Why I prefer to hunt public land

I was out on public land this morning for the dove opener. Even though I was joined by a hundred or so strangers, I wouldn't have missed it. I shot only two doves (and used an embarrassing number of shells to do so) but I'm much prouder of those two doves than of any number of birds I've taken on leases. Same goes for the deer and small game I've shot on public land. Here's why:

No one scouted the land for me. No one told me the best places to set up. No one drove me out there or picked me up -- I was on foot the whole time. I carried all my own gear. No one retrieved or cleaned my birds for me. No sunflowers, no milo, just me and the doves. From start to finish, any success and any shortfalls were mine alone. I subscribe to the theory that any animal taken on public land is a trophy, even my two doves today.

Good job and I agree. Public is the only way I hunt waterfowl.

Way to go. I agree with you 100%. I would rather harvest any legal deer on public land than pay huge prices to take a deer that i am waiting at a feeder for.

It is better to have your own place, nobody to tell you how to hunt or to get in the way.

Public land limit tonight

here is my opening morning haul on public....I have been hunting it for 3 years now and it Always produces good numbers!! scouted it this year and it had potential, so I "pulled the trigger" so to speak and here is the total...

Im trying to plan my hunts. Anyone having the same frustration I am about 2nd half of the Split Season? Why are there VERY FEW options from TPWD for the 2nd half in the North and Central and even South Zone for Dove?

Looks like ill be booking a flight to Brownsville soon unless I am just reading all of the dates wrong on these parcels: "Each day of the 1st split" blah blah blah. Help.

ducks deer and geese

I love public land. Its been good to me for Dove and Ducks. Last year Id did start to hunt a few private ponds ounce the lakes dried up and the ducks moved off but other than that I hunt Public.

There is something rewarding about being successful on a piece of public land when everyone else says there are no dove.

Got 9 dove on opening Sunday, 11 on Monday, 7 on Saturday and a limit yesterday. All in all it has been a very productive dove season.

Now the big question is where are all the Teal??????

Nice

Yeah, that's frustrating. I have my second split public land all picked out, but it's twice as far as where I usually go.

Another frustration: Sites that don't allow small game hunting with dove. I was out at my spot this morning and could have taken two rabbits EASY, but that isn't allowed at this particular location. And I like rabbit!

On the plus side, I had the place pretty much to myself this morning, and since this was my fifth public land hunt already this season, my $48 APL has already paid for itself a couple times over when compared to day lease rates.

Fair chase, now-a-days it takes bigger buck's ta hunt bigger bucks

Hey all - I am new to the forum (have been viewing pages for a while now but just haven't joined to post) and was wondering if anyone has tried their luck dove hunting public land this season in the Bastrop/Lee County areas (anywhere along 290 east of Austin).

I went out with a buddy last weekend and it was dead quiet and no signs of hunters (i.e. shells, boot prints, beer cans) and we saw 2 dove all day (didn't even fire a round).

Any scouting/input on the weather/condition report would be appreciated.

Thanks

Looks like I'm not the only one of so proud of 2 dove limit. I feel so manly when I shot my 2 dove limit on my first bird hunting. I thought to myself "now I can feed my kids by hunting". Nah just my thought.