Public Land Whitetails

[Whitetail Adrenaline]

Which states have the best Public Land Whitetail Hunting? And Why?

Wisconsin
Minnesota
North Dakota
South Dakota
Illinois
Indiana
Missouri
Nebraska
Colorado
Kansas
Montana
Wyoming
Idaho
Iowa
Ohio
or Michigan... you guys have it rough!

[buckslayer]

I'm sticking with Minnesota, but that's just because I live there, know of a lot of great places to hunt with little hunting pressure, and I don't know that much about public land options in many other states.
I plan on spending a lot more time in other states starting next season though.
Know of any good public land options on the Eastern side of ND by chance?

[Whitetail Adrenaline]

Most of the eastern side of N.D. is good. Although a guy was telling me today that everytime he goes through the area of Bismark he see's groups of big whitetails. And I believe him. For Whitetail Adrenaline we are going Public Land Only this year, but for you even if you don't find quality Public most of the landowners will let you hunt. Click on the link below to see an outline for what we do:
http://www.whitetailadrenaline.com/i...ges/index&id=3
We'll be writing on that page as we hunt other states going into the fall.

[buckslayer]

Thats about all that I do hunt is public land. I do have access to private land but oddly enough find the hunting better on some of the public land that I hunt.

[Whitetail Adrenaline]

Cool Man!
Our whole reason behind Whitetail Adrenaline is so that people see that there is great hunting out there and they don't have to pay a dime to shoot a big buck if they can't afford to or don't want to. And the Public Land gets better every year. Personally I don't mind paying even $400 dollars for a non-resident deer tag because most of the states are buying up tons of new Public Land each year for the average hunter.

[buckslayer]

You guys hit the nail on the head with that plan. far to many people are caught up in the guide game. Yes there is some outstanding bucks taken each and every year on the private ranches and stuff, but then again when you own thousands of acres of land and can control what deer are harvested on it, plant the foods needed, and can change the layout of your woods to create funnels, inside corners, ponds, bedding areas, and stuff like that, I'd hope you can get more bucks to grow to a mature age and size.

Keep up the awsome work. If you ever need another hunter/cameraman let me know. After this season every hunt I am ever on will be on film. I am a deeraholic to say the least, but I pretty much hunt everything that I can.

[Whitetail Adrenaline]

That's Great to Hear! And I think that's why are video's are going so well in stores. Personally I prefer to find my own deer I think its boring to have someone tell me were he's been coming out all year, but that's just me.
If you have any questions about film equipment let me know. I'll probably post a topic reguarding film equipment soon... jared out for night

[newhntr]

I have to agree, there is alot of unknown public spots that hold some great deer. Alot of the land in my area (western Wisconsin) is under a 'managed forrest law', which means its privately owned land that is open to public hunting, but 99 % of the time its not posted so most people just dont hunt it.

[buckslayer]

Speaking of WI, I can think of one place in Buffalo county that is public thats something like 14,000 acres or something like that. I think its the Tiffany Marsh or something like that. Great county, some say a lot of hunters, but whens the last time you seen others taking jon boats deep into a forests marshy areas, or up/down a creek? (preferably with a paddle) I just started using mine about 8 years ago and have had soooo much more fun. Plus if your out there when the others are moving around closer to camp or parking lots, their very likely going to push the deer back to you and your nice little hidden sweet spot. My favorite place to hunt is something like a 45 minute 4-wheeler ride to get to, or only a 10 minute boat ride. Just don't forget your GPS and spare batteries. EVER!

[Slugger]

I live 30 mins from a 25,000 acre state forest and within 1 hr of the Hoosier National Forest which is 200,000 acres, so I will be bias and say Indiana, I have hunted both places on and off for 10 years and have found that if you put in some time and do your homework it can pay off big. edit, forgot to add, non-res. tags are $150

[Whitetail Adrenaline]

Both me and Jim grew up in Menomonie, Wi. Not to far from Spring Valley. You're right about the forest crop management and you pretty much need a plat book to know if it is. There is more land than a person thinks in programs like that.

