When I'm hunting a new to me area, I always stop in the Mom and Pop gun stores and chat awhile. Same thing I do when fishing a new to me area, I check out the small tackle shops.

One way these guys stay in business is to be helpful. All it usually costs me is the price of a couple of boxes of ammo or some fishing stuff.

If the tips pan out I make it a point of buying from them on a regular basis.

I ended up going to another family farm. Sat in a blind friday and only saw turkey. Tried to go out saturday but it was crazy blizzard. Gonna try to go out next weekend for second season but i think i gotta work now.

Thanks everyone for the help.

I am from the atkinson area and the only public spot that is open to gun hunting is at morrison rockwood state park in whiteside county. There is pretty good bow hunting, if you decide to get a bow, at big bend state park which is near prophetstown and johnsons sauk trail which is between annawan and kewanee. I have hunted these places with success!

sweet, thanks for the info

You can try to draw a shotgun tag for some good public land areas... which limit the number of hunters especially during shotgun season... but those are tougher to draw.

In the future you may try to team up with some guys and lease some land.

Don't be intimidated to hunt public land even if you never have. Don't forget your blaze orange.

archery isn't a bad idea for the future...

Move ahead 1 year and I ended up buying a bow like most people recommended. Still trying to find someone to take me out and show me the ropes lol

I really want to try pubic land but I am intimidated. I wouldn't even know where to start.

No need to be intimidated. PM me and depending where you would like to hunt, I can probably get you pointed in a good direction.

pm sent matt

Call or go to your dnr and talk to a biologist they should be able to help you with finding some places.