Escaping the Crowds While Hunting Public Land

In the United States, we are fortunate to have a lifetime of opportunities to hunt and fish on public land that is accessible to everyone, whether it is a honey hole just down the road or a cross-country destination. With recent advances in mapping technology, the popularity of hunting public lands has grown. It is now relatively easy to gain access to maps showing public land and private landowner information in most states, which opens up a world of opportunity to those planning a public lands hunt.

While having access to millions of acres is a great thing, hunting public land can be very different than hunting private land for many reasons. Competition with other hunters for the same spots and animals is a consideration that adds to the challenge of a public land hunt. For someone who doesn’t have the opportunity to hunt private land, success on public land means thinking outside the box when planning hunts. Hopefully, this article will provide some tips for your best chance at avoiding crowds and being respectful of other hunters when hunting public land.

Before Your Hunt

Most of your success in the woods comes from the preparation you do beforehand. Pre-season planning and scouting play a major role in how your hunt will play out. Digital scouting using OnX or Google Maps is a great way to find new pieces of public land, and they show terrain features and habitat types with aerial imagery. Keep in mind, however, that things aren’t always as they seem. A few acres of what appears to be wetlands on a satellite image could be bone dry when you arrive there October 1, completely changing your strategy for that spot. If you have the chance to get boots on the ground and explore the areas you chose pre-season, it can give you a better idea of the amount of sign (human and wildlife) as well as the true habitat. This will also allow you to gauge the amount of human pressure in a given spot. I have walked areas that appeared remote on the map just to find ten tree stands left from other hunters the previous season.

 If a piece of property looks like a good spot online, chances are other people think so, too. Trying to think outside the box, such as small pieces of property, can help you avoid popular areas. If you are able to make a pre-season scouting trip, do it. Scouting gives invaluable insight into terrain and habitat details you may not have noticed from aerial imagery.

Another consideration before heading out is the popularity of the season you plan to hunt. During archery whitetail season, the national forest land where I hunt was nearly devoid of hunters last year. As soon as opening weekend of rifle season came around, there was a truck at what seemed like every pull off for miles. Even better than archery season on the weekends was archery season on a Wednesday morning. If you are able to hunt a less popular season or time of the week, human pressure will be a lot lower.

During Your Hunt

It’s not a secret that most people prefer to hunt close to the truck. For one, getting game out of the woods from miles in is hard. But to get away from people, going deeper into a large piece of property can hand you an advantage. Using a boat to cross a river or lake eliminates a lot of competition. Even something as simple as difficult terrain or nasty briar patches can dissuade people from hunting certain areas. If you come prepared to surpass these obstacles, you can get away from even more people in crowded areas.

Your most important tool is a backup plan! Actually, multiple backup plans. Even if you get up 3 hours before daylight, there could still be a truck parked in your access point. What now!? Instead of throwing in the towel for a planned hunt, go to plan B. The more backup plans, the better. Backup plans are a stress reliever and help you stay cool even when somebody else shows up to your spot.

Finally, being respectful of other hunters goes a long way. Communication with other hunters at the parking lot not only improves safety, but you can gain information and meet some good people. While it’s not always totally avoidable, doing your best to avoid areas where other people are hunting shows respect and hopefully they will return the favor. I have bumped into other public land hunters during turkey season and we end up working together to try and kill a gobbler from opposite peninsulas of a lake.

There are some incredible opportunities to hunt public land within a day’s drive from you! Keeping a good attitude and being flexible with your plans can go a long way to ensuring a fun hunting trip.

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