Public Land Deer Hunting Etiquette Questions

Sorry ... had to chuckle at the words "public land" and "etiquette" being used in the same sentence. Now that my chuckle is over it is actually refreshing to see someone who actually cares about etiquette on public.

My advice would be to play it by ear .... pay attention to the parked vehicles to let you know there may be someone close. Walk slowly, quietly .... looking for other hunters as well as critters. If you are getting in after first light it really does not matter how quickly you get to your stand so use that time and very slowly hunt your way to your stand. Doing so might keep you from disrupting someone else and it just might get you a deer.

I expect to see other hunters occasionally when I hunt public. The only thing that really irks me is when they set up within sight of me, or especially if they see me then want to walk right up to my tree and start a conversation. If you walk up on someone, just go on your way and give them space.

Two years ago, in the HNF, somebody had set up an unattended camp to "claim" a trailhead (against the rules). This camp was up for over a month, trash spread everywhere, but nobody sleeping there except maybe on the weekends. They had also stretched yellow caution tape along the road for probably 100 feet in either direction of their site, I suppose to try to keep people from walking in around their camp and getting on the trail they were camped on. I hunted there several times during that period, and never did meet the people who had done it.

Basically, smile and wave if you do walk up on someone, and give them their space and you should be fine.

I'm planning on hunting public land this year for the first time in 15 years. Looking forward to it!

You raised another question I had that I wasn't clear on. Do I need to wear hunter orange on public land if it is only bow season? I'm not planning on going out during firearm or muzzle loader season.

And I use a light whether I need it to find my spot or not in the dark. Had a cousin walk into public land in the dark a long, long time ago with a Baker climber on his back. When he got to his spot, he swung the climber off his back to find a xx75 and broadhead stuck in the plywood! He said he knew exactly when it happened because it sounded and felt like a sapling slapped him across the climber. Somebody shot at sound while it was still too dark and the Baker saved his life!

Use a light!!

I usually look for vehicles and try to go where there is few or none. Don't set up on the main access trail to get in and out or you should expect other people to be walking past you quite a bit. If I flash my light at you or after light, you hear me whistle, just look and find me in the tree and don't set up close. By all means, if you get one and need help, feel free to come back and get me to help. Don't steal my stand, camera, anything from my truck. Try to be quiet getting in and out. don't carry on a conversation at full volume with your buddy as you walk through the woods. There are going to be stands all over so trying to set up where somebody doesn't already have a stand is sometimes difficult. Some of those stands are not hunted till gun. Some may not be hunted at all and left from previous years. It is public so I set up regardless if there is an empty stand near by. Some people think because they put up a stand, that spot is now their private spot. However, if you approach me and let me know, hey that is my stand there and I don't have another one to hunt, Chances are if you are civil about it, I will climb down and move. If you offer to help, I will be even more inclined to give you "your" spot lol. Some guys will just say sorry bout your luck be here earlier. I have encountered both. I advise getting off the road a bit as every year whether bow or gun season, I encounter road hunters shooting from a vehicle and I prefer not to get shot. I will wear orange while walking just for my safety. Good luck!