Best public land hunting experience?

My best Public land experience is just finding a great Primary Scrape area only 130 yards from a road, 2010 there was 5 scrapes, 2011 4 scrapes, 2012 5 scrapes all within a 20 yard diameter and the buck activity is phenominal during the rut many of different bucks use this scrape area. Took my widest buck to date here 20.5" wide, only a 6 point but it was a big mature buck. That morning right before daylight I had a Owl land about 10 yards from me in a tree and just stare at me for about 5 minutes, then about 20 minutes later I had a Red fox run right under me and I took a shot at hime and missed at about 15 yards, and aout 15 minutes later I had my 20.5" buck come right into the scrapes got to watch him scrape and rub his forehead on the branch for about 5 minutes then he came into my mock scrape 15 yards away and he was quartering towards me I hit Him right above the shoulder and the arrow angled back into the lungs. i watched Hime run across the swamp he came from, and at first I was worried about the shot so I sat in the stand for about an hour and a half then followed the blood trail and he was down right in the tree line on the edge of the swamp just outta sight from my stand. He ran about 250 yards, there was no exit wound but A LOT of internal bleeding shot with a rgae 2 blade. Attachment 10136

Good job. I'm surprised the bucks used the scrape in daylight, especially a mature one. 90% or more of my trail camera pictures that are taken at scrapes are taken under darkness.

Yes Im still kinda shocked about this spot, when I first found this spot I set up a stand went out that evening and was able to put a doe down within an hour and a half sitting in the stand, the doe came in about 2 hours before darkness. I also hunted the same stand the next morning and put another yearling down 30 minutes after daylight. Just a great spot most hunters probably over look and dont try because its to close to the road. But its a great spot there is a thick crp field and apple trees. The nieghboring property has a crop field across the street. I have seen deer here well after daylight and before dark, and the deer trails are like cow paths.

Best keep that spot under your hat. Tell the wrong people and they will wear it out or at least tell all their buddies about it.

Good story and nice buck Z7.