Next year I will have to find a new place to hunt

[clfergus]

Well - After having a nice private piece of land to hunt the last 4 years I am going to be losing it next year. I have only had access to it 4 days all year and thankfully I got a doe in bow season. It was a good piece of land....got my 10 point last year. My brother got his first deef off it and my dad two bucks over the years.

Been driving 100 miles to hunt it round trip from Indy and could only hunt when my dad was able to since he knows the owner. This year he has been too busy and I have been dying to get out more.

Anyone know of the best place to start looking for a lease? I guess I need to get up the nerve to approach the farmers in my area. I live in Franklin Township on SE side of Indy. I am sure there are a good amount of deer on some of these farms in the area.

Aside from being polite and looking clean cut, any advice on how to start the discussion once I knock on the door at a property?

 

[ISP 5353]

You could have a fist full of one hundred dollar bills when you knock on the door. That should get their attention while you make your pitch! Good luck!

 

[selinoid44]

Drop to your knees and start crying and beg like you've never begged before.
Thats a tough one. All you can do is ask. Worst case they tell you no.

 

[HICKMAN]

I used to drive down from Indy and hunt at Yellowwood. Got my first deer there.

 

[M4Madness]

I try to ask for permission on new properties each year. Sometimes I get in, other times I don't. This year, I tried two large properties. I was politely turned down on one (NO ONE allowed in there), and was told on the second one that I could join the other dozen guys hunting there, but I respectfully declined.

You better believe that I'll be knocking on doors before next season.

 

[clfergus]

I used to drive down from Indy and hunt at Yellowwood. Got my first deer there.

HICKMAN...was it super crowded? Might do this for archery. I guess I need to invest in a climber to hunt public lands right.

 

[HICKMAN]

HICKMAN...was it super crowded? Might do this for archery. I guess I need to invest in a climber to hunt public lands right.

actually no, I only saw a hunter or two each time I sent, and that was parking.

If you study the maps, that are lots of tiny hunting areas surrounded by private property that almost never get touched because people don't know abou them.

 

[smittygj]

Anyone know of the best place to start looking for a lease? I guess I need to get up the nerve to approach the farmers in my area. I live in Franklin Township on SE side of Indy. I am sure there are a good amount of deer on some of these farms in the area.

Aside from being polite and looking clean cut, any advice on how to start the discussion once I knock on the door at a property?

Here is what I did. Durring the off season, I drove around and used google maps to find property that looked decent to hunt, and had no houses on them (vacant land). I researched the tax records to find the owners, and sent them a letter letting them know who I was, a little about me, and requested permission to hunt on their property. Enclosed was a map of their property from google maps, and a permission form with dates listed from and to that I was requesting to hunt (basically firearm and muzzle loader season) and a self addressed stamped envelope for them to send me back the signed form.

I sent out 8 letters, and got 3 back giving me permission to hunt three places here in Monroe county with a total acreage of about 600 acres. Yes, on two of them, there are two or three other hunters that also have permission to hunt, but in no way are we crowding each other. If I go hunt and see their vehicle on one side of the property, I just drive over to the other side and hunt there.

Thats what worked for me!

 

[rao]

There are several brokers on line that lease hunting property almost everywhere in the country. The downside is that some of these land owners need to put the crack pipe down when setting their lease rates. Having had the same issue, I resorted to driving a few extra miles from Fishers down to the Hoosier Nat'l Forest. You can get Topo maps for all 133,000 acres on line and I have never been skunked down there over the last seven years. First bow season is the best...I don't mess around down there during shotgun season...(way too many idiots)...and return for muzzle loader and second bow season. The deer are harder to find second season unless you get snow fall. Once the snow falls, its easier to determine where the deer are moving as it is almost always changed after the gun hunters have hit the woods. Second season, I hardly ever see another hunter in the woods.

 

[Westside]

Here is what I did. Durring the off season, I drove around and used google maps to find property that looked decent to hunt, and had no houses on them (vacant land). I researched the tax records to find the owners, and sent them a letter letting them know who I was, a little about me, and requested permission to hunt on their property. Enclosed was a map of their property from google maps, and a permission form with dates listed from and to that I was requesting to hunt (basically firearm and muzzle loader season) and a self addressed stamped envelope for them to send me back the signed form.

