Where do I start?

[DennisP]

Hello to all.  New to the board, New to hunting in general.  37yo father of one (boy 6yo)  Over the past year and a half or so I've developed the urge and interest to try my hand at turkey hunting.  I've been reading as many posts as I can, watching videos on you tube, trying to do the research.  My biggest issue that I'm having is.... WHERE CAN I HUNT?  I live in North East Illinois.  Chicago suburbs.  Public hunting land is almost nonexistent near me.  I am not familiar enough with Southern Wisconsin to know the best areas either.  Any recommendations on how you guys go about finding private land areas? 

Any Illinois or Wisconsin hunters around that have some input on hunting in the area? 

Just trying to figure out where to start, so I can work on getting a tag or two for the fall season.

Thanks
Dennis

[jakesdad]

Do you have any friends or family that live closer to favorable hunting areas?If they arent a long distance from home where you could drive and spend some weekends might be a good place to start.

[MazeNBlu3]

I'm in northern Wisconsin and just moved here last July. When I got here I searched the web for the Door County Platt book. It gives you all the public hunting land as well as any FML land and DNR land in your area. Once you find some where I recommend putting boots to the ground and looking the area over for any turkey sign. Wisconsin has tons of turkeys. I've already found one good flock now it's just a waiting game. Hope this helps you out and good look filling your tags.

[DennisP]

I've got a brother in law that hunts deer (mostly) near Biloxi MS.  Otherwise no other hunters in the family.  Many out of state relatives... FL, CA, AZ, and MS.  Nothing within a few hundred miles.

[Tommythreetoes]

There is some public ground in central IL near Sullivan and Shelbyville.  There are also public areas in southern IL (Shawnee).  If you want areas closer to you and on private ground, then you have some work to do.  Join a local NWTF chapter, get to know some land owners, talk to the local farm bureau, put a craigslist ad out there to lease some huntable areas.  Private ground hunting is tough to find sometimes.  Maybe consider taking one or two trips each spring to different states with an outfitter if you're able to.  Some turkey hunts aren't that expensive.  Good luck!  I hope you find something out there.

[DennisP]

I feel like such an FNG when it comes to this.  What does it take to join a NWTF chapter?  I found that there are 2 different ones in near me, but cant find any info on either.  I'm weary of scheduling a trip with an outfitter until I have a little more info and experience under my belt.  Are they set up for newbies like me or for the seasoned hunter?

[Tail Feathers]

The NWTF is fine, but certainly not necessary and not very likely to help you learn much about turkey hunting.  Maybe....not likely.
Get a video called "So You Want to Be a Turkey Hunter".  It will get you off to a good start.
Finding a place is probably job one, can't help you there, I'm in Texas.

Find the place, scout the place as much as you can and go give it a try.  Remember, they have very keen eyesight and are pretty good at not getting killed.  Still and patient...that helps a lot.

[silvestris]

Drive and find good looking timber.  Knock on doors and ask questions.  Be polite and bring your kid with you.  Some people can't say no to a father with his son standing there.  Ask.  Like a young man using the direct approach, you get your face slapped some but you also find success.  Once you get permission to hunt a good place, cultivate the relationship.  Make the owner aware of things he would want to be aware of and offer to help him correct them like fence repair for example.  Find out his likes and dislikes.  Purchase small gifts for him, but don't leave the impression that you are trying to buy his friendship.  You can open many doors with the proper approach.

[d.winsor]

Without going into a long story, the NWTF will not help you learn to hunt turkeys or find turkey hunting spots for you, The members will be as closed mouth as any other turkey hunters.  They will take your money though.  I use to be in the NWTF.  If you find an area to hunt you do not want to tell a turkey hunter where it is, and god forbid don't tell them where you heard a turkey gobble, take my word for that.  There is no turkey hunter that is going to tell you where a place that they hunt turkeys is, public land or private land.  Unless they don't hunt it themselves.  If I were you I would try to find farmers with some woods on their land, farmers hate turkeys, they will tell you to kill all you can.  The only problem there, is most farmers do not have a lot of woods that is why they are farmers.  On some farms the best you could hope for is that the turkeys frequent the fields, If you have time before season locate some farms and drive around, you might see the turkeys in the fields then ask the farmer.  If you find a farmer that will let you hunt, they can tell you about everything you would want to know about the turkeys on their land.  Where they roost, Movement thru the day, etc.  If you go for the farmers or private land get you permission on as many places as you can.  Myself I hunted more public land than private because by the time I worked thru the week, and was on call on the weekends while taking care of home and family, I didn't feel like repairing fences and such, in my off time.  If you have a lot of time on your hands I guess it is one way to go.  But if you go with private land with the intention of helping them with chores you could only have so many of those.  I am not saying don't help someone out at times but keep it at that, at times.  If all that doesn't work for you I Would take the advice above to find public land, WMA, etc.  Good Luck and Good Hunting.  You will like turkey hunting it is a continual learning experience, from equipment to turkeys.

[Woodsman4God]

Talk to people you know, someone will be a hunter. Then pick their brain to get ideas where to look. You probably are going to have to drive an hour or more to get somewhere you can hunt.  I am fortunate that my hunting is a little under an hour from Detroit but its still a hike and nothing like Chicago. Good luck and Welcome to OG

[Skeeterbait]

Contact your state conservation and natural resources office and get contact information for a state game biologist.  Ask him about turkey populations around the state and narrow things down to a particular area of the state your interested in.  Then contact them again and find out the conservation enforcement officer for that area.  Contact him to get information about public lands in his area and query him about private lands and hunting clubs in his area.  Then start spending time in the area.  Talk to people who live there and make contacts.  Your almost there now.  Contact land owners and any hunting club officials you have learned about.  Determine what property(s) your going to hunt and start learning the property.

[DennisP]

About the farmers...

What is proper protocol on getting permission?  Does one drive right up their driveway and knock on their door?  Wave them down while they're working their fields?  I don't want to get shot just trying to ask a question. 

Drive and find good looking timber.

What should I be looking for?  Larger areas obviously.  Specific type of tree?  Oaks?   Walnuts?  Pines?  Does it matter?  Corn fields or Soy bean?

Thanks by the way for all your replies.  They're very much appreciated.

Dennis

[d.winsor]

Don't try to stop a farmer from working to ask him if you can hunt.  Try to catch him resting or at his house.  I would say look for farms with some woods on them that are  against large tracts of woods.

[DennisP]

Come to think of it, there is a farmer with a permanent blind in the middle of one of his corn fields about 10 minutes from my house.  Im not sure what he hunts for, but its worth a shot.  He sells corn and veggies all summer long.  I'll be sure to stop by and say "Hi" from time to time.

[trackerbucky]

Walk right up to the door and knock. Dress nicely (not in your hunting clothes).  Be polite. It never hurts to take your hat off.  Just like asking the pretty girl out on a date. The worst that can happen is she'll say no, but if you don't ask you'll never know.  And she just might say yes.

Don't get discouraged. I've certainly been turned down many times, but I have never had anyone be impolite to me when I've asked to hunt their property.