I need a place to hunt (IL)

[eastwood44mag]

Anyone willing to open up their land for small game hunting and/or trapping (rabbit, squirrel, upland bird, possibly furbearers)? Myself and possibly one other hunter (it's his first season, and I don't want to eat squirrels taken before the first frost kills the parasites, so state ground is pretty much out), willing to pay reasonable per diem rates (money or meat).

Please let me know ASAP so that we can figure out details. Thank you in advance.

 

[buck460XVR]

I wonder why state land is out for late season squirrels? Is it because squirrel season ends earlier there than on private land or are all the squirrels gone by late season on state land? While hunting pressure on state land around here educates squirrels much faster than those on private property, unless one has a lot of private property to hunt, it doesn't take long to "burn out" a spot, especially if there is more than one hunter hunting it. While one may have to sit quietly longer and take more care to be discrete while hunting on public land, I'd assume there are still squirrels available even on the last day of season. Otherwise there'd be none for next year.

Either way, I wish you luck in your quest to finding a hunting spot. For most hunters nowadays, that seems to be the biggest challenge they face in hunting, finding a good spot to hunt. Lack of access to private land to hunt is why so many folks are getting outta hunting and why we have fewer folks getting in.

 

[eastwood44mag]

My guess is that they're catering to bird hunters, then deer. Small furry things aren't high priority.

 

[Patocazador]

Kind of late to be looking for hunting land for this season, isn't it?

 

[TimSr]

I think you'll get a better response if you include your location, and how far you are willing to travel.

 

[eastwood44mag]

Located in Chicagoland, willing to travel as necessary, have hunted Green River and Iroquois County in the past, with mixed results.

 

[Sun Tzu warrior]

Every year the folks at rimfire central put on a big squirrel hunt in the Shawnee national forest.
Never been, but I read thru the threads, sounds like a great time, with great folks! Some of them are land owners from Illinois.
Not out of state for you, might want to check it out, even if you can only pop in for the weekend. Here's a link;http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=602426
I hunt in Peoria, Fulton, and Knox counties.
I grew up in Elmhurst Il., but have lived in the free state for decades.
My hunting buddy get farmers to let us hunt by having coffee with them at local diners where they get to know each other. When I was a kid, my dad would go up to a farmers house and ask permission with us hanging out the car windows. (mostly in Kankakee county) He rarely was turned away. That was before the movie "In cold blood" came out. Since then most farmers want to know a person who is outside of their house with firearms. Can't say that I blame them.
STW

 

[illinoisburt]

Unless you already know people, finding private hunting land within a hour of the Chicago burbs is next to impossible. The bigger challenge is you want to hunt small game and the vast majority of tracts are managed for deer these days. People don't want you tromping around and disturbing the deer activity. Best bet for what you want to do are the public sites along the rivers. The Kankakee River isn't too far and is open for upland game throughout the season. Otherwise head west to the Mississippi River. Bird hunting is a completely different thing. There are a bunch of organized bird programs near Chicago including Des Plains FWA and tons of private per diem operations for pheasants, quail, and waterfowl going southwest towards Peoria.

If you are willing to make a 3+ hour drive, there are numerous public sites in southern Illinois where hunting property is more readily available. Shawnee is nice and huge, but is a solid 6 hours from the city.

 

[eastwood44mag]

Driving is doable. Need a vacation anyways.

 

[Patocazador]

Folks in southern Ill. aren't like Chicagoans. They are nice, don't expect a bribe, and are not looking for an "angle'.

I have met several nice people south of Marion who have invited me to goose hunt.

 

[matrem]

I'd suggest driving far enough to find private farmers. You may be out of luck hunting all the critters you'd like to hunt this fall, but offering to rid them of their vermin, whatever that might be, is the best start I know of.

You never know, you just might enjoy shooting g-hogs & yotes.
Don't know about your part of Illinois, but if raccoon are anything like they've become in central Ohio, buying or borrowing some black & tans, walkers, or whichever breed might open some land to any of them that raise corn.

 

[PapaG]

Pick up the DNR 2015-2016 hunting guide. It lists public land in each district as well as what can be hunted and with what. If you can't find something in there, you aren't trying. I hunted squirrel in five different locations within 50 miles of my home in very central Il. Late season is not crowded.
Ten years ago I bought my own little 45 acres of walnut, oak, hills and bottom and have deer, turkey, squirrel and dove. Lucky buy at 60% of market value. Worth now twice what I paid. It can happen.