Looking for a place to go in Michigan

[Steelheader323]

Long post warning


As I am sure most others have this problem… since 2019 my father and I have been hunting state land..when I was a kid until
I was about 16 we hunted my grandfathers farm in hillsdale county..1100 acres of ag and swamps..we had it made!! Then my grandfather passed away and unfortunately between uncles, cousin and everyone else the property got split up and a lot of it sold off…at that point we hunted my aunts property for a few years then she also passed away and my cousin respectfully sold the property,fast forward a couple years my father and I found a place in town, it wasn’t much for size (9 acres) but we always harvested mature deer a few 130+ along with a couple 150+ inch bucks as well as many 4year old and up does..we hunted this small acreage for half a dozen years…unfortunate the land owner was offered nearly 13k an acre out of blue and when givin the chance to compete with that kind of sale it just wasn’t in our best interest to do so. We lost our access to hunt this place mid gun season in 2019 and started hunting state land in southern Michigan (Yankee springs area, fort Custer area, Fulton state game, gourdneck state game area..you name it we have hunted it if it’s within 75 miles of us..)

Following that to Now, Between a few stands being stolen, other hunters walking in and setting up nearly within throwing distance and having my truck broke into once last fall we are on the hunt for a place to to hunt whitetail..

im hoping to find someone willing to negotiate labor (my father owns a tree service company and I am a welder fabricator by trade..anything along those lines we can make it happen for you) and or venison for permission to hunt the property..we don’t need much as its just myself and him and occasionally my wife likes to sit with me and watch..she doesn’t do this anymore since the issues with a few stands being stolen but I am Sure she would love to get back out and enjoy herself in the woods.

I also have a 3 year old that in the coming years I would really love to get into the sport as long as I can find a reliable place to take her to.

I’m not against a lease as long as it’s big enough and isn’t outrageous in price..

We are very respectful individuals and willing to help out on any farms or if you have any type of work needing done we will do our best to help out. We also hunt respectfully and tend to be very picky with what we harvest

I’m 32 years young my father is in his mid 50s and I can see the desire and passion fade away with him each time we have issues on state land around here.

I know this probably sounds like a sob story but it sure has been rough the last few years as we have been lucky to fill only a couple tags In the past 4 years..

So if anyone knows of 10+ acres in southwest Michigan..willing drive farther a larger parcel..I’d sure appreciate a heads up and thanks for listening to me rant

 

[snapbang]

I believe if you would post in a local newspaper you and your fathers talents and willingness to help you would probably get a farmer of two answering your ad. I think some farms wouuld be appreciative of having a fabricator who is willing to work without taking them to the cleaners. Im too far away but good luck.

 

[Steelheader323]

I believe if you would post in a local newspaper you and your fathers talents and willingness to help you would probably get a farmer of two answering your ad. I think some farms wouuld be appreciative of having a fabricator who is willing to work without taking them to the cleaners. Im too far away but good luck.

Thank you for the idea! I will see about an ad in the classifieds and see what I can come up with

 

[ENCORE50A]

Thank you for the idea! I will see about an ad in the classifieds and see what I can come up with

Another idea, stop and ask at some of the large farms. Many times, the properties will be posted because of problems with slob hunters in the past. Offering to help, especially with the trades may help. What's the worse that can happen?

I know its tough down below for you guys, especially with the insane prices that leases go for now days. Its crazy how a couple guys will lease 20acres and have no issue paying $5,000+ for just a 15 day season.

The best way is to purchase something. Yes, prices are higher than heck, but you can bet that they'll not get any cheaper.

I wish you all the luck................

 

[Steelheader323]

We have a few places we plan to knock on some Doors come January. We did this as well last spring with no luck..well I can’t say that..we had 2 properties that we were offered to hunt but one was a 7k$ lease for 110 acres..and while 110 acres sounds great I can fill my freezer with a lot of beef for 7k. The other one was only 3k for 15 acres but the owner allows his 2 teenage grandsons hunt it as well so I don’t think that was all that great of a deal…both leases were gun season only as well. But we definitely plan to keep at it this spring

 

[ENCORE50A]

We have a few places we plan to knock on some Doors come January. We did this as well last spring with no luck..well I can’t say that..we had 2 properties that we were offered to hunt but one was a 7k$ lease for 110 acres..and while 110 acres sounds great I can fill my freezer with a lot of beef for 7k. The other one was only 3k for 15 acres but the owner allows his 2 teenage grandsons hunt it as well so I don’t think that was all that great of a deal…both leases were gun season only as well. But we definitely plan to keep at it this spring

If its at all possible, try to purchase. Even if its PP property, at least it would be yours. Low ground, swamp, unbuildable, that's fine and it'll be less costly.
$7k for 15 days of hunting is about the going price for that amount of property I think. If the same couple guys leased that property for just 4 seasons, they could have bought something.

