Finding private land

You know, you can be the best hunter in the world but if you're stuck competing with 500 other schlubs to take a deer on 100 acres of public land you might as well go fishing and be able to drink beer while you enjoy your hobby. Or you could take binoculars and do some bird watching, heck bring the whole family and have a picnic. Better yet, find private land.

The first and most used way of finding private land is relatives and friends. Aunt Edna has a farm down south - make sure she likes you. What if Aunt Edna lives in the country but doesn't have any acreage? What about her friends and neighbors in the area? She might be kind enough to introduce you to the right people. But really, if you have the contacts you don't need me telling you what to do. So, lets move to the tough and ugly terrain of cold calling.

If you're like me you have few relations and fewer friends. Or, like Tard, you've pissed off all your relatives and they won't talk to you. Of course, ever since Tard started wearing those tin foil hats and talking about the government listening to his brain-waves, I've been his only social contact. Recognize, if you live in an area like we do in the Chicago suburbs where there are way too many people, its gonna be tough - real tough. Then start working. Mongo starts with satellite pictures of his target area.

Match the satellite images with the plat map of the region. You can obtain plat maps from the county government for between 15-75 dollars. Once you know who owns the land you want to hunt start knocking on doors. A few things can increase your slim odds. Start early, spring or summer, so the land owner has forgotten how irritated they are at all the people bugging them to hunt from last fall. Wear civvies - no hunting clothes. And be ready for lots of nos.

Once you get the no then your job really begins. Why did they say no? Do they hunt? Then you might have no chance. Do they have friends or relatives that hunt? Keep coming back a couple or three times a year for a few years and something might open up. Are they worried about liability? In Illinois land owners who don't charge a fee can't be held negligent for injuries. Check your state's laws. Have they allowed hunters in the past but had a bad experience? Keep coming back occasionally so they get to know you. Are they members of PETA? Show em the last deer you gutted and run!

Keep your ears open for news of areas with high deer / auto accidents. People in the area may have a new found receptivity to hunters. Read a story about deer eating peoples gardens in some hoity toity exurb? Someone might just let you put up a stand if you can present yourself well. Once you get permission ( we've only gotten a yes from 1/20th of the people we ask) the job of keeping and expanding your hunting grounds begin.

The most important thing to remember is that the land owner is doing you a favor! Never forget it. Find out exactly where they want you to park. How many people you can bring with you, if any. Nail down how many days a week you may hunt. Be sensitive to your benefactor's relations with his neighbors and come and go with out commotion. And when you get a deer share the wealth. Be as generous to the land owner as they've been to you. Get them jerky or sausage or whatever they want to show your appreciation for their kindness. Remember them at Christmas with a card or small gift. If you do these things you'll only lose the land if it gets sold.

Now that you've got an in for hunting, think about expanding you territory. Mongo prefers the gentle method. Instead of tromping up and banging on the door to ask "Can I Hunt?". Ask the neighboring land owners an easier question to say yes to " Hi my name is Mongo. I bow-hunt the Smith's property next to yours and I was wondering if I could a) scout for deer sign on the western edge of your land b) cross your property to get to my stand c) track wounded game onto your property (last choice)." Once you get to know folks then hunting their land isn't such a big deal. Sometimes they'll offer, especially after a conversation about where the deer are or after they've talked to their neighbors and found out you're an OK guy. Remember, some land owners are like shy little squirrels that you are trying to coax over to the tasty nut of your questionably shining personality. Go easy.

Another method for finding private land to hunt is by checking with the state government on land owner tax programs that allow hunting. Illinois does not have this sort of program but it does have an agricultural deer abatement program. These sort of programs can act as an in to the area to get you other lands in the neighborhood. But also these lands can be lightly hunted and great hot spots.

An option is to buy or lease private land. Leasing can be an affordable avenue if you get several friends involved. Mongo and Tard are currently looking at leasing 300 acres for about $500 a year. That's a great deal if you can get four or five guys together and split the cost. It would be really sweet if some of the other hunters did turkey or some other non-competing species. But, in any case, a hundred bucks or so is a lot easier than all the door knocking it takes to get one place to hunt.

Well, good luck finding hunting lands. It is one of the greatest challenges you will face.

Tard Here! Listen to the great Mongo!! This is probably the hardest part in your deer hunting plan! Luckily for Tard he has a truly great friend who does a lot of the leg work, but still includes me in the benefits of his labor. Thanks Mongo. My advice is good luck! Mongo asked around 30 farmers this year for permission and got turned down by all of them. He then asked a farmer if we could coyote hunt and the farmer said yes. The farmer then said check back in September about deer hunting and lucky for us he said we could. This might just work for you! Also don't overlook hunting land that you think isn't big enough to hold deer. Mongo and Tard both got deer out of a 10 acre piece of woods this year, and we've seen several other deer using this area. So when you scout out land you might want to get permission to hunt on, don't overlook 5-20 acre woodplots. Good things come in small packages. And you just might score big time!