# Timberland Game Ranch?



## valerio024

I see this ranch's sign when I drive down North Territorial rd and can't find anything about them online. I was just wondering if anyone had been there. Is it a hunting ranch or something else? If so has anyone ever hunted there?


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## seips

I have been driving by that for 10 years and have never seen any activity in there.


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## Ron Howard

I have heard that at one time Ted Nugent was affiliated with it back in the early 90's. I use to drive by there all the time from 1991 thr 1998 and never seen any activity. I had also heard rumors that "the mob" was involved with it and at one time some of the wildlife had escaped and had interbred with the local deer. All rumors though.
I thought at one time I had found some info about the place on the internet but that would have ben years ago also.


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## Ron Howard

I just did a Google search and found this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Partnership


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## SgtSabre

For those who don't want to have to read through the entire article posted above, here is the relevant exerpt:



> Milazzo controlled the family until 1930, when he was murdered by a rival faction led by Gaetano Gianolla. Gianolla led the family until 1944, when Joe Vitale took over. Vitale was the boss until 1964, when Joseph Zerilli took over upon Vitale's death. Zerilli was the head of a committee that led the Detroit family. When Zerilli died, he was succeeded by the number two man on the committee, Jack Tocco. *Tocco became the official boss on June 11, 1979 in a ceremony held at the Timberland Game Ranch in Dexter Township.*


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## eyecatcher1

Timberland Game Ranch 
Timberland Game Ranch
12780 North Territorial Road 
Dexter, MI 48130

Found this on the following link.
http://www.huntingsuppliers.com/suppliers/734-433-1494.html


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## dtg

SgtSabre said:


> For those who don't want to have to read through the entire article posted above, here is the relevant exerpt:


So I'm guessing that they have copious amounts of wild pigs(or at least enough to get rid of a body in a short time) on that ranch???:lol::yikes:


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## T-Bone0717

My dad said that place has been there since the seventies, and that since part of the documentry THE GUNS OF AUTUMN was filmed there, the place has been a ghost ranch


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## Bruce Folske

When the place first opened it was called Big Louie's Game Preserve. You could see animals while driving by on N. Territorial.


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## theredmission

Ever since I started hunting that area of state land I've wondered that, and was gonna make a thread about it earlier this year, but forget. Its not completely abandoned, someone is keeping the property posted well along Hankard. So whos gonna be the one who calls the #?


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## theredmission

Use the birdseye feature to get a good view of their layout:
http://maps.live.com/#JnE9eXAudGltZ...1JTdlMjYuNzQ1NjEwMzgyMTk5JTdlLTExMC4zOTA2MjU=

Looks like the still may have some active pens.


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## deputy

it is not open for hunting 
it is the famlies personal play ground

Yes animals still there hogs rams elk deer and etc... 

nice folks.


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## stillwaiting

SgtSabre said:


> For those who don't want to have to read through the entire article posted above, here is the relevant exerpt:


 
Anybody look for Jimmy Hoffa there?


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## Hespler

I to have wondered about that place, drive by on my way out to my huntting location, it still has a high fence that runs along the side of N. Teritorial,,,,,,,,dont get caught in ther they will wack ya......


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## drwink

is correct except it was called Louie's Big Game Preserve back in the seventies. It closed to the public in the late 80's if I remember right.

Did somesay Hoffa ? Hmmm..., those guys all knew each other. I went to school with Fitsimmons grand daughter, he replaced Hoffa after he disappeared. I felt real uncomfortable at that house the couple times I was there. 
Maybe they should get the crew that was digging at the Milford horse farm to dig up this place this summer.:lol:


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## DeerSlayer126

That would be a pretty cool place to have.


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## seips

speaking of Hoffa....now we will never know what happened... Considering The passing of Mcmasters (the guy that owned the horse farm in milford). Spent many times on his farm in Heartland just wondering am i walking on jimmy?


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## buck37

After Louie died, the ranch hasn't operated to my knowledge. I shot a pig there in 1989 for a pig roast. I knew the guy who was living there with Louie's widow, and he asked me and a buddy to shoot a pig for there upcoming pig roast. At the time I guess Ted Nugent was guiding pig hunts for other people. It was kind of a joke, a herd of semi wild- semi domesticated pigs. Then a couple of years later a friend of mine ran a 3d archery course there. He only had the course there for 1 or 2 years. And I guess there were a few exotics running around, but I only ever saw 1. Having been there in awhile, don't think any hunting is going on though.