State land in MI, which there is a lot of it, looks like a pumpkin patch on Nov 15th and I fully understand your frustration.

I'm wishing you all the luck and I know it won't be easy.

 

[muzzyhans]

Wow. I guess I didn't realize...

 

[Steelheader323]

If its at all possible, try to purchase. Even if its PP property, at least it would be yours. Low ground, swamp, unbuildable, that's fine and it'll be less costly.
$7k for 15 days of hunting is about the going price for that amount of property I think. If the same couple guys leased that property for just 4 seasons, they could have bought something.

State land in MI, which there is a lot of it, looks like a pumpkin patch on Nov 15th and I fully understand your frustration.

I'm wishing you all the luck and I know it won't be easy.

I have looked around in my area. Being so close to the cities i think is why property goes for such a high price. Seems like anything south of the big Rapids area is through the roof per acre…anyone know of some websites other than Zillow and home real estate sights that list just property? I have debated on looking north but I always hear the deer population isn’t nearly as good..but it would be mine to do what I want with also so kinda give and take situation

 

[muzzyhans]

I have looked around in my area. Being so close to the cities i think is why property goes for such a high price. Seems like anything south of the big Rapids area is through the roof per acre…anyone know of some websites other than Zillow and home real estate sights that list just property? I have debated on looking north but I always hear the deer population isn’t nearly as good..but it would be mine to do what I want with also so kinda give and take situation

Landwatch.com

 

[ENCORE50A]

I have looked around in my area. Being so close to the cities i think is why property goes for such a high price. Seems like anything south of the big Rapids area is through the roof per acre…anyone know of some websites other than Zillow and home real estate sights that list just property? I have debated on looking north but I always hear the deer population isn’t nearly as good..but it would be mine to do what I want with also so kinda give and take situation

I'd let someone else do the work FOR me. In the preferred area, go to a couple local real estate offices and let them know what you're looking for.
It'll give you a good idea what's available in the area you're looking for and prices. You don't have to purchase, but I'd let someone else do the work.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I'd let someone else do the work FOR me. In the preferred area, go to a couple local real estate offices and let them know what you're looking for.
It'll give you a good idea what's available in the area you're looking for and prices. You don't have to purchase, but I'd let someone else do the work.

We’ve got a local realtor who specializes in vacant land. Ive talked to him a couple times. My problem is the same as steelheaders, cant afford local prices. But there is plenty out there. Right now its a sellers market. Prices are crazy high. I think bank repo land may offer something, just need to find a listing resource. The realtor isnt too helpful with that.

 

[Steelheader323]

Yea my Realtor that helped me get my house has me setup with his flexmls website where I give him info what I’m looking for and it automatically sends me and email with the listing when it pops up. But yea.. prices are just outrageous..I did see the other day a place in Benton harbor was listed for 40k it was a vacant hardwood lot of 8 acres and an old orchard that was overgrown that was another 4 acres so I’m sure it had a good deer population..but 40k isn’t in my budget right now and probably won’t be anytime soon or at least until I get my mortgage paid down some. That 40k for 12 acres is in the cheaper side of what I have been seeing

 

[ENCORE50A]

Another method..............

Legal notices on the foreclosure process are filed by your County Recorder’s Office. You can easily pull up these records on local foreclosures by searching for Notice of Default (NOD), Notice of Sale, or lis pendens. In addition, you can also find foreclosure properties by searching for national and local banks with foreclosed properties.

Basically 4 options.......... 1: Purchase. 2: Lease. 3: State land. 4: Stay home.

Yeah, it sucks, but they don't make any more land and waiting to see if prices will come down is dangerous.

If deer numbers in an area is important, then check the harvest reports for the specific county one may be interested in. https://www.mdnr-elicense.com/HarvestReportSummary

 

[bdog]

I have business cards made up, although it's not a business I'm advertising, has my info on it, name, number, location and shooting/outdoor organizations I belong to, stating that I'm fully insured through these organizations while pursuing such activities, after speaking to the land owner I leave my card with them, it's helped more than once to get access to hunt