Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Herds Without Hunters

Really nothing you can do about the bear dog issue the bear trees wherever and the bear population has exploded there actually affecting the deer population

I have hunted lots and lots of public land. For 30 years.

The best advice I have is to find a place deep that isn’t easily reached by a trail or road. Find that, and you will find game and little to no hunters.

Most hunters hunt 200 yards from a road. GPS map tech has made this easier. But also easier for the competition.

There is more to hunting, or not hunting for that matter, due to technology and social media. Montana has always been a great state for hunting, but magazine articles and hunting videos have brought too many people here. You can’t find a magazine on the outdoors without some reference to Montana.

Population of game, access, seasons and bag limits along with a myriad of other factors have polluted the hunting landscape in Montana. Deer and antelope are not what they used to be 20 years ago, but elk are in healthy numbers throughout western Montana and even in many places east of the mountains.

Too much attention has been made public on what a great state for hunting and Montana is paying a price for it. Other states with little or no attention probably have better opportunities and if they are smart, they will keep it to themselves..

I generally go in about a half-mile or so. Often I see no one back there. Most seem to follow along the river, where it’s flatter and more open. That river route goes for close to 1 1/2 miles, then becomes a forest trail. I also like to hunt the heavily-forested ridge on the property. The walk is shorter, but the top is a couple hundred feet above the parking lot. Very pretty woods, worth a little climb.

I think the prototype of glamorous hunting shows will doom it for the younger generation.

They sit, whispering, recording everything, checking trail cams.

Wearing $450 britches, with a $135 plastic pudmore.

Expecting a booner before breakfast.

No real connection with Nature or chance of fun without having to harvest a trophy.

Many women hate hunting season partly because hubby is out of her immediate control, and partly she has take up the slack, like taking the garbage out, letting the dog in and out, etc. The amount of tasks doesn't change, just the available labor force.

Pisses her off....she ain't going to encourage that in her children if divorced.

Pappy makes a good point on working for your game. GMU 15A locally burned in 1969. By the time I moved back here in 1980, it was filthy with moose. I killed my bull every year (a couple times I skipped a year if I had freezer meat- most years I split it 50/50 with someone, letting me hunt every year, and fresh meat).It never took me more than 2 weekends, either. Maybe an extra day or two for packing, depending on area and time of kill.

I always hunted 1-5 miles off the road, with 100% success. No-one back there, at least until airplane access was allowed last 10 days of season. The success ratio for all hunters in the area was 20-25%, because the yo-yo's would not get more than a quarter mile from the road ( and sometimes not out of their vehicle, even, until they saw a moose, if they did), and despite their looks, moose are far from dumb, believing out of sight is out of bullet range.

One evening one year when the second growth was 6-8 feet high, I saw a couple Indian lads "hunting", in a pickup. They were in the cab, rifles in the back-window rack, driving, talking, drinking beer.

Their two women were in the bed of the truck, outside hands clutching the rain gutter, their inside arms linked, each watching their respective road sides for moose.

My wife told me I could just damned-well forget about that!

Very few hunters on the public land just 40 mi. north of Milwaukee this year. Yesterday I actually heard a few shots though. As for me , I shot a doe there on Tuesday, saw nothing Wed. could have shot a few on Friday and Saturday so they are in there. Didnt see a buck though. I am not sure why so many hunters are giving up. It seems like the best is yet to come with less hunters and more deer.. Tough hunting though with all the dead ash trees fallen all over and marsh grass growing over them so you cant see them , then falling ass over tea kettle cause you cant see them. Those deer sure like it though and with all the more sunlight from the trees dying, the grass only grows taller and thicker.

Alabama is over ran with hunters, public and private “clubs”. I hunt public a few times a year, and it’s always packed down here. And the number of folks don’t bother me, it’s the rudeness in the azz holes that do. They’ll pile right on top of you, get set up beside ya and not even care. Be glad y’all ain’t got a lot of hunting pressure up your way.