Here is the story:

Was on a decent property last season but right at the end of it we had personal items (2 cameras and a bag of calls) stolen from the property.

So here is the question:

How do you guys go about finding land to hunt on?
Do you know someone that knows someone? I've tried searching online and found nothing. Do you just go driving and knock on doors? Do you hang out at the local Co-op.

I have some time till next season starts but I figure now would be a good time to start so that i could make a good relationship with the land owner.

Any ideas are welcome.

 

That is basically what I do. I know people who know people who know people. I go out with people and make friends/acquaintances with people so that they get to know me and trust me. then, down the road, I can go out on their property. Knocking on doors doesn't work fo me--I do not want to do "cold Calling." I think people need to know who is doing what and where on their land---especially today with lawsuits and such. I can get enough people to allow me to hunt that I sometimes have to turn down people.

Tim C.

 

Yeah, i have land to hunt on and also know lot's of other people that i hunt with/let me hunt with them on their land. If you don't have any of that or money to hunt on a reserve, you probably will end up door knocking...but pleas don't, i get so sick of out of state'rs stopping to see if they can shoot the geese in our field or chase the deer down they saw in our back yard...

 

Around here in upstate there are ALOT of farms around with many many acres that are un-hunted, the farmers dont necessarily like just giving permission to hunt as if they dont have to have people on there land there not going to. So what I do is find some areas that you assume will be good hunting, get a map and draw out the acres you want to hunt, then proceed to talk to the land owner explaining that your willing to lease that land from them during the hunting season for a certain amount of money and you want to to be private to yourself and the landowner if they wish to use to as well. They almost always go for it and once they learn to trust you its easy going from there. Last season I gave a farmer $450 for the deer season to hunt a ten acre square, and it worked out great. Just an idea, it works here in upstate new york but idk how things go down there.

 

The best land I hunt on was the result of knocking on doors. I've also got land from friends, friends of friends, etc. Also don't underestimate public lands, there is some really good hunting on state lands. And lastly does your state have a program to promote private landowners to allow public hunting such as PLOTS (private land open to sportsman) in ND or Block Management in MT? Contact your FWP office for maps to these area's or the Forest Service office for maps of state and federal lands.

 

Surely there must be a public lands in your area??. If not then how about joining a gun club where many of the members have land and may allow you to hunt. You could find some land on Grieg's list for lease or do a door to door and be nice and dress well. Ask permission and ask if you could do some chores fro the farmer in the spring/summer/harvest time. Offer him a few bucks may also work. I have 63 acres and i do allow some others to hunt there as long as they have my permission and if i catch them on there without it then i become there worst nightmare....

 

I used to handle hunting leases for a company out of NC and we did A WHOLE LOT of them.

good bets is to look in the local sportsman mag, contact any real estate firms that specialize in timber or farmland, check online classified for hunting clubs or land leasing folks Knocking on doors and asking farmers helps too. good hint is to look up tax value on a property and offer the owner cash that would cover the taxes plus a little more.

offer to negotiate a contract on a year to year basis that can be terminated at any time by the land owner, throw in provisions such as "gate and lock property", offer to do seasonal mowing or clearing (works in your favor as well), practice QDMA rules and regs add things that show you to be a good steward of nature as well

 

Thanks for all the tips guys. like xtremebawls (lol) said i dont want to just go door knocking because I could imagine that could be annoying. And we do have public land but I do not want to run into the same situation of having things stolen.
Also, I find it would be easier to pattern deer on private land where there habits cannot be disturbed by randoms walking around.

 

I know a lot of people around here that lease the land, most of the time just enough to pay for the taxes.

 

People here are cutting leasing out, because of law suits. If someone leases your land and gets hurt on it, they can actually sue the leaser. Kind of screws things for everyone. We've never leased out land but our neighbors have, but they are cutting that now. It is a shame what our world is coming to. Because the game is considered public property. But people abuse the privilege of harvesting it. The herd needs to be thinned out a little here. Moreso the doe, than buck.

 

yeah im not into trophy hunting. I was watching a duck commander movie one time and one of the brothers shot this little deer and said "we dont pass". haha. Thats how I feel when Im in the tree.
I'll continue to just ask around. and since we love pictures, here are a few.
the fat doe i never got to stick

 

we have 22 acres here, and another 130 where our farm is..thats where we hunt...or we know some people who know some people....thats how it usually is.

unless we go to west texas with a group where we have to pay to hunt on the land

 

Join some OK hunting sites/forums and ask. That's a good start!

Or you could come do some hog hunting in the spring and deer hunting in the fall at my place.

www.4PinesRanch.net

 

im down if it doesnt cost anything id love to hunt some hogs

 

If someone allows you to hunt with them and/or on their land, at least be generous enough to offer to pay for lodging, food, gas, etc...after all, they're the ones willing enough to let you use there resources.