So Um...I was Wondering...
 

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...

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

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.

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

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

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

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.

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

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.

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

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

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

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.[:o]

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

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.

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

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.

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

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.

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

Hunte all privat land in West Virginia (approx 1800 acres) and 110 in PA. I am so thankful that I can.

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

Nebraska's got some great Mulie hunting. Last year i seen one that would have made state record easy. If i would of had my rifle instead of my bow he'd be on my wall by now.

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

About 50-50 anymore , but I used to hunt publics extensively . Use topo maps to locate promising terrain features away from the main entry points for larger publics , or use the same feature to locate small little known ones with access and a proximity to cover , food , and/or water .

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

i hunt nothing but private. where at in MO are we taking here. i dont live in Mo but own some land there and have a cabin there by mark twain lake, ralls co. i've got some nice pics of bucks in Mo.

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

I almost totally hunt public land also. I usually hunt during the week and avoid the weekends. I rarely see other hunters even on the small areas. It's a mad house on some public land during the weekends with hunters everywhere. You don't have to wear orange for bowhunting but you take your life in your own hands if you don't

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

Mostly private. I just walk 200 yards from my house to my ground blind. Shot three deer there last year. I will be heading up there in four days. I also usually make a trip out to thewestern part of the stateto hunt mule deer. That is on public land. Will be going out there in about two weeks.

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

i mostly hunt public land in central florida but this year i'll be huntin' a couple times in georgia on a new lease we got....i think huntin' public land is waaaaaaaaay more rewarding. (just my opinion)

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

It’s fairly easy to find a good hunting spot on public land in Pa. The problem is finding a quality spot where some jerk doesn’t come walking in at 9:00 in the morning smoking cigarettes, hacking, stepping on every downed branch in the woods and trying to climb a up a tree with most of his gear at home or back in the truck. Usually after the first week these hunters? give up and go to the nearest bar to do what they do best then it's possible to have a quality hunting spot.

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

I am scared of public land andhave always hunted private land, but 3 yrs ago the persons land I hunted on wanted more money for me to hunt, I was already paying all his taxes. So I broke down got a loan and bought my own land. Back then I paid $750.00 an acre and thought that was high but now land is around $2000.00 per acre here. It wasone of the best things I have everdone. Since I have built a small cabin and garage and spend most weekends at the property.

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

TC, that's a nice setup you have there. Just to give you guys an idea of land in my area of Howard and Carrol County, Maryland. The cheapest acre is close to $40,000. I have seen them as high as $1 Million. You can still find land for around $2500 an acre in western Md.[&:]

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

TimberCreek, when you get settled in you can invite a couple of friends out for a hunt. You know, to recover some of your costs.:D I'll be waiting to hear from you.

RE: So Um...I was Wondering...
 

Can't be much assistance in directing you over in the s.w. part of Mo. however I've hunted the large tracts of public land in the south eastern part of the state now for some forty years and I may be able to help you some.
My territory as I said is large, and it is river country with virtually no people, so it offers multiple setups for me. Anyway, you say you're able to read topo maps,(which I consider the biggest tool you can have) you'll need all the skill with them you can muster.
I usually start out the pre-rut hunting the river valley its self because at this time it is all about food for hill country deer. The big bucks are hardest to kill for me at this time mainly because they don't move around much, but they're in the bottoms looking for the most nutritous foods obtainable and they're planted on it. We're talking about secluded wooded bottoms with old throwed out fields within them. It's kind of like hunting abig rabbit to me and not so dynamic as when the rut kicks in so I do'nt do much of it. Also the idea of hunting a feeding animal just do'nt trip my trigger much but to each his own here.
Getting on up to when the rut is about to start I move back onto the ridges overlooking the river. My set-up involves setting a stand back near the very head of a valley that leads directly from the main river valley itselfthat also hasone very important ingrediant.It has to be alighned with the predominant prevailing wind that we get and thats usually from the south west here.A prime buck will set upin these choice valleys for a number of reasons and it would take more time here than i got to explain. Its mainly for the privacy I think but anyhow I setup a stand to start with up near the very top of the ridge on what I call the break of ridge.Its a very distinct change in topography where the elevation at the top falls away into the vally below.My stand will directly overlook this break usually to left of the center line of the valley. I don't have to adjust stand position muchanymore but be prepared to if you see its called for.The tactic here is to catch either the prime buck or satelite bucks patroling this valleys activety both by thewind and thetrails that are cutby any deer traveling in and out. The prime buck if he has any does he'll be down in there and virtaully unkillable unless you and somehelp gang up on him (which I'm not into doing him in that away myself ). The good thing is you've got a shot at him as well as any buck thats big enough to crowd the ol'mans territory. My problem has always been that I can't let a good buck walk and I'm usually short on time these daysfor hunting so I'm not too devoted to the proposition of getting the bad boy of the woods.
Theres still alot of details to learn along the way but I can assure you its a leg-up on how to hunt the big woods on land thatmost peoplenever learn to hunt.
Oh yea, if your into the scents and call thing, it might be of help down in the bottoms but they'll do way more harm than good up on the breaks. All you need is a cheap tent,grub,gear and a will to be gone doing some real hunt'n!
Hope this helps ya out! YFIS