# Newbie, looking for place to hunt in Hillsdale County



## butter13 (Sep 24, 2013)

Hey guys, very much a newbie here looking to find a good safe place to go turkey hunting this Spring in Hillsdale County. My son 9 and I are looking to go out the last week of April and just want to know if there are any recommended areas in the State game areas to hunt. We have never been turkey hunting, we have been doing our home work on paper and online, but any assistance or tips would be greatly appreciated.


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## srconnell22 (Aug 27, 2007)

All the Hillsdale County landowners this forum has and this guy can't even get a response on here, let alone a place to hunt for his 9 year old kid. Pretty sad. 

Your son should have the mentor tag which allows him to hunt anywhere in the state, all seasons. If you don't find anywhere down there to hunt and feel it would be worth it to drive a few hours north, get ahold of me. I have all the ground anyone could ever need to hunt turkeys and would be glad to take you and your son hunting.


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## butter13 (Sep 24, 2013)

srconnell22 said:


> All the Hillsdale County landowners this forum has and this guy can't even get a response on here, let alone a place to hunt for his 9 year old kid. Pretty sad.
> 
> Your son should have the mentor tag which allows him to hunt anywhere in the state, all seasons. If you don't find anywhere down there to hunt and feel it would be worth it to drive a few hours north, get ahold of me. I have all the ground anyone could ever need to hunt turkeys and would be glad to take you and your son hunting.


I appreciate the response and the offer. I was primarily looking for Hillsdale because we havr a cottage out that way and I only out in for ZE. But if things dont work out i I will certainly PM you and take you up on your offer.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

I unfortunately do not know of anything first hand, but I have hunted in Hillsdale plenty times and I can tell you that there are plenty of turkeys and a lot of private agricultural land out there, and scouting and door knocking would probably be your best bet. Bringing your kid with you when you door knock IMO will work to your advantage. People have a soft spot for kids looking to get into hunting, especially an opportunity for a safe turkey hunt on private land. I would try to find time to head out one morning and just drive those roads. Turkeys are fairly easy to spot when they're feeding or strutting in a field (which is often what they're doing in the first handful of hours of the day. When you see them, just try your best to find the land owner and simply ask permission. It is a game of trial and error, but you could not only lock in a nice private land hunt for you and your son, you might just lock in an annual spot if the land owner likes you and your son. 

Keep following this thread though, as you may get other very kind offers like srconnell22 made above. There are quite a few very nice people in this forum community who are happy to help people like you and your kid. 

Another thing to consider is to look into some hunting clubs that pool members in order to buy agricultural leases that they members can hunt on (on a reservation basis). A buddy of mine is a member of one that has most of its leased property in and around Hillsdale. I believe it is about $900-1000 per year, but you get access to a few dozen properties for any hunting season. Just an idea, in case something like that interests you and fits in your budget. 

If you end up having to take your son turkey hunting on public land, be very careful and cautious of other hunters. They will not be wearing hunter orange, and will be making turkey calls and using decoys, etc.


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## dmrbigeshott (Apr 18, 2010)

There is some state land or SE of town I believe. It was 5-6 years since I hunted it and when I did, my cousin showed me around who knew the land a lot better than I did. We got into a couple groups of birds with older Tom's in them but did run into quite a few mushroom hunters.


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## RMH (Jan 17, 2009)

srconnell22 said:


> All the Hillsdale County landowners this forum has and this guy can't even get a response on here, let alone a place to hunt for his 9 year old kid. Pretty sad.
> 
> Your son should have the mentor tag which allows him to hunt anywhere in the state, all seasons. If you don't find anywhere down there to hunt and feel it would be worth it to drive a few hours north, get ahold of me. I have all the ground anyone could ever need to hunt turkeys and would be glad to take you and your son hunting.




If everybody who owns land don't and take a stranger from the internet turkey hunting .....it's sad. GAG ME!!!

Maybe you can show the kid how to kill one behind a fan. And how you handle the DNR reciting turkey laws.

BTW your kind gesture was denied......:lol:.


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## srconnell22 (Aug 27, 2007)

RMH said:


> BTW your kind gesture was denied......:lol:.


What's important is that I offered help. Something anyone can do. Hopefully someone closer than 4 hours away from where he wants to hunt will offer them some assistance. 

