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best whitetail state

skimerhorn

skimerhorn

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Oct 9, 2012
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Location
Ashland Va
Ok I know this is gonna be a wide range, but where is the best place to get a big whitetail? I've always heard Iowa but I've heard a lot of others to. I'm looking at doin this within the next 2-3 year's, have other hunts I wana do first so time to put in for preference points if I need to. I would LOVE to get a 170,s class buck. I've onle killed 130 class around here in va. Is that to high to realistically shoot for? I would like to do a muzzleloader hunt. Let me know your opinions, and how the tag system works in that state. Hopefully I can figure out a place, then ill work on applying and the rest of it. Thanks.
 
I think your bigger issue will be land access. Sure you can get an Iowa tag but where are you going to hunt? I know they have a few small public land areas but I would have to assume it gets hunted pretty hard.
I've only hunted whitetails in ND so I'm not the best source of info but I would have to say either MT or WY for the chance at a decent buck (realistically maybe 130's, bigger with a lot of luck) on public land. ND or SD too. I think 170's is going to be extremely hard to find though on public land. Hell, on private land ANYWHERE it is extremely hard to find a 170's whitetail.
 
I also live in VA right now and shot a 130-140 class buck every year and love the number of buck and does tags. If you want big any Midwest state gets you better odds but my advice would be go north to Canada, I got buddies who go to Alberta most years and all kill monsters (rack and body) but most are up around 150-160 range. The trick is what are you willing to spend or who you know, my friends hunt a farm that one of them owns. Since your in Va you may want to look at KY and a good outfitter and put travel savings towards hunting land. I will say the 170 mark is harder to get to than you think and if you find it count yourself as lucky! I myself and heading west as john suggests for muleys :D

CCC
 
There's lots of good states out there, but getting access is the difficult part. There are some giant bucks on public land near where I hunt in MN near the Iowa border. However, the availability of public land is pretty limited. On the plus side, I rarely see anybody parked at the entrance I regularly drive past in hunting season, and I don't think I've ever seen anybody parked there during muzzleloader. There are 170s in there, but I think it would be pretty lucky to run across one without doing lots of scouting and getting him early with a bow.
170 seems like a very difficult goal to achieve, but it all depends on what land you get access to. 140-150 is a much more realistic goal (at least in in SE MN), but that is far from a guarantee too. If you plan to hunt public land, I would stay away from SE MN.
Good luck in whatever you decide!
 
Land access is definitely going to be your biggest challenge especially since you are looking for a bigger class of deer. If you want to hunt whitetails on public land, I would look more towards Kansas, Wyoming, Montana.

A 170" whitetail is like a 360" Elk, and there aren't any whitetail tags you have to apply for 20 years to get, so you are either going to have to pay big bucks to hunt on private land, or start hunting them every year in a decent area until you accomplish your goal.

What I saw the first season of OYOA, and saw the super cool whitetail hunt Randy did in eastern MT on public land, that hunt went on my hunting bucket list immediately.
 
Have you looked into leases on the Eastern Shore of MD? Some whopper bucks killed out there every year, and not far from your home.

KS has a lot of walk I only areas to hunt, and some places can be accessed with a trespass fee.

IA would be a close second, with IL right up there as well. Problem with most of the Midwest is there is little public land. Big bucks cost big $$$ no mater where you go.
 
vdo84 said:
I think your bigger issue will be land access. Sure you can get an Iowa tag but where are you going to hunt? I know they have a few small public land areas but I would have to assume it gets hunted pretty hard.
I've only hunted whitetails in ND so I'm not the best source of info but I would have to say either MT or WY for the chance at a decent buck (realistically maybe 130's, bigger with a lot of luck) on public land. ND or SD too. I think 170's is going to be extremely hard to find though on public land. Hell, on private land ANYWHERE it is extremely hard to find a 170's whitetail.
Click to expand...

Being an Iowa resident I will second the before mentioned. Iowa has "the least" amount of public land of any state in the union. There are walk in areas that get hit fairly hard. If they are not hunted hard then they may not be prime areas. If you want to hire an outfitter then this would be your place to hunt. Muzzleloader.... Non-residents can not hunt the early muzzleloader season (October). During the gun season it is legal to use a muzzleloader. There is a late muzzleloader season in December, after the gun season. I have hunted northeast Wyoming and it's fun. Maybe not the class deer that you are looking for though. Lots of public land to hunt.

good luck to all
the dog
 
Wisconsin. NR over the counter license for archery $160, gun $160. Pretty much the northern third of the state is public land. Granted, recently most of the big bucks have come from Buffalo county which is pretty tough to get access to without paying a trespass fee. Archery runs from mid-sept through end of Dec. Gun usually 9 day season starting Sat before Thanksgiving. Plenty of antlerless tags available also. Muzzleloader runs after regular 9 day gun season but you can hunt with muzzleloader during and after the gun season on same tag.
 
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There are no big whitetail in kansas, don't believe anyone who argues... try Maine or georgia.
 
i will pick Canada lots of land and big deer 5 guys hunted last year the big one 190 1/8 small one 120 ish. and one guy past up a good buck. the best part only spent 800.00
 
Sleeper....Nebraska. Just remembered that they have had a big die off on some areas of the state. Now with whitetails when they have a die off, you will see some real brusiers a couple of years after they start recovering. That being said, now is the time to get in on your scouting and setting up properties to hunt, at a maybe a reduced rate...John
 
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If I could get my work computer to let me download pics. . .I would sway alot of votes to Indiana I'm betting. . . I have pics of most of my deer heads on my phone and computer. I have to agree with all of the others as far as public/private lands here in the midwest though. . .its tough to find private ground. My Dad and I have been lucky enough to kill a couple of 170 class whitetails and a few of 120 -140 inch bucks. . .it takes time and tons of effort throughout the year. . .and alot of years of not killing a buck at all! Lots of luck to everyone in the upcoming seasons.

and if anyone has any ideas on how to get my da*% pics to download . . .I'm all ears!! LOL
 
may be jaded, but illinois. all of these came off the national forest down here.

watched this one for 2 1/2 years.



what was once a bean food plot.



don't upset them.



bachelor pair in late june. still time to grow.



sometimes, you get to kill one.

 
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