FroMan

Do most of you guys hunt almost strictly private land? Or throw some public in there? How hard is it to find good public land hunting? In Arkansas public land is everywhere, but finding good deer numbers and big bucks on them is rare.

Are any of yall in Missouri? I was thinkin about bowhunting up here, and I'd like to have some "private land" to hunt. Thing is...I just don't know anybody.

I could try public land...other than not having a clue, I can read topo and aerial maps fairly well. But of course, I could show up to a spot and see about 50 trucks parked and what not.

Between school and work...and no money...

Any suggestions on ways to find private land to hunt, or figure out how to hunt the public land?

The bowseason for this falls is looking might grim...

jagertiger

Well I'm from Wisconsin and the public land around here the best time to hunt them is during the week days if at all possible weekend forget about it everybod yand their brother is out there.

NinerPilot

I have several plots of private land to hunt, and one of them is about 20 acres that buts up to Cherokee Nat'l Forest WMA. Some buddies of mine checked out the WMA some last year, but I was unable to. I hope to this year.
Chris

kodiak41226

I've been hunting public land mainly. Generally we hunt a huge state forrest in Ohio and we normally don't see too many other hunters, but then again the terrain sucks (huge hills.) As long as your in the state land during bow season its not too bad, but gun season is another story. We were hunting just before muzzleloader last and another time just before gun season, and I have no idea how the gun hunters handle it, but the state land was literally jammed with hunters. Normally where we camp we're the only group there, but before the guns season the state park was jammed and people were camping all over where we normally hunt. It hard to describe how many people were out, its amazing there aren't more accidents.

This year I've been fortunate enough to have private land comming out of my ears, so hopefully the state land trips will be minimal.

Illinois Bowhuntin

Tell you what.I live in Southern Illinois and if you really want to hunt some private land here I can put you on some.Even put you up here at my place while you are here.I know how it is trying to find ground to hunt.Maybe some time I can come down and hunt with you.Prolly wont be this year for me.I am hoping to go to KAnsas Nebraska or Colorado to hunt some Mulies or Elk.HAs always been a dream of mine to bow hunt one.So working on swapping out a hunt with someone.I have plenty of ground for you to hunt.PM me and We can talk.

zac76156

I hunt exclusively on my privately owned land, and thank the good lord every day that I have that opportunity

Arthur P

Public land, almost exclusively. I can't afford to pay what the landowners want, and there isn't any old fashioned 'walk up and ask permission' access in Texas any more.[]

Sylvan

I'm very fortunate here in sothern NY. I live less than 1 mile from a 2300 acre tractof public hunting land. Within 5 miles there are several other tracts of public. I'd guess another 2000 acres total, mabe more. I recently purched some more land bringing my total to 185wich I hunt almost exclusively. I will say though that the hunting is just as good on the public land here. Lots of it and not the hunting pressure there used to be. Especially in archery season. 20 years ago I didn't own any land of my own and hunter primarily public.

PABowhntr

I almost totally hunt public property. Its location in relation to my home makes it ideal though it does get alot of pressure. That, in and of itself, is my key to success on public land though. I pattern the other hunters and then hunt accordingly. Many times they make simple mistakes and it is easy to capitalize on them.

rybohunter

I hunt almost exclusively private land. But it is still hunted by other people to varying degrees, depending on which place it is. I have hunted a few times on public land in PA before the big slaughter years, and saw lots of deer. I haven't hunted much since people started saying the numbers went down so I can't comment how it is now.