Doc Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 Well, yesterday afternoon was a "NYS public land fiasco". I finally got the north wind that I needed for one of my favorite stands. The wind speed wasn't too high and the sky was precipitation free. It was the middle of the week, so I expected an interference-free hunt. The stand is located on the edge of a long skinny field that the DEC mows once a year, and I am down about 20 yards into the thickest junk you can imagine. It is a bedding area that deer will come out of when conditions are quiet. They generally move into the field to graze for a while before heading up to the hill. Well quiet is not exactly how I would describe things there yesterday. About 3:00 it started. Just 100 yards or so up the hill above the field that I was hoping the deer would be moving toward, the shooting and banging started. As near as I could figure, there were about 5 or 6 small game hunters that just kept up a perpetual barrage from 3:00 until near-dark. There is no way that any sane deer was going to do anything but stay hunkered down until all that nonsense was finished. And then, as if that wasn't bad enough, just out in the field was a bowhunter parading around blowing on a grunt tube like some flute player at a concert. Not only that, but he had it all screwed up and it sounded more like a sick crow call. I wouldn't be surprized if he was blowing on the wrong end or something. At any rate, he provided yet another deterent keeping any interested deer tightly bedded up. About 5:45, the wild-bunch from the hill came down into the field and were having a great time yacking and shooting up the place. It appears that just about any tree served well as a target. I was just happy that they didn't decide to start shooting down into the thicket where I was. Finally, I had peace and quiet in the last few minutes of the stand. I knew that this spot was completely screwed, so I left just a little early. On my way home I was coming out of the one field and going through a hedge row that leads to another field that is about 200 yards long and borders on my homestead. Well, guess what! Across the 200+ yards, in the fading daylight (almost dark), I saw a buck moving from the thicket next to my house, up the field and heading toward the hill. You can imagine the size of those antlers if I could see them over all that distance and in those near-dark conditions. Needless to say, there was no way that I could count the points, but the height of that rack was pretty clear and it sure looked like a buck that I would like to take. Apparently he waited until the circus was over on the side hill and then made a break for it. He wasn't spooked or anything, but he didn't piddle around in that field either. So anyway, I have something to look forward to for the rest of the season, but I also had the hardships of hunting public land reinforced in a rather frustrating way. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drkillemquick Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 Re: Public Land Circus Public land can get that way, and what can you do. You are lucky they didn't start shootin in your direction. After reading a post like this I am VERY thankful I have private land to hunt on! Is there any way you can set up on that buck near your house? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3whunt Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 Re: Public Land Circus sorry to have to read that... wish small game hunting didn't collide with deer hunting, but I guess that is a reality of life... at least you have a new target to test your skills.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdvantageTimberLou Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 Re: Public Land Circus Doc, maybe that is how that buck got that big, by watching the circus from his vantage point and knowing when to move around. He got smart but the circus clowns ruining an area. Just be glad he is still in the area and they have not scared him off. Good luck and sorry about your bad luck on public land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newarcher Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 Re: Public Land Circus That's why I pay to hunt private land but sometimes clubs can be just about as bad! New Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 Re: Public Land Circus Sounds pretty crazy. Have never hunted public land and from some of the stories I have heard, cannot say as though I really have an interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoyt03 Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 Re: Public Land Circus Are you saying that if you would have stayed in the stand you would have had a shot? Sounds like a tough hunting situation but maybe the deer are used to it and know when to move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missouri hunter Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 Re: Public Land Circus i have been to a few of those, not very entertaining Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HaDeRonDa Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Re: Public Land Circus Sorry to hear about your wasted day in the stand. Well, not wasted but surely non-productive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sskybnd Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Re: Public Land Circus thats public land for you, some deer hunt and so small game hunt, never know what type of people you can run into on the land, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Re: Public Land Circus i have hunted public land in Ohio and here in Iowa. what you have to try and do is be very patient and use the idiots to your advantage. i shot my first deer here in Iowa on public land by positioning myself on the far side of where i knew guys come in from. they acted as kind of drivers in a way. the funny thing is that the deer here on public land dont get very excited. if they get bumped they slowly move out of the way and wait for you to go past or bump them ahead some more. i feel for you and what happened. but sometimes oyu have to use patience like that buck did. once i had a landowners son come riding a 4 wheeler down my deer trail! i was convinced that the place was blown, but i stayed on stand. i ended up seeing 4 bucks and 3 does that evening. stay with it, i know its not fun when crap like that happens, but just stay with it.. Shoot Strong Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted October 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Re: Public Land Circus [ QUOTE ] Are you saying that if you would have stayed in the stand you would have had a shot? Sounds like a tough hunting situation but maybe the deer are used to it and know when to move. [/ QUOTE ] No, the two fields are a couple of hundred yards long and my stand was down at the end of the second one. It was at the end next to my house that the buck went up through. However, the guys had covered that end as well. They shot up the whole hillside. I only mentioned the sighting because I thought it was strange that he would head up there so close to when they were blasting up the place. They were back out again yesterday, but I went up to the top of the hill where things are quiet. Apparently they don't like to climb all the way up that hill..........lol. I'll be thinking about how to move on that buck. He had to do some moving down in that thicket before dark. I just have to find out where. It means making a move on his bedroom, but I've successfully done that before. It's also possible that he will never be there again too. This time of year that happens a lot. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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