Best state for Nov. public land WT?
Whitetail Deer
The last couple of years at home, I've tagged out in the first few days of the archery season, and I hope to do it again this year. The only problem with that is, I'm done hunting far too soon and I miss hunting the rut. If I do it again this year, I'd like to do a November rut hunt somewhere in the States.
I'm from Manitoba but don't mind doing some driving. I'm looking for a state with OTC tags (since I just started thinking about this) and good deer numbers. i wouldn't turn my nose up at extra doe tags either.
I would probably plan on hunting from November 5-11, or somewhere around that timeframe.
I realize that public land, especially that time of year, is likely to see a lot of pressure, but big country doesn't scare me and I'm not afraid of hiking to get away from the crowds, so BIG tracts of public land would probably be better.
Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota fit your needs perfect. I think Missouri still allows you to shoot does as well.
just hunt in the north east , New Jersey, new York, Maryland, and Pennsylvania , Plenty of deer , and more then enough chiggers
Come here to MA and you won't have to worry about tagging out quick. We have low numbers but their are some brutes out there.
Is this something you are considering looking at this year only, or an option for the next few years as well? If it's an option down the road & your willing to gamble a little bit, you could buy preference point/points for Iowa. Several units take a minimum of 3 points to draw, but there are some units where it's possible to easily draw with 0/1 point. Only problem is you have to apply in May to get the tag. Another option to consider.
I have hunted the 3 states scrappy mentioned. There is a spot in SD I found last year I want to hunt but it won't happen this year. Maybe you should hunt it....
Not many tracts in Missouri large enough to get away from the crowds, and the public lands gets hammered. EHD has our deer numbers in the tank. Those dates will guarantee lots of company.
Its probably unrealistic to drive to any new destination having no familiarity and expect to be able to hunt particularly in a larger area. Illinois has otc tags but you buy them or have someone buy them for you at places like wal mart. Doe tags msy also be available. The largest wooded area in illinois is the Shawnee National Forest but you might think about an outfitter like the ones rated on this site or at least go down before season and spend a week scouting. Some counties like pope are almost all forest but access and property line familiarity can be a real problem. You can usually buy a county plat book showing land ownership which is a neccessity. Hope this helps.
May be too far for you but Ohio has Otc tags, tons of public land, and some great bucks.
Give Wisconsin a try, the rut usually peaks the beginning of November too. Firearms season is Thanksgiving week so you would miss that and everything is pretty much OTC, though many northern county's are bucks only.
Totally disagree with Pete. I have gone to Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Kansas(have to draw though)and first time hunting new ground had some great encounters and killed some nice bucks. Google earth is your friend. I am doing Kansas, Nebraska and Indiana this year if I tag out early enough in Kansas. Shawn
If you're going to hunt Illinois I would recommend looking into the Shawnee National forest. This is more big woods type hunting but you can get away from the people. Any other public area in Illinois will be nearly impossible to stay away from other hunters.
Scrappy, x-man and hawkeyegolfpro150+, I'll check into those states that you mentioned. Thanks!
Fulldraw1974, I sent you a PM. Thanks!
r-man, spike78 and WV Mountaineer, thanks for the suggestions, but that far to the northeast is a little far for me, especially if I turn this into an annual trip.
T-roy, I may turn this into an annual trip, but it all depends on how I do in Manitoba each year. I'm kicking myself for not buying points in Iowa the last few years, actually. I'll start to this next application season.
Elkmo, I have a couple of areas in mind where I think I can get away from the crowds in Missouri. I'll send you a PM.
petedrummond, Jon Simoneau and deerman406, thanks for the suggestions. I do a lot of looking on Google Earth and Google Maps before I go into any new area, even local ones. We don't have much for terrain differences here but you can usually find a good starting points just using cover changes and edges.
BLACKBEAR 3 and Rob in VT, I'll keep Ohio and Wisconsin in mind too. Thanks!
I realize that the dates that I've chosen are probably some of the worst dates as far as competition from other hunters, but I also believe that they're probably some of the best days of the rut. I'll just do my best to get away from the crowds.
In southern illinois the dates u picked are about a week too early.
I think the dates you chose will put smack dab in the chasing phase most anywhere in the mid west. Much later and you can run into the bucks being locked down with does. Maybe a coupe days later you would be fine til about the 15th of Nov. Still anytime from Nov. 1st. to Thanksgiving would be a great time to be in the deer woods. Shawn
Come to Wisconsin i HAVE OFF THAT WEEK , PLENTY OF LAND AROUND
MBMule I also would highly recommend the Whitewater WMA in SE Minnesota, they've had APR in place in those GMUs for around 5 years and are harvesting some really nice trophy bucks.
petedrummond, anything I've heard or read has those dates just before lockdown, or in the chasing phase, but I know those dates can change drastically, even relatively locally.
deerkan406, those are about my thoughts too. I really don't like to hunt during lockdown, I'd i can help it. It can pay off sometimes though.
Zebrakiller, PM sent.
BLACKBEAR 3, thanks! I'll check that out too!
All of this hinges on me tagging out early in the season at home again, and my one target buck has disappeared on me. I'll leave the cameras and everything else alone until opening day and hope that he re-appears on Monday and that the wind is good.
Thanks for all the help so far!
If you are from Manitoba, I wouldn't waste any time driving farther than necessary. I'd look first at Sask. or Ontario, but if you want to expand it to the States, good whitetail hunting can be had OTC in Minnesota & North Dakota right over the border. If desired, you can spend a few more hours in a car and add South Dakota, Wisconsin or Montana. If you can't find a spot with good November hunting in one of those states, you're doing it wrong.
Iowa has some really good public land hunting (not a lot of acreage however) but the downside is that you will need as many as 3 preference points to draw some units.
South Dakota is great. Wisconsin has tremendous public opportunities.
