- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Winter Olympics
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: Deer hunting public land etiquette
Posted on 3/15/25 at 9:14 am to freshtigerbait
Posted on 3/15/25 at 9:14 am to freshtigerbait
Rule #1, don't be a dick.
I generally try to have 3 spots or more in a given area to go to in case someone is in one of the ones I picked that hunt.
Like many have said, just use common sense and most of the time the rest will work itself out.
I generally try to have 3 spots or more in a given area to go to in case someone is in one of the ones I picked that hunt.
Like many have said, just use common sense and most of the time the rest will work itself out.
0
Posted on 3/15/25 at 9:17 am to freshtigerbait
quote:I hunt public 95% of the time and enjoy the heck out of it. I’ve made some good friends in the deer woods by being respectful and helpful. We scout together, share intel, and help each other track/drag deer when needed, but we still don’t encroach on each other. It’s been awesome.
i will most likely keep hunting public after this year considering the fact that it is free.
Posted on 3/16/25 at 10:55 am to freshtigerbait
quote:ive killed most of my deer between 9 and 2 so.... NO on this
you should never ever go walking in at 8 am.
Posted on 3/25/25 at 10:22 pm to AFtigerFan
Revisiting this thread to escape the stressful bullshite of my board exam i am studying for but say you are in a creek bottom on public land and some baw is hunting a spot on that creek bottom that is on the way to your spot that is ways away from him and out of his scent cone. What do you do then?
In case yall cant tell...i really really really do not want to be the elmer fudd of the woods and mess someone up
In case yall cant tell...i really really really do not want to be the elmer fudd of the woods and mess someone up
This post was edited on 3/25/25 at 10:25 pm
Posted on 3/26/25 at 4:42 am to freshtigerbait
quote:
What do you do then?
I hunt where I was planning to if it's not on top of him.
Posted on 3/26/25 at 7:22 am to Loup
yea thats what i was thinking. appreciate it sir
Posted on 6/12/25 at 5:22 pm to Loup
Revisiting this thread. I've been doing my research this off season so i am prepared for the upcoming season.
It's 5:30 am, still dark. you walk off the trail, to your spot, and on the way to your spot someone is flashing a light at you. Your spot is 400 yards past him. do you still go to that spot despite seeing the other hunter notifying you that he is set up there? or turn around? do you go around him?
Thanks OB
It's 5:30 am, still dark. you walk off the trail, to your spot, and on the way to your spot someone is flashing a light at you. Your spot is 400 yards past him. do you still go to that spot despite seeing the other hunter notifying you that he is set up there? or turn around? do you go around him?
Thanks OB
This post was edited on 6/12/25 at 5:22 pm
Posted on 6/12/25 at 5:30 pm to freshtigerbait
quote:
still dark.
As long as I’m early enough, I’ll walk under his tree if it’s in my planned path and I know that I’m going 400 yards past him. If I snoozed too many times and I’m a little late, then I’m changing my plans. Either finding a way around him that won’t mess him up, or backing out completely if I can’t skirt him by at least 250 yards or so.
I would think 5:30 would be early enough to walk straight on past him, however.
ETA: this also depends on the lay of the land. If this guy is set up just off an easy access, such as an atv trail, foot path, or pipeline, I’m 100% walking by him. But say he’s set up in a hardwood funnel between a swamp and a big bayou, and if I walk past him and set up, I’d more than likely cut him off and intercept deer heading his way… then I’m going somewhere else.
This post was edited on 6/12/25 at 6:10 pm
Posted on 6/12/25 at 5:54 pm to A_bear
That’s if he’s shining his light at you?
Posted on 6/12/25 at 5:55 pm to freshtigerbait
quote:
Your spot is 400 yards past him. do you still go to that spot despite seeing the other hunter notifying you that he is set up there? or turn around? do you go around him?
Depends, if my wind will mess him up I'll go elsewhere. 400 yards a pretty long arse way. Also, is there another route in? If there isnt you cant expect to lock down an entire area by hunting the access to it and flashing your light at people.
Eta: honestly, in 20 years of public land hunting i could probably count on my hands how many times ive walked up on somebody. Im usually the first person at the parking area and going deep.
This post was edited on 6/12/25 at 5:57 pm
Posted on 6/12/25 at 6:13 pm to Loup
The wind is definitely a consideration.
As for another route, theoretically, yes there is but the one I am looking at is easiest. It’s a creek that is off the main trail. If he’s hunting that bottom and I gotta go past him (I.e. go under him) and hunt a spot ways away from him, I can’t see me messing him up if I am going 300-400 yards past him. If he was 40 yards off the trail and got pissed at me going past him I’d smile and wave and be on my way to my spot.
Personally I would not care. When I was in my old lease in MS I often hunted stands right on/off the road and when people would get up to go hunt and drive past at 5:30 am I’d still see deer after day light.
As for another route, theoretically, yes there is but the one I am looking at is easiest. It’s a creek that is off the main trail. If he’s hunting that bottom and I gotta go past him (I.e. go under him) and hunt a spot ways away from him, I can’t see me messing him up if I am going 300-400 yards past him. If he was 40 yards off the trail and got pissed at me going past him I’d smile and wave and be on my way to my spot.
