first off... hello, i am new here. been visiting for a while, but until now became a member. i thank everyone who posts, and everyone who responds. so much i have learned in only weeks of being here. I've been shooting a Bear Lights Out bow for about 2 years, never hunted anything other than wild boar. Come first week of Feb will be my first time hunting for white-tail with an outfitter. now this may sound like a REALLY dumb question to many, and i am sure the answer is very simple: but it seems most people hunt public land... why? does it increase/decrease your success? is it cheaper? i am very new to hunting... so please pardon me if this is a foolish question, i just want to know the different kinds of hunting, and why people choose one over the other thanks in advance to everyone who responds!
Welcome! I would say most people choose to hunt public land because of the self satisfaction of finding game on their own, which to most...its what makes it a hunt...not saying hunting with an outfitter isnt one....some people just dont have the money for that type of a hunt and even if they do they get way more pride out of finding animals and hunting them on even turf if you will....By the way WELCOME to a wondrful sport!!! You will enjoy it and if for some reason you dont then by all means quit:D
Because a lot of folks like to do things themselves instead of paying or relying on an outfitter. Not to mention the cost.
Baiscally with a ranch all you are doing is paying thousands to access the ranchers land and shoot one of "his" animals:D
Hunting either way has its pro's and con's. With an outfitter they watch deer movement all year. Almost all use mutiple trail cams and have lots of stands pre hung before the season. With an outfitter you can expect to see deer at some point in a hunt may not be a shot but you will see them. But you pay for it, If you have all your hunting gear and don't plan on any extras during the season it may not be out of most budgets if thats the annual hunting expense. But like all hunters we all like new and improved and have to scrape money together to buy that and dropping a grand or more for a 5 day hunt to maybe shoot a doe and hope that a buck that is above the minimum score is rough. Public land is free or close to it. But it requires many more hours of scouting and a good spot may be occupied by another hunter when you get there. Public land can change day by day because of hunters and multiple new scents and changes to it. If you work a normal work week you can plan on busy woods on sat and sunday. But If you can get there during the week in non rut you maybe the only one there. Hunting can be as basic as a bow and black clothes all the way to spending thousands of dollars a year to hunt. Just remember that if you enjoy it enjoys it don't worry about that guy that spent two grand and killed a b&c buck or the nine year old that killed a b&c buck in the local woods. Hunting requires a lot of dedication and luck. Hope this sheds some light on your question it one that could be debated like camo pattern. Happy Hunting
Definitely cheaper to hunt public land. However, if you hunt near here on regular public land, you're lucky just to see a deer, much less kill one. There's just too many people. I now do most of my hunting on 'controlled public hunting area'. There are 50-60 of us who are eligible to hunt there. There were 65 but I don't know how many got in all their volunteer hours. (Most public land around here is sign-in type ground where anybody from anywhere can show up whenever.) Even though hunter access is 'limited' you still tend to see far more hunters than deer. (not too mention all the joggers, hikers, dog walkers and really, really noisy kids) Yes, it's very satisfying to score a deer on public ground but to be honest, if I had more money, I'd have my own land or I'd be spending more time with an outfitter or leasing. I'm going to sell a kidney so I can go back to Brown County, IL at the end of this month. Same outfitter I went with last year. I hate spending the $$$, but it sure is nice to have some privacy when I hunt, to see bunches of deer and set up on them depending on where I think they'll naturally be moving instead of where they'll be bumped to. :D
thanks for the quick replies. it does make sense that public land can be often times more satisfying. I hope everyone is having an amazing time out there this season.
alot of people like myself dont have the money or time to put into a lease, or private property. Public is sometimes the only option if you just want to hunt. But i would say...hunting private land is always better, (hunting pressure, other people hunting near or never no whats gonna happen. When your on your own land you can relax and know your the only hunter in the woods.)..so thats why i hunt public land......going with a buddy tomorrow however to southeastern ohio...should be awesome...
May have been a tongue in cheek statement but I'll respectfully disagree. Paying for access is no different than hunting any other private land, just a little less pressured than public land! Obviously there would be a difference in a fully outfitted midwest whitetail hunt and paying a trespass fee to hunt somewhere, not sure which you were referring to. I've hunted both, and get the same satisfaction out of both. I'd say the majority of hunters hunting public land do so out of necessity. They either don't have access to private or the private land they do have access to doesn't stack up to the opportunities available on public. It is a small majority (based on those I have talked to) that truly choose public over private when they have a better private land option available.
Tembry you could have said it any better..im on of those people that have to hunt on public....the majority of the time..unless i get invited to go on some private land from time to time....but these are my options and i do what i can with them.
This is a very true statement. I don't know many people that voluntarily hunt land that you have a very hard time seeing deer on even when you do a lot of scouting and that is heavily pressured if there are other options available.
