How to Plan for an Out-of-State Public Land Hunt

Research Public Land Hunting Opportunities

The start of your bowhunting road trip should be months prior to opening day and for some states, it requires years of planning.  You should start your journey by researching the states and familiarize yourself with their tag allocation process. For Iowa, it’ll take you four or five years of purchasing preference points before you can successfully draw a tag.  Kansas is another state where you’re not guaranteed a tag.  Getting a tag is the hard part, the next step requires you to plan for the area of the state that you’ll want to hunt before applying for the tag.

For your first bowhunting road trip, consider an overt-the-counter tag state, such as Missouri, Kentucky, or Ohio.  These tags can be purchased with ease and there’s plenty of public land to choose from.  Which is Best for Deer Hunting, Treestand or a Ground Blind?

Scout From the Comfort of Your Own Home

Technology has changed everything about our daily lives, including the way we hunt.  Mobile hunting apps like OnX Hunt have made it easier than ever to identify public land hunting opportunities in different states across the country.  The more familiar you are with the mobile app, the better prepared you’ll be when it comes time to step onto the property.  Uitilze the various mapping layers, such as crops, topo, and even the acorn layer to find key pinch points and feeding areas to focus on during your hunt.

Cost Breakdown

One thing to consider when planning is the cost of an out-of-state hunt.  Not only will you be required to buy a hunting license, you’ll also need to cover the cost of gas, lodging, and food.  You may even find yourself needing new gear, especially if you’re a southern hunter looking to hunt in a cold environment for the first time.   Wisconsin offers the cheapest non-resident tag for your first year hunting the state, you can grab a tag for like $75.  Illinois will run you approximately $700,  and Kansas is around $500 the last I checked.  That’s just the bare minimum costs to get started, factor in the other expenses and you could have a couple thousand dollars tied up into a week-long hunt.

Boots on the Ground Approach

Once your tag in hand you’ve completed your online scouting and identified a couple of pieces of public ground, now it’s time to put some boots on the ground.  Your time is limited on an out-of-state hunt, so not hunting for a day sounds terrible, but it’s the best way to start your trip.

The first thing that I do when I get to my hunting destination is driving around all of the public ground properties, checking to see where other hunters are parked, as well as scouting from the road.  Areas of interest can quickly be checked off or added to the list.  This can also be done between morning and evening hunts as well.

Once you’ve identified a few good places to start, lace up those boots and start walking.  I typically carry a few trail cameras with me, a bottle of water, and my phone so I can utilize my OnX Hunt App as I go.  If I find the quality sign, I’ll mark it in the app throw out a trail camera (where legal of course), and continue on my journey.  If I bump into deer, I don’t care too much, especially during the rut.

Most hunters won’t lug a treestand a mile back into public, so the deeper to walk, the fewer people signs you should see.  Just be careful that you’re not getting closer to another entrance point.  On a side note, don’t overlook the areas close to the road either.  Many diehard public land guys claim to have killed a lot of deer close to the entrance which most hunters would overlook.   t

Don’t Overpack 

This is my biggest issue, I bring too much crap with me that I never use.  Don’t be like me!  Save yourself the time and money by packing light.  Bring a treestand or two, don’t bring four!  I’m the gear guy, so of course I think I need an entire aresnal of hunting clothing and gear to make it through a week of hunting, but I never use it.  Typically, my entire F-150 is full and I don’t use 1/4 of the gear that I bring with me on an out-of-state hunt.  Pack the necessities only!

How to Save Money on a Hunting Trip

One of the biggest hurdles for many hunters when trying to decide whether or not to go on an out-of-state hunt is the cost.  Thankfully, you’re already familiar with HuntingGearDeals.com, the best place on the web to find deals on hunting gear.  I’ve also got a few suggestions on how to save money on your next hunting trip as well.

• Price of Gasoline – The worse your gas mileage, the more costly it’s going to be.  If gas prices are too high, consider the closest big-buck destination instead of the coolest!  Traveling with a friend or two can reduce your costs if everyone pitches in.
• Lodging – Look into campgrounds and consider camping out of your truck for the cheapest rates.  If there are multiple going on the trip, check for an AirBnB or VRBO.  Hotels can be the most costly option, but they’re nice when you’re traveling solo or just need a break from roughing it in a tent.  Personally, I utilize a credit card that gives me rewards points towards hotel stays, so I redeem my points for hotel stays during hunting trips!
• Food – Avoid going into the gas station when you stop to fill up for chips and a pop.  Instead, plan ahead and bring your food with you.  I carry a case of water, a cooler, and even some frozen foods for lunches and dinners for the trip.  I might run through town and have one nice meal on a trip, but food costs are at a minimum.  Just make sure if you’re camping, you have something to cook your food on.  It’s amazing how much you can cook in a hotel room or camper with a crockpot or Ninja Foodie.
• Tags – There are no cost savings on the price of hunting licenses and tags.  Avoid the expensive states like Illinois and Kansas.
• Hunting Gear – Sign up for the HuntingGearDeals.com Daily Deal email to help you save money on hunting gear all year long!