Looking for somewhere to hunt
12-26-2020, 06:51 AM
#2
Spike
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Windsor, ON
Posts: 28
Hate to break it to you but nobody is going to bring you onto private land they have permission for. Most are even hesitant to point people towards any public land. These days the hardest part of hunting is finding a place that you can hunt. Even with my closest friends they only accompany me to select private properties I know the landowner wouldn't care about.
All we can really do is offer suggestions on getting private permission or finding public land yourself. You can use google maps to find addresses with properties that have forests on them, then use a reverse address search online (on yellow pages or something similar) to get their phone number, then call and ask for permission (or go door to door). There also might be online maps pointing to public land that some people from VA might know of.
As for finding hunting companions maybe you might find someone from your town on here or maybe VA has it's own hunting forum (maybe local facebook groups?). Looking for local hunting or outdoors clubs would probably be the best option.
This probably isn't very encouraging but you have the whole of next year to look for deer hunting properties (or 4 months if you want to go for spring turkey). Once you find land to hunt then one of the hardest parts is over.
All we can really do is offer suggestions on getting private permission or finding public land yourself. You can use google maps to find addresses with properties that have forests on them, then use a reverse address search online (on yellow pages or something similar) to get their phone number, then call and ask for permission (or go door to door). There also might be online maps pointing to public land that some people from VA might know of.
As for finding hunting companions maybe you might find someone from your town on here or maybe VA has it's own hunting forum (maybe local facebook groups?). Looking for local hunting or outdoors clubs would probably be the best option.
This probably isn't very encouraging but you have the whole of next year to look for deer hunting properties (or 4 months if you want to go for spring turkey). Once you find land to hunt then one of the hardest parts is over.
Last edited by Mihajlo Simsic; 12-26-2020 at 06:54 AM.
12-26-2020, 07:09 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
well I will never say you WON"T find some place to hunt off a forum, be it here or else where, but its a low odds deal IMO
reason being , some reasons' being
, your a first time member looking for a place to hunt on private lands
and well, NO one here know's you, here to say your a good safe hunter and have qualities worth in voting or recommending to a land owner.
IMO however I agree it never hurts to ask adn try,
as you never know, maybe someone here is also looking for a new hunting buddy and is in your area(and well listing your area can help here if you wanted to share)
but not all hunters or forum folks are as tight about there hunting spots as others are, and some DO share
over my yrs on forums, I have been invited onto other members lands and hunts!
BUT do admit it wasn't something that happened in my first few posts, it took getting to know each other and having shared idea's and opinions and such, that took time to develop, before invites happened.
Also, it seemed to happen more on forums that also had get together in person, like camp outs or shoots or other activities, where folks got to actually meet face to face and talk off a open forum
BUT since they don't happen much on most forums, next best HOPE here for you might be, in a PM, where you can talk to a member off a public viewing
as if anyone was to post on an open public forum, a GOOD place to hunt, to give out private land owners info, them places would end up getting ruined real fast and I would also gather some pissed off land owners too, for someone posting there info, from names or location ONLY, is enough to upset land owners!
Some suggetsions to try that have worked for me over the yrs is
asking in the off season, and just driving about area's I liked or felt were where I'd like to hunt and actually knocking on doors and asking for permission.
I have also had very good luck with talking to area's I like, there Game wardens in them area's, they seemed to always know what land owners were unhappy with wildlife an d also, more friendly to hunters!
some times got names and addresses from them, some times, just general area's to try!
another thing I found that worked, as local churches that had meetings and or bulletin boards and placing a add on them!
I have even known a few guys that posted adds in local news papers in area's they wanted to hunt and got replies that way!
But to come on a forum and just ask, no one knowing you , is kind of a low odds deal
Spend time here getting to know members and them getting to know you and odds go up!
hope this helps some, as its meant too,
and no bash here
best of luck to you!
reason being , some reasons' being
, your a first time member looking for a place to hunt on private lands
and well, NO one here know's you, here to say your a good safe hunter and have qualities worth in voting or recommending to a land owner.
