Finding land to hunt! Any Ideas?

[BigJakeL]

Been looking for some new land to hunt here in Western Wisconsin and having a very hard time finding any! I have used the old tactic of talking to farmers and other land owners. Now I am looking for new Ideas to get some prospects. I have seen people put adds in papers and on hsolist. I wonder if these actually work.

[tracker x-2]

hmm idk I would have delt with this 6 months ago not 1 week ahead of season. keep trying doors and over to help with fall harvest??

[Bear55]

Take a stab at public land, plenty of bucks if you know where to look.

[BigJakeL]

Tracker, I have land that I will hunt this year. Just been looking for more land. And was curious what tactics others may use that I haven't tried! Thanks for the input though

[MJ1657]

Getting the checkbook out and buying some always works.

[DonBo]

Tons of great public land in Polk Co., but to answer your question, all you can do is knock on doors.

There's also private land enrolled in Forest Crop lands that are open to walk-in hunting. Check with the county forester for a list.

[BigJakeL]

Thanks Donbo! Never thought of talking to the Forester!

[harvey lee]

I always start to talk with land owners long in advance of the season, seems to help as come hunting season, everybodys land is filled up.

I have in the past leased land and that works well from and ad in the paper but can get a bit spendy.

I see have you Polk County in your address. Ever hunt any public land in the Polk County forest? My grandfather use to take me out there and we would look at all the deer over the years when I was a young whipper snapper.

I have a cousin that use to own quite a bit of land out there but he sold that a few years back. Have another cousin that still owns land there but they have a pretty big hunting crew or I would ask for you.

Do many still refer to the Polk County forest as the Barrons? Grandpa lived north of Cushing on Twin Lakes and we use to go to the Barrons by going straight west of Cushing and man there were a ton of deer out there.

I would try a small wanted add in the local rag for hunting land for lease or, simply looking for a place to hunt. I truely doubt many if any will call to say cpome on out and hunt but you may find a cheap lease or just keep knocking on doors until you score. Like Donbo said, check the walk in program also.

[goblueM]

Plat maps + Google Earth can be a great way to identify likely parcels of land. It really helps if you go to the door with a name and a map of the property, I've found.

I generally average getting permission about 25-30% of the places I ask

[deerminator]

What's the old saying? It's not what you know but who you know? I'd also check with friends, relatives and co-workers. Constantly be on the lookout for anyone that has access to land they might let you hunt or even hunt on once in awhile. I don't view that as opportunisitic nor does it come off that way if you're laid back about it. A co-worker who doesn't hunt or only gun hunts has a hobby farm, bring up the subject of bowhunting casually, let him know his farm would be a good place to bowhunt and if he ever wanted to try, you could help him get started. He might offer to let you hunt yourself without prompting right there or take you up on your offer. Or you might have to ask more directly another time. Bottom line, I'd start with who you know - friends, relatives, neighbors, co-workers, people at church and so on.

Also, I think there are a lot of farmers out there gun or muzzleload hunt but that would have no objection to "the right" bowhunters on their land without a lease. But this is in my neck of the woods that isn not necessarily "trophy" country. Then it just comes down to common sense once you have permission - helping them out on the farm every now and then, giving them a healthy portion of your venison, Chrismas gifts and so on. Small price to pay versus thousands of dollars for a lease.

[bigbucks]

+1, this is exactly how I go about it. Most hunting land, has come a little at a time a new spot here or there. Have knocked on a few doors, but generally have tried to find out something about the people first if I could. This is all around home in a small town, so usually somebody I know knows the people or knows about them. Starting with turkey hunting is a great way around here, as so many less people turkey hunt.

[Grayfox]

Harvey,

That must have been a looonnng time ago when you saw a ton of deer in the barrens. The 4 free tags with your license and then the unlimited $2 dollar tags really decimated the herd in the last 10 years.

Rob

[Cheetah]

Barrons area west and nw of Cushing is very sparse for deer sign. I was up there this spring trying to find turkeys, also very sparse, and did not have much luck.

I hunt other public land in Polk County and have had plenty of luck the last bunch of years. It is hard hunting though, and deer numbers are definitely far far below what they were 10+ years ago when you could drive around and count hundreds of deer in fields in the evening. WI DNR finally put a stop to all the extra $2 doe tags, too bad it is a few years too late if you ask me...