Maybe someone can help me. It looks like i am going to be hunting alot of public land this year. I usually hunt it a little every year but never get much action. Any tips on the best signs to look for to hunt?. i have been trying to hunt pretty deep to get some distance from other hunters, And hoping they might push them back in a little further with all the activity from all the other hunters. Also i tend to hunt were i can get more visual coverage. Is it better to hunt thick coverage versus visual? Any tips are appreciated.

I prefer to hunt near bedding areas always, especially on WMAs. But I'm like you, I want to be able to see as much ground as possible from my tree. The more I can see, the better my odds of seeing one I say. I'd find an "edge"...maybe a thick old cutover with some big hardwood ridges next to it. Catch those deer being pushed from the hardwoods to the bedding area, and or catch one easing out of that bedding area to feed in the hardwoods.

Take Choccolocco WMA for example...56,000 of acres of mostly unbroken mature hardwoods. Where are the deer???...everything looks the same!!! Find the bedding area, THAT'S where the deer are.

I assume your talking Skyline? What kinda deer you want to kill? Anything?Wallhanger?

I assume you're talking Skyline as well. Go sit on a saddle with a rifle and a lunch packed. Sit all day.

Really anything. I mean of course I want the mount. I hunt for the meat. And yes skyline I will hunt abit.

Find the thickest, nastiest stuff and hunt the downwind side of it for a general starting point. Think of the spot you always drive by and you think ain't no way I'm even touching that. Then walk it one good time and that's really all you need to do. Also, sometimes walking farther isn't always a guarantee. A lot of guys hunt public land by that creed. Sometimes closer is better just as long as you scout. My most productive spot last year on public land was within sight of a road. One minute a guy would drive by further into the woods and the next a group of does would creep by. Basically, put in a lot of boot time and don't rule anything out.

All I hunt is public land. AUstan explained it perfect.

Time in the woods and wearing out plenty of boot leather are essential. Some of my better spots require walking through some real pretty bottoms, but looks can and will be deceiving. You basically need to find the area deer feel safe and they'll be more apt to move, as mentioned previously. I'll also add, that you will likely need to hunt out of your comfort zone. By that I mean take a lot of extra steps to ensure the deer don't know you are there. Avoid wearing out the same spots and hunt throughout the day.. Not just in the morning and evening. I've killed a fair amount of public land deer between 11-2. Best of luck this season!

I don't know about everybody else but I was kinda hoping mteague would give his 2 cents haha.