Public vs. private land

Poodleshooter · November 24, 2000, 10:13 PM

Which do you hunt primarily? If private land, how did you connect with the owner? If public land, how successful have you been? I'm forced to hunt public land this season, as I just moved to VA last year, and all of the connections I made for getting permission on private land via 3rd parties fell through and I have no land owning family in state (sucks). Personally I've never been very successful on public land as I don't have much time to scout.

pawcatch · November 24, 2000, 10:47 PM

I've never hunted on public land,most of the land I hunt on is owned by my grandfather but you might want to try joining a club.

Fisher · November 24, 2000, 11:26 PM

Over the last 20 some years I have hunted mostly public lands here in Ohio (Wayne National Forest). I do have access to 800 acres of private lands that I hunt also. I have taken more deer off of the public lands mainly because I've spent more time there. As for my favorite when it come to hunting either one. I would say it's split pretty even. Bow season I like the private land. Less people and the deer can move around in there normal patterns without being pushed or spooked. Gun season, I usually spend the first couple of days on private land. First to avoid the crowd of weekend hunters that show up. Second, again to try and find the deer that are not being pushed and that are moving in there normal patterns. They are more predictable when not being pushed.

I usually move to the public lands later in the week. After the deer become skitish I use the hunters that walk to move the deer. I am a still hunter. I'm a firm believer that if you are moving or walking you can't hear what's going on around you. You wouldn't believe how many hunters walk by me during bow season and never know I'm there.

As for locating private lands and getting permission. You just need to drive and stop and talk to people. A lot of times they will only let you bow hunt. Then after a few years of getting to know you they will let you gun hunt. You have to remember, they have everything to lose by letting someone they don't know on there property. Be patient, and willing to take some time and talk to them. I offer to leave my home phone number, the vehicle and plate number that I will be driving. I also tell them that I will call them if I see anything unusual happening on there property.

Good luck and good hunting.

Robert the41MagFan · November 24, 2000, 11:40 PM

Don't join a private club! Most of these so call outfitters, hunting ranches and hunting clubs are doing is closing out locals from prime hunting areas faster than Bubba and his executive orders. All these greedy, private land holders are accomplishing is to a slow death of our hunting heritage in this country. One thing is to ask permission to hunt PUBLIC game animals on private lands, maybe pay a minimal fee for the deterioration of private roads. Another is to pay hunting fees per head of publicly owned animals or huge access fees that close local hunters from these very same lands. OUR game animal do cause some serious damage to privates lands. Harvesting OUR game animals from their property is the best way to control damage. Not selling OUR animals to the highest bidder. That is nothing more than welfare and thievery.

Robert

BadMedicine · November 25, 2000, 02:49 AM

I gotta go with Robert on this one. Hunting Clubs are the death of our hunting heritage. Every dollar you spend on their club goes to buying up more public land so that only the "elite" can hunt there. This is what happened in England. Thje clubs started owning all the land, you could only hunt on clubs. Pretty soon they started saying. "why don't you just leave your guns here?" then they've got yout guns, and your rights to hunt. If you want to spend money on better hunting, support the NRA or foundations that protect public hunting, ducks unlimited, or other clubs that strive to make habitat and hunting better for everyone. This is our game, our hunting rights. Yes they own the land, and thus they lay claim to the animals on it, but that isn't right, these are for everyone to hunt, regardless to whether or not they can afford high yearly fee's, or bonus trophy fee's if or when they score a good one. This is not how it should work.

And in response to the original question, I do all of my hunting on public land. My family is from Colorado and we have family that owns land there, bt growing up in the airforce, and always moving around we haven't set up the huge relationships with locals and farmers around where we live. In Idaho we had a few farms that would let us hunt Varmints and Birds, But Mostly we're just public land hunters.

Al Thompson · November 25, 2000, 08:13 AM

The "don't join a club" plea may be a good idea in the western half of the nation. I don't know, don't live there.

In the southeast, a club may be different from what you folks have. Here the land is leased from the owner. Works pretty well. Much safer than hunting public land and usually more successful.

Perhaps the large amount of Goverment owned land in the west has something to do with it?

Giz

Coolray · November 25, 2000, 10:35 AM

Here in Eastern Washington BLM bought 13,000 Acres from a family that we can hunt on. right in the middle of the largest wheat producing area in washington,However the residents of Seattle (called 206er's area code) really make it hard for real hunters,at least most of the BLM land doesn't have a road in it so the 206er's have a hard time harvesting any game. The Mule deer and whitetail population along with upland game birds is pretty good.

