Hard Labor Creek

[hunter_463]

Unfortunately that is the world we live in these days. Use to if someone was parked you just went somewhere else and hunted. Now everyone wants or thinks there entitled to a spot for the above mentioned reasons. All any of us can do is adjust and deal with what ever comes our way in the woods. I hope while I am there that I find a place nobody wants and pray for the best.

 

[Big7]

Your missing the point. Nobody is restricting access anywhere. It is public land so anyone who hunts public has enough sense to know that. But just because you show up at midnight and claim a spot doesn't mean you can't restrict access as well to that other person who has all that other stuff in place. I don't carry a stand or anything because you may have to change your location on the fly. So the point to all this is neither person has a right to any of it no matter how its looked at. That's the beauty of hunting public land.

Uhhh....

That's what I said.

 

[rugerfan]

I hunted there a few years ago. My experience wasn't the most positive. Spent a couple days scouting multiple areas. Went there opening morning, there were people everywhere I scouted, as I drove around to find a different spot, saw a buck that had no lower jaw, tongue hanging down its neck, found a spot shot a doe, and got it out of there and checked in. I left , dropped the deer off at the processor. Probably won't do that hunt again alone.

 

[DannyW]

I hunted there a few years ago. My experience wasn't the most positive. Spent a couple days scouting multiple areas. Went there opening morning, there were people everywhere I scouted, as I drove around to find a different spot, saw a buck that had no lower jaw, tongue hanging down its neck, found a spot shot a doe, and got it out of there and checked in. I left , dropped the deer off at the processor. Probably won't do that hunt again alone.

Same as my experience. Got drawn on a hunt at HLC 12 years ago. First 2.5 days hunted some nice areas but saw no deer but could have limited out every day on hunters.

Knew there had to be a bunch of deer there or else they wouldn't be holding a herd reduction hunt. Final afternoon I drove around until I found a stretch of road with no vehicles. The woods were gnarly thick, had to fight my way in there about 100 yards off the road. It was so thick that I couldn't see a deer more than about 30 yards away.

And just about got run over by deer.

When deer get hit with sudden intense pressure, they go where they feel safe. And that's the thick stuff.

 

[rugerfan]

Same as my experience. Got drawn on a hunt at HLC 12 years ago. First 2.5 days hunted some nice areas but saw no deer but could have limited out every day on hunters.

Knew there had to be a bunch of deer there or else they wouldn't be holding a herd reduction hunt. Final afternoon I drove around until I found a stretch of road with no vehicles. The woods were gnarly thick, had to fight my way in there about 100 yards off the road. It was so thick that I couldn't see a deer more than about 30 yards away.

And just about got run over by deer.

When deer get hit with sudden intense pressure, they go where they feel safe. And that's the thick stuff.

Yeah, I was in the thick, shot that doe from 15 ft, sitting on the ground against a tree. Had to wrestle her out of there, got in there on my hands and knees, getting her out was a chore.

 

[bobby07]

Any word on how the hunt went over there this morning?

 

[Deerhunter12454]

In theory yes but what about the guy who has been there a few days already and has put the time in scouting, who has there tree stand hung already and has traveled several hours away and already has a ton of money invested on the trip just for you to show up at midnight to block them from getting to there already prepared place. Should you be the one to leave or get mad when they walk in on you or should they say oh it's ok you can even sit in my stand because you pulled up the night before and claimed the spot? The luxuries of public land!

Then join a lease

 

[hunter_463]

There was 40 at lunch time with more coming in yesterday. Not to many shots this morning so far.

Any word on how the hunt went over there this morning?

 

[bobby07]

Any big ones?

 

[Gator89]

I was in a club with a fellow that liked to draw HLC. He had access to private land on the back side of the park and could easily access remote areas few others were willing to venture.

 

[Dustin Pate]

Any big ones?

A member/past member of this board killed a 130-140 class main frame 10 point.

 

[Matthewmathis8]

I wound up killing a 110# 5 point the first morning. Saw a bunch of deer the day before scouting and saw this deer twice that morning before I decided to shoot him. Hunted for a while after I shot him, but didn't see anything else.