Hello all, i was wondering if i could get some advice on how to get land to hunt. Now i know this is a somewhat general question and is asked a million times on this forum. I have been able to hunt my buddies property for 3 years now but since im moving away, i won't have access to that anymore, at least not nearly as much. So i was wondering how all of you who say "just go drive around and knock on doors and talk to the farmer/landowner" (i have actually seen people post that) go about doing so? Because quite frankly i don't think everyone is gonna be friendly with a random person pulling down their driveway out in the country. I've got the money to spend to lease property but have encountered a lot of downfalls. I've been searching on craigslist for a few months now and the only posts i find are people looking for property or the property is garbage. I've looked at websites like basecamp leasing and hunting lease network and have read a lot of bad reviews of them online...any of you have any insight on that? All in all, I'm just hoping to get some of your guys' opinions and especially experiences on everything because i know this is the best place to ask. Thanks in advance!
Good topic, I've been active on this forum for a little over a year now and haven't seen this brought up yet. I hunt mostly on friend's land also so I know how hard it is. But one of the places that I have all to myself, I just wanted to fish his pond. I looked up who lived there and owned the property and just out of curiosity, put his name in Google. Turns out, he's a pretty important man to say the least. I drove down the driveway, saw a man in a bottom cutting two pecans trees, pulled over and said I was looking for so-and-so and he said that was him and asked how he could help me. I told him that I live about 500 yards as a crow flies away, my name and intentions and told him that I would be happy to help him with anything he needed on the farm for FREE if he would let me fish his pond a couple times. He said that he would give me a chance and the rest of that day, we cut trees, busted wood, moved cattle and fixed fence posts. The next weekend, I went back and asked if I could fish and he looked at me like I was crazy because we had about 6 inches of snow on the ground (a lot for around here), he said that I could go so as long if I caught a nice one, I brought it up for him and his wife - I went and caught 6 bass over 5lbs in about 20 minutes. I couldn't believe it, I've never had a fishing experience like that before in my life and I swore I would help him anytime I wanted. Later that summer, he said that he's had a really bad problem with deer in his garden and asked me if I hunted. KABOOM. Sorry for the story, but I love telling it. Here's a few pictures from last season from his farm
Network. Same as in business. Talk to everyone, work it into the conversation. And most importantly try to help other people. What to I mean by that? Find ways to help people, in life and in business. You will find that opens more doors than anything else in life.
At work I just quiz everyone about deer they are seeing at their house/around the area. Eventually they start talking deer, then I slip in the question of who hunts it. Then just ask if I can. Usually works out
Have you ever looked into HAP? (Hunting Access Program) If you are still in Michigan this may be a place to start. The DNR gives you a list of farmers in MI that will allow hunters to come on their land and hunt. Some of the farmers have a drop box and some you may have to dress up and work for but, If it turns out they have great hunting on their farm, it may be worth it. Check the MI DNR page, they have multiple ways to help hunters find farms to hunt. Good Luck
Good lord! Can't say i've come close to catching a bass that big, sounds like you found a great honey hole there. I like your technique though, i'm gonna start scoutin around and see what i can do. Hopefully i come across a few people as nice as the fellow you found. Great story!
That sounds perfect! I haven't heard of it though. I don't mind puttin in some work for a farmer to get time on their land. Do you know anybody who has gone through the hunting access program?
I have a friend who I use to fly RC planes with, he had some land, and I called him up and asked if I could bow hunt on it, and that I'd be willing to pay. He refused, and told me just to come out and hunt. So in exchange, I started planting food plots for him, and checking all the cameras and cataloging deer for him. He was able to get a nice 10 point this year, and the buck was chasing does off the food plot I planted. He was very excited, and I know that I'll be able to go back this year and hunt again. He is an awesome person. I think the key to him allowing me to hunt was my willingness to help him, from planting food plots to bailing hay, I told him I'd help him in anyway possible.
I went and checked on a couple farms near my house, hour and a half drives, it seemed that most of the farmers had a list of 10 or more guys signed up. If you can find someone closer to you, you may have more success. If you go to MI DNR website they have a list and map of all the farmers.
