Hunting on public lands is becoming increasingly popular, especially as private leases become harder to get. While at times vast, public lands that are open to hunting can also see large numbers of hunters, particularly in front-country areas closer to roads and trailheads. All this means hunters scouring public land need to be creative about where they go to maximize their successful hunts year after year.
Tips For Hunting on Public Lands
One of America’s greatest assets is its public lands–lands managed by local, state, and federal governments that are open to all. Many if not most of these lands permit hunting, and this resource provides hunters with diverse habitats and game opportunities–all you have to do is get out there and explore. However, the increasing popularity of public lands hunting means there’s more pressure than ever before.
Types of Public Lands for Hunting
Before diving into strategies, let's explore the various public lands available to hunters:
- National forests: Most national forests are open for hunting, provided they're accessible via public roads, waterways, or adjacent state or federal lands. Always check with the local ranger district Office for specific regulations on hunting and seasons.
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM): Predominant in the West, BLM lands often provide excellent hunting and are generally less crowded than other areas.
- National parks: Hunting is allowed in several dozen national parks and other units of the National Park System, including Big Cypress National Preserve, Amistad National Recreation Area, and Grand Teton National Park.
- National wildlife refuges: Managed by the US Department of Fish & Wildlife, these areas can offer prime hunting.
- Wilderness areas: Wilderness areas are primarily managed by the Forest Service and BLM; hunting is allowed in most wilderness areas, though be aware of restrictions around the use of motorized equipment and other tools.
- State lands: Many states manage their own public hunting areas, which can include state forests, state parks, and state wildlife management areas.
- Other public lands: Many other types of public lands allow hunting for those willing to do their research, including lands owned by universities, experimental forests, and others.
How to Find the Best Public Lands for Hunting
While these lands may belong to all Americans, hunting on them can be complicated. As opposed to carefully managed private leases, public lands can be sprawling, hard to access, and present complicated logistical challenges. Here are some hints to help your hunt:
- Use digital mapping tools: Start your hunt with an electronic scout. Use mapping tools to see where the boundaries are and where you can hunt, then zero in on topographic features where you think your game may be. Public lands along rivers can be particularly rewarding for hunters to focus on. This can be accomplished with a REVEAL Xtra plan upgrade, which offers enhanced mapping, including property boundaries, public accessibility, and landowner names and addresses. You can also integrate custom pins and paths, and can calculate land area and property line length quickly.
- Focus on boundary lines: Some of the best hunting may be found near the boundary between public and private lands, and these edges are often overlooked by hunters who venture deeper into properties.
- Explore lesser known areas: Instead of staking your claim on a national forest, look for smaller tracts that others may not even know exist. For example, Iowa's Habitat & Access Program has enrolled over 30,000 acres across 57 counties for public hunting. Other states offer “walk-in hunting” which are areas that are often less crowded and can provide excellent hunting. Still other options can include county conservation areas, which may be practically unknown outside of local communities.
- Escape the crowds: Texas and Pennsylvania have each sold around 1 million annual hunting licenses in the past. Idaho and Wyoming, meanwhile, each have vast swaths of public land for hunting. South Dakota and West Virginia are also known for their access to land and low hunter numbers.
- Don’t just scout in the weeks leading up to hunting season: Make scouting a year-round hobby. Year-round scouting allows you to better understand animal behavior and identify food sources, water, and cover. Can’t dedicate 12 months to scouting? Tools like wireless cellular game cams can be your eyes and ears in the field, allowing you to set cameras and then monitor wildlife activity from your phone or computer. These cameras, like the Tactacam REVEAL X 3.0, use motion activation, fast trigger speeds, and low-glow IR flash to capture images and videos of wildlife, then send them to an app. Since they use cellular networks, there is no need for Wi-Fi connectivity, and the optional lithium-ion battery and solar panel can ensure near-continuous operation. Just remember to double-check that game cams are allowed on the public lands where you want to put them.
For more hunting tips, visit the Tactacam REVEAL blog.