I just dont get it

If you're hunting a particular piece of public land and seeing lots of deer,including mature bucks,why on earth would you want to blab about it on a public forum where all the world can see it? Are you just lonely and want tons of other guys to come out and keep you company? Because that's whats gonna happen.It seems to be a younger generation thing,where guys feel compelled to give minute-by-minute "Facebook-style" updates on what they're seeing.

I give reports, whether good reports or a skunk report.
Just because they were there that day, doesn't necessarily mean they'll be there again tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after that, and so forth.

I've had folks bash me over FB about sharing fishing spots.
Some because I'm "blabbing out "secret" spots".
While others because the spots I shared resulted in them getting skunked.

But I do appreciate good info for preparation.
For example, someone posting that all the creek beds are full of water is telling me to expect to get wet if I want to cover some ground.
Someone posting that the oak trees are full of acorns is telling me they're going to drop soon.

For me, it's because a lot of us in today's world don't get out as much as we like. If I can help a fellow hunter out and try and help him have a successful hunt, I'll do it every time. After all, it's not my land. It's owned by all of us. A lot of the talk on here is drawn hunts. On these, you will likely not be going back to the same place but every couple of years at best so why not share the knowledge? That way when people get these chances they don't come back defeated. Part of the reason I love hunting so much is the camaraderie and hunters helping hunters. We're conservationists, animal welfare proponents, and hunters.

Also, I'm not even 30 and I don't even have a facebook. Kidding aside it's a younger generation thing. We grew up in an age where the largest form of communication was online. The fault is this. You think you have this one great spot and you don't want to tell anyone. But, when you talk to guys you realize there are several good spots you had no idea about. Talking about it can benefit you just as much as other people.


Having said all that. I'm not giving anyone a fishing spot.

I dunno,maybe I'm just being selfish and paranoid but I don't want some weekend warrior,"internet scouter" getting lucky and killing a big buck I been chasing the last 2 or 3 years.Knowing that guy wouldn't have even been there if he hadn't seen some other guy's posting of a bunch of trail cam pics of big deer on that property and talking up what an awesome place it is to hunt.By the way,this isn't directed at anyone on here,but a couple of other hunting forums I frequent it is rampant.

I get it, man. It's all about perspective. YOU put in the work and someone else gets the payoff. That can be frustrating.

I get to hunt quite a bit now. But, for a long time, I was traveling on the pipeline and got to hunt when I was off for Thanksgiving and that's about it. So I don't look at them like weekend warriors. I look at them as hunters who love to hunt but don't have the means or time to do it frequently. I've been there and it sucks. Are there idiots out there that are just to lazy to scout and put in the work? Absolutely. But, I try to focus on the former type of hunter more than the latter. Lifes awesome and life sucks. It can't be one or the other, It has to be a mix of both. So while I don't post every place I hunt, I don't hide them either.

No worries. Never thought of it as an attack.

Yeah I'm with Thisisbeer on this one... it's all about "camaraderie and hunters helping hunters". The odds are that a very limited number of people will even read the forum and even less that they will actually interfere with your hunting spots. And yeah, a lot of us work 80+ hours at work and come home to young kids and thus don't get to hunt much each year, so even getting a general idea of areas where nice deer have been sighted can help out people who love to hunt and don't get to often. Believe it or not, little things like that can really have a positive impact on people's lives. I even help people out and save them time by providing my marked up GPS maps - doesn't matter to me. Good Karma

I've read so many horror stories about over-crowding and bizarre incidents at Lake Whitney and elsewhere and I don't want the places I hunt to turn into that. I say horror stories but some of them are actually quite comical.

I think the key to that statement is "stories". I'd guess about as many such horror stories are true as claims by people that the deer they shot "didn't take a single step, it dropped right where I shot it!"

Naming a public property is rude, idiotic,foolish, stupid, disrespectful, shameful, immature, self promoting on and on and on and on.

Can you explain that thought?

Hunted Whitney and Aquilla ,seldom run into others but the few times I had it was admittedly at expected peak times. I learned to plan to go to not coincide with openers and weekends etc...or you can expect that...Id go into more details about how successful Ive been, and what All Ive seen over last 15 years but I'm follow your tone here.

I've hunted public my whole life crowds of people who have not scouted are not your friend. If you do not know that list it under the immature line. No offense meant. Just reality. I'd give someone a fishing hole before I gave up a hunting spot you've got it backwards. Some knucklehead can be 30 yards from me while I'm catching fish and his activity does not effect my fishing may be annoying but the fish will bite. If I'm deer hunting and some knucklehead walks through a bedding area the evening may very well be shot if I'm duck hunting and some guy sets up a 100 yards away doesn't know how to run a call and is shooting my swings hunt is shot.

