Help Finding Private Deer Hunting

[Thamer]

Hi, any help in finding free private land for deer hunting in central Jersey would highly be appreciated.

This is my first time and I tried few public parks and no luck. I tried very early morning 6-8 am and also tried 4-8 pm and also no luck.

Public parks that I visited (Allamuchy SP, Piegon swamp, and south branch WMA)

Thank You in advance

[rgw]

sounds like you need to do more scouting, but good luck finding private land for free

[KBfishing]

Find a good stand of white oaks and you will find deer

[Rusty]

Welcome to the site Thamer.

 

Finding private land is not as hard as it might seem.  But asking other hunters is going to get you a lot of ball busting and very little success.

 

Believe it or not, knocking on doors works.  You would be surprised at how many people will say yes.

 

Second, network.  Get involved with hunting groups, pay attention when people at work are talking, etc.   

 

Good luck.  

Edited September 16, 2017 by Rusty

[Rusty]

P.S.  Don't dismiss the public land.  There is a lot of public land to hunt and much of it is overlooked.  Find the spots with limited access and few other hunters and you will be good.  

[Njkoren]

You have to put your time in and learn from your mistakes. You can't expect to be successful everytime you go out. Pay attention to the wind, stay still, and enjoy your time in the woods. Good luck.

[Matty]

I don't bother with trying to hunt private land anymore unless it falls in my lap, but I agree with Rusty on how to get it.

 

Especially the networking aspect. One friend knows you deer hunt, they talk to a friend with a deer problem and poof you're hunting some prime land.

 

Make sure to keep landowners happy too. Respect all of their wishes (it is their land). Be courteous, safe, share venison with them if they'll eat it, give them a Christmas card, etc.

 

Knocking on doors.... I wasn't as good at that. Pretty sure I look like a serial killer or something. I also just feel very awkward and intrusive doing that. I have written letters but that rarely ever worked.

 

I also agree with finding the right spots on public. It can be done. It's mostly just doing a ton of homework. Checking tax maps, town ordinances, studying maps, taking notes, etc.... and then some boots on the ground scouting (even in season while hunting if you have to).

 

 

No harm in asking here, but you're likely not going to find any land from hunters you don't know, but you are getting some useful guidance.

 

Good luck.

[06roadking]

Most of us here have worked very hard to get the private land we hunt on. And we keep working hard to keep it year to year. We have all knocked on doors, networked and kissed some ass to get the land we have and, for the most part, if there is room or availability for another person to join us, we have a list of friends or family members that have been bothering us to hunt these places since we obtained them. Like others have said, knock on doors, ask people at work, tell you significant other to spread the word. Talk to farmers in your area and don't ask for something for nothing. Offer to help out with chores, cut firewood for them, weedwack fence lines etc. Remember most farmers have been asked a hundred times so you have to be the one that offers something a little extra then the rest. It's not easy and most, me included, are not going to let someone jump right in and hunt after we have been maintaining these relationships and worked to get in in the first place.

[Thamer]

Thank you all guys for your comments and advice. I know that I have asked the wrong question  , and I was pretty sure that no one is going to share his spot (including me if I have one).

I just wanted to see how hard is finding a private property. 

I will keep hunting the public and if I get nothing I will knocking doors. 

[Kayak Ken]

Thank you all guys for your comments and advice. I know that I have asked the wrong question , and I was pretty sure that no one is going to share his spot (including me if I have one).

I just wanted to see how hard is finding a private property.

I will keep hunting the public and if I get nothing I will knocking doors.

Hey man. Dont give up. Join an archery club and meet UBNJ and get to know people. Maybe through your profession or trade you can help someone out and you become close friends with someone who invites you. I got really lucky were I was walking down the street with my bow to go shoot it in the nearby woods and this guy walks up to me and asks be about my bow. After talking a few minutes he asks were I hunt. I told him I just practice shooting my bow because I have nowere to hunt. Next thing you know he gives me his number and tells me to call him in late August if I want to hunt with a group of guys on 100 acres. I thought the was just being nice in the moment but everything worked out great. Only thing was I had to get insurance and we had to kill deer on the farm. He has a bunch of properties he hunts. Always knocking on doors and meeting people. Im just fine with that one place. Good luck

 

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[koz]

welcome and listen to those that posted above. Ya have to give some time and effort there are crap ton of deer in the middle part of our state. Look for food,water,cover. Find that you can find deer on any property. I would also second joining a club. But asking for land to hunt in start of the season is kinda like asking for your first beer 10 min, after last call.... 

 

Most guys I know look for property year round and trade off work to the landowner  and such. Good luck Koz

[KBfishing]

And don't get discourage when someone says no....because it is going to happen more often than not. I have struck out alot of times in the past but I have also scored some great properties to hunt. Even with private property to hunt I like hunting state land in the early season before the deer get too pressured. Shot some real nice deer off state land.

[Rusty]

And don't get discourage when someone says no....because it is going to happen more often than not. I have struck out alot of times in the past but I have also scored some great properties to hunt. Even with private property to hunt I like hunting state land in the early season before the deer get too pressured. Shot some real nice deer off state land.

 

If you ask 10 people and 9 of them say no, you win.  

Edited September 17, 2017 by Rusty

[Buck154]

Plenty of deer on the public areas you mentioned. Just have to put in the foot work and topo maps.

[Gobblengrunt]

I hunt public land most of the time. I never see the numbers of deer some do but I definitely kill some big bucks year after year. Put a lot of miles on your shoes and utilize cameras. You would be surprised at the strong populations of deer and LACK of hunters in the right pockets of state land. I very rarely have any interference or interaction with any people in any of my public land spots. I do go out of my way to find very limited access areas or usually hunt where nobody wants to go (that's why the deer are there!). I do more scouting on bing maps planning very strategically my hunt plans and entry/ exit points. I hunt the "bigger" woods of Morris and Passaic counties, have access to 50,000 acres or more ( you do to). Not as many deer but basically have never seen a hunter in my spots in 20 years! Must be very mobile and change with the deer habits.