Best state for public-access hunting

I'm a native Central Floridian born to re-located yanks (i.e., not a lick of hunting within the family), considering moving out of state for three reasons:

>To get away from the FL heat/humidity.
>To relocate to an area with a lot more public-access hunting without significant driving trips.
>Just to see someplace new (lived all 33 years of my life in the same 20 square miles).

I work in corporate accounting, so I can easily get a job in most metro and suburban areas in the US, either with major companies, non-profits (hospitals), or local/state/federal government agencies.

I'm curious to hear other peoples thoughts on what they would consider the best public-access-hunting states to be. When I say best, I mean with regards measurable criteria such as the following:

-Length of season (2 weeks vs. 2 months vs. year-round).
-Cost of permits, if required at all (White-tail quotas vs. Axis-deer free-for-all).
-Square acres of public lands.
-Game (specifically deer and their extended relatives) to hunters percentages.

Bonus points for non-hunting criteria, such as:
-Gun-friendly/Open-Carry friendly (most important).
-closer to the middle of the US, with warmer winters and cooler summers.
-state income tax-free.
-the state has decent river networks or a major river through it (least important).

Hunting/Non-hunting criteria:
1. TN and southern South Dakota would seem like the best options, that fit the most criteria. Are any members familiar with these states? South Dakota seems to rank high in hunting generally, and TN aint half bad either, right?
2. There's always north Florida as well. Are there any fellow Floridians residing in the north? Is the hunting better than half the state's hunters running around Ocala?

Non-hunting criteria:
3. Nevada fits some/most of the bonus criteria. I also know they have decent big game (deer, ram/sheep, elk). How's the hunting success / public land access?

Hunting criteria:
4. Ignoring most of the non-hunting criteria (everything except the "closer to the middle of the US" part), it would see the general belt of states from Utah to Kentucky would all have decent public land and large game opportunity, with the states on the MI river offering up lots of lakes and riverways as an additional bonus. Would any one like to opine on these states?

Wildcard:
Lastly, there's north Texas. While I love the entire idea of TX (sense of state pride and independence, much less rain than FL, a diverse geography from swamp and coastal waterways to the east, arid deserts to the south west, milder great plains to the north), and while it can have year-round hunting, and its huge with industry and job opportunity, the public lands is almost non-existent. Is there a way to overcome this?

 

in regards to the dearth of public hunting land in TX, you could also try to get on with a deer lease. It would cost less than buying a mess o' land, but more than public hunting land.

 

Utah is full of public land...

Tags ? Nearly all draw...Utah's only lottery

You're young enough at 33 that you may draw premium tags...in 20 years

Yes one in a lifetime tags...Moose...Sheep...Bison etc..all are L O N G waits

LE Elk units may be 14-15 year wait....as with premium deer units...as in the Henry's

Two weather seasons in Utah....winter & summer...rain has been non existent in 2020

Range wildfires have devastated the west this year...and still burning

Taxes ? Plenty........

 

It rained HARD when I drove through about a month ago…

 

Start reading onX's blog. https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt-app

Why not Hawai'i? There is year round hunting.

 

From a different prospective where can you make the most money with the most time off? Obviously cost of living plays into it, your probably better off making 50k in Salt Lake City vs 150k in New York City. More time and money you could do multiple out of state hunts, shit out of country if you want.

 

Surprised Arkansas is not on your list. We do have state income tax, but it's not bad -- total tax burden isn't crazy. Very gun-friendly (apparently 2nd only to Alaska in per-capita gun ownership). I don't hunt, but it's a pretty big thing here.

 

New Mexico has a lot of public land. National Forests, BLM Land and State Land. All big game hunts are draw hunts though. Mule deer. Some White Tail deer. Elk. Antelope. Oryx. And more.

 

Like most things, there’s no such thing as perfect. If it were me and I was trying to move to a new area I would probably look at the reasons to move there even if hunting weren’t an option. If you draw a tag in states out west or do OTC tags, your seasons are still only a small portion of the year. So, why not move to a state that has tax advantages you’re looking for, weather, location, etc FIRST and then look into the hunting part? I live in CA and will have hunted three separate states in the last two years and will most likely draw in two different states next year as well based on accumulated points. CA hunting ain’t great but I’m still hunting a few weeks every year.

