After you have decided what you’re going to hunt, and how you’re going to do it. You have to make the decision on where you will be doing your hunting. Then you have two options when it  comes to hunting land. Either hunt on private hunting land or public hunting land. Both come with their own sets of advantages and disadvantages for the hunter.

Public Hunting Land Advantages

The first type of hunting to go over is private hunting land. A type of hunting that has been on the raise over the last few years as more land owners are making their land available to hunt. One of the biggest advantages you see with private hunting land is less hunting pressure.  Hunting pressure occurs when land is over hunted and the animals become aware, which can lead to a much more difficult hunt. Making private hunting land the best way to avoid hunting pressure. Private land owners are available to avoid this problem by regulating the amount of people that they actually let use their property.

If you are not one of the few lucky people to already have rights to private hunting land then there are other options. Leasing private hunting land has recently become one of the easiest ways to access high quality land.  Private owners are able to lease their personal hunting land to anyone who wants to hunt it! Making the benefits of private hunting land available to way more people.

Leasing private hunting land also helps the environment itself. Since the landowner is able to make money off of their land, they have more to put back in for conservation and land management. Creating a healthy ecosystem that can be hunted indefinitely.

Disadvantages of Private Hunting Land

One of the only downsides that comes with hunting private hunting land is the fact that it can cost money. While you may be able to use private property for free if you know the owner, leasing property costs money. It is usually done per acre, so the size of the are you want to hunt is important.

Advantages of Public Hunting Land

When it comes to public hunting land, there are different kinds to consider, local, state, and federally owned land/ Local land is owned by whatever government system is in place in the town. Typically local land is less popular than state or federally owned land. Meaning that there may be less hunting pressure than state or federal land. State and federal lands are also usually well managed pieces of hunting land.

According to most hunters the biggest advantage for public land is the challenge of it. With so many other hunters on the same land, taking down a big buck on public land is that much sweeter for the hunter.

Disadvantages of Public Hunting Land

While added hunting pressure can make for a rewarding kill, it is still one of the biggest arguments against land owned by the public. The addition of so many more hunters to a plot of land can make it much more difficult to come away with a successful hunt. From a safety perspective, public land has a much higher chance of there being an accident. With so many hunters in close proximity to each other, the chances for mistakes goes up dramatically.

Overall wherever you are hunting, at least you are still getting out and hunting!