Hunting public land or private land

[harley 2008]

I was just curious about how many of you would rather Just hunt public land rather than mess with land owners

 

[ImThere]

I have been hunting public land all my life. I would like to be the land owner! I have never had to "mess" with land owners unfortunately


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[Deer Assassin]

hunt both

 

[BAMA BOW MERKER]

Both. I seem to have good luck on public, I also love the uncertainty of not knowing what mature bucks are in an area. I also feel a little more sense of accomplishment taking a big mature buck on public than I do on private.

 

[Polar Kraft]

I would kill for a private spot. The grind of overcrowded old hickory gets old quick

 

[catman529]

both, I learnd to hunt public land, still enjoy hunting public most of the time, but have a couple good private spots I will hunt too.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Both. I own land, hunt others land, and hunt public. Both my deer this year have been from public.


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[Hunter 257W]

I used to hunt public land exclusively because there were no deer around our farm. As deer sightings increased in our area, I gradually phased out the public hunting. I hate being whistled at when walking in in the morning as if I'm in somebody's private deer heaven and should circle around at least 1/2 mile before re-entering the woods. On my own land I can do what I want, when I want. There's nothing like deer hunting on your own place.

But I can fully understand how it could get equally frustrating hunting somebody else's private land. I know a lot of land owners will give "exclusive" hunting rights to about 10 different people. You just THINK you are the only one hunting it and as time goes on, the land owner gives more and more people permission to hunt there. I've seen that 1st hand and it gets to the point that it's almost like public land.

 

[WORM82]

Both but like posted above the private land I hunt might as we'll be public.

 

[UTGrad]

"Messing" with landowners? I'm on a lease and we have an excellent relationship with the landowner. We help take care of his property and he treats us like family.

 

[deer hunter 21]

That statement is funny "messing with land owners" I think most landowners see it as messing with hunters.

 

[Land Between the Lakes]

Remember when most hunters were able to hunt private land for free? It's amazing how things have changed. In my area on farms/properties that used to be free to hunt, people pay thousands of dollars to hunt now days. Landowners used to appreciate hunters controlling the deer population on their land, which resulted in less crop damage, which resulted in better harvest for the farmers. Today hunters are still performing a service of controlling deer numbers, but now hunters are expected to also pay thousands of dollars to hunt private land lol.

 

[JAY B]

Both

 

[harley 2008]

I used to hunt public land exclusively because there were no deer around our farm. As deer sightings increased in our area, I gradually phased out the public hunting. I hate being whistled at when walking in in the morning as if I'm in somebody's private deer heaven and should circle around at least 1/2 mile before re-entering the woods. On my own land I can do what I want, when I want. There's nothing like deer hunting on your own place.

But I can fully understand how it could get equally frustrating hunting somebody else's private land. I know a lot of land owners will give "exclusive" hunting rights to about 10 different people. You just THINK you are the only one hunting it and as time goes on, the land owner gives more and more people permission to hunt there. I've seen that 1st hand and it gets to the point that it's almost like public land.

This is what is annoying.....

 

[deer hunter 21]

Well I see it as us hunters have to pay something because why should we expect a landowner who has paid lots of money for land to just let us go free of charge and reap benefits of his hard work and sacrifice, and as was said that farmers give exclusive hunting rights to 10 different people, well when you sign that lease that will take care of that. I bet anyone on here that has something someone else wants they are going to take the money over giving it away, just common sense really.

 

[Mike Belt]

Early on I hunted public land but haven't in a long time. I think if I had to go back to hunting there I'd sell everything off and quit. The statement of "messing with landowners" isn't so far fetched. For those of you hunting/leasing private land, hunter/landowner relationships can make or break the deal. I had 4500 acres leased from a guy that owned all his land (paid for). I don't think he made it past the 3rd or 4th grade and worked all his life in the farming/lumber industry. I think because of this he felt everyone was trying to outsmart him and take advantage of him. He was constantly at our camp and trying to run our club although the only thing he knew about deer was that they ate his crops. He was always threatening to take the club out from under us and making up things that "we" did or didn't do and telling us who we could allow in the club, who we had to put out, etc. He was a royal pain in the butt and everyone in the area knew it. Great place to hunt but I finally had enough and gave the place up.

