Land acess

I have more land to hunt then I can get to in a season. Key is don't wait till the season is soon approaching.
Stop and see the landowner or farmer early in the year. Offer the help make hay or what ever you can do to help them out. Hunting private property is a privilege and property owners should be treated with respect. It's always nice to send a simple thank you from time to time even if your not successful on their land.

ORIGINAL: retired guy

Absolutely spot on OA- Amazing how much a decent bottle of wine is appreciated at X Mass.
Coupla hints with the Urbies though-
Remember they are generally NOT hunters and are unfamiliar with our sport.      
     Dont EVER drag one out through their yard there will be a hissy fit.
Often they do NOT want deer field dressed on their property cause their doggies get at it.
  They NEVER want the neighbors to see ya coming and going.
      Mostly they don't even WANT to know if ya scored.
Not our way of life but some kinda blend I guess.

Good advice and couldn't agree more. Keeping a low profile is best in some areas that don't support the sport of hunting.It's all up to the hunter, develop an attitude and probably have your small urban woodlot off limits next time out.

I remember getting permission from a farmer one year and putting up several sets. Sitting in one of the sets at prime time and here come a kid on a dirt bike. He rides for a while and shuts the bike off. Takes a wizz 15 yards from my stand and never saw me. I figured it was the farmers kid and whistled till he spotted me. He apologized several times and said he wouldn't ride there anymore. I told it really didn't matter as I don't hunt the same set everyday. A week later I shot a buck from that stand. I also had times that people walked their dogs under my stand on property that I owned and told me that I shouldn't hunt there because it was unsafe for them. It takes all kinds to make this world go round. Sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and get over it.

RT, one thing I discovered out west is it's the life style. I think everyone (WELL ALMOST EVERYONE) on these boards will find a better life away from the politically correct horse sheet the the east is SO FILLED with. The amount of open land available and access makes you head spin. MILLIONS of acres-OPEN. And the people use it for what it's worth at a conservative level. They (on a whole)don't abuse it.

anti's are around, but ,they're minority here and they know their place. Out in the east, there is so much emotion and drama addressed to hunting and fishing. I believe it is a lost cause in the east and to the far west
(The west coast).

Cant say I agree with the out west thing. Many large ranches and such charge a fee to hunt their land. It seems to be a new wave. Private property being open for anyone who chooses is shrinking everywhere.

Well, to start with I feel many hunters see posted signs and keep driving looking for open land. In my experiences this is a bad move. Start your searching early, knock on doors and explain what you are looking to do as far as hunting. Most Pa landowners especially up north will grant permission as they like to know and control who is on their land. Explain and ask question about how they feel about controlling the deer herd. It's their deer not the PGC's. I think you will be surprised.

Out west their are many areas open for public hunting. Lets talk about the Gunnison National Forest. Now access is easily gained into the area and easily traveled in some areas right from an outfitters lodge. You can drive roads park and continue on foot. A self guided hunted considered by most. Large tracts of surrounding private property have been contracted by the same outfitters and offered as a guided hunt as the success rate is much higher due to the fact of less hunters and the remoteness of spike camps being miles back in. Both the landowner and the outfitter along with the wealthy hunter win hands down.Its the lower budget hunter who has to work his butt off to be successful when the odds aren't in his favor.

Things seem to heading that way here too. Many lease out there land to a certain number of guys and control and manage game as they see fit. A lease increase your odds of seeing more and bigger deer. Just like out west the hunter still has access to public land but in most cases travel is limited and success rate is usually lower.

Many hunters now days live a very busy life and will pay the $$$ for an opportunity the kill a nice animal. They don't have time to go and look for areas so a lease partnership is the way for many.

I'm very fortunate to have the privilege of hunting my own property, private property,leased probery and of course public property. Remember when hunting these place is a privilege not a right, and one must respect the owner in all cases.

Look at how it has changed in our lifetime. The 'wide open' days are gone forever

Yes some has but as I mentioned one has to prepare early and get off his but and seek new areas to hunt. It's still there but not handed out like Halloween candy years ago. I believe one of the reason for this is lack of respect and second is that LO's are disgusted with how game is managed through our wildlife agency.

That's it, I wished that more had your approach. Let us know how you make out and Good Luck !

CT has some strange laws no doubt. I believe it was against the law to let a youth participate in moto-cross a few years ago. CT considered it child abuse. I don't consider CT to be a hunter friendly state either. Nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live or hunt there. No offense RG. Pennsyltucky is OK for right now, I think. LOL

ORIGINAL: Eman89so

I'm gonna be struggling to find some land to archery hunt this school year at CalU. I have a house up there this year and don't really know of any spots to hunt. I'm going to go around and tell them i will work on their land if they let me hunt there and see what happens. Even if they say no i'm always polite. Ed

i have family less than ten minutes down the road..... let me know and i can show you a few spots sometimes and ill tell my uncle you are gonna be huntin during archery... some nice buck out there too

Right on OA. Kreamy is a good dude, he even gives me fishing spots

I would LOVE to see sunday hunting. Most of the older guys say they don't want it but for the kids in school it would be great!! Just too bad nobody cares about whats better for the next generations.. Ed