I had a fellow church member pass by while I was in conversation with a friend about hunting and he asked if I bow hunted. I said "yea but I really don't have a place to do so right now." He offered for me to check out his 35 acres (about half and half pasture and hardwood with one small creek running through the middle) and I could hunt it if I wanted (bow only). I would be the only person to be there and he had never let anyone else hunt it. Apparently his son n' law and grandson asked to hunt it a few years back and he told them no because they only wanted to rifle hunt. He went on to say that last fall he went out to get the mail and counted 14 deer in the pasture side. I felt like he was kidding but said thanks I'll make time to scout it out. I set up last Wed. night after church (about 7:30) at the road about 200 yards out to glass and see if anything came out. Within 30 minutes a large doe stepped out and took her time feeding for about 45 minutes before returning to the woods. At 8:30 ish 5 more deer came out and grazed 2 were good sized bucks. So Friday I set out in the afternoon to go find a few good trees to set up in and clear shooting lanes. I wanted to get it done NOW then leave the land alone for a few months until opening day. After I got done with 2 places I walked along the edge of the field to a corner in the fence line. As I turned the corner I bumped right into a doe and 2 fawns (still in spots) making their way into the wooded area. I was about 30 yards from them when I saw them. I froze but they didn't even pay me any attention. I stood there and watched them finish eating and walk off. All I could think was "this is crazy!" I finished my job and went home. What’s funny is a few months ago I was starting to save some money to join a lease but couldn't either find one close enough or affordable. Finally, I gave up and put it to prayer and then God gave me this. I asked the owner if I owed him anything for letting me hunt and he said he wouldn't have offered if he wanted something for it. Just take care of it like it was my own. I am truly blessed. And I can't wait till opening day. Now all I have to do is stay away.

Good stuff!!Private hunting land is not easy to find.

Thats great. Always leave it better than you found it and you'll have a good hunting spot for years to come. I would recommend to thank the land owner after every year just as a reminder of how grateful you are. Good luck in the upcoming season.

Awesome bigpapa...funny how things work out like that. It was meant to be and you will be succesful this year! Good luck.

I always send a Christmas card to the folks who let me hunt their land.

Thats a good story and a good deal for you.....If the fella doesn't want any money maybe you could just tell him if he ever needs any help around the place to give you a call and let him decide from there.....Good luck with it this fall!!!!

Offer up a portion of the bounty too. If he declines fine, if he accepts make it tradition. When I depended upon others (b4 I bought this place) I used to take the land owners some jerky every year after I harvested. They sure were happy.

Things will find a way to work out. I lost one of my best spots this year and thought my season was gonna go to heck. then all of a sudden while singing at another churchI got permission to hunt a 400 acre patch that only has 4 bow hunters per year. and no rifle hunting at all.

Hey, this is not a bad idea. We just moved and joined a big new church here in Illinois. Wonder if that would be a good place to seek a landowner. Have to look into it.

Congrats on your new spot. I'd definitely do something to compensate the owner. When you look over the property, see if there is any work needign tending to such as fences or trash. My prior property in Indiana was on a road where kids threw cans and bottles in the ditch for decades. I pulled about 10 bushels full of junk out of there my first year. The ditch was covered in thickets so you could not readily see the trash until winter. See if this land has any such spots. It's a nasty task many landowner's think about but never do.

congrats and good luck