November 24, 2000, 11:26 PM	#3
Fisher Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 1999 Location: Reynoldsburg, Ohio Posts: 329	Public vs. Private land Over the last 20 some years I have hunted mostly public lands here in Ohio (Wayne National Forest). I do have access to 800 acres of private lands that I hunt also. I have taken more deer off of the public lands mainly because I've spent more time there. As for my favorite when it come to hunting either one. I would say it's split pretty even. Bow season I like the private land. Less people and the deer can move around in there normal patterns without being pushed or spooked. Gun season, I usually spend the first couple of days on private land. First to avoid the crowd of weekend hunters that show up. Second, again to try and find the deer that are not being pushed and that are moving in there normal patterns. They are more predictable when not being pushed. I usually move to the public lands later in the week. After the deer become skitish I use the hunters that walk to move the deer. I am a still hunter. I'm a firm believer that if you are moving or walking you can't hear what's going on around you. You wouldn't believe how many hunters walk by me during bow season and never know I'm there. As for locating private lands and getting permission. You just need to drive and stop and talk to people. A lot of times they will only let you bow hunt. Then after a few years of getting to know you they will let you gun hunt. You have to remember, they have everything to lose by letting someone they don't know on there property. Be patient, and willing to take some time and talk to them. I offer to leave my home phone number, the vehicle and plate number that I will be driving. I also tell them that I will call them if I see anything unusual happening on there property. Good luck and good hunting.

November 25, 2000, 02:49 AM	#5
BadMedicine Junior member Join Date: July 7, 2000 Location: Anchorage Posts: 863	Hmmm. I gotta go with Robert on this one. Hunting Clubs are the death of our hunting heritage. Every dollar you spend on their club goes to buying up more public land so that only the "elite" can hunt there. This is what happened in England. Thje clubs started owning all the land, you could only hunt on clubs. Pretty soon they started saying. "why don't you just leave your guns here?" then they've got yout guns, and your rights to hunt. If you want to spend money on better hunting, support the NRA or foundations that protect public hunting, ducks unlimited, or other clubs that strive to make habitat and hunting better for everyone. This is our game, our hunting rights. Yes they own the land, and thus they lay claim to the animals on it, but that isn't right, these are for everyone to hunt, regardless to whether or not they can afford high yearly fee's, or bonus trophy fee's if or when they score a good one. This is not how it should work. And in response to the original question, I do all of my hunting on public land. My family is from Colorado and we have family that owns land there, bt growing up in the airforce, and always moving around we haven't set up the huge relationships with locals and farmers around where we live. In Idaho we had a few farms that would let us hunt Varmints and Birds, But Mostly we're just public land hunters.

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November 24, 2000, 10:13 PM	#1
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	Which do you hunt primarily? If private land, how did you connect with the owner? If public land, how successful have you been? I'm forced to hunt public land this season, as I just moved to VA last year, and all of the connections I made for getting permission on private land via 3rd parties fell through and I have no land owning family in state (sucks). Personally I've never been very successful on public land as I don't have much time to scout.

November 24, 2000, 10:47 PM	#2
pawcatch Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2000 Location: South East Posts: 332	I've never hunted on public land,most of the land I hunt on is owned by my grandfather but you might want to try joining a club.

November 24, 2000, 11:40 PM	#4
Robert the41MagFan Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 1999 Posts: 1,233	Don't join a private club! Most of these so call outfitters, hunting ranches and hunting clubs are doing is closing out locals from prime hunting areas faster than Bubba and his executive orders. All these greedy, private land holders are accomplishing is to a slow death of our hunting heritage in this country. One thing is to ask permission to hunt PUBLIC game animals on private lands, maybe pay a minimal fee for the deterioration of private roads. Another is to pay hunting fees per head of publicly owned animals or huge access fees that close local hunters from these very same lands. OUR game animal do cause some serious damage to privates lands. Harvesting OUR game animals from their property is the best way to control damage. Not selling OUR animals to the highest bidder. That is nothing more than welfare and thievery. Robert

November 25, 2000, 08:13 AM	#6
Al Thompson Staff Alumnus Join Date: May 2, 1999 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,611	The "don't join a club" plea may be a good idea in the western half of the nation. I don't know, don't live there. In the southeast, a club may be different from what you folks have. Here the land is leased from the owner. Works pretty well. Much safer than hunting public land and usually more successful. Perhaps the large amount of Goverment owned land in the west has something to do with it? Giz

November 25, 2000, 10:35 AM	#7
Coolray Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2000 Location: Spokane ,wa Posts: 290	Here in Eastern Washington BLM bought 13,000 Acres from a family that we can hunt on. right in the middle of the largest wheat producing area in washington,However the residents of Seattle (called 206er's area code) really make it hard for real hunters,at least most of the BLM land doesn't have a road in it so the 206er's have a hard time harvesting any game. The Mule deer and whitetail population along with upland game birds is pretty good.