Hunting private ground in your state

[gabenzeke]

I’m about as introvert as they come, but realized the more doors I knocked on the easier it’s gotten to ask. I’ve never had anyone be a dick to me or anything; if it’s a no it’s usually just because someone already hunts it and I thank them anyways and move on to the next house. After awhile ya kind of get a script in your head of what you’ll say to them and I think that’s why it gets easier to ask.


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First person I ever asked said "you've got a lot of balls walking onto my property". Then he told me to get lost and never come back. I think it's harder around central Iowa than it would be further from an urban-ish area. I'm an introvert anyway, but sheesh....that one is tough to recover from.

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[Wannabebowhuntr]

I’m from Iowa as well. Me and my buddies hunt a good amount of private for doves, duck, geese, and one buddy kills turkeys on private every year. He’s not afraid to ask anyone for permission and is good at it haha. All my buddies have shotgun deer groups that have been around for generations. Around me you’re not shotgun deer hunting private unless you’re good friend with someone or are in one of those groups. Which is fine I don’t really shotgun hunt deer anymore. A lot of ground is already spoken for as far as archery as well but that’s easier to get permission for. So not bad for private access for everything but shotgun deer really.

 

[holder171]

First person I ever asked said "you've got a lot of balls walking onto my property". Then he told me to get lost and never come back. I think it's harder around central Iowa than it would be further from an urban-ish area. I'm an introvert anyway, but sheesh....that one is tough to recover from.

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Haha yeah that’s a rough first ask.

I’m actually in central Iowa as well about 45 min east of Des Moines. I would agree it’s probably harder in due to the lack of timber compared to other parts of the state.


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[RobertLosekamp]

*ring*

"Hey dad is anyone up at (stand location) tomorrow?"

"Nope good luck!"

"Thanks. Love you dad."

*Click*

 

[TSAMP]

*ring*

"Hey dad is anyone up at (stand location) tomorrow?"

"Nope good luck!"

"Thanks. Love you dad."

*Click*

That's cute. How long have you been out of their basement?

 

[RobertLosekamp]

That's cute. How long have you been out of their basement?

Enlisted in 2011 at 19, it's been a couple of years now since I've lived in their basement. I'm fortunate to live a few miles up the road from the farm these days. How long has that stick been up your ass? Lighten up.

 

[Sturgeon]

My parents have some land in southwestern WI that most of the neighbors will let us on for spring turkey hunting. Most people are pretty tight with deer permissions now days though.

My grandparents used to let almost anyone on. One time we were out doing drives on their land, I think we shot a doe and came in for lunch. Apparently while we were pushing the woods a nice 12 pointer was out in the field middle of day with a doe. A young fella stopped in and asked if he could shoot it and my grandma gave him permission. She said he was so happy.

I have had a tougher time getting permission around Green Bay. I’ve gotten one yes for turkey hunting and a lot of no for turkey and deer.

 

[Archery22]

Pa. has. a ton of State Forest and State Game Lands that is open to the public hunt to hunt
anything in season. But there are a lot of hunters. Private land is mostly hunted by family or leased out.

 

[mi650]

I've never had to ask. I haven't hunted state land for well over 30 years.

I hunted either my grandparents or uncles land for several years, then bought my own in 2000.

 

[Rich M]

FL is tough. People will lease as little as 10 acres. It's about the only way to keep your access to yourself - you're always only on guy who everyone loves and feels comfortable around away from losing your access.

First person I ever asked said "you've got a lot of balls walking onto my property". Then he told me to get lost and never come back. I think it's harder around central Iowa than it would be further from an urban-ish area. I'm an introvert anyway, but sheesh....that one is tough to recover from.

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You gotta brush it off. Lot of old codgers with attitudes out there. His wife probably just gave him a ration about not picking up his dog's poo and he took it out on you.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

In SE WI closer to 0% if you dont already know a person of have some other sort of in. But just randomly knocking youre going to get turned away pretty much 100% of the time. Most land being sold nowadays around here is to developers or overpaid FIBs who think meat comes from the store and hunters are murderers. The rare sizable farms and properties left are already being hunted by friends/family so no room for a stranger.

 

[MallardSX2]

If you find private ground to hunt on in GA for free you are extremely lucky.

 

[magtech]

Have 200 acres in michigan. Was being very selective hunting it in hopes neighbors would follow. New neighbor moved in on 15 acres and brought in his buddies and shot every buck over 2 years old.

Put 3 cell cams on state land 10 miles away, already have bigger bucks there than I've ever had on my property.

Tldr..you can do better on public. Private depends on who your neighbors are.

 

[Oregon]

Pretty easy. Just show up with a 64 quart cooler of fresh Dungeness crab, smoked salmon and lingcod fillets. Then make monthly deliveries

 

[william schmaltz]

I grew up in a farming community of less than 1K people in ND. I'd say waterfowl permission was close to 100%. Part of that was already knowing which land was off limits and just knowing not to ask. But there was never an issue scouting a field the night before and stopping by a farm or making a phone call and hunting it the next day. Being in the community, you also knew who upland hunted and who would be hunting deer bow/rifle hunting, so it was really easy to cherry pick who to ask. I can see that even asking the nicest of those people for permission would've been seen as extremely offensive to them. After Thanksgiving once deer rifle closed, you could get permission literally anywhere for deer, waterfowl, or upland. I've never been turned down for trapping/snaring permission. Actually, once word got out, I'd have landowners calling me to come out; which would lead to even more hunting permission.

To this day between friends and family and hundreds of thousands of acres, I can think of only one person that leases their land for hunting; and he's leased it since I was in high school 20 years ago.

 

[Tjdeerslayer37]

Have 200 acres in michigan. Was being very selective hunting it in hopes neighbors would follow. New neighbor moved in on 15 acres and brought in his buddies and shot every buck over 2 years old.

Put 3 cell cams on state land 10 miles away, already have bigger bucks there than I've ever had on my property.

Tldr..you can do better on public. Private depends on who your neighbors are.

But its soo miserable on public here. Ive had enough negative encounters with people to make me not even want to bother. Not to mention no matter how far I walk in I always see more people than deer. I do my serious hunting out of state anymore

 

[magtech]

But its soo miserable on public here. Ive had enough negative encounters with people to make me not even want to bother. Not to mention no matter how far I walk in I always see more people than deer. I do my serious hunting out of state anymore

I get people suck, and here people are hard. I had someone steal a cell cam today. At least, now I know where to hunt. If someone gives me grief ill drop coordinates and pictures around to help his spot out.

As for most state land, I like to hunt where people don't like to go. Although, I did walk 2 miles through a swamp only to find the island in the middle riddled with cameras (that didn't pan out that time)

What do I get at the end of the day with state land? Something new. A challenge. I know my property like clockwork. If I want a deer I could shoot one out the front door any day of season.

I know state may be harder but I feel like the challenge is what makes me desire hunting more, not the easiness.

 

[WCB]

MN here. Depends really. Deer hunting can be hard especially for gun season. Unless you really know someone probably not happening. Ducks and Geese not too hard if you aren't around major areas where they group up. Pheasants later in the season pretty easy. Coyote is pretty easy. Grouse is a slam dunk if they don't bow hunt hard.

 

[txjustin]

Texas: not happening


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[Mike D Texas]

Texas: not happening


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Yup.


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