 about 3 miles per hour so it takes about an hour to get to my spot..that means an hour hauling it out too.
Now that's funny! I had a very, very similar experience happen on public land in Wisconsin! I was set up on the ground when the hunter saw me, and climbed a tree about 50 feet away. I just couldn't believe it! I packed up and left for a new spot.I was bow hunting one time about a 1/2 mile into public hunting land. I heard and then seen another hunter coming in late. She walked right up to the tree I was hunting in and accused me of hunting in her tree,mad as hell,demanding get out of her tree.After a few harsh words she walked over about 50 feet, climbed another tree and sat and watched me until dark.TRUE STORY !!! hdbiker
I can totally see that happening. I can't believe I hunted public ground as long as I did...lots of bad stories from those days.I was bow hunting one time about a 1/2 mile into public hunting land. I heard and then seen another hunter coming in late. She walked right up to the tree I was hunting in and accused me of hunting in her tree,mad as hell,demanding get out of her tree.After a few harsh words she walked over about 50 feet, climbed another tree and sat and watched me until dark.TRUE STORY !!! hdbiker