Anyone hunted out of state public land?

[jrynef]

I am looking into hunting out of state next season. I don't want to spend the money on an outfitter, and was considering public land. I love hunting in cold weather, and it seems like another unseasonably warm season is about to be over with. My wife and I are thinking about having kids and have things we would like to do before having them. Mine is a good, quality deer hunt. I have always wanted to hunt the Midwest. I would love to sit in some single or very low digit weather. Anyone ever hunted public land in Missouri, Iowa, Illinois region? If so, pros and cons? How hard is it to get a permit? Things of that nature. Thanks in advance

[Comehere deer]

I just got back from hunting Pa, as for tags easy to get buck tags, need drawn for doe tags, plenty of State game lands over 1 mil acres to hunt. Archery season starts first of Oct and runs 6 weeks (mid Nov) then you also have Black bear season the week before Thanksgiving and then you have rifle deer season the two week after Thanksgiving and after Christmas you have a Blackpowder season for two weeks and it can be below 0 when this season is on. The fees are about $130.00 for Pa, Ohio and West Virginia as for the other midwest states you could check on line. I always wanted to hunt Kansas and never had the chance. Good luck.

[Sparkles]

Missouri has tons of public land decent deer and over the counter tags. Non resident tags are $225.

I am heading up there in about 10 days I will see if I can get you literature.

[AJ the TP Guru]

Lots of guys from TBH hunt Colorado. That's about all there is in the western half.

I've hunted both deer and elk in Utah, Colorado, and Arizona, but never during rifle season.

During bow-only season, the deer (mostly mulies) often appear almost tame. Most guys I've hunted elk with don't even bother with a deer tag, though. Elk, it's a whole different story, but without paying $10k+ public land is the only way to hunt elk.

[RACK]

ive hunted the daniel boone national forrest for since forever and have killed awesome buck deer and turkey. it covers most of the state of kentuky but my spots in that giant forest lye closer to jelico tennesee. i also hunt southern ohio forrest land and killd deer and turkey every time ive ever stepped in the woods. pm me if your interested in spring turkey in kentucky and i will take you to some of the most remote areas of giant forrest land left in our country /.

[bowhuntntxn]

Hunted Land Between the Lakes this year. Roughly 100k acres that covers tenessee and Kentucky. They have very nice camping areas, and roads all over the place. Tenessee non resident tags were less than $200 and over the counter. One buck one doe and one turkey. Will be hitting Missouri in the very near future.

[lesson 101]

Following you on this one. Very interested

[TheCracker]

ill be following this thread

[Limbwalker]

Great suggestions above.

Southern Illinois is blessed with abundant public land and tremendous whitetail and turkey hunting. I lived there for 6 years and had more places to hunt than I could ever dream of getting to.

SE Missouri is also a great place to look.

Neither of those places are more than a 13 hour drive from us here in SE Texas, and VERY reasonable if you're in NE Texas.

LBL - mentioned above - is a very scenic place, but I'm not sure the hunting there is up to the same standard as S. Illinois.

John

[TheCracker]

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[Limbwalker]

Geez, reading this and thinking back to the places I've lived "up North" really makes me realize how lucky those folks are to have so much public hunting land.

[HR3]

other states that are a lot smaller in size have waaay more public land than we do here....Tags in AR,OK,LA,MS,& AL all run about $300-400/year(some maybe archery only) TN was $200 or so.....mentioned the south first cause the deer season in those states last til late Jan-early Feb...which is peak rut for them as well... and some maybe buck-only tags as well.....all are over the counter..... but looking to do a tour of WI,IN,KY,KS,MO & OH over the next few years....Mizzou was the best deal if I remember right.......

[texas bound]

I grew up in Southern IN and Northern KY and hunted nothing but public land back home. There are some great deer up there. Ive seen some 180 class bucks killed on public land and that was back before IN re did the harvest laws. Also I have hunted NE public land. I hunted up there last year and saw a nice 160 class up there but he never gave me a shot. Tags aren't terrible in any of the states. Just do as much home work as you can before going and you should have some good hunts.

[NF HUNTER]

This thread is Very interesting! I've always wanted to hunt in IL,IN,IO or MO on public land.

[jrynef]

I appreciate all the feedback. Illinois would be my first choice, but the permit is $411 I think. Then you have to buy a non resident license. I will definitely be doing some more research and hopefully be able to get something planned for next season. I have traveled all across the Midwest and NE and always said I would come back someday bow in hand. Thanks again for the info