I guess I'll get into all of those listings though.
Rude disrespectful. It's these things to the other people that have been hunting the property trying to be successful putting in the leg work waiting for the right wind. Waiting for the bucks to be chasing. They don't care that you're the Bernie Sanders of the hunting world.
The reality is all those people you're "trying to help" aren't going to be successful anyways. Just ruin others success.

It's foolish stupid idiotic for those reasons but about your success instead of the other guys.

Its self promoting because a lot of young guys like to say look at me I killed this here knowing possibly it's rumored as a tough place to be successful.

That all sounds like it's part of public land hunting to me. But, generally the guys on this forum aren't the guys that are doing those types of things. It's really hard to say no offense meant when you just labeled me as rude, idiotic, stupid, shameful and immature. That last one is the only one that bothers me. You say all that and have the nerve to call me immature? Pretty ironic...

Look, I get it can be frustrating sometimes out there when someone messes up your hunt. But putting everyone into one basket is a foolish thing to do. I like the hunters on this website and if I can help them out I will dang sure do it. I don't see any reason to get childish and start name calling over it.

You don't have to like it. But, I thinks it's rude and disrespectful to think you have some say over property you don't own. Sometimes you put in the leg work and someone takes advantage of it and your left with the short end of the stick. That's the choice you make when you choose to hunt public land. The people own it, not you. Your apart of that people, but a very small part.

So your argument is these "Stupid" people can come in and hunt animals you worked hard to try and get. But, then your argument for not telling them is because the wouldn't be successful anyway? Come on, man. Pick a a side.

No it's the same. You don't have you kill a buck to run him off.

You can be offended if youd like that also shows your matury level. The opinion of someone on the internet should not offend a man.

Look I'm not even upset about not harvesting an animal I'm never jealous of anyone else's success. I enjoy going to the woods not dealing with a knucklehead who drove into town never scouted the woods and walking aimlessly with a bow or a gun. His success rate is going to be low. I don't even get upset when it happens i wave smile and possibly strike up conversation. But I'm not going to increase the odds of that happening to me by bragging on the www.

There is a reason for years and every generation before is tight liped about public spots. Ask any western hunter from Steve rinella on down. You simply do not it and that reason is not that people are mean. It's because it will ruin a once good hunting spot. Those western guys won't hardly mention a unit number ie thousands if not millions of acres.

Ps I never said "stupid people" when referring to people hunting and not scouting etc. Only kids bragging on the internet...

If you're hell bent on helping your fellow man carry a box of Bible's around and pick up hitch hikers.

I guess I’m not used to seeing people use so many derogatory names when there not offended I just assumed you where upset.

I also assumed that these people existed on public lands before the internet existed. But maybe not...

I also never said a word about bragging. Just about giving people information.

I specifically remember a story from Rinella about how he was embarrassed by a friend of his blatantly lying about killing an animal to cover up the spot. But, you seem strong in your convictions, more power to you. Maybe if there were more hunters like you we would have more people wanting to hunt and less anti hunting folks. But, I guess if the just walked aimlessly it wouldn’t be to much fun anyway.

Dude I've pmed more people on this site suggestions on hunting than I can remember. I got not trouble sharing... Properly... I tell people all the time there is more than enough public hunting spots to go around. Encourage people to get out, that the stereotype that you have to spend 1500 on a lease to hunt when you live in Texas is wrong.

There is a difference between lying and just not saying a word....

Well, that’s confusing. So you are fine with sharing public hunting information now? Which is fine. But a few posts ago it was shameful. Maybe I misunderstood something along the way. It’s happened before.

I want to make it clear I’m not talking about one particular way of sharing information. I’m just talking about sharing this information in general wether it’s through a pm or post on this website. It feels like your angry at the crappy public land hunter that ruins people’s hunts and that’s been the stem of your argument against that one particular stereotype.

If someone gets on the the thf in let's say June and says looking for public info I'm in DFW and blah blah.

I'll pm say hey what's your mileage range what kind of weapon are you hunting with and a few more questions. I will then say hey here here and here is where I would check with some leg work or a boat uou should be able to be successful.

Which is much different than I'm hunting ______ right in the middle of season when even scouting can booger up a hunt.

