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More public land rookies this year?

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    More public land rookies this year?

    Maybe it's my imagination, but there seems to be more 1st time public land hunters on the forum this year. I think that's a good thing, but I'm wondering if the economy has folks choosing public lands over a lease more and more these days.

    Personally, I think the $48 APH permit is an absolute STEAL for what I'm getting - access to good quality dove hunting on leased land, access to a couple thousand acres of bowhunting-only whitetail areas, access to tens of thousands of acres of National Forest, available only to APH-permit holders...

    If it were $100/year, I'd pay it. Just the dove hunting leases on private lands alone are worth that much to me. The deer hunting is just a bonus IMO.

    Anyway, is our "best kept secret" not such a secret anymore? Has the whole idea of small deer hunting leases finally run it's course? Are people looking for a more challenging hunt than just sitting in the same old stand and watching the same herd of deer week in and week out?

    What do you think?

    John

    #2
    I would agree with you. I was talking with a buddy about the same topic the other day. He thought the economy had a big part to play. I think the AR rules are playing a big part as well. Producing larger deer on public land.

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      #3
      For me, it's money. I would love to have a deer lease again. But just can't afford it. And the ones I can afford aren't worth the grand a year they want. Next year I hope to have a lease. I like to have my own place to go, and my own Stand to climb in to.

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        #4
        I like the challenge of public land, feeders with the same herd all the time almost seem like cattle. I have nothing against this kind of hunting whatsoever, its just not for me.

        I agree, even for bow season it seems like there are a lot more cars on the forest roads, I think its economy driven.

        BTW where are you finding good public dove hunts, I've gone to just about all of the spots in the book within a 3 hour drive of Houston, and have never found a full limit, and after opening weekend very few birds flying total

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          #5
          I said good, not "full limit!" ha, ha. I have low standards. If I can go out and shoot 3-5 dove in an afternoon, and shoot 10-15 shells, I'm pretty happy. However, I did take nearly a full limit of mixed whitewings and mourning dove on one afternoon this year. I think I shot 30 times or so. It was fun!

          I usually hunt one of the three areas near Burton, TX, off 290 West of Brenham. But there are also areas N. of Schulenberg and NW of LaGrange that are worth trying.

          Casilva, I didn't think about the antler restrictions playing a part. I can definitely see that factoring in. For example, right now I have a dandy place to hunt on private land with plenty of deer on it. I have deer under my stand nearly every trip out. BUT, there is only one buck that I've seen so far that's over the 13" spread, and he's just barely over. I'm saving him for my daughter, so if I want to chase another buck over the AR rules, I'd better head to Somerville or the Sam Houston and see what is running around up there. Because in 7 days of hunting, I've just about got all the deer where I hunt named! LOL!

          Sure is a lot more fun when you just never know what's going to show up.

          John

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            #6
            I'll have to check my journal, i think i hit some of those spots a few years back and didn't see many. 5 dove is a good day and worth the drive. Best spot i've found is Justin Hurst, but it burns out quickly and you have to use steel shot

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              #7
              I think it has a LOT to do with the economy.

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                #8
                I really like hunting public land now, but I know it will get old. Not sure I'll be comfortable bringing my kid hunting with hundreds of trigger happy strangers out there. And I know eventually my age will dictate if I can hike in 2-3 miles with 50 lbs of deer stand and equipment not to mention hauling a deer out that far.

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                  #9
                  I think it has a lot to do with the economy mainly.

                  That being said, a few of my buddies and I who are still in college want to do a little public land hunting. Still comes back to money being the issue I guess, can't afford a lease of our own

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                    #10
                    Deer hunting has become big business now. Pig hunting is becoming that way too. People see the opportunity to rape hunters over the coals because of their love to hunt and since they have some land with animals, they want to get rich off of it. That is why public lands are getting overcrowded with new hunters. I am one of the public land hunters now because its just ridiculous to shell out that kind of money to hunt. Used to, a person could obtain permission to hunt for free, or at least just enough money to pay taxes on property for landowner, but others would come and offer ungodly amounts of money and all of a sudden you no longer had a place to hunt and couldn't afford to pay for it if you wanted. It's becoming a rich mans game just like everything else I enjoy doing.

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                      #11
                      I am new to hunting period and that is why i went the public route i cant afford a lease they want an arm and a leg for them. Priced them and it just seemed they were way over priced

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                        #12
                        The several times that I've been screwed over by landowners or so-called landowners has been my biggest motivator to hunt public land. That and the fact that the best bucks I've killed in my bowhunting career have come off public land. It would have to be a pretty special place to get me back on another lease.

                        HG

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                          #13
                          I just got into it this year. I could have afforded an ok lease but while in the navy in va i hunted public land and really enjoyed having to learn the deer not just wait for the dinner bell to ring and they show up. so thats why i'm doin the public thing.

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                            #14
                            I think there are a lot more people getting into bowhunting!!!

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                              #15
                              I hope we do have more bowhunters coming to the woods. That's good for hunting and conservation, I think.

                              I agree that too many landowners have an unreasonable view of what a lease is worth. Maybe this is a "market correction" and lease fees will go back down when they can't find anyone to lease their property at their price.

                              Part of it too is that with growing families and shrinking land holdings per landowner, the demand on hunting gets bigger and bigger, and takes more to get them to agree to lease it.

                              I will say that getting to hunt somewhere just by asking, and doing a little work, is still working for me, 30 years after I first started doing it. I've always offered to work for the landowners, and I know how to build fence, fix barns, use a tractor (without screwing it or anything else up) and use a chainsaw and don't mind doing it all day long either. So that goes a long way with the landowners who's places I've hunted on. I had one the other day tell me I do more work than the guy that leases his place for cattle! ha, ha. Which is why he lets me and my kids hunt there. So if you go in with your hat in your hand, are very polite, but persistent, and work your BUTT off, you can still find a place to hunt without getting out the checkbook, I've found.

                              Having said that, the opportunity to REALLY hunt is no better than on large tracts of public land. And there is really no substitute for that in my book. Which is why I always save a tag or two for places like Somerville, Amistad or the Sam.

                              John

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