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If you could move anywhere in the US to hunt deer, where would it be?

I really like south Illinois but I could never do northern winters and nobody has as good fishing as we have so maybe just have a house for the season or a camp lol
It would have to be a total move not just a summer camp LOL
 
I really like south Illinois but I could never do northern winters and nobody has as good fishing as we have so maybe just have a house for the season or a camp lol
Southern Illinois as in St Louis area or all the way down to Ky
 
Is this to only hunt deer? Or do I have to balance my other considerations?

If only to hunt deer, Nebraska or Kentucky. Not picky, throw a dart and I’d take it.

With other considerations Tennessee or Maryland.
 
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I moved to pretty much the New Whitetail Mecca of W. Ohio by accident. I don’t think karma would like me talkin’ bout grass is greener and bucks are better in such-and-such place because I have it pretty damn great here. Only thing I could think to improve is higher antlerless limits and/or earning a second buck. But I’m not bullish on that second part.
Okay, more public land would be great.
But the whitetail quality itself is really pretty incredible without really trying.
 
I'm not sure that I would move to be honest. Then I'd have to figure them out all over again, and at the stage of hunting I'm at, Maryland has the right blend of frequency and opportunity for me, I've never been able to fill all of my tags in a season, though that's always the goal (buck wise). I like living in a place where I can shoot some extra deer and donate them if I have enough meat in the freezer myself without "burning a tag" since I typically hunt an unlimited doe area as well. Doesn't translate to the massive numbers my younger, dumber, self expected but I'm doing alright. And luckily, I am approaching the point career/kids wise where out of state tags/trips are more of a possibility for me than in the past.
 
Being I live in Nebraska my only complaint is that we are near the bottom, or at the bottom, of all 50 states when it comes to available public land. Where I live it is pretty hard to get permission on private, and has little public ground.

So, if I were going to move it would probably be Wisconsin.
 
Is this to only hunt deer? Or do I have to balance my other considerations?

If only to hunt deer, Nebraska or Kentucky. Not picky, throw a dart and I’d take it.

With other considerations Tennessee or Maryland.
Deer only. maybe a turkey here and there
 
Being I live in Nebraska my only complaint is that we are near the bottom, or at the bottom, of all 50 states when it comes to available public land. Where I live it is pretty hard to get permission on private, and has little public ground.

So, if I were going to move it would probably be Wisconsin.
Not worried about the learning curve of having to deal with hills and tree for the first time?
 
Not worried about the learning curve of having to deal with hills and tree for the first time?
I think it’s a misconception that we don’t have trees or hills. At least in the portion of Nebraska I’m in you can hunt the mule deer in hills or white tails in heavy wooded river bottoms and even marsh. I personally like whitetail hunting the really thick river bottom and marsh.

But to answer your question there always a learning curve. IE when I elk hunt Wyoming, or mule deer hunt Wyoming…the learning curve is my favorite part…I’m about the journey of learning and closing the distance. That’s why I don’t rifle hunt…I love the challenge.
 
Northern lower peninsula of Michigan . . . wait . . . I'm already here and lovin' it. There are way better areas for big bucks but I love the seasons here along with the lack of bugs/snakes/alligators/whatever while still having a large selection of public land to go chase whitetails. I for one wouldn't change a thing.
 
Older interesting article here with some good data points.

 
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