Ps I thought this conversation and I did go back and look at the op. Was about people getting online and saying I've been hunting here with success.


Kinda like teach a man to fish give a man a fish. I'm attempting to teach people how to look at public land you're attempting to give them a spot.

I help people and don't have any problem with my level of success - I can't say that any help I've ever provided affected my success in any noticeable negative way...I've hunted in almost every state in the country and will put my record against anyone here I generally find other hunters to be courteous/polite and haven't really ran into anyone who purposefully ruined someone else's hunt.

I'll be honest, all I am hearing is "I'm a self centered individual who thinks because I've taken a few walks in the woods to plot my hunt on PUBLIC land that I'm somehow more deserving than others of any game around". Sounds to me like you need to buy your own land so you don't have to deal with public hunting :P

I've helped plenty of people - contributing to their success (yes, not everyone is going to fail just because they "got help" - that's a ridiculous statement). And I've also had people I've helped reach out and return the favor.


If you're scared of other people ruining your hunt, you're probably not that good of a hunter. Just my 2 cents.

Hey brother binary I'll be the 1st to tell you I'm terrible at hunting. That's of no offense to me.

The argument that "it's not your land" it's not yours to blab about either.

I think you've both misunderstood helping with getting on the internet and saying "I'm doing great here" which is what I assume the op was saying... Well because that's what he was referring to

I'm saying I don't want to be in the woods with 50 other guys.I want to be in the woods with 10 guys.(yikes,maybe I better re-phrase that)

Well first the "The argument that "it's not your land" it's not yours to blab about either" statement is absurd. Talking about something doesn't require ownership.

Second, using any tv personality - Steve Rinella or anyone else like him to support how anything should be done is equally absurd. Most of these tv personalities should not be used as role models for hunters.

You know I remember returning from a successful hunt out in the Alaska bush and running into some hunters that were just heading out. I let them copy my map information and had a little sit down about game activity. Couple years later I ran into one of those hunters who had just returned from the bush while I was headed out. The information he provided me easily cut several days off my hunt. For me, that's what hunting has always been - people who love the outdoors, who love hunting and who love the rewards of hunting - all people who have no issues with sharing information and helping other people be successful and enjoy hunting. Helping other people get involved and enjoy hunting is PART of the hunting experience.

This tight lipped nature of "hunters" that you describe is contrary to my experience (in the south, out west, east, or anywhere else I've hunted). And there's a big difference between a TV personality giving hunting location tips and YOU or ME or some other nobody giving hunting location tips. A TV personality really will get a place swarmed with hunters. Some nobody jack talking in on online forum MAY get noticed by a handful of people at most.

I think you guys are making a big deal over nothing. And you may find that not being a reclusive secretive hunter has more benefits than not.

Loose lips,sink ships.

I would do everything you just described and said youve done. None equal getting on the internet and saying I'm hunting here go check it out.

This topic was never about not talking to someone personally giving them advice saying you should hunt here, none of it, this topic was about getting on the Internet and bragging about a hunting spot. Stop Miss interpreting the original post

Binary comparing us to professional hunters. Is equal to hunting a couple thousand miles from home in a place you won't be again for years and a place an hour from home you hunt all season.

I would actually do the same for people hunting anywhere, proximity to my home and where I hunt the most is irrelevant to me. Like I said, I want people to enjoy their hunts and be successful. If someone takes a deer that I've been hunting for months on public land because I mentioned I saw lots of deer activity in stubblefield area of SHNF, that doesn't bother me one bit. I should have been a better hunter and got it first

For me though, hunting is about the whole experience, not just making the kill. There are plenty of deer on public land to go around for the limited number of people who hunt it.

If my measure of hunting was the harvest I'd quit years ago.

This will be my last post on the subject.

I love hunting public land. I love it for several reasons. The challenge of it, the enjoyment, the fact that I'm A.D.D and hate looking at the same thing over and over, the thought of sitting over a feeder and looking at the same pasture all year sounds as enjoyable to me as getting punched in the face. I help many people, I tell many people to hunt public, I offer to take kids and people that do not hunt out to show them what little I know.

All that being said the 1st thing I said was I enjoyed the challenge I do not believe in short cuts in life. It's black and white to me. I'll help anyone out but I do not believe in handouts I do not give them and I do not ask for them. No grey area.

