re: Serious question don't know a good title- public land hunting related

Just because the local drainage board has an easement on the property to clean or widen the ditch, doesn't mean it's public. Someone owns the land and it is not you. Public land as it relates to a river or stream is only to the ordinary high water mark of said river or stream.

That's why you can canoe down a river without any problems, but when you camp, you better stay below the OHWM.