I don’t think you’re going to find a state with everything you’re asking about but with a bit of willingness to drive you can find a good home state with plenty of hunting ops within said state and those surrounding it.

Just my $.02

 

Born in Florida and lived here until I was 13 (recently got stationed in Panama City) but I lived in South Dakota until I was 18 and joined the Air Force.

Everyone loves guns, and is very accepting of them. My high-school's rule was "as long as it is locked up and stays in your vehicle." We didn't have any land but the guy that lived next to us always let me go shoot my guns on his land, no questions asked.

No state incomes taxes as you mentioned, which is why I have retained my state citizenship in South Dakota.

Hunting was everywhere. Either public land or "you knew a guy." Since everyone was either "a guy" or knew one, I always had a place to hunt.

Plenty of lakes and rivers to go fishing on. I lived on the James River and spent a lot of time ice fishing in the winter, as well.

Summers are indeed warm and you definitely get all four seasons. I have seen some pretty gnarly winters though.

Let me know if you have any questions.

-Scott

 

Utah is a horrible state.
No good hunting.
I would stay far away from Utah......

 

Either you are trying to keep people away from your state or your hunting in the wrong area’s lol. We come from New Mexico to hunt Mule Deer in Utah. We have better luck in the La Sal area most years then we do here.

 

I lived in Texas for a year. As you said, public lands are almost non-existent. I grew up in Colorado, with lots of public land and, at that time, few or no private clubs--that has changed. I have an aversion to paying for the right to hunt, so I left. I won't move back to Colorado--too much has changed and the trespass laws are not hunter friendly. You mention several possibilities. You would probably be happy in most of them.

 

I only hesitate away from HA because of my perception of their gun laws. Is that a wrong perception? Also, the cost of living, since everything has to be shipped to CA before it can be reshipped via American flag back to HA, would seem to be a detractor.

You're quite right. And it could be I'm coming at this from the wrong angle. I make good money, in a job that overworks me: 45 hour weeks minimum, usually 50-60 hour weeks half the month.

The better plan might be to just get a different job locally, or semi-locally, that doesn't overwork me. This is definitely something I'm considering. I'm currently trying to poise myself in the next 6-9 months to a get a job in the federal government, preferably in the Army Corps of Engineers if possible.

They were, just indirectly. I mentioned a number of states between Utah and Kentucky, especially those on the Mississippi River (which includes Arkansas) as being good hunting and pro-gun.

That's a good point. Which leads me to lean towards north Florida and Tennessee, in regards to weather and income tax.

Good to know! What part of SD are you in? Do you know if the southern part of SD has better winters?

 

I've lived in Mitchell, Wessington Springs, Huron, Rapid City, and Aberdeen. So I've lived east river, west river, central and Southern SD. The winters in the east/ south are only mildly less... wintery. Rapid City/ black hills definitely see the effects of winter the most but they also have the most to do outdoors.

 

Pennsylvania, as long as you stay away from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Lots of state game lands, deer everywhere, some good size black bear, usual varmints, inexpensive hunting license, must issue CCW.

Downsides are no private sale of handguns, no Sunday hunting. And the existence of the aforementioned Philadelphia and Pittsburgh...

 

North Carolina has some good public land for whitetail. That’s about it, you don’t see hunting shows of people going to N.C.

 

South Texas has great whitetail hunting but as you say very little public access. What public access there is can be from what I've been told, crowded. Most have restrictions to what you can hunt and with what you can hunt with. So if you're into archery, it is a little easier. As was mentioned in an earlier comment, you could get on a lease. They are all over the place and range in price from $1000 per year up to as much as you're willing to spend. Many have restrictions as to how many Deer may be harvested regardless of hunting license. Other restrictions can include time of day property entry, how many guns, how long your lease is good for (just hunting season) . This will be my first year on a lease and I'm a little lucky. My cost is $1000 for a full year with 24/7 access. Includes a little cabin.

 

Alaska is by far the best.

Edit: To make it obvious, AK has more acres of public land than the entire state of TX in total.

 

I dint California sucks. We have huge forest that are open. If you’re a bow hunter, even better.