Kinda weird, I've never thought of Public Land as being a "bad" thing, per se...

But when youstep outside "the box"and think about it - how does a state like PA or Michigan amass such a volume of hunters? It's simple,3 things:
[ul][*]Hunting is fun[*]It takes little/no effort[*]Lots of public land to hunt on (easy access)[/ul]

So, when you have some wayward soul, nagging wife at home, looking for a new pastime (or just an escape from the grind of everyday life)- hunting looks like an attractive option. All the other guys do it, why not him? Go borrow Uncle Slim's .30-30 and pick up a license at Wally World. He starts hunting the public land and blasts a doe every year. Eazy PeazyJapanezy. Congratulations, your state hasjustacquired a new hunter who will buy a license forever.

Now he starts getting into it a little more. He'swatching hunting showsand hearing about the wonders of private land. Now, you have an individual who has just graduated from Public Hunting, and has now become an officialthorn in my side. He refuses to hunt the public ground ever again, unless all other options are exhausted.

So, if you have no public hunting, you have effectively constructed a barrier to entry for beginners. I think, in some twisted way, that that could be a good thing - as far as quality deer hunting goes.

Germ - buying land around here isn't an option. It would seriously take a solid half-million dollars to lock down a prime chunk of ground that is big enough to keep the deer safe from the neighbors. I'm po', so that aint hap'nin.