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## mzman2011

Someone still hunts there. 

If you look at the current Bing maps birds eye view, you can clearly see a automatic feeding station with an elevated enclosed blind right near the entrance of the enclosed area by the buildings. The area around the feeder and the trails leading up to it look VERY used. I have also walked the fence on the public property side and there is definitely a lot of evidence of pigs. The entire property and fence is very well maintained. I think it looks like a great place to hunt.

buck37, do you happen to have any contact information for the people that asked you to shoot a pig there? If anyone has any info on this place, please let me know as I would like to try to contact them.


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## portagelaker

That place is very much used. I live nearby.

It's split in half with two sections of high fence. I've walked the perimeter, and seen a lot of animal sign, but nothing moving.

I do hunt with a guy who's been there in recent years, and killed a boar there. You have to be invited, it's not for hire. There are signs all over that say armed guard patrol. They definatly don't want visitors.

The mob connection is for real. There were a number of maffia weddings there, and yes, they did consider Hoffa could have been there. If you think about it, when that place was built, this area was the boonies. Perfect place for meetings and some laid back hanging out without the FBI. 

Kinda cool to have near by.


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## Moose57

I use to live by there too. As a kid I remember seeing animals thru the fence too...


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## GrtWhtHntr

Looks like MZMAN has really been digging through the archives!!!


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## buck37

> buck37, do you happen to have any contact information for the people that asked you to shoot a pig there? If anyone has any info on this place, please let me know as I would like to try to contact them.


No, I don't have any contact number, its been at least 15 years since I was in there. The guy that I knew lived there is long gone.


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## mzman2011

GrtWhtHntr said:


> Looks like MZMAN has really been digging through the archives!!!


Sorry to bring this out out of the archive, but the thread was what came up when I goggled "Timberland Game Ranch"

I have driving by there on my way back from my hunting spot. Since my last post, I have seen people leaving every night.

In additional to the fenced area, they also own all of the open fields that you can see from the road from the entrance, west to Hankered. There is a ladder stand in the northeast corner and I think the person sitting there is the person that leaves right after dark.

I know that this place is private, but I thought I would try to meet some people that could introduce me to the people I need to get to know for an invite.

Again, If anyone knows the people that still works there that are open to letting a few hunters in there for a fee that would help with the maintenance costs. Please let me know If I may contact them.

Thanks


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## Quakstakr

driving by there as a kid and seeing elk inside.

A friend worked there for a short period of time building pens and such.

One story he told of was, he was working on a pen, didn't know what it was for, he was tying fence when all of a sudden, he heard snorting. turned around, someone let a boar in the pen and it was charging. Said he never scaled a fence so fast....:yikes:

Not sure about this one.... Another time when Louie had pheasants, some guys parked on Hankerd. Guess they were somehow picking them off with a 22 while they walked a trail to a feeder. Supposedly Louie went out to their vehicle with a 45, and shot their tires out....:tdo12:

Again, don't know if this is true but, that's the kinda talk that was going around when I was growing up.


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## walleyeguy54

Hunted there in the late 90s.. At that time it was a for hire game ranch.. Five of us went.At that time there was a gate right by the road,we had to be let in,Could not drive back to the house,Lots of Pigs ,Rams,Deer. Rheas (big bird) nagali .. We took several animals.Still have the Texas Dall hanging in the den...I sure didnt know it was any thing like you guys describe..:yikes::yikes:


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## Crash1587

Also used to be a campground.. in the 70's..
We camped there and on the other side of the fence.. the game side you could have your kids load up on the wagon and your though to see the wild animals ...


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## Tilden Hunter

Another new guy finds an ancient post. At least it was worth clicking on instead of another fishing post.


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## Coolwolf10

Bruce Folske said:


> When the place first opened it was called Big Louie's Game Preserve. You could see animals while driving by on N. Territorial.


I did call and all it was was a ton of weird loud noises...no ring tone or anything....


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## Chessieman

Hey, TH at least you got two of them talking!


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## micooner

dtg said:


> So I'm guessing that they have copious amounts of wild pigs(or at least enough to get rid of a body in a short time) on that ranch???:lol::yikes:


Besides that one of the toccos had something to do with one of the cemeteries west of canton.


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