JonB,
I guess I am lucky over here in Goodhue county that it is rural enough that I have 1000+ acres public lands about 5-6 miles away, ( if I wanted to join up, there is a rifle range/sportsman club adjacent to it at the farthest point) & then at 9-12 miles away I have over another 1000-1200+ acres in different parcels. The first area has some flats, but the other is bluff country & not so good for any distance for rifle. Handgun /shotgun is easy to find a place though. Most of my private lands are about the same distance or more, so I just use the public lands the most.
I do understand that not everywhere in the state are their public lands to shoot on, but it sure would be nice if there were, right? I wish it was that way, anyway.