75% of my deer hunting is on public land. During the rut deer move through the public land looking for does just like private. The big difference is anyone else can walk through at will, Sguirrel, pheasant, or duck hunters. One day you can sit by yourself and the next day someone else can move in and put their stand 50yds. from you. It can get frustrating at times, if I am in a new area I try to stay 200yds. away from anyone already there and not cut the deer away from the first person. I also carry a climbing stand, the last time I put up a portable stand and carried in the ladder someone came in off of private property and cut it out of the tree with a bolt cutter. Lots of luck! Al