Navigating Public Lands as a New Hunter

While the amount of public land available for recreational opportunities, such as hunting, are vast, for a new hunter trying to understand how to navigate these public lands can seem daunting. Public lands offer a wealth of hunting opportunities, but without proper preparation and knowledge, it can be difficult to have a successful and safe hunt.

Public lands are critical to hunters and America's hunting heritage as they provide unmatched access to vast connected landscapes that serve as crucial wildlife habitats, abundant natural resources, and opportunities to connect with nature—which have been instrumental in shaping the country. Public lands are deeply rooted in American culture and history.

Public lands also play a critical role in wildlife conservation efforts. Federal, state and local governments and private conservation organizations invest millions of dollars annually in habitat restoration, wildlife research, and other conservation initiatives. These efforts help ensure the sustainability of game species and their habitats, which benefits not only hunters but also non-hunters who enjoy wildlife watching and other outdoor activities.

Of the 2.27 billion acres of land that make up the United States, the federal government owns approximately 28%—or 640 million acres. Five major federal land management agencies manage most of this land, for purposes related to conservation, preservation, recreation and development of natural resources. These agencies are the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. National Park Service in the Department of the Interior and the USDA Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture.

These compiled tips will help new hunters or those new to hunting public land learn to navigate these lands and be a responsible public land owner.

Understand the Land You Use

When considering hunting on public land, it is extremely important to do your research beforehand. It's important to note that not all public land is open to hunting and rules and regulations governing the use of the land can vary. These differences may include season dates, legal weapons, bag limits, hunting methods, antler restrictions, methods of access, and some may require a special permit or a drawing to hunt.

Many state wildlife agencies have great resources available for hunters to obtain the information they need, either through printed materials found at your local wildlife agency or online resources. With an overwhelming amount of information, it is always good practice to contact your local agency and discuss the rules and regulations with wildlife officials so you have a proper understanding before going afield. Taking the time to familiarize yourself with these resources will help you determine where you can hunt, what kind of wildlife you can expect to find, and any regulations that may apply.

When you have decided on the public land you are wanting to hunt and have understood all the necessary rules and regulations, it is important to know the land boundaries to avoid venturing into restricted areas or private land.

A great resource myself and many hunters alike use to avoid this issue are apps such as onXmaps, HuntStand, BaseMap, etc. These GPS apps are used by hunters to navigate public lands, providing detailed maps of the lands, including national forests, BLM lands, and state-owned lands. Many of these apps use layers, where hunters can turn on to quickly see the boundaries of each type of public land and avoid accidentally trespassing into restricted areas or private land.

These apps provide a wealth of information that can help hunters learn about the public land available to them, plan their trip better and navigate public lands confidently. Personally, I have used onX Hunt countless times to confidently ensure that I remain within the public land borders and access the land legally while hunting.

Public Land is Shared      

When hunting on public land, it's crucial to remember that the land is shared with other hunters and outdoor recreationists. To foster a safe environment for everyone, it's essential to assume that others are using the land, even if you don't see them. If you do come across other hunters or other recreationists, it's important to respect their space—and hopefully others will return the favor. By doing so, you can help ensure that everyone has an enjoyable and safe experience while using public land.

Respecting others' hunting space includes avoiding areas where you hear gunshots or see other hunters in the distance. Additionally, proper hunting safety and gun safety protocols are fundamental and extremely important.

A report from the U.S. Department of the Interior revealed that 101.6 million Americans, which accounts for 40 percent of the U.S. population aged 16 and above, engaged in wildlife-related activities like hunting, fishing, and wildlife-watching in 2016. Out of the total number of individuals, 11.5 million individuals identified themselves as hunters.

These statistics indicate that as a hunter using public lands, you will likely face competition from other hunters. However, this should not discourage you from utilizing one of our nation's greatest resources for hunting. Just because you find a piece of public hunting land that seems to be popular among other hunters, it doesn't necessarily mean that the spot is unusable. Nonetheless, to improve your chances of a successful hunt, there are some tips you can follow to navigate the public land.

One effective tip for navigating public hunting is to arrive at your chosen access point early in the morning, even before first light, and set up your hunting spot. This strategy will increase your chances of securing a prime hunting location before others arrive. Additionally, hunting on weekdays instead of weekends can also be advantageous as there will likely be fewer people present.

In my opinion, one of the most effective ways to gain an advantage while hunting on public land is to put in more effort than the average hunter. Regardless of someone’s socioeconomic status, the right tract of public land can give anybody who is willing to put in the work an opportunity at a successful hunt. Hiking deeper into the forest, climbing higher up the mountain and staying longer than others can lead you to wilder areas less pressured from hunting. Most hunters tend to stay within a mile of their vehicle, so putting in the extra effort to go beyond that point can greatly increase your chances of success.

The NWTF has played a vital role in conserving America’s public lands over its 50 years. The recently completed Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt initiative, conserved and enhanced over 4 million acres of land, recruited over 1.5 million new hunters and has opened public access to hunting on over 600,000 acres. The NWTF continues its steadfast conservation efforts through the Big Six Regions of Wildlife Conservation, where urgent conservation needs are identified within each region and will impact the sustainability of species and habitats across large landscapes.