I sent out 8 letters, and got 3 back giving me permission to hunt three places here in Monroe county with a total acreage of about 600 acres. Yes, on two of them, there are two or three other hunters that also have permission to hunt, but in no way are we crowding each other. If I go hunt and see their vehicle on one side of the property, I just drive over to the other side and hunt there.

Thats what worked for me!

That right there is great advice. If I owned land that I would allow people to hunt on this would get my attention. I would also include a phone number with appropriate times to call in case I had further questions.

 

[Lonnie]

Well - After having a nice private piece of land to hunt the last 4 years I am going to be losing it next year. I have only had access to it 4 days all year and thankfully I got a doe in bow season. It was a good piece of land....got my 10 point last year. My brother got his first deef off it and my dad two bucks over the years.

Been driving 100 miles to hunt it round trip from Indy and could only hunt when my dad was able to since he knows the owner. This year he has been too busy and I have been dying to get out more.

Anyone know of the best place to start looking for a lease? I guess I need to get up the nerve to approach the farmers in my area. I live in Franklin Township on SE side of Indy. I am sure there are a good amount of deer on some of these farms in the area.

Aside from being polite and looking clean cut, any advice on how to start the discussion once I knock on the door at a property?

do you mind telling us the reason you wont be able to hunt this property next year.
Maybe should should try to lease this property before you seek others
just a thought

 

[ALB]

Here is what I did. Durring the off season, I drove around and used google maps to find property that looked decent to hunt, and had no houses on them (vacant land). I researched the tax records to find the owners, and sent them a letter letting them know who I was, a little about me, and requested permission to hunt on their property. Enclosed was a map of their property from google maps, and a permission form with dates listed from and to that I was requesting to hunt (basically firearm and muzzle loader season) and a self addressed stamped envelope for them to send me back the signed form.

I sent out 8 letters, and got 3 back giving me permission to hunt three places here in Monroe county with a total acreage of about 600 acres. Yes, on two of them, there are two or three other hunters that also have permission to hunt, but in no way are we crowding each other. If I go hunt and see their vehicle on one side of the property, I just drive over to the other side and hunt there.

Thats what worked for me!

That is one of the best ideas I've ever heard for acquiring permission.

 

[clfergus]

do you mind telling us the reason you wont be able to hunt this property next year.
Maybe should should try to lease this property before you seek others
just a thought

Old man is not gonna make it through the winter...cancer. The land will be sold and its prime cattle land fairly close to Bloomington.

 

[Lonnie]

Old man is not gonna make it through the winter...cancer. The land will be sold and its prime cattle land fairly close to Bloomington.

Thats to bad
Maybe you can keep in the loop and talk to the new owner
just a thought

 

[rotortech]

Here is what I did. Durring the off season, I drove around and used google maps to find property that looked decent to hunt, and had no houses on them (vacant land). I researched the tax records to find the owners, and sent them a letter letting them know who I was, a little about me, and requested permission to hunt on their property. Enclosed was a map of their property from google maps, and a permission form with dates listed from and to that I was requesting to hunt (basically firearm and muzzle loader season) and a self addressed stamped envelope for them to send me back the signed form.

I sent out 8 letters, and got 3 back giving me permission to hunt three places here in Monroe county with a total acreage of about 600 acres. Yes, on two of them, there are two or three other hunters that also have permission to hunt, but in no way are we crowding each other. If I go hunt and see their vehicle on one side of the property, I just drive over to the other side and hunt there.

Thats what worked for me!

That's a smart bit of homework, Smitty. Excellent suggestion. Can I assume that you offered some dollar amount for the hunting privilege?

 

[armedindy]

Old man is not gonna make it through the winter...cancer. The land will be sold and its prime cattle land fairly close to Bloomington.

have him write in the sale contract that they must allow you to hunt on it.....

 

[smittygj]

That's a smart bit of homework, Smitty. Excellent suggestion. Can I assume that you offered some dollar amount for the hunting privilege?

I did not offer, and they did not ask for anything. One asked that if I get a few deer that I give them some meat, but other than that they gave permission with no strings attached.