Sad day for my son and I. Former hunting land sold.

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  • Fire Lord

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 7, 2012
    191
    28
    Around Franklin
    Long story, try to keep it short. My uncle, who owned 70 acres that I have been hunting for 26 years, called me and said that I need to come get my stands. He has finally sold the property. While I was happy for him, that kinda sucked for us, as I will be needing a place for next year. Actually, I'm laying my gun down and letting my son take over. I'll be teaching him best I can. I just got an upper in 6.5 Grendel, and am looking for a suppressor for it. Want to stay on private land, as it won't be legal on public.

    So if anyone who has land or knows a farmer that would allow us to , I could use a hand. Sorta looking for a place about an hour or so from the Franklin area. We hunt squirrel, deer. Could try to remove nuisance creatures if wanted. Willing to gift owner with choice cuts. We always walk in and out, no off road vehicles. Leave the gates the way we found them, all that. We also only stock the freezer, so we can hunt does only. Can't hurt to ask. Would be willing to work/survey property/what have you. Thanks for looking. Don't expect to get much, but you never know.
     

    jblomenberg16

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    67   0   0
    Mar 13, 2008
    9,920
    63
    Southern Indiana
    I could ask, but the new owner wants it for hunting. So, probably not gonna happen. Thanks for the reply.

    Sorry to hear that. Never hurts to at least ask or make the connection. Perhaps the hunter would want your advice on what has worked there over the years in terms of stand locations, and may just let you hunt it.

    I've found that cold calling local farmers for hunting permission for waterfowl isn't always fun, but most are pretty polite about it. Deer are a different story, but worst that they can say is no. Sometimes being willing to trade some labor for rights (like cleaning up drift in bottom ground, or maintaining a fence row) might get you some inroads with some guys.

    Hang in there and good luck!
     

    Shollz

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 16, 2012
    50
    6
    Sorry for that. I am dreading when one of my places sells when the owners pass away. Would love to buy it , but way to expensive for me around here
     

    Hookeye

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Dec 19, 2011
    15,039
    77
    armpit of the midwest
    Lost my spot in 2006.
    Hunted it 19 yrs. Great spot too.
    Took a lot of the fun out, hunting lesser ground.
    Have had to change mindset.
    Goals different.
    The changes enough that it wouldn't take much for me to quit.
    Don't think that just getting older and more cranky either.

    Some folks have never hunted great ground............they don't understand.
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    43   0   0
    May 30, 2009
    17,878
    113
    Lafayette
    Sorry for that. I am dreading when one of my places sells when the owners pass away. Would love to buy it , but way to expensive for me around here

    I've been hunting Indiana whitetail for more than 35 years.
    It has always been on private land, but never my own.
    It had never been family. Until last year, I've always property that I had to work to gain permission.

    Many of these properties entailed nothing more than asking permission, but others required quite a bit of effort to obtain permission.
    I've hunted the same, VERY small piece of ground for the last 12 years or so.
    This property consisted of 3 different owners whose land abut each other. Together this includes almost 15 acres, but I also shared this ground with my brother.
    The property is a hillside that is very steep. It has been fruitful for the time we've hunted it, but I've gone a season or two that I came home empty handed.

    Fast forward to this past February, when I got a call from my uncle.
    He told me that he had just closed on 50 acres of bottom land right at the junction of Parke, Fountain, and Vermillion counties.
    This is 50 acres of woods, no improvements at all, not even a drive to pull off of the road.

    When I asked him why he bought it he just grinned and said, "I bought it so you guys would have some place to hunt."
    He hunted some 40 years ago and wanted to make sure that we continued to have access to decent hunting property.
    He had asked in the past about where we hunted, and how big the property was, how successful we'd been...

    He went even further though.
    He put four names on the deed. His, mine, and those of my two brothers.
    This land is now ours, for good!
    We hunted it this past season and I harvested the largest buck of my hunting career. No trophy by any means, but a respectable 9 pointer.

    I can't for the life of me understand his motives for buying this property, then putting our names on it, but I couldn't be happier either.
    I've worried for years about one or more of the properties we hunt selling.
    One of the owners is over 80 and not in the best of health.

    I'm always on the lookout for additional hunting properties that I can gain permission to access, but now I'm not looking as hard. I've tried to express my gratitude, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to thank him properly.
    I did gift him a brand new Smith & Wesson M&P15 in .223/5.56

    To the O.P.
    I feel your loss. I know what it is to lose a good spot.
    About all you can do is try to ingratiate yourself with a local landowner.
    Find an elderly soul and ask if you can help out by cleaning up the property, or painting the barn, or helping rid it of nuisance animals.
    There are many things you can do to help out, but if you look hard enough you might just find that one who will let you hunt without much in return.

