GONoob
Senior Member
I kept asking myself this and ended up buying property in Alaska then I realized its just too far so I bought some property along the Chattahoochee Nat. Forest. I'm broke so I look for property that borders USFS
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Pick your State
- Thread starter snooker1
- Start date
SC-the only state in the country that hasn't gone full-blown ignorant on buck limits and restrictions.
Kris87
Senior Member
Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky..in that order
chrislibby88
Senior Member
I’m gonna have to say GA. I’m already living the dream. Already own a house and land with deer on it in middle GA. Wouldn’t mind a little piece in steep north GA with a WMA on one side and CNF on the other. We have abundant deer, hogs, small game, and the northern zone has plenty of bears, not to mention we have some of the best bag limits and longest gun seasons in the whole country.
stringmusic
Senior Member
Iowa or Northern Missouri.
gma1320
I like a Useles Billy Thread
Georgia or Alabama
livetohunt
Senior Member
I would pick Iowa, but you cannot hunt it as an out of state landowner except as drawn by the lottery. So that means every 3 or 4 years. So if you buy in Iowa plan on moving there. As Jim and Bubba proved, even that may not work well. This has an effect on Iowa making it even better for top end bucks, but it also holds land prices down in a lot of counties(since out of staters don't buy much).
Raylander
I’m Billy’s Useles Uncle.
It don’t get much better than what’s GA has to offer. Lotsa tags, lotsa land, and lotsa animals.
2nd choice: Arkansas
2nd choice: Arkansas
The Original Rooster
Mayor of Spring Hill
I guess I'd stick with Georgia but I'd like to give somewhere out west a try like Montana.
crucible02
Senior Member
Oklahoma or Montana... no question!
Honorable Mention: South Dakota and Missouri
Honorable Mention: South Dakota and Missouri
bilgerat
Senior
northern Missouri
Not GA. I honestly don’t know of a piece of land (of any size) that isn’t being hunted by somebody in most of GA. Competition from Atlanta folks & out of staters have driven prices up to the point that I think for the same money...you could buy/lease in another state & have a MUCH better chance at a big deer & small game too.
chris41081
Senior Member
Kentucky. I love that place.
K9SNAPER
Member
Montana
sheep, goats,elk,deer,bear and great fishing.
and not so hot summers!!!!!!!
sheep, goats,elk,deer,bear and great fishing.
and not so hot summers!!!!!!!
Blackston
Senior Member
GA .... I just want my own dirt
I just don't see the appeal of the Midwest. Especially Illinois. I won't set foot in that communist state if I can help it. Short deer seasons, low bag limits, heavy restrictions on weapons and stuff, long, nasty winters, and nothing to hunt but whitetails. I would rather hunt whitetails in the south where you can kill more than one a year, and have a longer season.
If I was going to go somewhere that had nasty winters, it would be somewhere like Montana or Wyoming or Idaho, where you can hunt whitetails, mule deer, elk, antelope, bears, mountain lions, and even moose, buffalo, or bighorn sheep and mountain goat if you draw a tag. And no prohibitions against hunting with a rifle or carrying a pistol.
If I was going to go somewhere that had nasty winters, it would be somewhere like Montana or Wyoming or Idaho, where you can hunt whitetails, mule deer, elk, antelope, bears, mountain lions, and even moose, buffalo, or bighorn sheep and mountain goat if you draw a tag. And no prohibitions against hunting with a rifle or carrying a pistol.
Jim Boyd
Senior Member
I would choose Illinois for sure.
Only reason it would not be Iowa is due to the issues around hunting every year.
From a deer standpoint, Illinois has it all. Giant bucks, excellent overall genetics, you can take two bucks if you desire - using bow and shotgun, excellent people, good public ground - some of which is strictly managed for low pressure, very long archery season, several shotgun / muzzleloader seasons, etc.
The firearm seasons are not long and if you are a bow hunter, that is a great thing!
If you are a true throwback or old school person, bow and muzzleloader are right up your alley.
Private access is not overly easy or cheap but if worked properly, is very doable.
Illinois is a tale of two places - Chicago and it’s corrupt politics and then... the rest of the state.
The state is broke as a result of Chicago and the people in the rural areas know it.
The farmers and people in the rural areas, however, are as good as they come for the most part.
My annual two week bow trip (so far, I have chosen not to shotgun hunt - but I may in 2020) is the highlight of the year hunting wise. Lost my shotgun hunters this year and I think my buddy and I are just gonna pay the whole lease and we are talking about shotgun season #1.
If you want deer and are willing to forgo the centerfire, Illinois is a great choice.
Only reason it would not be Iowa is due to the issues around hunting every year.
From a deer standpoint, Illinois has it all. Giant bucks, excellent overall genetics, you can take two bucks if you desire - using bow and shotgun, excellent people, good public ground - some of which is strictly managed for low pressure, very long archery season, several shotgun / muzzleloader seasons, etc.
The firearm seasons are not long and if you are a bow hunter, that is a great thing!
If you are a true throwback or old school person, bow and muzzleloader are right up your alley.
Private access is not overly easy or cheap but if worked properly, is very doable.
Illinois is a tale of two places - Chicago and it’s corrupt politics and then... the rest of the state.
The state is broke as a result of Chicago and the people in the rural areas know it.
The farmers and people in the rural areas, however, are as good as they come for the most part.
My annual two week bow trip (so far, I have chosen not to shotgun hunt - but I may in 2020) is the highlight of the year hunting wise. Lost my shotgun hunters this year and I think my buddy and I are just gonna pay the whole lease and we are talking about shotgun season #1.
If you want deer and are willing to forgo the centerfire, Illinois is a great choice.
I just can't handle their draconian gun laws. Any state that doesn't allow me to be armed is a place that I have absolutely no desire to set foot in. All the fine people and big deer in the world cannot make up for that law that says the Second Amendment doesn't apply any more and I am not allowed to be carry a firearm. I do not support socialist countries.
Jim Boyd
Senior Member
Think we have been down this road before and I hear ya and I respect what you say.
I personally don’t agree to the extent that I am willing to forgo the hunting. If you look at the convoy of trucks from the southeast US headed into the state each November, I am not alone in that sentiment.
I find it very interesting though, many folks rail about states with restrictive gun laws but are perfectly willing to vacation there, purchase products (like fruit and vegetables) that support their economies, etc. Again, that is personal choice... I just find it ironic.
If my penalty to hunt there (in Illinois) is that I cannot CC, I am perfectly fine with that for two weeks or so. I don’t carry when hunting in SC either so I am not losing anything that I deem a requirement.
I know a lot of folks do carry and God bless this that do. If you like it, I love it...
I certainly am not gonna overlook the genuine jaw dropping hunting in Illinois as a result of not being able to carry. I have had a lot of interaction with folks that hunt there and never once has the carry issue ever been brought up. Maybe they, like me, are just fine with it.
To each his own!