 

[WRbowhunter]

There are positives and negatives to hunting both. I love the WMA I hunt so no need to hunt private land. The great thing its bow only for Deer with the exception of MZ season. As long as the state does not sell the land I could hunt there forever. In fact they keep adding to it. I guess its just a little easier to accept that each hunter can do their own thing and shoot what they want since everyone gets to get to hunt on the WMA for just a license . If I was paying big bucks to join a lease it would be a little more challenging having to deal with other members and I guess even the land owner when I felt I had a Piece in the game even if I did not own the land.

 

[Bone Collector]

I use Public as a buffer, so I don't over hunt my private spots. Assuming I get the nod on a couple of small tracts this year (don't see why I wouldn't) I have 4-5 small private tracts to hunt. I own 1 of them.

I do not get wrapped up with chasing big bucks on public land. Although like one poster mentioned, I like not knowing what is there and maybe getting a surprise. I also feel it is a bigger accomplishment to kill a deer on public vs. private land (buck or doe). Public land deer are way more wary and tougher to kill. I also like not worrying about the doe population and the rut. I don't like shooting does on my private spots before the rut, but will from time to time kill 1. On Public, I can just hunt like the good ol days. Of course I let the little bucks walk due to not wanting to burn tags on small bucks when I know I have some good ones on my private places. So basically I can just put meat in the freezer during bow on public and then if I want a doe or two more, I shoot them on private with guns later in the year.

Now to answer your question I would rather hunt private land all day and have 100's of acres like I used to and then I could pick and choose from those where to shoot does early vs. late. Less hassle with people walking in on you, beating you to a spot, etc. Obviously less pressure on the deer, depending on how much you hunt also.

 

[harley 2008]

Early on I hunted public land but haven't in a long time. I think if I had to go back to hunting there I'd sell everything off and quit. The statement of "messing with landowners" isn't so far fetched. For those of you hunting/leasing private land, hunter/landowner relationships can make or break the deal. I had 4500 acres leased from a guy that owned all his land (paid for). I don't think he made it past the 3rd or 4th grade and worked all his life in the farming/lumber industry. I think because of this he felt everyone was trying to outsmart him and take advantage of him. He was constantly at our camp and trying to run our club although the only thing he knew about deer was that they ate his crops. He was always threatening to take the club out from under us and making up things that "we" did or didn't do and telling us who we could allow in the club, who we had to put out, etc. He was a royal pain in the butt and everyone in the area knew it. Great place to hunt but I finally had enough and gave the place up.

Especially When this happens.......

 

[Bone Collector]

Remember when most hunters were able to hunt private land for free? It's amazing how things have changed. In my area on farms/properties that used to be free to hunt, people pay thousands of dollars to hunt now days. Landowners used to appreciate hunters controlling the deer population on their land, which resulted in less crop damage, which resulted in better harvest for the farmers. Today hunters are still performing a service of controlling deer numbers, but now hunters are expected to also pay thousands of dollars to hunt private land lol.

Yeah I remember it well and it was a better time for hunting IMO. Sure you weren't gonna see as many big bucks and everyone shot the first thing by, but it was easier to recruit new hunters into the sport then. IMO land leasing is the downfall of the sport for the common man, because eventually the public lands will disappear and they won't be able to pay the hefty lease prices, which will be in higher demand, and that will be that with that. Side note: anyone remember that movie "There will be Blood" about oil prospecting. The main character (Daniel Day Lewis) wanted to prospect, so he went and told a farmer, me and son would like to hunt some quail on your land. The farmer without blinking said, ok and you can sleep in my barn (or out building) and "would you like some food and drink"... I've been told things were really like that in the early 1900's. Boy how times have changed...

Well I see it as us hunters have to pay something because why should we expect a landowner who has paid lots of money for land to just let us go free of charge and reap benefits of his hard work and sacrifice, and as was said that farmers give exclusive hunting rights to 10 different people, well when you sign that lease that will take care of that. I bet anyone on here that has something someone else wants they are going to take the money over giving it away, just common sense really.

While I agree with the logic of your post 100%, it only proves my point and the mentality of the hunter's today. I have more money, so I am going to offer to pay for something that is supposed to be recreational and fun, to make sure I get what I want and everyone else will have to figure something else out. Plus you can keep those small bucks from being shot oke: , by leasing and keeping the meat hunters out of your spot by paying, which is why land leasing started in the first place and once the fire started, it spread out of control. Now it is just a fact of life, so people are just doing what they have to. I don't believe we will see a time when land owners allow hunting by permission like they used to in my life time, unless we have a major economic catastrophe and come out the other side in a simpler "rebuilding" period.