Personally I would not care. When I was in my old lease in MS I often hunted stands right on/off the road and when people would get up to go hunt and drive past at 5:30 am I’d still see deer after day light.
This post was edited on 6/12/25 at 6:15 pm
Posted on 6/12/25 at 6:24 pm to freshtigerbait
quote:
That’s if he’s shining his light at you?
For sure. Had a similar situation happen this past season. Only difference was the other guy was on private land. I walked over a mile through a swamp. Waders, like belly button deep for most of it, type of swamp. Followed a property line through it to a ridge I wanted to hunt. It was the ~easiest~ way. As soon as I stepped foot on dry ground, he shined his light at me from his stand. I was already planning on hunting about 300-400 yards from him, so I shucked my waders, put on my knee boots and continued.
This happened everyday for the 3-4 days I hunted that ridge. After that walk, I would’ve fought before turning around, however
Posted on 6/12/25 at 6:33 pm to freshtigerbait
quote:
As for another route, theoretically, yes there is but the one I am looking at is easiest. It’s a creek that is off the main trail.
Under him for sure. As a public land hunter, you have to assume every person will take the easiest route. Atv trails, foot trails, creek bottoms, edges of ag fields, deer recovery trails on wma’s that allow it, etc. If I hunt over those places, I cannot get mad at another hunter for using it.
Posted on 6/12/25 at 6:40 pm to A_bear
I appreciate your wise words of advice sir.
Some excellent advice on this board
Some excellent advice on this board
Posted on 6/12/25 at 6:42 pm to A_bear
I do some fishing. Has to be similar in the sense of us pulling up to the spot and someone else is there, and we go somewhere else or enough room to be considerate (if we’re on a inshore rig for example)
I’d imagine you’d have to be either an inconsiderate a-hole or not enough knowledge to just set up right next to someone.
I’d imagine you’d have to be either an inconsiderate a-hole or not enough knowledge to just set up right next to someone.
This post was edited on 6/12/25 at 6:47 pm
Posted on 6/12/25 at 9:27 pm to freshtigerbait
quote:
I do some fishing. Has to be similar
I’m a big bass fisherman. It’s very similar to fishing. Bussey brake is the worlds worst place for etiquette when it comes to public waters. I know you referenced saltwater, but for freshwater, it’s like when a boat pulls up and gives you reasonable space, however they do it in front of you and fish the same bank, going the same direction… you just sit there like “ok I appreciate the 200 yards you gave me, but once I get to where you started in 10-15 minutes, I’m fishing behind you”. It’s a “nice” gesture, but you cut me off.
Same deal. If I see someone hunting a spot and me going in front or behind them is going to cut them off, I’ll just go somewhere else. I’ve hunted public land since I was 10 years old. I know I don’t own the land, and the other hunters don’t own the land, but I try to gauge my approach on how I’d feel if someone else was doing it to me.
Prime example: 2 years ago I was hunting Missouri. I made a treacherous walk up and down hills about 2.5 miles back. I’m coming up the ridge I plan to hunt. I’ve never been to this location. I crest the ridge and get hit with a light. Probably 600 yards of ridge behind this light. I turned around, dropped down about 150 yards and sat the ground (with a bow), until 10am before making a move back up the ridge. I didn’t want to cut the guy off that beat me up the ridge.
Like I said, it’s situational. I would have cut him off big time had I continued up.
Posted on 6/12/25 at 10:30 pm to A_bear
I can relate. It's been similar to that when the trout are stacked up at the MRGO rocks and everyone is trying to find a place to anchor.
I am looking forward to this season for sure. Never hunted public land before, and based off of your IST's and most other people who post on OB, it is doable and will turn you into a damn good hunter.
As for scouting during the season, do you do that or do it before the season?
I am looking forward to this season for sure. Never hunted public land before, and based off of your IST's and most other people who post on OB, it is doable and will turn you into a damn good hunter.
As for scouting during the season, do you do that or do it before the season?
Posted on 6/13/25 at 7:53 am to freshtigerbait
Me it’s durning the season. No better sign than fresh sign showing the deer are using an area at the time you are hunting. I’ll ride roads right now just to see if any burning or timber management has been done to areas I hunt but don’t really put boots on ground till couple days before season. This is also on grounds I been hunting for years. Maybe if I were going to new place I’d walk a couple spots that look good on map durning off season just to get a lay of the land.
Scout scout scout scout scout then hunt. You wanna hang and hunt not hang and hope.
Scout scout scout scout scout then hunt. You wanna hang and hunt not hang and hope.
Posted on 6/13/25 at 9:49 am to freshtigerbait
quote:
As for scouting during the season, do you do that or do it before the season
Scout to learn the terrain and paths, but the deer move and change, especially when all the hunters start filling in and when visibility/leaves change. They will have different hangout spots throughout the year.
Posted on 6/13/25 at 11:15 am to WillFerrellisking
I’ll mainly be doing walking. Mid day, I scout, that won’t mess anyone/be an inconsiderate move?
Page 2 of 6
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News