How to find somewhere to hunt

[HoLeChit]

I’m hoping to find some experienced opinions here, because I am beyond lost on this.
I want to find a few places to hunt. I’m not wanting to go after deer, or even my favorite, upland game. I’m wanting to find a place to hunt prairie dogs, coyotes, and hogs. Pest extermination really. A place to wander around and get rid of some pests, maybe fix some fences or provide some mechanical expertise in exchange. I don’t have a ton of cash to throw around at a lease. Is there a good way to find someone or approach individuals to ask if you can take care of pests? In the past I’ve had people want me to pay to kill hogs on their overrun land.

I remember as a kid I would go out to paoli and help work cattle, do chores; and in exchange, the farmer would let me and a few friends hunt, fish, and camp on his land. I would love to find something where I could do that again. However, I no longer have contact with anyone that has a ton of land like that or know of anyone needing that sort of help.

 

[okierider]

Well if your smoking crack I ain't saying chit!!!

 

[retrieverman]

I wish you the best of luck, but it’s going to be difficult to find what you’re looking for today. Hunting is now a needed source of income for many farmers, and in this sue happy world, letting a random person with a gun free access to your property is a recipe for disaster.

 

[kirk1978]

Tough to find nowadays, Good luck!!

 

[thor447]

I’m hoping to find some experienced opinions here, because I am beyond lost on this.
I want to find a few places to hunt. I’m not wanting to go after deer, or even my favorite, upland game. I’m wanting to find a place to hunt prairie dogs, coyotes, and hogs. Pest extermination really. A place to wander around and get rid of some pests, maybe fix some fences or provide some mechanical expertise in exchange. I don’t have a ton of cash to throw around at a lease. Is there a good way to find someone or approach individuals to ask if you can take care of pests? In the past I’ve had people want me to pay to kill hogs on their overrun land.

I remember as a kid I would go out to paoli and help work cattle, do chores; and in exchange, the farmer would let me and a few friends hunt, fish, and camp on his land. I would love to find something where I could do that again. However, I no longer have contact with anyone that has a ton of land like that or know of anyone needing that sort of help.

Same here! If you find a place, DM me! Best of luck. I'm working an angle right now through a friend of a co-worker. They've got about 40 acres near Jones, but haven't heard back from the family yet.

 

[rswink]

Always like to find places. Maybe check the department website for public access.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

 

[dennishoddy]

I've got a couple places I hunt for free because of a casual conversation at a COOP elevator or a small diner in a small town. Varmints and trapping seem to be the best way to get a foot in the door as not many landowners do that anymore and they are overran with varmints.
If you make yourself more valuable to keep on as a guest hunter by being a friend to the landowner, vs some of the dirt bags that come in to get permission and then bring in friends by the dozen there is the possibility that you might get to deer hunt there as well.
It's not easy.

 

[Deer Slayer]

Dennis is spot on. I heard a recent story about some OHP officers that leased a place in NW Okla and trashed it. They put travel trailers on a campsite, brought their girlfriends out for a fling and walked off and left a grill. The owner was not happy and the lessee's were told to never come back. Landowners want to get to know who you are and what do you REALLY want. How are you going to respect and take care of their property, until that is known you probably won't find a place. My experience has been that once the party gets access to my property they tend to run over me and do whatever they want with no respect to what my rules are.

 

[swampratt]

I quit hunting with my dad and his buddies because the hunted like those officers.
I wanted to go Indian style.
Sleep in a tent and leave no sign that I was ever there.
I began hunting by myself and do so on public land often and it is good.

 

[retrieverman]

Dennis is spot on. I heard a recent story about some OHP officers that leased a place in NW Okla and trashed it. They put travel trailers on a campsite, brought their girlfriends out for a fling and walked off and left a grill. The owner was not happy and the lessee's were told to never come back. Landowners want to get to know who you are and what do you REALLY want. How are you going to respect and take care of their property, until that is known you probably won't find a place. My experience has been that once the party gets access to my property they tend to run over me and do whatever they want with no respect to what my rules are.

I’ve tried to run over you a couple times, but you’re pretty agile for an old fart.