Having been a student here in Ames for the past 6 years, I think that I have the system pretty well nailed down. I have hunted almost exclusively PUBLIC land, and have had legitimate shots at P&Y deer every year, and have been fortunate enough to run across that occasional Booner. Head for Boone and the thousands of acres of land along the D.M. river. I rarely see other hunters. The only time that it is a problem is when you go to the most obvious public spots that have parking lots and roads to walk down, i.e. around Ledges State Park. Put in a little time nosing around and checking the out of the way access points, and you will find all of the quality hunting that you could possibly hope for. If you still think that you need private land, buy a plat book at the local court house and start knocking on doors. Good luck.
