Keystone Hunting

[Bigdawg90]

Hey Guys,

This will be my first hunting season in OK. I’ve hunted AZ, WA, WY, and CA. I’m running into significant problems finding areas to hunt near me. I’ve always lived rural. In AZ and CA, I left my garage on my quad to scout and hunt national forest land.

I’m used to much more public land. I have a feeder and a couple of does and a buck come around almost every night. Hoping I’ll get a doe, and maybe the buck from the feeder, but I enjoy stalking a lot more than hunting like that. I used the OnX hunt app, but almost all the land around me is private. I contacted a bunch and they said they leased it to ranchers. They don’t allow hunters.

2 main questions.

1: If one of my deer makes it into the private land before it dies am I allowed to retrieve it?

2: Is this why so many more people hunt archery from blinds out here?

I’m only hunting rifle this year, but I’m leaning towards taking up bow hunting next year. Any suggestions for a new hunter out here hit me up in the PMs. If anyone wants/needs a partner, I’d love to learn from hunters in the area with knowledge. I work weekdays, but am free on the weekends.

 

[JEVapa]

1: If one of my deer makes it into the private land before it dies am I allowed to retrieve it?

IDK about the bow hunting part, but I usually coordinate with the neighbors for that exact thing. It's usually not an issue but some folks are squirrelly about people crossing onto their land.

 

[retrieverman]

I don’t know about legalities, but it’s common courtesy to ask permission or at least let a land owner know before you go onto their place looking for a wounded animal. I have people hunting up against my property lines on three sides and get calls every year wanting permission to come onto my place to look for a wounded deer. To me, it would be sh*tty to say no, but I also think it’s pretty sh*tty to hunt a property line too.

 

[dlbleak]

I’d contact a game warden and let him get in touch with the landowner. The landowner may me more inclined to grant permission to the warden.

 

[Bigdawg90]

I contacted both property owners. My property sits right off the south west side of Zink Ranch. And then there’s a private owner out of Delaware. The Delaware owner was shocked that I had located not only them, but their address and phone number online through their LLC.

Zink Ranch was not very helpful. I called around their directory till I got the hunting land coordinator and he pretty much said they don’t allow hunting and don’t give written permission but if I’m just tracking he didn’t think there’d be a problem.

The Delaware owner pretty much said he was uncomfortable and didn’t know a whole lot about the land, but there’s no one using the land or watching it.

Hopefully I can drop the deer, but I’ve never actually hunted with the ELD-X round or the 6.5 Creedmoor. My shot will be under 150 yards so I’m very confident in placement. I’ve never run into so much private land. There’s barely any public land and almost no spots where I can safely say city people won’t be able to backpack or ATV into.

 

[OKRuss]

I'd write a letter to the Delaware owner outlining what you'd be willing to do for him in exchange for hunting access. Watch his property. Set up cameras for wildlife and trespassers. Clean up any downed trees. Etc...and see if you can get your foot in the door.

I'd also drive over to the Zink Ranch and introduce yourself. A handshake and maybe a peace offering(homemade bread/cookies) just to get acquainted.

I thought there was a fair amount of public land up in your area on the WMAs but not 100% sure. I do know there are more opportunities with bow than rifle and likely less competition. Don't think ATVs are allowed on the WMAs.

Best of luck this season!

 

[retrieverman]

I contacted both property owners. My property sits right off the south west side of Zink Ranch. And then there’s a private owner out of Delaware. The Delaware owner was shocked that I had located not only them, but their address and phone number online through their LLC.

Zink Ranch was not very helpful. I called around their directory till I got the hunting land coordinator and he pretty much said they don’t allow hunting and don’t give written permission but if I’m just tracking he didn’t think there’d be a problem.

The Delaware owner pretty much said he was uncomfortable and didn’t know a whole lot about the land, but there’s no one using the land or watching it.

Hopefully I can drop the deer, but I’ve never actually hunted with the ELD-X round or the 6.5 Creedmoor. My shot will be under 150 yards so I’m very confident in placement. I’ve never run into so much private land. There’s barely any public land and almost no spots where I can safely say city people won’t be able to backpack or ATV into.

I’ve never used ELD-X bullets or owned 6.5 Man Bun, but I’ve killed A BUNCH of deer with a 6.5x55. I’ve dropped more deer in their tracks with that caliber than any other I’ve ever hunted with, so I would say that with decent shot placement not much (if any) tracking should be required.

If it were me, I’d try to lease the place from the guy in Delaware, but you may have a hard time dealing with a d*mn yankee. I‘ve been dealing with a brother and sister (both in their 80’s) from Californication to have access to the place next to my house in TX, and it hasn’t been an easy relationship to maintain.

 

[rj ︈]

"1: If one of my deer makes it into the private land before it dies am I allowed to retrieve it?"

I could be wrong and can't find solid info online, but I have heard, if a landowner tells you no to retrieving a wounded animal, just call the game warden and they'll escort you to the animal.

 

[JEVapa]

I’ve never used ELD-X bullets or owned 6.5 Man Bun, but I’ve killed A BUNCH of deer with a 6.5x55.

Don't have a 6.5 Swede, but plan to some day. But I have shot plenty of deer with both 260 Rem and 6.5 CM man-bun as you say, with ELD-Xs and they drop where they stand. 6.5s are pretty much all the same across the board.

 

[mr ed]

Call the game warden. He's the one to retrieve it. So your not guilty of trespass. I asked same question at meeting of game warden Q&A session