Public land whitetail

[rhendrix]

How many of you guys hunt whitetail outta state on public land in the Midwest or Southeast? I'm beyond frustrated at my current deer lease, and finding a decent lease in TX will cost me between 2000-2500 dollars, which is insane to me. I'd rather hunt fair chase whitetail on large tracts of land with good genetics and pay half that than give my money to a bunch of money grubbing land owners. Which states have good public land in the Southeast or Midwest with OTC tags are tags that I can draw every other year?

 

[Shrek]

I passed on my deer lease this year to hunt out west and I sure do miss it. I don't know of any really good opportunities like you have in the west to hunt quality land and game in the Southeast. I'm sure you are familiar with the pay to play hunting regime in the south. I've been out to the local national forest and it's a game desert. If you haven't done a ton of scouting and then beaten the crowd to the deer on the first couple of days you are sol. I'm sure there are a few good spots but they will be well kept secrets. I'm buying a new to me tractor in the morning so my western hunt next year is probably shot in the ass. I'm going to hold my nose and join a club again . Good luck in your search !

 

[Lukem]

PM sent.

 

[Lawnboi]

Sd. I'd go to either in a heartbeat for a whitetail hunt and someday I will. Can get yearly bow tags. Public ground everywhere. A matter of fact I walk through some prime whitetail ground every year in sd to hunt mulies. Lots of public land! Not like the over crowded land of the Midwest or east.

Nebraska is a promising sounding state as well though I don't have any experience.

 

[jmez]

Nebraska if looking for white tail.

 

[E-2]

Let's talk some more about this... The idea of the dakota's and Nebraska spark my interest. My buddy and I are slowly hunting our way west. As we can get leave from work and our wives let us be gone that much.

Here in VA for the most part you have to go deep in the public land to find solid deer.

 

[Eagle]

This was 4 years worth of hunting the same public land area in Illinois. I would go up and shed hunt in February/March each year, then go up and get trees prepped and ready in October, and then go up and hunt it for a week in November each year. Lots of time and lots of effort was put in to kill these deer, but it can be done if you're willing to work at it.

Of course, I'm sure there are people that blind stagger and kill good deer. I like to know a place well and have multiple stand sites for different winds in case one area is getting pressured more than it was in the past, or if the corn in an area hasn't been cut becuase it's been a wet fall and the deer are locked down in it.

I also haven't been back in the last couple years because the deer population was dwindling (EHD hit two of the years we hunted there) and the pressure was getting worse every year to the point that you couldn't sit all day without someone walking by, even if you were well over a mile back. More and more people are turning to public land as lease prices continue to rise, so competition isn't going to lessen anytime soon.

 

[Browtine]

This was 4 years worth of hunting the same public land area in Illinois. I would go up and shed hunt in February/March each year, then go up and get trees prepped and ready in October, and then go up and hunt it for a week in November each year. Lots of time and lots of effort was put in to kill these deer, but it can be done if you're willing to work at it.

Of course, I'm sure there are people that blind stagger and kill good deer. I like to know a place well and have multiple stand sites for different winds in case one area is getting pressured more than it was in the past, or if the corn in an area hasn't been cut becuase it's been a wet fall and the deer are locked down in it.

I also haven't been back in the last couple years because the deer population was dwindling (EHD hit two of the years we hunted there) and the pressure was getting worse every year to the point that you couldn't sit all day without someone walking by, even if you were well over a mile back. More and more people are turning to public land as lease prices continue to rise, so competition isn't going to lessen anytime soon.

Nice job Eagle!

Kansas is another option. Lots of walk in hunting ground out west (private land leased to KDWP) and quite a few non-resident tags.

http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/conte...14/file/2012 Nonresident Deer_Draw_Stats.pdf

 

[E-2]

Eagle that is awesome!

 

[justin davis]

Nebraska is prob your best bet. But a lot of states give the oppurtunity. Here is a buck I recently took in Colorado on Public Land. Took him on the ground.
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[Jon Boy]

I believe Randy Newberg has done some shows of hunting public land in Kansas and has done well..

