Another course you might follow is to join a private hunting club. These entities are typically either large tracts of land owned by an individual or corporation where a membership and per-bird fee is charged, or a "sportsman's club" that pools both money and labor resources to lease land from a farmer. Both of these entities are a fact of life in Illinois. When they exist next to private lands next to a farm that receives no hunting, it's easy to see why farmers aren't overly keen to grant permission to those who simply come down the lane looking for a place to hunt.

Our litigious society also tends to make farmers believe they might get sued if there is a hunting accident. Sportsman's clubs have seen the wisdom in giving the farmer a "hold harmless" agreement as part of the labor/money lease. This is something you may want to consider when knocking on doors while looking for a place to hunt.

The time to find hunting ground is on a rainy spring day when farmers can't get out in the fields -- not now in the fall when they're working 26 hours in a 24-hour day trying to bring in a crop.

About 95 percent of Illinois is privately owned. The scenarios you just read about offer your best chance for ringnecks this fall and for years to come in our state.

There is another alternative that isn't as desirable. And it also requires both time and money: Traveling to where there are still wild pheasants. As mentioned earlier, both Iowa and North Dakota have vast tracts of switchgrass. Both states also have vast tracts of public land in addition to outstanding opportunities on private lands where you may be able to gain access by simply asking -- and assuring the landowner you aren't going to sue in the event of an accident. Nebraska, Kansas and South Dakota also have both public and private hunting opportunities that you can't even begin to imagine if your only pheasant hunting has been right here in Illinois. I travel to Nebraska every year because extended family out there makes it easy to gain access to prime private lands like we used to see here in the Land of Lincoln. I also buy a non-resident Iowa license, stashing a little more money for motels and restaurants because the best hunting is just beyond daytrip range.

Iowa does a good job of managing their natural resources. Pheasant hunters there still have a fair amount of clout. And with almost 2 million acres of CRP ground, there are more acres and more pheasants than there are hunters.

DeLorme Map Company's series of state map books provide a great means to negotiate back roads both in other states and here in Illinois. The DeLorme maps show public hunting areas as well. These atlases are sold at sporting goods stores who know a valuable resource when they see it. Or you can reach DeLorme at 1-207-846-7000 or www.delorme.com.

Another valuable tool is acquiring a plat-book map of the county you would like to hunt. Plat books show the name of the landowner, which is a great first step in gaining access to private lands.

Companion magazines to Illinois Game & Fish (also see www.IllinoisGameandFish.com) for other states also provide key information for those who would like to venture out of state. These state-specific magazines are available on newsstands or at www.GameandFishmag.com.

Back when I was a kid -- which was a long time ago -- a "Web site" was either something a spider did in the corner of the bedroom or the skin between a mallard's toes. Much has changed since then. I can remember taking a shotgun to school and then on the school bus afterward to hunt pheasants on Jimmy Gallentine's farm in seventh grade. No problem.

The times have changed, as will our pheasant hunting future.