Wanted to lease hunting land in illinois or purchase small t

[nelsonjim49]

I am looking for land to lease in Illinois. I have hunted in Schuyler County the past 8 years. I also hunt by myself so I don't need a lot of land. I can supply references down that way since ive made a few friends in that County.
I would be open to join in on a group and or be open to lease with option to buy.
I appreciate anyone that may be of help. Would be open to surrounding counties also. (Adams, Brown, Fulton, Cass)
Thanks,
Jim

[backwoodsman]

Now's the time to buy. Per acre cost is way down from where it was. Realtor's or local newspapers would probably give you better results. We just leased 2 farms, one 250+/-acres with about 120 huntable for $3000 and 90 acres with about 60 huntable for $1500 to give you an idea what to expect. We lease 90 acres with all of it huntable for $1500 and another 250 acres with about 200 huntable for $2500. But thats all in a county east of your choices and not in the "Golden Triangle". Local farm co-op's etc may have a few leads for you. The counties you listed with the exception of Cass are the more popular and higher priced ones. We have some ground we hunt in Cass for free(family friend) but $30/acre is about the going rate for a lease there. We own 2 small place's in Pike county one about 10 acres and one 32 acres both with houses/outbuildings etc and we've turned down offers of $5000/acre before so Pike may not be your "best bang for your buck" no pun intended. Lease's in Pike county vary with most falling around $50=$75 an acre. Our neighbor west of us gets $8000/year for 230 acres and it's all CRP/set aside besides the brush/timber. He's offered us $150,000 on several occasions for our 32 acres and house with outbuildings. Pike Press is the local paper but each county you listed has at least one and they will carry ground for sale or lease. The neighbor west of our 10 acres offered us his 40 acres thats all brush/huntable acreage for $1800 acre but thats the exception to the rule most times there. Good luck and good hunting.

[nelsonjim49]

Thanks for the info. I found 40ac. in Fulton County but they want 50.00 per ac. I may concider this, but I'm keeping my options open.

[backwoodsman]

$2000 for 40 acres sounds kinda steep. Even if its a total hunting, traqpping and fishing/trespass lease. Thats Pike County price's.

[nelsonjim49]

Ya, tell me about it. I started hunting down there 8 years ago and prices were reasonable. I don't know, but at some point these guy's down that way may want to realize that we are in a bad economy and that's why some of these outfitters have gone under. I'll keep looking, but your right, that is steep and that's what I told the land owner too, in a nice way.

[backwoodsman]

Well I wish you luck. Theyve started believing their own hype and the TV shows etc dont help. When your eating at a Chinese Buffet in a town of 4000 and Ted Nugent is sitting at the next table with the editor of a bow magazine and film crew you can just feel your wallet getting lighter. Most of the landowners are long term or own family farms so they can afford to sit and wait for high lease prices or lease it out piecemeal for a few days to a week or two at a time. Only ones that are really in a bind are the land speculatoers that paid high prices thinking they were gonna get rich quick($10,000/acre wasnt uncommon around Pike county 5 years ago). If you still set on Illinois I'd seriously consider a location change. ALOT of our now defunct outfitters moved on to Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana etc and left a vacuum where they leased ground from locals. We've been offered a few lease's from locals that were left "holding the bag". Some have swore off outfitters forever so if you can get into one of those situations? Some outfitters checks werent any good at the end of the last few seasons either and that helps OUR cause. I dont see our lease prices getting any cheaper and fully expect them to rise some as soon as the economy starts coming back. Alot of good deer counties in Illinois that DONT get the TV exposure or hype(yet). Mossy Oak films alot of their turkey shows just south of our town and the landowner is a millionaire now. He probably was beforea(seminole cattle and black angus) but after outfitting turkey in the spring and goose and deer in the fall he's making a killing. Others see that and get ideas. Look at a map and look for tributaries of major rivers here or even counties without that kind of water. Put ad's in the local papers in that area and make sure you have a good "resume". Dont lie but make sure you toot your own horn. If youve worked for the same company for a long time that shows dedication and stability, family man?, personal references?, police refernces?, CCW permit carrier?, and just remember alot of previous landowners may have a grudge since you didnt stick with them. Money makes the world go around, just for instance, several of our hunting group on various lease's have brought up the idea to start outfitting and guiding on our ground(s). The money to be made is incredible. Thats what your up against. A suggestion, Southern Illinois around or in the Shawnee. Smaller chunks of public ground?

[70000]

I have ground available in schuyler to lease if your still interested plus week hunts available for anyone else interested.

[nelsonjim49]

Following up on your offer for land to lease. If you could give me more info and locations would be a great help.

[backwoodsman]

Unless you got tags already it may be too late for this year. Most counties only have antlerless tags left.