Whitetail hunting?

[Bushfire]

G'day all,

As some of you may know I'm an Aussie but would really love to get to the states for some hunting.
I've always wanted to hunt whitetail. As I understand it private land is hard/expensive to come by so i would do public land where I can do some still hunting. I'd like to try somewhere that has the potential to find a respectable (not huge) buck to put on the wall.
I would happily take my flintlock and use it even in a state where inlines are allowed, as long as I can use lead balls.

I'm not looking to start a wave of international visitors, I just really like the idea of visiting the states, seeing some historical sited and battlefields, some beautiful scenery and doing a little hunting for myself.

Does anyone have any suggestions of states worth considering? And further to that any requirements e.g. points etc. I'd need to start building.

Thank you in advance.

 

[HC]

Kansas is a great whitetail state with thousands of acres of public hunting.

 

[deermanok]

X2 here in Oklahoma.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

If you come over, you are welcome to hunt with me in Maryland (or by yourself) on some private ground. I am located along the Appalachian Trail close to Antietam Battlefield and about 45 minutes from the Gettysburg Battlefield.
Depending on when you would come over, I also have some ground to hunt in Southern Ohio.
No points required.

 

[Bushfire]

If you come over, you are welcome to hunt with me in Maryland (or by yourself) on some private ground. I am located along the Appalachian Trail close to Antietam Battlefield and about 45 minutes from the Gettysburg Battlefield.
Depending on when you would come over, I also have some ground to hunt in Southern Ohio.
No points required.

Thank you for the generous offer sir. That does sound exactly like the grow or trip I’m hoping to put together someday. Of course I’m always happy to host any of you gentleman that make it over to my part of the world.

 

[Half-Cocked]

Michigan where we have more deer than people. Lol

 

[retrieverman]

People kill big bucks on public ground every year, but personally, I wouldn’t spend the time and money to fly over here and to hunt public.

 

[Harley469]

Hunting public land is a crap shoot, depending on the state. The public land gets hit very hard in the states that have little of it. And it certainly helps to have someone that knows the public land in their area. Posting on a forum like this is a great way to speak with some people to help you out. I don't hunt public land here in N IL that much because it tends to be very difficult to harvest any deer, let alone a decent buck. In S IL it is better simply because there is more area for public hunting. You also need to factor in the cost of the license and tags for the different states.

 

[Bushfire]

People kill big bucks on public ground every year, but personally, I wouldn’t spend the time and money to fly over here and to hunt public.

I’m not the kind of person that’s really looking to pay for high price guided hunts to shoot big/giant bucks for several reasons. For one by the time you convert to my money it makes them bloody expensive, but more than that the few guided hunts I’ve done have all left the end result feeling a little hollow. I like the challenge and though I’m sure there are areas that are really tough I figure there has to be some ok spots too. Hence the thread.

You also have to remember being an Aussie we have different benchmarks for whitetail. What’s a great head to me no doubt wouldn’t be worth a second glance to yourself!

 

[Bushfire]

Hunting public land is a crap shoot, depending on the state. The public land gets hit very hard in the states that have little of it. And it certainly helps to have someone that knows the public land in their area. Posting on a forum like this is a great way to speak with some people to help you out. I don't hunt public land here in N IL that much because it tends to be very difficult to harvest any deer, let alone a decent buck. In S IL it is better simply because there is more area for public hunting. You also need to factor in the cost of the license and tags for the different states.

That’s the kind of info I’m trying to tease out. What places to cross off and what to look more into.

 

[Va Hunter]

You could come try Virginia. Your license comes with 6 deer tags and 3 turkey tags. I also get 5 DCAP tags ( Damage Crop Assistance Program) which gives me 5 anterless tags which anyone can use on my property.

 

[retrieverman]

I’m not the kind of person that’s really looking to pay for high price guided hunts to shoot big/giant bucks for several reasons. For one by the time you convert to my money it makes them bloody expensive, but more than that the few guided hunts I’ve done have all left the end result feeling a little hollow. I like the challenge and though I’m sure there are areas that are really tough I figure there has to be some ok spots too. Hence the thread.

You also have to remember being an Aussie we have different benchmarks for whitetail. What’s a great head to me no doubt wouldn’t be worth a second glance to yourself!

Kansas has an early muzzleloader season (begins September 12 this year), and I would bet there’s going to be less competition then. It’s too late for this year, but for a public land muzzleloader hunt, I’d recommend putting in for a tag next year.

 

[retrieverman]

X2 here in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma has a bunch of public land, and the licenses are over the counter. The only problem is that public land is heavily hunted during muzzleloader and rifle seasons.
In case, you want to go this route, muzzleloader season is October 28-November 5, 2023.

 

[Zipzap]

You could come try Virginia. Your license comes with 6 deer tags and 3 turkey tags. I also get 5 DCAP tags ( Damage Crop Assistance Program) which gives me 5 anterless tags which anyone can use on my property.

Where in VA?

 

[Va Hunter]

I’m about 75 miles southwest of Richmond. Or 30 miles from Kerr Lake

 

[Jimmy33]

Montana has a late muzzleloader season and there are whitetails all over the state.

 

[box_blaster]

Hey bud,
The southern portion of Indiana has a fair amount of public land & there are some dandy bucks roaming around. The public areas I've hunted become an orange circus on the firearms opener & start to simmer down some after the 1st week but can still be silly. I usually stick to archery & muzzy seasons due to far less participants being out there in the areas I hunt. Good luck to you.

 

[sheriffjohn]

Missouri has public hunting areas throughout the state, an "alternative weapons season" at Christmas time, and a page full of special "managed hunts" (some of which are primitive weapons). Some of the managed hunts occur outside of normal seasons and are designed to thin the herds in overpopulated areas (state parks, etc,).

Google Missouri Department of Conservation for info. We have a 4-point rule on bucks (must have four points on one side to be legal) that's really helped increase trophy deer. All seasons combined, you can hunt deer from September through mid-January (Archery Included). So many deer that spears are now legal. Can also hunt with cars. I suggest Hertz. Have to have a hunting license to possess roadkill, I think .

C'mon over. You'll be among friends.

 

[MuleDad]

Missouri also has some of the cheapest non-resident tags around as well as some surprising history( more Civil War battles fought here than any other state except Virginia and possibly Tennessee)

 

[TiggerLueb]

I enjoy the Alternative Season as well.
It is a great reason to sneak away from your relatives who have worn out their welcome.