 

[BigDog00]

Northwest Nebraska has a lot of public land (and whitetails), Northeast Wyoming has lots of public land (and whitetails), Colorado has whitetails on the front range and eastern portions, Kansas has been metioned as having some public access (I've heard they have a whitetail or two), Montana, southwestern South Dakota...

There are a lot of states out west that has some really good whitetail hunting, although you need to keep in mind that in 2012/2013 we got hit hard by EHD/Blue Tongue disease. Not to say its not worth hunting, but the populations in some areas have been hit pretty badly.

 

[E-2]

Northwest Nebraska has a lot of public land (and whitetails), Northeast Wyoming has lots of public land (and whitetails), Colorado has whitetails on the front range and eastern portions, Kansas has been metioned as having some public access (I've heard they have a whitetail or two), Montana, southwestern South Dakota...

There are a lot of states out west that has some really good whitetail hunting, although you need to keep in mind that in 2012/2013 we got hit hard by EHD/Blue Tongue disease. Not to say its not worth hunting, but the populations in some areas have been hit pretty badly.

BigDog do you know the tag situations in the states you mentioned? Are all of those states OTC or do some have lotteries.

 

[BigDog00]

Nebraska is OTC and i think Wyoming has quite a few leftover tags for the NE region. As for the rest I have no idea.

 

[RStarck]

This was my first year targeting whitetail out of a tree here in NE Colorado. I was the one who always thought it would be boring, but when you are relaxing in a tree and nature goes on around you, you see alot of interesting things. Whitetail will be a yearly hunt for me forsure! By the way, my "whitetail" hunt quickly turned to a mule deer hunt when a good ol buck came cruising to my tree!

As for your question, I too am now studying Neb and Kansas for their walk in and public tracts. For Kansas, most the areas I am looking towards will take a point for non-res. Neb, over the counter. With your wants, I would def stick to researching Neb. Good luck in your search.

 

[E-2]

Nebraska is OTC and i think Wyoming has quite a few leftover tags for the NE region. As for the rest I have no idea.

Thanks. I will look in to the others

 

[fulldraw1972]

Nw Nebraska is hurting when it comes to whitetails. At least a third of the deer gone from EHD. I hunt antelope/mule deer and coyotes there every year.
All my whitetail hunting is done in SE Nebraska. On the private ground I hunt we lost a few deer but not 1/3. Pm me and I will share what I have for info.
Kansas has lots of walk in and decent big deer. SD/ND do as well. I know a couple of years ago ND had a bad winter.
Mn numbers are down but decent hunting can be had. Ia had good deer and good amounts of public. Pushing 4 years to draw a tag though. I might be able to get you on some private in zone 4. I would have to make a phone call.
If I was going to do a diy public land hunt I would hunt ia and Kansas if I didn't draw ia.

 

[rhendrix]

Thanks for all the feedback, of you that hunt out of state regularly on public land, what kind of time investment do you make? I was thinking 8 days could help me get it done, if I put some boots on the ground already in the summer. I'm currently leaning towards MO at the moment due to the travel time, NE is only a 2 more hour drive, but if I choose to only hunt outta state it limits to me to no more than 10 days of hunting a year. Which is fine with me if it means I get an opportunity to shoot some truly nice deer.

 

[realunlucky]

Mo has an atlas of all their state land that is managed by the department of conservation, for like 20 bucks. Very nice shows size boundaries and parking areas. I always go the week before gun season opens. Always check when youth season is because woods will be busy. This last year they moved it back to two weekends before gun season opened prior years it was the weekend before. Gun season typically opens the Saturday around November16. Sorry I guess I just assumed you would be archery hunting. Pm I'll try and help you out if I can

 

[rhendrix]

real, I'll be hitting up archery season, I haven't' gun hunted for whitetail in 3 years. Yotes are the only thing I gun hunt now for. I'll send you a PM or two after I do some more research. Thanks buddy!