Hunting On Public Land: Part Science, Part Art

Hunting on public land can be both highly rewarding and extremely frustrating. On one hand, public land access is often free and there is something special about being able to hunt and harvest an animal on land that is open to all people. On the other hand, it can be extremely frustrating to hunt on public land precisely because it is open to all people, which means there is more pressure, making it more challenging to be successful.

For some people, public land hunting is a necessity as not all areas have easily accessible or legally huntable private land available. In many popular areas, private land access could cost an arm and a leg and could be limited to first come first served, leaving many left out.

While there are many challenges to hunting on public land, it is not impossible to have a great time and come home with a memorable experience and a full freezer. The key to hunting public land lies in the fact that it is part science, part art, and a bit of luck. Here are some tips and strategies that you can use to hunt public land more effectively.

Know Before You Go

No matter where you are hunting, it is important to know the rules and regulations before you go. This is extremely important before hunting on public lands. Using your favorite mapping software or local hunting atlas, you can determine which lands are open to hunt. Generally speaking, this includes National Forest Service land, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, and some state and national wildlife areas. However, in whatever area you are hunting, be sure to identify any private land plots or boundaries. You want to avoid trespassing while hunting!

Outside of looking for property boundaries, it can also be helpful to check in with the government agency or organization that runs the public lands to ask about regulations and even to ask for advice on hunting in the area. Many rangers are willing to sit and chat about hunting options in the area, and they can help notify you about any potential regulatory issues.

The Science of Hunting on Public Land

Hunting on public land is part science. Understanding patterns, behaviors, and game habits are critical to having a successful hunt. Sometimes you may get lucky and pull up to your hunting site and be the only one there and you can hunt it like you would on private land. However, on quality public land, this is rare. Most of the time you pull up and there are other folks looking to find the same game species you are.

While this can be frustrating, there are some steps that you can take to up your odds during your hunt and even before the hunt starts.

Understanding Wildlife

When hunting on public land, all your skills need to come into sharp focus, starting with having a good understanding of wildlife and how animals act during certain times of day, year, and even in different types of weather. While observation can play a role here, it is also possible to do some research online or by talking to other hunters and learning how animals in the area are behaving.

Generally speaking, getting as far away from other people as possible is the best plan of action, however, this is not always possible. Having a plan for how animals will react to other hunters is smart. By looking at maps and aerial images, you can look for easy access points for humans and predict how having hunters in the area will push the animals. For example, if there is a road passing near a narrow gully, it may be smart to anticipate that many hunters will try to walk that gully in the morning. With this in mind, you can find where the gully ends and set up, waiting for the other hunters to push the animals to you.  By predicting wildlife movement patterns, a hunter can develop a 2 or 3-tiered plan for how they will hunt an area depending on the pressure that is there when they arrive.

Sometimes an area is just too good to allow other hunters to get there first, in this case, it may be a good idea to spend the night at your hunting spot or get up before you think anyone else will and get there first. It can also be helpful to do a backpack-style hunt on public land. By getting a few miles off of the beaten path, hunters can find more animals and fewer humans.

Scout, Scout, Scout

If there is one piece of advice I would give to any hunter at any place in the world, it would be to scout. Get out, get boots on the ground, and see the land for yourself. One thing that scouting does is that it shows you how the landscape and vegetation will work, either for or against you, during your hunt. Simply relying on maps or aerial photographs won’t tell you that there is an unpassable section of downed timber or that an old burn area has regrown.

Scouting also gives you a chance to see how the animals are moving in real life, this means you can confirm or disprove the research and planning that you did before coming out in the first place. All of this serves to save you time and put you in the right place at the right time.

The Art of Hunting On Public Land

As mentioned, hunting is part science but is also part art. The art form comes in with developing your hunting style and strategy. It also involves honing skills such as following sign, staying hidden, and being ready to act when the opportunity presents itself.

Mastering Stealth and Concealment

Part of the art of hunting on public land involves staying hidden in an area where most people are road hunting or walking out in the open. This can be achieved through scent control and camouflaging strategies. Although these techniques are important in every hunt, they are especially important when hunting public land. With more people in the area, it increases the chance that an animal will flee after hearing a strange noise or smelling a strange smell.

When hunting in crowded areas, keeping yourself downwind is essential but it is also important to think about hunting upwind from other hunters as well. This means that you can stay hidden and the scent from the other hunters in the area will not spook the game that you are pursuing.

In addition to controlling scent and using camouflage, hunters can also use the terrain to their advantage on public hunting lands. Identifying potential pockets of game and then using a ridgeline or thick brush to stay hidden as you stalk can help you stay hidden as you move and give you a better chance of getting a good shot.

Look For Signs

The second art of hunting to master is looking for signs and using them to find the target species. Of course, being able to identify and follow different animal footprints is important, but this is about understanding the nuance of tracking. Did the animal tracks overlay the human tracks? Is there old dirt in the track? Is there fresh scat or urine around? Answering these questions and developing a sense of what different signs mean can give you an upper hand on public lands.

Finding where the animals are feeding and bedding can be a great place to start. Large game will smash down areas of vegetation to bed down. They will also leave many footprints and feces. If you can find one of these areas, you can determine how long ago the herd or individuals came through and potentially which direction they are heading next.

Ethics and Etiquette

Hunting on public land means following a certain code of ethics and etiquette. First and foremost, it is important to respect other hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Public land means you may run into people who are not hunting, they could be hiking, biking, skiing, or any other type of outdoor recreation. Respecting these people’s space and ensuring safe hunting practices around them is essential. When possible, it is a good idea to pick places where general recreationalists are not out having fun.

It is also good hunting etiquette to give space to the first comers. If you get to your hunting spot and see someone already sitting there, it is time to back out as quietly as possible and find a new space. There is nothing worse than being on a stalk or finding some game only to have someone else walk up into your space and scare them away or take the animal first.

Especially on public lands, hunters need to follow leave no trace principles. This means destroying any temporary blinds or shelters, packing out garbage and properly disposing of any carcasses if needed. Keeping the land as it was means that hunters can continue to use the area for years to come.

Wrapping Up

Hunting on public land is the only option available for many hunters. However, hunting on public land can be extremely challenging in some areas because there is more pressure from other hunters, and the animals tend to move from public land to private land. It is possible to have a successful and fun hunt on public land by mastering both the art and science of hunting.

Following basic principles such as scouting, talking to locals, and learning animal behavior patterns, along with using effective camo, covering your scent, and following sign can help you find your target species. In hunting there is never a guarantee of success, however, by being prepared and following these tips, you can get one step closer to filling your tag on public land.