Pointers for Public Land Hunting

Public parcels such as WMAs are great mid-week stops for upland hunters, and really shine later in the season when pressure wanes. Simonson Photo. By Nick Simonson Public lands are the backbone of hunting in the upper Midwest. Whether it’s PLOTS in North Dakota, Walk-In Access (WIA) in Minnesota, or the national network of Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA) or state Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) found throughout these jurisdictions and others, places open to hunters of all stripes and all plates provide the opportunity for success and knowing how to hunt them is key. Walk These public lands are meant to be explored and rarely give up a shot at a bird on the edge of a gravel road. Walk into them, work areas far away from the access points, and key in on edge cover such as grassy stretches next to adjacent farm fields to find birds, or areas that transition to sloughs. Cruising the outside or hitting the short stuff right off the parking lot rarely pays off, especially in high-pressure s