Hello, I'm just curious as how do you all hunt this pristine land of giant whitetails? Do you join a lease with a few guys? I personally avoid public land back in South Carolina cause I don't want to get shot. Bunch of wazoos doesn't know how to hunt safely without blasting at anything that moves. I'm just looking long term of leaving Cali and being a firefighter in a different state, still leaves the land issues. I'd love to live in Iowa just for the archery season. Any perspective would be great, thanks.
Well many years ago I realized that to continue hunting I needed land. Urban sprawl was rearing it's ugly head and the " 5" acre model was rampant . So when we sold our in town first home I spent 3 yrs looking for a house with some land but no nieghbors close. Started with 9 1/2 and over the yrs added 3 more contiguous parcels to 73 we live on. We also have a family camp of 63 acres an hour away that was gifted to us by FIL. Homes mine and camps the guys. I won't hunt public, blessed with private I leave public to those not so blessed. Besides,private is no guarantee of not being shot. Hubby, friend,and I nearly shot at camp. Slug literally cut through hubbies hair and as I lay face down in snow hubby over my back and his friend over his a slug hit less than a foot from my eye. At home I was nearly shot walking to my stand and out of a 16 ft. tree stand. Our daughter nearly shot walking to her stand. We ALL dress head to toe in hunter orange. So never take private as safety.
Yeah I mean seems like something I might be trying to do as well. That's crazy about those shots landing so close. One of my close friend's brother got shot walking to a spot on public land which is why I'll probably never try and hunt public any other place than the western mountains. I'm really considering taking advantage of the overtime opportunities out here in California with fire, guys making 300-500k a year with overtime. Just means I'll have to suffer California that much longer. I feel like maybe buying land is the best option overall. Definitely not an easy task to buy your own land these days. Thanks for the insight.
I had great private for 18 yrs (160 acres)... the farmer and his wife both passed and the land went to a relative.. leased another land for two years and had nothing but trouble with trespassing and f'n dogs ... no more leases for me for now ... I had hunted state land prior to the private, I am now back on the state lands and am killing good deer every year, .... I do a draw hunt on another state property with limited access (bow area only) .. my goal is to be done before gun season kicks off on the main property and then if needed draw for the other area for the end of Nov. after it quiets down on the surrounding private lands when gun pushes deer on to the less pressured state land .... yea, I'd like another good lease where I have control of access and could do food plots again but finding one isnt easy, but the costs any longer are just plain stupid so I'll stay on the state lands which dosnt cost me nothing but the cost of the licenses and still kill good deer ... I work my ass off to do so, pack in/out my LW/sticks every hunt, but the rewards are worth the effort ..
I’m in NC and feel the same way about public land gun hunters. During Archery and Blackpowder season i’ll hunt public in a small tract near home. But once general gun season starts and guys start running dogs I start hunting the 3 acre parcel of private near home. Last year I tried a hunt in opening day of gun and a pack of dogs came through (no big deal) but ten minutes later the guy chasing the dogs, and waving his gun through the air while jumping trees and dodging bushes, came running under my tree made up my mind for me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I hunt a combination of leased land, my own land, permission private land, and public land. The leases are I pay for me to hunt only and other hunters I don't know also lease the land. I bow hunt in 5 contiguous states so that's why I hunt so many different types of land. I live on venison and fill two large freezers every year because when I'm home I eat venison for lunch and supper. I also give away about three to four deer per year to friends. Actually, hunting season becomes a marathon for me as I bow hunt on average 6 mornings each week from mid September through January.
Depending on your state/county, you may be able to enter a lottery for hunting certain zones. Good luck!
I usually hunt public but this year I met a nice guy who is letting me hunt his land. Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk
I am lucky enough to have a friend let me hunt 20 acres by myself. I put in for archery hunts on 3 state parks this year. Will find out in about 2 weeks if I got drawn. Sent from my SM-G965U using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Yeah, I mean not everyone is blessed to have money or land which makes the sport almost a rich man's game. Thanks for the post and hope you stick one. I think I'm going to try and save up and buy some land even if it takes me a decade or more.
I am fortunate to have private land to hunt in farm country here in Wisconsin. My grandpa has a 40. So do my parents. And my in laws own 400 acres. Lots of deer. Don't always have big big bucks. But there are always some decent ones around.
