Best state to get started?

[Johnyd883]

Ok I know this has probably been beat to death but my question is, ive hunted a lot of public land in my home state. I finally want to take the plunge and travel out of Louisiana to hunt public ground what states are good places to start for your first out of state public hunts?

[backstraps]

I have several friends in Louisiana that hunts south Missouri each year

[thwack16]

I'm not sure there is a "best state".

My advice is to find an area you can get to fairly easily and be able to get to year after year, something that offers terrain that you're comfortable hunting in, and an area that offers multiple possible hunting spots.

Know that wherever you go, you're going to encounter other pressure. You're going to have to scout harder, wake up earlier, walk farther, sit longer, and hunt smarter, but all of that is why you're there and makes it that much sweeter when you connect.

[Swedishbowhunter]

You have to consider proximity to your home vs quality of hunting. I would choose the state the offers the best potential closest to home so your able to get there to scout and hunt as often as possible.

[PK_]

Lots of states near you with good public. Just pick one that has terrain and season dates that work for you.

I have hunted a lot of states and it is more about being able to find the good public in the better areas of any given state or the diamonds in the rough and then it all comes down to how you hunt.

If you are successsful on LA public you will do fine pretty much anywhere else.

My .02

[Edcyclopedia]

Oklahoma

[BA-IV]

Oklahoma

Is that from personal experience or just based off reading? I been eyeballing Oklahoma for awhile, but it just doesn't have the same draw as the Midwest does

[thepennsylvanian]

To be honest, i havent done it yet, but have a plan in place to go nebraska next year! IMO, with all that i have gathered it would be the best bang for your buck!! Pun intended...
1- no nores draw reqd
2- in the big buck zone bordering iowa and kansas
3- diverse habitat, you can find somewhere to use the tactics you already employ and plenty of terrain to try something new
4- above average public land available
5- many areas to camp/boondock
6- early start to archery, generally it begins 1 sept, so you could in theory go up, get a nice diy buck, and be back prior to your season kicking off or getting good

Obviously, i have no weight in this experience, im just sharing the 6 reasons why i chose nebraska for my first diy oos next year. The only thing that will stop me from going is if i draw an elk tag in pa!

[cspot]

Ok I know this has probably been beat to death but my question is, ive hunted a lot of public land in my home state. I finally want to take the plunge and travel out of Louisiana to hunt public ground what states are good places to start for your first out of state public hunts?

I think an important distinction is are you looking for a state just to do a 1 week hunt or are you looking for somewhere that you can get to multple times per year and even just go for some weekends.

[cspot]

I'm not sure there is a "best state".

My advice is to find an area you can get to fairly easily and be able to get to year after year, something that offers terrain that you're comfortable hunting in, and an area that offers multiple possible hunting spots.

Know that wherever you go, you're going to encounter other pressure. You're going to have to scout harder, wake up earlier, walk farther, sit longer, and hunt smarter, but all of that is why you're there and makes it that much sweeter when you connect.

I think this is some really good advice.

[Edcyclopedia]

Oklahoma

Is that from personal experience or just based off reading? I been eyeballing Oklahoma for awhile, but it just doesn't have the same draw as the Midwest does

Research

[Johnyd883]

Thank yall for all the help, I would probably be going for a week or so, just trying to get a different hunting experience then here....

[bowonly68]

When I first started traveling out of state from Louisiana for bowhunting I began in Missouri and have been pleased with all my trips to this great state. I have also hunted Iowa and Kansas and have been very pleased with the public land opportunities in both of these states as well. If I were starting from scratch, with the added amount of research I have done, I would probably start with Oklahoma. These are my reasons.....(1)Close proximity to Louisiana (2)Cost of non resident deer license/tags is relatively inexpensive-as well as the number of tags received for the cost is hard to beat (3)Large amount of public land available (4)Trophy potential(depends on your definition) is good. Hope this helps.

[Bonecrusher101]

Arkansas! It's just north of you. I'd look into the delta area around Helena. There are a few refuges through there that produce big bucks every year. If I were you and was unhappy in Louisiana, I'd start there first then try Missouri next.

[Wannabelikedan]

Oklahoma

Don’t know what you’re talking about Ed....