Plan is to try deer hunting next season.  I travel for work so i can be in almost any state i decide this fall. But once i decide and sign a contract i am there for a few months.  I would like to put together a few states so i can focus on jobs and proximity to public land.

I am looking for states that offer over the counter deer tags for rifle season and have a decent amount of public land. I do have a straight wall 357 Maximum that i can use because i know some states like Ohio have some restrictions. Some states like Idaho do "zones" and stuff like that. I think Georgia does not do zones. But i think every state hast their own rules.

I am looking just to put meat in the freezer not for a trophy at all. Any suggestions to help get me a list together?

Missouri;

https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/deer-permits

https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/find/places?activity%5B%5D=21136&area_name=&counties=All&location%5Bdistance%5D=50&location%5Borigin%5D=

Ohio has a fair amount of public land and relatively cheap OTC tags that are valid for the entire state, not specific regions/units.

Example - Nonresident license with an either sex tag plus an antlerless-only tag is a fair bit under $200.  This would be good for the entire state, during any season (archery/firearm/muzzleloader).  Depending on which area you are in, you can kill more does as well.

Hasher1 brings up a good point.  For firearms in OH it is shotgun w/slugs or rifles chambered for specific straight-walled cartridges.  They "approved" list in the hunting regulations book.

MI isn’t bad.  Northern lower peninsula has tons of deer and public land.

Missouri.

No BS straight wall cartridge BS

No Zones

No stupid above/below the line BS.

No shotgun only crap.

Want to hunt with a suppressor?  Cool

First yak I think was $250 for an any deer and the Dow only after that I think were $25 but might have been $50 each.

Deer are everywhere.

Minnesota.
OTC licenses.  Tons of public land.  Big bucks too if you do a little homework.

Came to post this.  The Lower Peninsula gets pretty crowded the week of Nov 15th.  I'd suggest the Western U.P. in the Crystal Falls area.  Tons of land to roam and not nearly as many hunters.  Admittedly I have not hunted it in years but it used to be nothing to see 40 deer per day from the blind.

Came here to post this. I prefer north of the Missouri River and at least 1 hour from an urban center for less pressure.