How to Find Public Land to Hunt

How to Find Public Land to Hunt

How to Find Public Land to Hunt
By: Ryan Leaman

If I’ve never hunted public land, how do I do that? Where do I start?

Hello everyone, my name is Ryan Leaman. You may have seen some of my hunting content on social media sites like Facebook and YouTube. I am the host of a YouTube channel called Hunting the Missouri.

Here is a little bit of my history. I started hunting at the age of 7 years old back in 1997. I cut my teeth by hunting on public land. I can vividly remember hunting all kinds of animals in wildlife management areas which are available to the public to be able to hunt. Hunting deer, hogs, squirrels, and turkeys across many diƯerent states on public lands has been a passion of mine and is my preferred method of hunting. Obviously, you are reading this article because you are interested in hunting on public land. At the very end of this article, I will share a few success stories of several large bucks I’ve harvested on public and how you can consistently get it done.

Let’s first start oƯ by answering several questions that have been brought to my attention over the years. First oƯ if I’ve never hunted public land how do I do that? Where do I start? My recommendation is first oƯ getting on you states hunting regulations website. For example, if you live in Texas, it would be TPWD.Texas.gov which stands for Texas parks and wildlife division. Once you are there, there is all kinds of useful information. I would go ahead and download the app which will give you access to everything you will need to know. To access and be able to find places to hunt you would click on the Hunting tab and then click on public hunting. Each state is diƯerent so you will need to follow your state’s rules. As you look through this area, you will see a map section with stars which indicates public areas for hunting once you find the area you are interested in Hunting click one of those stars and it will give you the specific information of that hunting area. For Texas you are required to have an annual public hunting permit, which is diƯerent than your actual hunting license. Some states will have the public land stamp you will be required to purchase where some states will not have that requirement. Be sure you read the rules and regulations for to state. Once you look over the map and select an area you are interested in you will need to read all the regulations for that area.

Step 2: Once you have located an area, you would be interested in hunting.

I would definitely recommend reaching out to a biologist or a game warden in that area. They are a great resource and can give you a lot of good information. You can ask them questions and they will often times point you in a good direction to start looking at specific public land areas to hunt that are good or better than other areas.

Step 3: Maps.

I would recommend using an app like onX Hunt. If you have a diƯerent map app, you will prefer to use that is fine I have just used onX for years and they are really good. I love the option of being able to go in and select public land and it will show that area on the map. There is also diƯerent layers you can apply which will help you be able to hone in on a good area to hunt. One of the filters I like to use is the acorn producing layer, because then I can see where roads are, where feeding areas are, and if there is water like rivers, or ponds in an area as well. I am looking for areas that are not easy to access. If you have a boat that is a good option as well. The more secluded and harder to get to spot the more likely you are to see an abundance of game. I will generally go in a spot and start looking for areas where I see no human activity. For example, when I get to an area where a road ends or human access trail ends, I will keep going into the woods deeper. Also, a good idea indicator would be when I stop seeing trash, boot prints, and flagging tape or reflective tacks showing a trail used by a hunter. I would normally avoid these areas. Most of the time I will e-scout which means look over maps and mark locations ahead of time so when I go put boots on the ground I can head to a specific location so I’m not just aimlessly wondering around.

Step 4: Finding spots.

Once I have located an area, I want to start hunting the planning starts. This will not change even if I’m hunting a trail, a food source, a water source, or rubs and scrapes. Before I just run in there and start hunting it, I will pay attention to a lot of factors. A lot will depend on the wind and paying attention to where it is coming from and where it is blowing to. Access is key because if you are educating deer when you go to your stand or leave your stand you are blowing your chances of being successful. Often your very first sit is likely your best chance at harvesting your target deer. I may have multiple stand locations and may have diƯerent ways I may access that area to hunt. The reason I inform you about this is because the wind direction may and will often aƯect a deer and their movements. The reason for this is because on a certain wind they may use a specific bedding area because it has proven itself a safe place where they have escaped prey in the past. Depending on the wind will depend on which stand location and access trail I will use.

Step 5: The stand set up.

Once you have learned and located where you want to hunt, and you have planned an access path on how to slip in there, selecting how you will hunt that deer is the next step to being successful. This will depend on the terrain and what weapon you have selected to hunt with. If you are hunting with a firearm obviously your set up can be further away from where you plan on shooting the animal. If you have selected to hunt with a crossbow or a compound bow you will need to be closer to where you think the animal will be. If you plan on hunting with a traditional bow like a Longbow or a recurve you will need to pay attention to the details and your stand set up even more so you can be extremely close. I will mention many diƯerent options for a stand. Ground blinds, ladder stands, climbers, tree saddles, or even something may call stalking, slipping, or still hunting an area where they slowly move around. One of these will likely be an option for you to hunt in the area you have selected. Each one of these could be a good hunting option for you depending on the person and the set up.

Step 6: Getting the shot.

Now that you have found public land to hunt and the exact spot you want to hunt. Your access and your preferred stand to hunt out of, getting the shot oƯ when being undetected is very important. The reason I mention this is because public land deer are very jumpy and on edge due to all the hunting pressure. Being hidden and having a good back drop or brush around you to keep you from being spotted by finicky deer is important. Once you are hidden one of the best ways to stay undetected is by not moving and being as still as possible. Once you have deer coming towards your set up, paying attention to the deer and their eyes to where they are looking is crustal because pulling your weapon up when they are looking the other way or when their head is behind a tree is a great way to not get picked oƯ. If they see you moving, they are likely to blow, stomp, and run oƯ alerting all deer within your vacuity.

Step 7: Being successful.

Doing these steps will point you in the right direction for being successful on public land. It will all boil down on you and your willingness to work hard. I can promise it will not always be easy but if you stick to it, you will be successful in due time.

Step 8: Being consistently successful.

Learn from your mistakes and learn from people who are constantly killing big deer on public land. Listen to podcasts and watching every successful public land hunter you can.

Stories of success on public land.

Below are the links to several hunts from Ryan Leaman of Hunting the Missouri on YouTube. If anyone has any questions feel free to reach out to Ryan by commenting on one of his YouTube videos.

Thank you New View Hunting for publishing this article about public land hunting. Y’all are and amazing company and have amazing products! God Bless!

Sincerely,
Ryan Leaman
Hunting The Missouri
https://youtube.com/@huntingthemissouri?si=RSgBBA6e76zGH5uY

— NewView Hunting
Older articles Back to We need a "new view" on hunting

Blog posts

Blog post

Give your customers a summary of your blog post.
— Author name

Blog post

Give your customers a summary of your blog post.
— Author name

Blog post

Give your customers a summary of your blog post.
— Author name