Looking for a Hunting Lease within 2 hours of Chicago
08-16-2012, 01:51 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3
Looking for a Hunting Lease within 2 hours of Chicago
Recently relocated to the Chicago area from Kentucky. I'm having a tough time getting out to scout for locations to waterfowl and deer hunt this year.
I swore I would never do it, but I'm willing to lease a piece of property to hunt this year, or share in a lease or hunt club. I have a few calls into a couple of people that might work out, but thought I would post here to to run down some other leads. Would want access to goose, duck and bow deer hunting for me and my 2 teenage sons. Willing to enter into long-term lease. Experienced, respectful and good stewards of the land.
I swore I would never do it, but I'm willing to lease a piece of property to hunt this year, or share in a lease or hunt club. I have a few calls into a couple of people that might work out, but thought I would post here to to run down some other leads. Would want access to goose, duck and bow deer hunting for me and my 2 teenage sons. Willing to enter into long-term lease. Experienced, respectful and good stewards of the land.
08-20-2012, 04:16 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North Central Illinois
Posts: 848
Within 2 hours of Chicago is tough, unless you mean 2 hours from the edge of Chicagoland, as it takes close to an hour to get out of down town. I think the closst areas where you are going to find leasable property is in the Illinois River valley (Bureau County maybe), which is probably over 2. There's a website that pairs landowners with hunters: http://accessil.org/ . I don't know if it's any good. I am primarily a public land hunter, and it's okay. You might want to consider southern Wisconsin as well (way more public land, but not sure about leasing). Good Luck.
08-22-2012, 03:35 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 1,462
Murdy has you going in the right direction. Unfortunately, a lease within a couple hours of Chicago is pretty expensive. There are a few public spots around Chicago but they get hit hard. Its not impossible to get a deer what you'll have to do your scouting and homework.
The farther North in Wisconsin you go or the farther south you go in Illinois it gets a little easier. Your best bet would be weekend trips down to Shawnee National Forest or some of the larger chunks of land in Central Wisconsin. Good Luck, there are spots out there, just need some luck and do a bit of homework!
The farther North in Wisconsin you go or the farther south you go in Illinois it gets a little easier. Your best bet would be weekend trips down to Shawnee National Forest or some of the larger chunks of land in Central Wisconsin. Good Luck, there are spots out there, just need some luck and do a bit of homework!
08-22-2012, 07:28 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North Central Illinois
Posts: 848
Check the Wisconsin DNR site, there's a fair amount of public land just across the border from Rockford that could get you going until you get that lease. Should be a reasonable drive from where you are at.
