Looking for a whitetail state.....
12-22-2018, 06:42 PM
#1
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,161
Looking for a whitetail state.....
Ok y'all, I'm looking for a 'new' whitetail state..... The goal here is to find a public land access spot that I can make a yearly or every couple of years tradition moving forward. Here's the criteria.
Looking for gun seasons. Slug or rifle is ok either way.
Even muzzleloader would work. Ohio and Pennsylvania are out (they both have late muzzleloader seasons) because I already hunt those regularly.
1) Public Land: I want public land access, the bigger the better. The goal here is to find a spot big enough to hunt year after year and learn it as I go.
2) OTC tags: I would prefer OTC tags, so that I can get the license easily. Buck and doe. Multiple doe tags would be awesome. There may even be some southern States with multiple buck tags. Also, depending on how buying tags works this could be a last minute decision some years depending on how my other seasons go. I.e. if I have freezer room after the seasons I already hunt, I may decide Christmas week to take five days during January and go hunt.
3) Late season dates: late season dates are preferred. After Christmas, or even January dates. I've got allot going on all of November and December most years. But January my schedule suddenly opens up. Season dates between Christmas and New year's would be excellent as I could take the kids along when they're old enough without them missing any school.
4) Deer #s..... Looking for a state or an area with generally high deer numbers. I don't care one bit about bucks or size of bucks. But if I could find a state that meets these requirements that I could regularly bust a doe or two in a week of hunting, I'd be happy.
Essentially the goal here is to find a state with gun seasons open after Christmas, lots of deer, easy to get tags, and lots of public land.
I may be dreaming, but figured it was worth a shot. Any states that could possibly meet those requirements that I could start researching?
-Jake
Looking for gun seasons. Slug or rifle is ok either way.
Even muzzleloader would work. Ohio and Pennsylvania are out (they both have late muzzleloader seasons) because I already hunt those regularly.
1) Public Land: I want public land access, the bigger the better. The goal here is to find a spot big enough to hunt year after year and learn it as I go.
2) OTC tags: I would prefer OTC tags, so that I can get the license easily. Buck and doe. Multiple doe tags would be awesome. There may even be some southern States with multiple buck tags. Also, depending on how buying tags works this could be a last minute decision some years depending on how my other seasons go. I.e. if I have freezer room after the seasons I already hunt, I may decide Christmas week to take five days during January and go hunt.
3) Late season dates: late season dates are preferred. After Christmas, or even January dates. I've got allot going on all of November and December most years. But January my schedule suddenly opens up. Season dates between Christmas and New year's would be excellent as I could take the kids along when they're old enough without them missing any school.
4) Deer #s..... Looking for a state or an area with generally high deer numbers. I don't care one bit about bucks or size of bucks. But if I could find a state that meets these requirements that I could regularly bust a doe or two in a week of hunting, I'd be happy.
Essentially the goal here is to find a state with gun seasons open after Christmas, lots of deer, easy to get tags, and lots of public land.
I may be dreaming, but figured it was worth a shot. Any states that could possibly meet those requirements that I could start researching?
-Jake
12-23-2018, 09:17 AM
#3
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,161
So far I'm seeing Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Maryland all have late firearms seasons of some type after Christmas.
Still need to read up on more states. Then attempt to narrow down a state with a late season and a large area of public land.
-Jake
Still need to read up on more states. Then attempt to narrow down a state with a late season and a large area of public land.
-Jake
12-23-2018, 12:53 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
well why not go to WV, super high deer numbers (highest odds of hitting one with your vehicle by almost 2-3 times any where else due to so many) tags over counter, can shoot a BUNCH of deer with a basic lic too
gun season starts before PA"s gun season, and lots of land if you look and many folks down there still allow if you ask
and NOT that far from you either?
I used to always star in Missouri,(bow) then hit Ohio(bow) then WV (Rifle) and then back to PA for rifle opener!
if you want warmer hunting, go south, NC< SC, Alabama, all have LOTS of deer high success odds and very liberal tags
Michigan is also not bad ?? and not that far from you?
I have hunted a LOT of states over the yrs, done very well in everyone to be honest, but like all things, the more effort you put in before you GO and once there, the better you tend to do anywhere
HOW far do you want to drive/fly?
the above I listed are easy drives
if you go to say like Missouri, you can do BOTH Archery and rifle, if you time hunt right and buy correct tags, I have done this a few times and ended up with two very nice bucks
I used to however rent a farm house on some land, so had it all to myself, I many times do hunts this way, as I hate getting on public land find a nice spot, start to hunt and have some idiot come sit next to me, or just keep walking past me, ruining my odds
if I am spending my time and money going far I try and do all I can to prevent this, you'd be surprised the deals you can find if you make the effort
my last trip to ND< I rented a house for 10 days on 15,000 private acres of land, neighbor gave me access to there 30,000 acres, for 45 bucks a day!, house included!