That being said, I have never leased land, but I would not be opposed to it, if that is what it took to gain entrance to some good land. I just think it is sad that we didn't have to in the not so distant past.

 

[Mike Belt]

A lot of things are different now than from a few years back. Hunter numbers may be declining now but at that time they were just beginning to rise. Money wasn't as tight and you didn't have to cut every corner to make ends meet. Over the years deer hunting land became a cash cow. If I was a non hunting land owner I'd try to get as much return for my investment as possible as well.

 

[JeepKuntry]

I hunt public land. I'd love the opportunity to have a private land in my area. But landowners have been burnt and they aren't willing to give it another try. I don't see it as messing with the landowner. You have a good relationship with them and you have a spot for years. I also don't see a problem with them wanting a little money out of the deal. I'm not gonna spend a couple grand on a place, but a few hundred dollars to put towards taxes or bill is the least I can do.

 

[Simpleman.2]

Hunt public land 99% of the time. I love it. It's challenging at times but It makes the kills that much more satisfying!


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[csi-tech]

I had a great lease in Giles and now I am alone on our family farm. I have hunted Yanhali, Williamsport, LBL and all of that wonderful paper company land back in the day (Doochen and Wilamette). No luck on public land but I have seen a few. All of my good ones came off of a private lease and I have killed a couple on the farm over the years.

 

[tasaman]

I only ever had one private land spot to myself and lost it last year. Was great knowing you would show up and not be surprised that someone was in your spot or that it had been hunted to death all week long and now is burned out. That said I do ok on public land but I do put in some long hours in the stand. It took me all of the season last year to get my bucks though. Right down to the wire with 2 days left.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

I was just curious about how many of you would rather Just hunt public land rather than mess with land owners

I actually got permission to hunt on a local farmer near Fowlkes just south of dyersburg, the permission came in February of this year, he said just call him and he would find me a place to hunt. I tried to call him three times and we could never meet up due to me working or him in the fields. About that time turkey season started then i was getting decent pictures on public land and I haven't attempted to contact him since then.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Other than 1 very small patch, I hunt exclusively public land. Last year all of my deer were killed on public land.

I would love to find some private land to hunt, but for now I will stick with the public land and do my best to find the lower hunter density pockets

 

[Snake]

I've been fortunate to have a place in Giles since early 90' and also had a great place in Lincoln but lost it when the owner got killed . I've also got 10 acres I own which I've only killed two seven pointers off of but just don't hunt it much any more due to low sightings . The company I work for let's us bow hunt their property so I really don't hunt public any more . Used to buy the Bowater permits before they started leasing their land and have killed some really decent bucks from their land . I've had permission to hunt private land before but not exclusive so others hunted it and so I opted out because of some of the attitudes other hunters had by not respecting the owners property . By leasing both parties get something out of the deal but still hunters must respect the landowner's requests and that will be my first question toward any landowner I'm trying to access his property " what do you expect from me "? If you can't comply with the owners demand then to me the agreement ends there unless a compromise can be made . We as hunters must try and understand what some landowners have had to deal with when some seem put off by hunters .

 

[Hunter 257W]

I have read where several of you guys are talking about how it used to be easy to gain free access to deer hunt private property, and I'm not doubting your word, but in the Franklin county area I've never seen that in my lifetime and I'm 56. Now in the 1970's in areas where there were few to no deer, you could get free access to hunt but it was understood that meant rabbits or squirrels. As soon as deer numbers got high enough to deer hunt, I could never get permission to hunt anywhere. The reputation of deer hunters wasn't that good as it was feared they would be drunk, leave gates open and shoot cows or horses. I couldn't blame people at all for feeling that way as I knew a lot of those type characters myself - they were my classmates in school. Back then I was a flat broke teenager and the idea of paying to hunt wasn't even remotely possible even if it had been popular.

All things considered, leasing land to deer hunt is not a bad thing as it gives the landowner control regarding who is on their land and it reassures the hunter of exclusive right to hunt there. Unfortunately kids like myself who started on their own with no hunting adult in the family to pay the lease are most likely to get left out with no place to go.

 

[Winchester]

I hunt a mix of both with maybe 65% being public. I much prefer Private land but finding it even for a fee is a hard thing to do sometimes.