But you guys that think you're helping anyone out you are screwing over just as many people. One guy in this post said I hunt Whitney but I know not to hunt weekends and openers. What about the guy working 9 to 5 uses his 2 weeks of paid vacation with the kids lives 30 minutes up the road and doesn't make enough for a lease. Just because you've got the flexibility in you're career and kudos to you... He may not why diminish his chances? So you get a sense of accomplishment when someone you do not know likes your post on Facebook?

I'm fortunately not that guy I drive past several pieces of public to get to what I deer hunt. Every year I hunt at least 2 states up to 4. But I've been that other guy

Hunting public is what you put into it. If you work for it, it can be rewarding but offering short cuts does nobody any favors only gives people a false sense of hope.

Good night good luck good hunting

We all know what they say about opinions and a*****es …. everyone has one... And here's my opinion...whining like a bunch of entitled babies on an online forum about what OTHER people choose to do because of how their actions may in some hypothetical world affect you or someone else ….or because their actions don't fall in line with your view of how things should be... that is far worse than some good natured people giving friendly advice to some fellow hunters.

And why do people keep bringing up Facebook? I'd have to guess that you guys bringing it up are the ones who like getting those likes on Facebook because you are the only ones that can't stop talking about it. Personally, I don't Facebook.

But hey, what do I know...to each his own.

I have been hunting for 45 years at least. Mostly on public land. I have two leases, but still most of my hunting and most game taken is from public land. I enjoy it for the same reasons ducknbass does, but I have had very few of the problems ducknbass experiences. For the most part I saw the same hunting pressure before the internet as I do now. With exceptions most public hunters are weekend warriors with limited time and limited funds. Most of those hunters hunt within a couple hours of their home just as most hunt within a short easy walk from the road. Even before the internet, these types of hunters knew of and about the public land areas near them. And now like it or not because of the internet everyone knows about all of them everywhere via google. If your serious about hunting public land or water the number one thing you have to consider when scouting, planning, or actual hunting is hunting pressure. Just like planning for wind direction, water level, etc. it is just another aspect you can't change. When I do a road trip bird hunt, I draw a big circle around every city and town, major roads, etc. on the map and usually pass up the public land within those circles. It will have been hunted hard already by the locals. You can count on that.

Deer hunting public as an example. If you pattern deer from bedding area to scrape lines or feeding areas on public land, expect that to get messed up opening morning by other hunters if not from scouters during the week. This no matter if someone mentioned the hunting area on social media or not. I prefer to look for where most hunters will approach from. Where the escape routes are. And pinch points that funnel retreating deer. Have a plan A and a plan B.

Now Duck hunting. Say you scout and find a cove visible from the road full of mallards, don't expect to not have company the next day. Take Ray Roberts where one has to enter at hunter access points. I draw a big circle around those access points on the map and avoid them. If one pulls a boat up near one of those access points to hunt, they will have company. The best looking areas on a waterbody are the best looking areas to every other hunter on the lake. I avoid those areas. If someone does not know of a lake within two hours of home, they probably don't hunt or fish anyway.

If your constantly getting hunts ruined by other hunters or experiencing a lack of success because of hunting pressure, don't assume it was because someone must have mentioned it on the net. It is because your doing it all wrong. You can't change what other public hunters are doing just like you can't change the wind, but you can adapt to hunt a public hunting area in a way to use it to your advantage.

I need to apologize for using the expression "weekend warrior",thats much too harsh and derogatory.Most of us work 5 days a week so technically we're all weekend warriors. But seriously if you've found a honey hole on public land you really should keep it on the down low or it wont be a honey hole much longer.

I looked back. Nope I never said I have those bad experiences.

Also note sniper is a fireman he hunted on Wednesday for all the years of the internet. Tomatoe orange

I don't get it either, the army of orange is strong at LBJ because of it...

Great post and I agree, people talking on the internet hasn't really changed anything. In fact, I pretty much agree with all of your points. You know I never really thought much about the "hunting pressure" factor that you mention, I think mainly because of the way I naturally plan my hunts gets me moving through areas where hunting pressure is minimal so its never been a factor that has really "stuck out" for me. But I certainly agree that it's a factor that people should be paying attention to when planning their hunts - esp. if they aren't the type of hunters that like to take long treks.

Great point on retreating game - I've taken my share of game being driven deeper in by hunters showing up and walking in the normal entry points (I'm normally way the hell back in there by the time sun rises and most hunters start coming in). Definitely a good piece of advice for people.

As far as duck hunting - you guys will all know more about that than me, I've never been much of a bird hunter. I'll certainly remember any advice in the event I ever decide to get into it.

But yeah, excellent post and advice Sniper John.