How far would you go to hunt??

[Big Ed]

I live in PA and have previously leased land in Illinois. (11hrs drive) I always hunt here close to home, but it is nice to get away to a change of scenery.Ed

[Missouri Sherpa]

Typically will drive 60-90 miles for whitetail deer, 800-1000 miles each way to hunt elk every year.  Just over 1000 miles to hunt pigs.  Bears, as far as required but most often will use airline for those trips.

[jonsimoneau]

Driving to get to good hunting is worth it.  Even though I live in Illinois, the part of the state I live in has very little deer habitat and big bucks are actually scarce.  22 acres is the biggest piece of private land I have to hunt.  So I typically travel to greener pastures when November comes around.  I actually enjoy it.  It's a nice getaway.

[Daddy Bear]

I can walk out my back door to hunt both small and big game within sight of my home, but I rarely do so. For whatever reason, I've always enjoyed hunting the backwoods far from my normal bed and away from other people. The closest place I hunt regular is near 2hours travel, but I usually hunt 3-5days at a time minimum. Some places I hunt out of a cabin, others I hunt out of a backpack and tent. Regardless, doing so in a block of days makes travel less of a burden. I have a relative who has a lease in a different state then where he resides. He does the same thing and hunts a week or so at a time.

later,
DB

[Jerry Wald]

anywhere past my front door...you can literally hunt passed my front door.

Jer Bear

[Arwin]

Oh, it takes about 12 minutes to reach the state land near me, LOL!

 I don't have the cash to lease land, but I would drive an hour or two if I had sweet piece of prime land to hunt and the deer have been somewhat managed, like the bucks have been allowed to grow or it hasn't been hunted in a few seasons.
 
 I've heard horror stories of guys leasing land that had been slaughtered the year before, and didn't know it till halfway through the season after not seeing anything. Or the land owner comes out and cuts firewood a week before bow opener.
 
 I won't go that far for a "maybe it's good place to hunt". Been there and done that. I'll save my gas money and hunt the state land near me,  it's plenty fine for filling the freezer.

 I would travel to "The Bow Zone" in Edmonton, Saskatchewan or Kansas and Iowa. But thats for a different kind of deer hunting.
 Elk, caribou, moose, pronghorn, mountain goats or bear; I would wear out 1000's of miles of boot leather if that what it takes to get there.  

[wollelybugger]

Only time and money would limit my travel. I would go to the ends of earth for a good hunt. But I have a beer budget so I stay pretty close to home.

[Whip]

A good canvas tent with a wood stove does make a great camp as some others have suggested.  40 acres is a pretty small piece of property to be both camping and hunting on.  Kind of depends on how things lay as to how effective that can be.

I carry both Montana Canvas and Panther Primitives tents on my website, along with a line of Cylinder Stoves.  Not only a comfortable camp, but very cool as well!  :cool:

[woodchucker]

I hunted with a guy years ago who had several "camps" spread throughout the Adirondack Mountains. One was on property that he owned(only a few acres,but there was state land within walking distance) Some were on "borrowed" land that he had permission to hunt on. One(his first)was a lease from International Paper Company. On the lease agreement it states that "building is permitted,but everything must be removed upon termination of the lease"

What he did was build "lean-to" type buildings set on cement blocks. They consisted of a 12' X 16' deck,with a 6' wall across the back and a 10' wall across the front,(and of coarse 2 side walls)and a corragated steel roof. It was sheathed with T1-11 plywood siding,and the front consisted of 2 4' X 8' double doors. Inside were 2 double bunk beds and a picnic table. Outside in front of the double doors,he built a HUGE high backed fireplace.

When we went to "camp" he opened the 2 padlocks closing the double doors and swung them back against the building and held them in place with a "hook&eye" fastener on each side. Then he pulled out the folding chairs and other camping essentials,and built a fire. At the end of the hunt,the fire was put out and everything placed back inside and the double doors closed and locked.

It sure was alot more comfortable than a tent.

           

[doctari]

Here is my home away from home. Montana tent 12x17 with cylinder stove and rain fly. I made the front awning post from cedar. You can also see my best little friend his name is comet. I have used this in late November with 3-5 inches of snow and stayed quite warm and cozy. I will be  setting this up in a another week for my turkey hunt near Baldwin, Mi. I plan on bringing my best freind comet with me. If I have to look for a wounded turkey he will help me find it.      

[ron w]

For years I kept fairly close to home,Adirondacks and local hunts. In 1990 I went out west on a gun hunt and it spoiled me.Lots of land with good numbers of game. I got to retire so last year so I went on a bear hunt to Canada, I just purchased at auction a deer hunt in Ill. {Pike co.}. In these ecconomic times it can be hard to spend the $, or get the time off, but if it can be done you should go for it. Life is short!!!

[Dave Schneider]

I drive 2 hours even though I live in one of the best deer counties in Ohio.  Just can not get on to anything decent close to home.  

I bought a 16 ft used camper for $700.00 and leave it down there.  I like it because I do not have to set it up and it has a self contained toilet.  All I have to do is unload and hunt.  If I want to work on my camp in the off season I drag it home were I have more time and tools plus I can use it for other activties like archery shoots and if I change hunting grounds it goes with me.  Not as romantic as a cabin but someday.

The first thing I did when I bought it was to buy a combo smoke/CO2 detector and stick over where I sleep.  I use a Buddy heater that also has an internal CO2 sensor until I can repair the furnace in the camper.  

Truth is I hunt a lot less since I started going down there than when I was hunting close to home.  No running out for an evening set with that travel time.  I have kids in little league so it is hard to get away, but when I am down there I am in deer.