I'm not understanding the beef about hunting public land.
As an example: Resident elk tag in Colorado is $66.
Non-Resident elk tag in Colorado is $803.
We always hunt San Isabel national forest, in the Greenhorn Wilderness (public land).
The price of hunting private land is just outrageous.
We have hunted this area for over 30 years (Elk, Deer, Bear), Antelope usually on the Eastern plains. You have to hunt harder and do a lot of walking for spot and stalk, but that's hunting, and fun. You can never predict from one season to the next where you are going to find animals.