    Good luck
     

    GodFearinGunTotin

    Super Moderator
    Staff member
    Moderator
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    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Mar 22, 2011
    50,585
    113
    Mitchell
    Lost my spot in 2006.
    Hunted it 19 yrs. Great spot too.
    Took a lot of the fun out, hunting lesser ground.
    Have had to change mindset.
    Goals different.
    The changes enough that it wouldn't take much for me to quit.
    Don't think that just getting older and more cranky either.

    Some folks have never hunted great ground............they don't understand.

    I never was much of a hunter...it just never really appealed to me. But my brother is though. He started hunting as soon as my uncle (over my mom's objections :) ) gave him his first 22. He was telling me right before Christmas of a conversation he had with a deer processor friend of his. He told my brother that he's seen a steady decline in the number of deer he's processing for folks every year.

    This thread kind of adds to the theory that my brother and I came up with---that the decline of readily available hunting spots might be driving people to simply give up the sport. My brother has a small place that backs up to a larger acreage of woods where he does his deer hunting and he said if it weren't for that, he'd probably give it up all together himself.

    If our theory is any way true, this could have long term (detrimental) effects on the 2A.
     

    INGarand

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 1, 2014
    52
    8
    Buffaloville
    I know how you feel, lost the hunting rights to all of my areas. Owners passed away and kids all formed a LLC and closed area for hunting. One area I hunted for 60 years.
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jan 19, 2009
    36,696
    113
    .
    This year was off around here, the HNF access points showed half the amount of cars they normally do and I noticed far fewer shots all season. GFGT may be on to something about declining numbers of hunters.
     

    Sniper 79

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    19   0   0
    Oct 7, 2012
    2,939
    48
    I gave it up years ago. Every place I hunted is now a subdivision or changed hands.

    I actually purchased a hunting license this year after about 12-15 year hiatus. Walked some public grounds for squirrels. It was wonderful and family enjoyed the stew I made. Felt so good to be out.

    It hurts to loose a spot especially one that was special in some way. I hope to pay like crazy on our education loans then buy some land for retirement.
     

    Fire Lord

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 7, 2012
    191
    28
    Around Franklin
    Thanks for all the replies. I appreciate all the heartwarming sentiment. I do plan on asking around. I've been looking on GIS maps and such, trying to find decent land around.
     

    Bradsknives

    Master
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    8   0   0
    Mar 1, 2010
    4,280
    48
    Greenfield, IN.
    Thanks for all the replies. I appreciate all the heartwarming sentiment. I do plan on asking around. I've been looking on GIS maps and such, trying to find decent land around.

    I highly recommend the On X Hunt app. It's a very valuable tool in determining property lines and the owner of the property. I think you can get a 60 day free trail. After that it's like $30.00 a year for a single state (Indiana).

    I use it all of the time for getting permission to coyote hunt. It is nice to know exactly where the land owner lives if he/she doesn't live on the property that you are considering. Also, helps when you contact the land owner and know exactly who you are talking to, or should be talking to. :twocents:
     

    Hoosier Carry

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Aug 20, 2012
    1,062
    113
    In the Woods
    I highly recommend the On X Hunt app. It's a very valuable tool in determining property lines and the owner of the property. I think you can get a 60 day free trail. After that it's like $30.00 a year for a single state (Indiana).

    I use it all of the time for getting permission to coyote hunt. It is nice to know exactly where the land owner lives if he/she doesn't live on the property that you are considering. Also, helps when you contact the land owner and know exactly who you are talking to, or should be talking to. :twocents:

    You can also use the huntstand app which gives you 10 free parcel owner names. After about a month you get the 10 free back and don’t have to pay. Once you click on a parcel you can save as hunted spot and it keeps it saved. Just a way to not have to pay.
     

    bobjones223

    Master
    Rating - 98.2%
    55   1   0
    Mar 3, 2011
    1,780
    47
    Noblesville, IN
    OP I feel your pain!

    I had hunting ground that I learned to deer hunt on for ten years and then it got sold...found another spot and hunted it for two years and it got sold...found another property and hunted it for two years and it got sold...found another property and it got sold one year later....I was then a hunting vagabond for three years trying to hunt with friends on their properties...IT SUCKS!

    finally bought property and built a house on it. It is only 5 acres but is situated in an amazing location for deer travel. I feel everything happens for a reason and am sitting on my 5 acres as I post this.

    Keep looking and you will find where you were ment to hunt but it may be a few years of crap getting there.

    On a side note...now that I live on the land I kind of miss the adventure of "Opening weekend", the planning, the drive, the anticipation knowing I only had one weekend to make it happen, miss hanging out with my hunting buddies, drinking and enjoying the company and adventure.
     

    cerebus85

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 83.3%
    5   1   0
    Mar 5, 2012
    326
    18
    I've always hunted the same piece of family land and i fear as the landowner gets older they will just give up on it and sell. they have previously mentioned either giving it to the local megachurch (who will sell it) or giving it to the farmer who she leases pasture too. The idea of even selling to blood family goes straight over her head. OP i fear your post may be my post soon and you have my condolences.
     
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