While I have hunted some private land when I was first lurning to hunt turkeys.. I never really had a lot 0of luck even though I should of had a large tom.. I was trying with a bow up in a guys corn field that I was given permission to hunt in. Last year however they open the area I live in up. That too is private land but open to the public. I scored a nice tom and a jake to fill both my tags with. This private land is owned by timber companies and covers a large area. So I guess this would count as public land because of it being used by the public?? So I am saying for my case the public land is better..