had one awesome hunt too, did a combo, archery and pheasant hunt, so my dog got some fun in the AM and I got to deer hunt the evenings!
most costly part of hunts I do out west most times are the fuel to get there and tags LOL the l;and and lodging has been cheap to be honest IMO
last rifle hunt I did in SD< was $1500 with a tag for mule deer and a house to stay in for 7 nights!, everything but my fuel to get there!, could have added a archery tag and a second chance at a second buck for 350 bucks more?
as I said, most of things are ALL in the effort and planning, you DON"T have to be rich to have great hunts out of state!
gun season starts before PA"s gun season, and lots of land if you look and many folks down there still allow if you ask
and NOT that far from you either?
I used to always star in Missouri,(bow) then hit Ohio(bow) then WV (Rifle) and then back to PA for rifle opener!
if you want warmer hunting, go south, NC< SC, Alabama, all have LOTS of deer high success odds and very liberal tags
Michigan is also not bad ?? and not that far from you?
I have hunted a LOT of states over the yrs, done very well in everyone to be honest, but like all things, the more effort you put in before you GO and once there, the better you tend to do anywhere
HOW far do you want to drive/fly?
the above I listed are easy drives
if you go to say like Missouri, you can do BOTH Archery and rifle, if you time hunt right and buy correct tags, I have done this a few times and ended up with two very nice bucks
I used to however rent a farm house on some land, so had it all to myself, I many times do hunts this way, as I hate getting on public land find a nice spot, start to hunt and have some idiot come sit next to me, or just keep walking past me, ruining my odds
if I am spending my time and money going far I try and do all I can to prevent this, you'd be surprised the deals you can find if you make the effort
my last trip to ND< I rented a house for 10 days on 15,000 private acres of land, neighbor gave me access to there 30,000 acres, for 45 bucks a day!, house included!
had one awesome hunt too, did a combo, archery and pheasant hunt, so my dog got some fun in the AM and I got to deer hunt the evenings!
most costly part of hunts I do out west most times are the fuel to get there and tags LOL the l;and and lodging has been cheap to be honest IMO
last rifle hunt I did in SD< was $1500 with a tag for mule deer and a house to stay in for 7 nights!, everything but my fuel to get there!, could have added a archery tag and a second chance at a second buck for 350 bucks more?
as I said, most of things are ALL in the effort and planning, you DON"T have to be rich to have great hunts out of state!
12-23-2018, 03:03 PM
#7
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,161
West Virginia regular season interferes with PA bear. Although they do have some antlerless weekends in private ground that work out.
Really need a season between Christmas and New year's, or into January is even better.
Some of the southern States meet that need.
Drive time I'm willing to go up to 24 hours. But closer the better. The states I'm leaning towards are closer to 12 hours, which is easy.
No flying as I'll be camping and packing everything.
-Jake
Really need a season between Christmas and New year's, or into January is even better.
Some of the southern States meet that need.
Drive time I'm willing to go up to 24 hours. But closer the better. The states I'm leaning towards are closer to 12 hours, which is easy.
No flying as I'll be camping and packing everything.
-Jake
Last edited by Bocajnala; 12-23-2018 at 03:19 PM.
12-23-2018, 03:05 PM
#8
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
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Originally Posted by 270sniper
I hunt the coastal area of North Carolina and there deer season ends by January 1st.
What's your take on the public land in the area?
Those dates work good and the license look easy to get.
Just need a big chunk of public to explore
I did allot of reading last night on NC and its definitely on the list.
-Jake
12-23-2018, 03:14 PM
#9
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,425
North Carolina, I grew up in the east but now live in the Piedmont...The Uwharrie National Forest is in Randolph and Montgomery Counties...There are areas you can camp and areas where you can park and walk in...Plenty of deer, turkeys, squirrels, etc...Plus the weather is still cold enough to feel like hunting season but not so cold that you want to stay inside...Currently, you can kill 6 deer a year, 2 bucks and 4 does...You don't buy tags, you buy a license and you get those 6 tags for the whole state so if you want to hunt the Uwharries for a few days and then move to a different area you can do that as well... 
12-23-2018, 03:17 PM
#10
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
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That's great info NC, thank you I truly appreciate it.
I'll start looking into that area.
Plus, that's only about 8 hours from me. I drive 3 to my camp in PA now, and often drive for just a day hunt. So I'd have no problem driving there to hunt 2 or 3 days then heading home .
Thank you!
-Jake
I'll start looking into that area.
Plus, that's only about 8 hours from me. I drive 3 to my camp in PA now, and often drive for just a day hunt. So I'd have no problem driving there to hunt 2 or 3 days then heading home .
Thank you!
-Jake
Last edited by Bocajnala; 12-23-2018 at 03:22 PM.
