Who here west of the Mississippi River hunts only does for meat?

Getting a doe only hunt lined up with an outfitter should be easy. Almost every land manager has extra does that need culled and often they will allow select hunters that they can trust come in during late season and remove some at a low cost.
 
Thank you, sir. That's good information to know. That's going to be my game plan in the future when I get back into deer hunting again.
My advice would be, get back into deer hunting now. Find some public land close to your home and scout it out this winter, because there's no better time to see where deer travel than midwinter, then the next fall you shoot them there. Its like fishing, you have to memorize where the deep fishing holes are in midsummer when the water is low, then the next spring you catch the fish there even though you can't see where the hole is. If you go hunting close to home right now you will gain valuable practice that will enable you to enjoy your guided hunt ten times more. And the more experience you have the better your hunting guide help fill your tags and your meat locker.
 
You only need some basic equipment to hunt public land locally, no need to spend a lot of money or get fancy. It doesn't matter how old you are or how much experience you have, you continue to learn more hunting and outdoor skills every time you go out. That's why I never miss the first day of deer season, even if I have no tags I will just sit out somewhere (with the required safety orange on if it's gun season) to see where the deer are moving, which will help me pick a spot for the following year.
 
My advice would be, get back into deer hunting now. Find some public land close to your home and scout it out this winter, because there's no better time to see where deer travel than midwinter, then the next fall you shoot them there. Its like fishing, you have to memorize where the deep fishing holes are in midsummer when the water is low, then the next spring you catch the fish there even though you can't see where the hole is. If you go hunting close to home right now you will gain valuable practice that will enable you to enjoy your guided hunt ten times more. And the more experience you have the better your hunting guide help fill your tags and your meat locker.

Memorize where the hole is or set a GPS way point?

Oh, Happy New Year!
 
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My advice would be, get back into deer hunting now. Find some public land close to your home and scout it out this winter, because there's no better time to see where deer travel than midwinter, then the next fall you shoot them there. Its like fishing, you have to memorize where the deep fishing holes are in midsummer when the water is low, then the next spring you catch the fish there even though you can't see where the hole is. If you go hunting close to home right now you will gain valuable practice that will enable you to enjoy your guided hunt ten times more. And the more experience you have the better your hunting guide help fill your tags and your meat locker.

About 95% of the land in OK and TX is privately-held. I would think most of PA (my grandfather's native state) land is private as well. I am only interested in gun hunts, preferably with CF rifle in traditional calibers. I like .243 Win. That's only permitted on private land, with landowner's permission, of course.

Most public land in America resides west of the Rockies.
 
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About 95% of the land in OK and TX is privately-held. I would think most of PA (my grandfather's native state) land is private as well.
PA has a million acres of public hunting land, and with proper scouting techniques hunting spots can be found that are as good as private land. You just have to be able to hike in to where they are at, which should not be an issue for young guys like you.
 
PA has a million acres of public hunting land, and with proper scouting techniques hunting spots can be found that are as good as private land. You just have to be able to hike in to where they are at, which should not be an issue for young guys like you.

Young guy at age 55? Well, arthritis has crept into my middle-age bones and joints. I'm no strong warhorse as I was in the army 100 pounds less and 25 years ago. I can maybe hike within a mile from the truck to a tree stand or a ground blind , over FLAT ground, but probably go much longer on an ATV, horse, mule or burro. I would need a wheelbarrow or a good deer cart to get my doe from the stand to the pickup. Too old and beat for all this draggin' crap. I don't smoke or drink, but still...
 
There’s great hunting on public land East and west of the Mississippi.

As far as dragging deer goes, I recommend learning how to debone in the field if it’s legal where you hunt. A 120 pound doe might yield 40 ponds of boned meat.


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There’s great hunting on public land East and west of the Mississippi.

As far as dragging deer goes, I recommend learning how to debone in the field if it’s legal where you hunt. A 120 pound doe might yield 40 ponds of boned meat.


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I prefer to let the deer processor do most of the hard work. It might be hard to find GOOD public deer land in Oklahoma and nearby Texas.

I understand rifles can't be used on this land anyway. I can't see a shotgun's being used by me in a deer stand. I'm a much better rifleman than archer anyway. I was an expert marksman in the army.
 
All public land in Texas that I’m aware of has archery, general, and muzzleloader seasons just like the private land does. This is the walk-in type land, not the draw hunts. I think you need a $48 permit to access thousands of acres of National Forest land and wear orange, otherwise the same rules as private property.
 
Young guy at age 55? Well, arthritis has crept into my middle-age bones and joints. I'm no strong warhorse as I was in the army 100 pounds less and 25 years ago. I can maybe hike within a mile from the truck to a tree stand or a ground blind , over FLAT ground, but probably go much longer on an ATV, horse, mule or burro. I would need a wheelbarrow or a good deer cart to get my doe from the stand to the pickup. Too old and beat for all this draggin' crap. I don't smoke or drink, but still...
I said "young guy" tongue in cheek, you're my age, and I'm only young at heart. Anyway, you're getting a lot of good ideas on here now for hunting in your home area, in the US there's probably good public hunting opportunities within a 2 hr drive for anybody in any state. And, if you want to drive to places like Kansas there's public land with some pretty nice trophies taken every year.
 
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