Tell me again what you did, I must have missed it in your post.


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## RMH (Jan 17, 2009)

srconnell22 said:


> What's important is that I offered help. Something anyone can do. Hopefully someone closer than 4 hours away from where he wants to hunt will offer them some assistance.
> 
> *Tell me again what you did*, I must have missed it in your post.


I did not chastise half of Michigan for not offering an internet stranger help.

And if I did offer up such help, I would not marvel over it's importance.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Check out the mihunt map on the dnr site, quite a few public acres available. Lost nation comes to mind.


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## butter13 (Sep 24, 2013)

I have looked at the Lost Nations maps but I am very new and was hoping someone could advise on some of the entry points, coordinates that would a decent place to begin our day. I am not asking for permission to hunt anyone's land just some helpful pointers for a guy and his kid to avoid the masses and make for an enjoyable day in the woods. Unfortunately I don't have a mentor at this time so I am researching and asking as many questions as I can.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

butter13 said:


> I have looked at the Lost Nations maps but I am very new and was hoping someone could advise on some of the entry points, coordinates that would a decent place to begin our day. I am not asking for permission to hunt anyone's land just some helpful pointers for a guy and his kid to avoid the masses and make for an enjoyable day in the woods. Unfortunately I don't have a mentor at this time so I am researching and asking as many questions as I can.


Just drive over there and scout out all access points via the map. Check out the back sides of the private land that butts up to. I haven't hunted that game area but from what I can see on the map it looks pretty good. Now is the time to get the boots out and do some walking.


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## roo (Mar 30, 2011)

Pm sent hope it helps!


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

roo said:


> Pm sent hope it helps!


You doing a disabled hunt again this year?


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## roo (Mar 30, 2011)

We are. Will be hosting it in plainwell this year.


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## roo (Mar 30, 2011)

brushbuster said:


> You doing a disabled hunt again this year?


Might do one or two kids in Hillsdale/Coldwater as well as plainwell.


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## butter13 (Sep 24, 2013)

Any information you can share on the kids hunt in Coldwater/Hillsdale?


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## iLiveInTrees (Jun 29, 2010)

butter13 said:


> Any information you can share on the kids hunt in Coldwater/Hillsdale?


I wish I had some direction for you, as I love helping kids get into a bird. When my dad and I first started turkey hunting, we had to hit the woods and learn from experience. How great of a spot will you get by getting directions from someone else? Shoot I know that I wanna find my own honey hole if possible!

I'm not mad at ya for trying, and I do hope you guys find a killer spot to hunt. I know those days in the woods with my dad mean more to me than those turkey we shot. So the best advice I can give you is scour the maps, google earth, call the NWTF reps in your area as well as biologists......then get out there and wear down a pair of boots!

Have fun, good luck.......and make sure you post pics when you guys get a bird killed!


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## butter13 (Sep 24, 2013)

Thanks, I think folks are thinking I am asking for a particular spot. I am looking for advise on where to go to be SAFE with my 9 year old and what to look for. I have no clue what NWTF is, I have no idea what constitutes a killer spot. I am sure in the years to come we will find our way. But I am looking for beginner advise as I do not have a hunting mentor and would like to exit the woods in the same condition I entered them in.


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## ezcaller (Feb 21, 2009)

If you get on private take one of your offers this will get you a safe spot with a good chance at a killer spot. I think you expectations of a good spot with birds for a nine year old are not realistic on public land without doing a lot of work. It is going to boil down to research ,boot work, and mobility , that will give you good chance on public land. The nature of the beast dictates that a gobbling bird which is what you want for a young hunter is going to attract other hunters and some hunters are not going to care or know that you have a youngster with you when it comes to getting a bird. I have had some magic hunts on public but have run into some absolute goof balls too. If getting your kid out and maybe hearing some gobbles with out killing a bird is ok go public. Hit it on a mid week day early in the morning to hear where gobblers are then hunt mid morning to mid afternoon to kill a bird. Find entries away from the normal access or be willing to walk if you have to use an everyday access. The Private guys are going to already have a pattern on the birds.


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## cedarlkDJ (Sep 2, 2002)

butter13 said:


> I have no clue what NWTF is


http://www.nwtf.org/


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