No lease where should I hunt?

[DKirk]

Doesn’t look like I’ll have a place to hunt this year so where should I look into. Probably have time for a 4-7 day hunt on some public land. Considering TX,MS,OK, and KS but open to anything I can fit in my time frame. Probably a rifle hunt because I think I have a buddy that’ll tag along but he’s not a committed bow hunter yet. What’s the green screen say?
Thanks in advance

[AJMag]

Personally, I've been thinking the same and really eyeballing the Ouachita NF in arkansas. Debating on the thought of camping on one of the islands on lake Ouachita and boating to a shoreline from there to hunt. Only been there once to fish and vaca, so really thinking about a squirrel/scout trip to find accessible areas via boat amongst the mountain shoreline to plan for later. There's tons of land and forest roads to roam. Sounds like fun and good, closer by mountain terrain and scenery

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[OldRiverRat]

Doesn’t look like I’ll have a place to hunt this year so where should I look into. Probably have time for a 4-7 day hunt on some public land. Considering TX,MS,OK, and KS but open to anything I can fit in my time frame. Probably a rifle hunt because I think I have a buddy that’ll tag along but he’s not a committed bow hunter yet. What’s the green screen say?
Thanks in advance

Unless you put in and drew a Kansas nom resident tag you can mark that off the list, I don’t think you can buy a land owner tag
I’m partial to ok myself but ms would be a strong second. Drive time also considered

Lots of land in Arkansas but I’ve heard even though it’s public the locals think they own it.


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[T-roy66]

Hunts

Personally, I've been thinking the same and really eyeballing the Ouachita NF in arkansas. Debating on the thought of camping on one of the islands on lake Ouachita and boating to a shoreline from there to hunt. Only been there once to fish and vaca, so really thinking about a squirrel/scout trip to find accessible areas via boat amongst the mountain shoreline to plan for later. There's tons of land and forest roads to roam. Sounds like fun and good, closer by mountain terrain and scenery

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We signed up for an urban hunt in the Hot Spring Village. It’s archery only with each hunter getting three tags to begin the season. You can get more tags as you us them. One requirement is you have to donate your first grown deer to feeding the school feed the hungry kid program.after this you can keep what you kill. Season starts September 1 st and runs through February . All participants have to qualify with either crossbow,compound bow or a recurve/ long bow at the shooting range. I’m looking forward to see how many animals get removed this year. Last year over four hundred animals were killed.

[ctom87]

I'm in a similar boat. No lease but I am applying for a bunch of public land. Decided that I wanted to be within 3 hrs of DFW, or a high success rate or chance at exotics... Turns out there are quite a few options. I've applied for a TON. Last year was my first to apply for anything and I won two hunts. This year I've already won a dove hunt. I'm hoping to either build points or win some good stuff... we will see. I'm including friends of mine as well. It should be a fun end to the year and beginning of '22 if I win a few more. It helps that I know my money is going to TPWD...

[1riot1ranger]

I'm in a similar boat. No lease but I am applying for a bunch of public land. Decided that I wanted to be within 3 hrs of DFW, or a high success rate or chance at exotics... Turns out there are quite a few options. I've applied for a TON. Last year was my first to apply for anything and I won two hunts. This year I've already won a dove hunt. I'm hoping to either build points or win some good stuff... we will see. I'm including friends of mine as well. It should be a fun end to the year and beginning of '22 if I win a few more. It helps that I know my money is going to TPWD...

This is effective. The other way to increase odds is to check out as many standby opportunities as possible. I always had good luck with standby and the odds are a lot better than being drawn. Other benefit, standbys don't count against your preference points

[huntindude]

We signed up for an urban hunt in the Hot Spring Village. It’s archery only with each hunter getting three tags to begin the season. You can get more tags as you us them. One requirement is you have to donate your first grown deer to feeding the school feed the hungry kid program.after this you can keep what you kill. Season starts September 1 st and runs through February . All participants have to qualify with either crossbow,compound bow or a recurve/ long bow at the shooting range. I’m looking forward to see how many animals get removed this year. Last year over four hundred animals were killed.

How does it work for property owners? Are they pretty open to folks knocking on doors wanting to hunt their yards? We have a lease but this just seems fun.


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[bowhuntntxn]

As mentioned, Kansas is out. Draw state that is getting harder to pull a tag in. Oklahoma has a lot of good public land to hunt and non resident tags are OTC. It might be close enough to visit some places to scout and come up with a plan. Missouri is a little further, but has a LOT more public lands and the OTC non resident tags are cheaper than OK.

Oklahoma and Missouri have a much shorter firearm season than TX so if you are just hunting with a firearm that is something to consider. And you cannot use archery equipment to hunt with during the firearm seasons, unlike here where all methods are legal during the general season.

Never hunted AR, and never even knew anyone that has, but it seems to be a decent place to hunt from what I read about it. And if you want to stay here, buying the $48 APH endorsement opens up quite a few places for you that have decent success if you put the time in to find the deer.

Good luck to you which ever route you choose.

[twosixteens]

As mentioned, Kansas is out. Draw state that is getting harder to pull a tag in. Oklahoma has a lot of good public land to hunt and non resident tags are OTC. It might be close enough to visit some places to scout and come up with a plan. Missouri is a little further, but has a LOT more public lands and the OTC non resident tags are cheaper than OK.

Oklahoma and Missouri have a much shorter firearm season than TX so if you are just hunting with a firearm that is something to consider. And you cannot use archery equipment to hunt with during the firearm seasons, unlike here where all methods are legal during the general season.

Never hunted AR, and never even knew anyone that has, but it seems to be a decent place to hunt from what I read about it. And if you want to stay here, buying the $48 APH endorsement opens up quite a few places for you that have decent success if you put the time in to find the deer.

Good luck to you which ever route you choose.

You can use archery equipment during Firearm season you just need to have the appropriate tags for the season you are hunting in Missouri

[chicken fried]

I’m doing the same thing this year. I put in for several public hunts and thinking about trying my luck at the National Forest. I doubt my luck will be good since I haven’t had a chance to scout it but at least I’ll be in the woods. I would like to do elk hunt for meat or Axis doe hunt.

[DKirk]

I entered quite a few of the draw hunts so hopefully I’ll get lucky there. I didn’t realize Kansas had went to all draw, I have a buddy who’s parents have a farm there so that was part of it being considered. Top of my list is probably MS because I still have some family there and I grew up hunting there but OK and AR would be something totally different.
How do the standby spots work this could be a decent opportunity since we have a couple in the area.
Thanks again

[Mike D]

I haven’t been on a lease since 2017 and I’ve just been doing hunting ranch hunts.

I’m far from a purist and I’m looking to fill the freezer and make no bones about it.

I put 4 Axis and 2 whitetail in the freezer last year for far less than what my lease was costing me.


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[SC-001]

Just go fishing instead, its cheaper and theres a bunch more public water in this state.

[1riot1ranger]

I entered quite a few of the draw hunts so hopefully I’ll get lucky there. ....
How do the standby spots work this could be a decent opportunity since we have a couple in the area.

Check the public hunts page for the hunt dates and a week or two before the hunt call the location and ask if they will have standby spots. If they do, then show up and hope you get lucky. I was able to hunt more often than not doing standby.

[T-roy66]

How does it work for property owners? Are they pretty open to folks knocking on doors wanting to hunt their yards? We have a lease but this just seems fun.


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The community has a map that has highlighted common areas to hunt. With it being so steep most of the drains / creek bottoms are open to hunt. You can also get written permission from land owners to hunt their property. Some general rules are you must be at least 10 fee up in a tree and must be at least 50 yard from a house.