IMO however I agree it never hurts to ask adn try,
as you never know, maybe someone here is also looking for a new hunting buddy and is in your area(and well listing your area can help here if you wanted to share)
but not all hunters or forum folks are as tight about there hunting spots as others are, and some DO share
over my yrs on forums, I have been invited onto other members lands and hunts!
BUT do admit it wasn't something that happened in my first few posts, it took getting to know each other and having shared idea's and opinions and such, that took time to develop, before invites happened.
Also, it seemed to happen more on forums that also had get together in person, like camp outs or shoots or other activities, where folks got to actually meet face to face and talk off a open forum
BUT since they don't happen much on most forums, next best HOPE here for you might be, in a PM, where you can talk to a member off a public viewing
as if anyone was to post on an open public forum, a GOOD place to hunt, to give out private land owners info, them places would end up getting ruined real fast and I would also gather some pissed off land owners too, for someone posting there info, from names or location ONLY, is enough to upset land owners!
Some suggetsions to try that have worked for me over the yrs is
asking in the off season, and just driving about area's I liked or felt were where I'd like to hunt and actually knocking on doors and asking for permission.
I have also had very good luck with talking to area's I like, there Game wardens in them area's, they seemed to always know what land owners were unhappy with wildlife an d also, more friendly to hunters!
some times got names and addresses from them, some times, just general area's to try!
another thing I found that worked, as local churches that had meetings and or bulletin boards and placing a add on them!
I have even known a few guys that posted adds in local news papers in area's they wanted to hunt and got replies that way!
But to come on a forum and just ask, no one knowing you , is kind of a low odds deal
Spend time here getting to know members and them getting to know you and odds go up!
hope this helps some, as its meant too,
and no bash here
best of luck to you!
Last edited by mrbb; 12-29-2020 at 04:08 AM.
12-27-2020, 05:53 AM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,714
Well if you're young and have the time I would suggest that you go to landowners in the spring where you think might be a place where you would like to hunt that fall and ask them if they would be willing to allow you hunting permission in exchange for helping him around the place on weekends or a couple evenings after work/school. Most farmers and ranchers work their butts off morning to night and this could be a unique approach and they might just welcome the offer.
But if not your state should have state game lands or state forest lands or national forest lands that are open to the public. To find a good place there you'll have to get "boots on the ground" an search them out.
But if not your state should have state game lands or state forest lands or national forest lands that are open to the public. To find a good place there you'll have to get "boots on the ground" an search them out.
12-27-2020, 02:25 PM
#5
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 14,717
The above is a good recommendation . Asking strangers on a message board is not a good idea. Internet scouting instead of actual scouting and knocking on doors is not a good plan and is frowned upon. Think about it, why should people who have put in the time and put boots on the ground and miles on their vehicles to find places to hunt just give them up to someone who scouts via the internet?
Last edited by Oldtimr; 12-27-2020 at 02:28 PM.
12-28-2020, 07:12 PM
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Midlo, Va
Posts: 558
Good luck finding hunting land in that area. It is very controlled and scarce. Ask around and visit anywhere you see sportsman gathering. The hunters there hunt to a different tune than most of the rest of the state. Also pay close attention to local rules and regulations.
01-01-2021, 07:23 AM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Pa.
Posts: 497
Originally Posted by Oldtimr
The above is a good recommendation . Asking strangers on a message board is not a good idea. Internet scouting instead of actual scouting and knocking on doors is not a good plan and is frowned upon. Think about it, why should people who have put in the time and put boots on the ground and miles on their vehicles to find places to hunt just give them up to someone who scouts via the internet?
Good advice.I was approached this year by someone wantin to hunt deer with his son and was happy to grant him permission.He was nice and had a good attitude.I even gave him a couple of DMAP coupons.I also granted permission to someone just recently to hunt yotes.So yes,it pays to visit just don,t to it at a bad time.
