Best state for public land bowhunter to live?

[DaveT1963]

Montana for all game, whitetails I pick Wisconsin. Pretty hard to beat $24 licenses and a ton of public. Plus you have great beer, fishing, and more beer

I actually had the chance to move to Iowa and turned it down for a lot of reasons. Main one being that I really have no complaints about Wisconsin and can’t justify picking up and moving.

I was absolutely shocked WI is not on the list. It would be my #1 pick for just whitetails. Montana would be my #1 because I've lived there and I actually like elk and mulie as much as whitetails. And then there is antelope, bear, cat, fishing..

[Alexhei]

Not a state but Ontario is 87 % public land which equates to about 936 000 km2 (texas is 695 600km2 total) lots of bear, moose, whitetail elk(limited) 255$ for a non resident deer tag. Lower province has shotgun/muzzle loader seasons, some are draw. Northern areas have rifle seasons, and total season runs from Oct1-Dec 31 for most of the province. Come and Enjoy! Exchange $$ rate isn't bad either...

[greenhorndave]

Not a state but Ontario is 87 % public land which equates to about 936 000 km2 (texas is 695 600km2 total) lots of bear, moose, whitetail elk(limited) 255$ for a non resident deer tag. Lower province has shotgun/muzzle loader seasons, some are draw. Northern areas have rifle seasons, and total season runs from Oct1-Dec 31 for most of the province. Come and Enjoy! Exchange $$ rate isn't bad either...

That would actually be a fascinating public land challenge for THP and Dan/Joe

[Hawthorne]

Not a state but Ontario is 87 % public land which equates to about 936 000 km2 (texas is 695 600km2 total) lots of bear, moose, whitetail elk(limited) 255$ for a non resident deer tag. Lower province has shotgun/muzzle loader seasons, some are draw. Northern areas have rifle seasons, and total season runs from Oct1-Dec 31 for most of the province. Come and Enjoy! Exchange $$ rate isn't bad either...

Do they still require a guide for hunting there?

[Alexhei]

Guide for moose only....
Moose Licence and Tag (to hunt with an immediate relative, through an outfitter, or as a landowner)

https://www.ontario.ca/page/hunting-lic ... ts-ontario

turkey is pretty cheap but there isn't a whole lot of land in southern Ontario that is public.

[Jackson Marsh]

Not a state but Ontario is 87 % public land which equates to about 936 000 km2 (texas is 695 600km2 total) lots of bear, moose, whitetail elk(limited) 255$ for a non resident deer tag. Lower province has shotgun/muzzle loader seasons, some are draw. Northern areas have rifle seasons, and total season runs from Oct1-Dec 31 for most of the province. Come and Enjoy! Exchange $$ rate isn't bad either...

Sounds like an outdoorsman ' s paradise.

[stash59]

Not a state but Ontario is 87 % public land which equates to about 936 000 km2 (texas is 695 600km2 total) lots of bear, moose, whitetail elk(limited) 255$ for a non resident deer tag. Lower province has shotgun/muzzle loader seasons, some are draw. Northern areas have rifle seasons, and total season runs from Oct1-Dec 31 for most of the province. Come and Enjoy! Exchange $$ rate isn't bad either...

Sounds like an outdoorsman ' s paradise.

And he didn't even mention the fishing!!!

[mike_mc]

Crazy, Pennsylvania has the highest hunter density in the country, and yes I have seen other hunters in the woods, yes I have seen tons of trucks on some but not all public lands, but I have not had many hunts where I was in the stand or approaching the stand and had a run in with other hunters. I can only really think of one time where o was hunting and saw a guy walking by. Ironically, I'm fairly certain he stole my hangon that night! I haven't experienced "bullets wizzing past my head" or the "orange army" during gun season. I realize that some public may get hit harder than others but still, IMO I don't think it's so bad here in WPa! I think I can take that as awesome news for when I start heading west because if it's so bad here then it should be like hunting heaven when I go out of state!

I agree buddy. The author's original question included several variables like prices, employment etc. that's why I said Western PA. Good opportunity for employment. A ton of public land. "3 UP" antler restrictions. Cheaper than normal license fees. Ohio is a stone's throw away and WV too where you can take multiple bucks. We're lucky to live where we do. People might think I'm nuts to be saying PA, haha and its funny it wasn't even a choice. I think in years to come as more people continue to get excited about hunting public, more people might come to PA for the high density hunter challenge aspect of it??... (maybe, maybe not) I'm proud though of where I'm from so maybe I'm biased.

I 100% agree, I doubt that it'll ever be a destination state, I'm fine with that. I can say that when I lived in Texas, hunting public was hard because there wasn't very much to go around. NC had a descent amount but it wasnt managed like it is in Pa, no restrictions, use of dogs, rediculous bag limits super long seasons. I am grateful for the places I hunt and how everythings managed, there always room for improvement but Im absolutely happy with the current status of our states hunting!

PA has no Sunday hunting, and an Oct 5th opener, correct?

[thepennsylvanian]

Yep, tis true

[NHODN]

Ok so might not be the easiest state to hunt but in new Hampshire you can get 2 buck tags with your bow September to December with bow you also can get bear tag taxes aren't bad lots of jobs and if it's not posted you can hunt it plus you can get a gun buck witch you can use your bow for the gun tag plus you can also get 2 antlerless tags for m witch is a southern part of the state and you can enter a lottery for an L tag also antlerless that is just above the M unit so 6 tags most people are going to think I'm crazy but that's 3 bucks a year

[Widgeon]

MD you can archery hunt from first week of September through last day of January and all types of land forms and habitat to hunt? From freshwater swamps, tidal saltwater marsh to farm land, large woods to mountains.

Didn't make the list?

[WidowMaker77]

Depends on what u plan on hunting

[tundra@1]

no one lives in NH, unless they have too,,,,,,, ( ha ha)

[NHODN]

no one lives in NH, unless they have too,,,,,,, ( ha ha)

Don't tell everyone I was trying to trick into people to coming so when I go to places like ohio or Kentucky and other states like those there would be less people hahahahaha