I am a freshman this year at Penn State and I intend to make a week long trip next year to hunt the rut on public ground. My question for you is which if any of these three states allows non-resident hunters to hunt by themselves and not with a guide.

ohio doesnt require a guide

Illinois does not require a guide. You need to enter a draw to obtain a tag.Research the public areas and the permit system thoroughly, some of them are special permit areas, some are not. Some of the public areas also require a site permit along with the tag.

Iowa is optional to have a guide. Find the public records of airal views of land of what are restricted and are not
for hunting. What favorite season is yours, shotgun, bow, high powered rifle, pistol, or muzzleloader??[hr] A good tip is following the ratio of two hunters per twenty acres.

The NR fees for bow in IL are over $400, something to keep in mind.

OH fees for NR are....i think.....around $190.00. That includes a tag and licenses. I think I am pretty close (never had to pay them!!)

Iowa does not require a guide, has lots of large public hunting areas but getting a tag is going to be your trouble.