Any tips on hunting old farm site ?

[pilot]

I have a location that I am going to try to get permission to hunt. I did deer hunt there when I was in High School (35 years ago) so I think I will be able to get in there. It is a turn of the century abandoned brick house on about 3 acres of heavy woods....maybe a little earlier than that. How do you hunt or where do you start with a place like this that is totally overgrown and even hard to walk around. I know there has to be some old coinage in there at the very least. Weeds, vines, trees, tall grass. What do you do ? Poke and hope !

Thanks for Looking
HH
Kim

 

[David]

Rent a very small Bulldozer with a blade for one day and knock down the trees. We have a CAT Rental place close to us.

 

[Old Longhair]

I recommend doing as much research on the site/area as possible over the winter. Then hit it hard first thing in the spring, before everything grows up and the bugs get bad.

 

[mapper65]

I always try and look at an overhead picture of the site on Goigle Earth. Often times you will be able to see where the house was either by the shape of the land or its's amazing how some sites if there is grass there, on Goggle Earth you'll be able to see where the grass is shaded differently in the footprint of where the house was located.

 

[pilot]

Good suggestions...except maybe the bulldozer. I've always wanted to run one though!

 

[kschae4]

Pilot- Sounds promising, don't forget www.historicaerials.com. You may need to add the microsoft silverlight app, then many locations will allow overhead viewing 1920 maps and newer of the area in question.

 

[pilot]

http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=7.960205939484E-06&lat=43.502263888889&lon=-92.983227777778&year=1939


The above link shows the farm site from 1939 to 2008....can't see the farm anymore. The road to the farm is now tillable field. This might be difficult but I think I need to check it out and maybe save it for spring time

 

[kschae4]

Okay, go to the compare tab /slide. then look at both sides of screen .change yrs, pull /push map , zoom in/out. If maps are old enough, may have enough info to tell where the bldgs once stood.

 

[TURNMASTER]

I stomp down 10sq ft of grass then, detect, rinse repeat.

GL
Jeff

 

[wbshaw]

I carry handheld pruning sheers works very well on green briers cut your way in and go to town...make sure you have good gloves....you might get a few scratches and you'll probably swear a few times but one good find and its all worthwhile