If you remember from part one of Low Pressured Whitetails, I discussed several options that hunters have to pursue whitetails that are not heavily pressured. I highlighted that chances of success dramatically increase when hunting pressure is minimalized. There are many options available for us to do this. Last time I focused on hunting public land and good private land. It is amazing what you will find if you are willing to drive further and hunt deeper than most when it comes to public hunting. I also mentioned that private land can be deceiving and just because something is private does not mean that it is not pressured. I do encourage each of you, if you haven’t to go back and read part one of this subject.
Today I want to shift gears and talk about a few more options for those who want to pursue minimally pressured whitetails. I realize up front, that these two options that we will discuss today are not for everyone, but some may choose to explore them further. The reason that some will not pursue these options is the fact they both will cost a little more than our time, gas, and resources. Again these options are not for everyone, but they are very good opportunities for the ones who will take advantage of them.
The first is leasing ground. This is something that I personally started doing three years ago when I moved to Iowa. Granted there are plenty of grea
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t public land opportunities here and I have been very blessed to receive permission to hunt on a lot of good private ground, but there are definitely some advantages to being able to lease ground. The first is being able to manage several aspects of what happens on the farm you are leasing. For instance, when my friends and I lease property we know who will be hunting, when they will be hunting, and how they will be hunting. In other words, we are all on the same page when it comes to hunting a piece of ground. We do not have to fight or worry about others pressuring the deer on the land we lease. Another key element is that we are able to manage our properties for the goals we want to see accomplished. Leasing can be fairly expensive, but if you find the right property and have a few friends to go in together I think you will find it to be a rather affordable option.
The last option to consider is going on an outfitted hunt. Personally, I believe this is a great choice for the ones who do not have much time through the year to hunt, but want to be able to have a good hunt with a great experience. These hunts are the most expensive option, but if you find the right outfitter in the right area I believe you will be pleasantly surprised at what you receive. If you are hunting with the right outfitter you can expect to hunt on quality managed ground where you will have a good chance on connecting with a mature buck, all the while enjoying the amenities that go along with such a venture. Again this option is not for everyone but for the ones who do pursue an outfitted hunt, they have a good chance of being well rewarded.
In my next article I will be writing on choosing the right outfitter. Chris Bishop, owner and operator of Buck Chasers
in Pike County, Illinois will be helping us through the process and giving the reader insights of what to look for when choosing a hunt with an outfitter. You won’t want to miss this upcoming article.
