New Hunting Property
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Allegan, MI
Posts: 8,019
One that hasn't been hunted hard and shot out to begin with. Then I'd look for a place that has a mixture of good bedding cover, as well as a decent variety of food sources so that you or the game are not dependent on one thing. Add a little water running through the property or a small pond and you're in business. As far as obtaining permission in this day and age when you locate something that looks good, have a fat wallet because even a nice landowner nowadays is looking for ways to pay his taxes and survive to keep that property in his familie's name. If you're lucky enough to find someone who lets you on for free or for helping them out on the place, consider yourself real lucky because times and the latter two have changed greatly over the 60 years of my hunting career.
#4
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Allegan, MI
Posts: 8,019
iayotehunter---I'm obviously hunting a lot of different places that you aren't! I really can't even name all the states I've hunted in, but I'd ask if I got a premium deer tag for Iowa, can you get me on a farm for free to shoot a real good Iowa whitetail? The last time I hunted pheasants out in Iowa years ago I couldn't find a farm that would allow access and hunted the public lands down around Rathbun Reservoir. Now I hunt them out in North Dakota on public lands and very few farmers will allow access on their private property without paying hundreds of dollars per day just to shoot three birds!
#7
Like was said already, I think the big three are probably the most important factors. All deer are gunna need food water and cover. One wild card factor that can put a place over the top is A GOOD ROAD SyStem or other ways to access the property easily without tromping off through the woods breaking every stick and branch you come by. A good road or trail system to me is at the top of my must haves once I decide food water and cover are present