[Whitetail Adrenaline]

Yup. Tiffany Bottoms. Guy shot the largest buck in WI out of that Public Land last year. Net 192. And there was a larger non-typical buck he was apparently after. Both Jim and I believe him because we were in there and got a glimpse of a giant non-typical. During the muzzleloader season we cut a big track and were trying to film the hunt tracking him but everytime we took a step we broke through the crusty layer of snow. We didn't even know the 192 had been shot in there untill after the season and we only hunted it once with a bow and once with a muzzleloader.
Its really not pressured that bad. Everyone's to worried about there precious private ground. Even the private ground I can hunt in buffalo doesn't hold the size of bucks that Public does. I would take your boat in there though. We walked but I think we'll be looking at taking a boat.

[Whitetail Adrenaline]

$150 tag is one of the cheapest non-resident deer tags available. They drag big bucks out of there? Does Indiana DNR plant crop fields or is it all block timber?

[Slugger]

$150 tag is one of the cheapest non-resident deer tags available. They drag big bucks out of there? Does Indiana DNR plant crop fields or is it all block timber?

no crop fields , mostly thick nasty clear cuts and pines, no flat ground, lots of hills, hollers, creeks and dry runs. deer mainly feed on mast crops and bordering farm fields. I personally know of a few 140's and 150's drug out of the back woods. and have heard of bigger. Im sure there are some booners in there.

Very diverse deer heard there though, for instance one of my best friends killed a 4.5 year old that scored in the 140s and only field dressed at 125 lbs. we were in shock when we pulled his jaw bone and looked at it. I just knew he was a 2.5
two years prior there was a 3.5 yr old killed in the same spot that dressed 200lbs and although I didnt score it like i did my friends wouldve went in the 150s

But to better answer your question the avg. bucks I see at the local check station are 15" spread 8 pts. that are prob. 2.5 with lots of 18" spread 3.5 140 class deer and every year I see atleast a few true monsters with root wad racks dressing over 200lbs and in the 160+ range, heck my boss has 2 on the wall in his office now killed in 05 and 07, the 07 was a typical7x6 that I grossed in the upper 160s, but they were both killed on private ground but not far from public

[SouchekRidgeHunter]

hey guys I am thinkin I like wisconsin's public land with all the the Chequamegegon national forest that I have hunted several years up by cable and drummond and seen countless nice bucks. I see you guys are from Menomonie... I went to Stout for 3 years to play baseball. You guys hunt the Dunnsville bottoms then??? I hunted down there for 2 years and shot a nice 8 off of that. Also In the LaCrosse area there is the van loon wildlife refuge that is great along the black riverl. I beleive there is over 1000 acreas of woods to hunt.

[Slugger]

You left Kentucky off the list, even though I have never been there I know guys who have hunted there, there is lots of public ground there, one is bow only Ive seen pics of absoulte giants with ungodly mass from yellowbank and ft. knox

[Whitetail Adrenaline]

Hmm. Sounds like some big bucks. From what we've found it usually takes more than a few days to get on a big buck if the land is very concentrated with forest. But that's because we haven't hunted alot of that type of terrain so we don't have alot of experience in that field.
I tip my hat to everyone that hunts big timber types of terrain. It can be tough goin!
Personally I typically(not always) look for terrain that is more broke-up. Lets say 70% open ground like crop fields or my favorite crp grass. And 30% Timber or Brush. Reason being is it takes alot less time to figure the deer out. I can go on a 4 day hunt and expect to get a crack at a big one if I look for that type of terrain to hunt in good deer country.

[Whitetail Adrenaline]

SouchekRidgeHunter,
Yeah from Menomonie. Big bucks get shot out of the dunnville bottoms but it does get pressure. At least with a gun. There is some great Public Land hunting in the LaCrosse/Sparta area. I would get a plat book if you don't already have one. I was talking to a guy last week that's been watching a 150 on Public down there and he said nobody will probably even be hunting the deer opening day.

[Whitetail Adrenaline]

Slugger, Your right about Kentucky. There are some giants shot down there every year. Just off the tip of Illinois. The tough part is Jim and I have been talking about that state/area for a number of years and we think it may be tough to slip in there for 4-5 days and put down a big one. There's alot of timber meaning it could take more time to figure out. We could be dead wrong though. Its happened before!

[SouchekRidgeHunter]

I am from the LaCrosse area but do all my hunting in Bangor..... Another great place is the experimental forest in bangor.... I have hunted some private land right next to this and let me tell you there are some big bucks running the BIG ridge tops there. I hunting on my farm but every once in a while we will go over there for a morning hunt.... where is this land this big bow is running on that you speak of haha!!