| Author | Message | ||
| Big Bird |
Would you guys mind sharing your thoughts on how to gain permission from landowners? Maybe a couple of examples? Thanks! | ||
| GOBBLENOW |
Show up a year or more in advance...treat them the way you would want to be approached..never wear sunglasses when walking to the door or talking with them... take your hat of to show the white hair...take a few packages of country ham in the vehicle at all times..a sunday paper dropped off on the way to a grouse hunt in the off season...put up some hay with them, roundup cattle, and fix busted fencecs when yo usee one...give away some Big Orange tickets...practiacally grovel in their presence(if they have a particulary nice bunch of birds). Now the traditional east tennesseee method ususally is to threaten to burn their woods or their barn if they do not let you and everybody else hunt in there...yo u can pick your own from these alternatives. | ||
| Freddy McGuire (Vaturkey)
|
Here are just some things that I try to do... 1. Ask early- not the day or even week before the season. Some landowners will only let a few people hunt each year and it's first come first serve basis. 2. Look your best. Don't wear ratty clothes, but don't show up in a suit either. 3. Don't just knock on the door and say "Do you allow any hunting?" Before asking permission to hunt, introduce yourself, who you are, where your from, etc. (I know a farmer that will not let people hunt if they do not introduce themselves first) 4. Offer to help with chores on the farm. Most will decline but appreciate the offer. 5. Make sure the landowner knows that you will respect his land, his livestock, etc. Do what the landowner asks such as not hunting on certain days, parking in certain area, etc. 6. Just be honest and upfront. If they decline permission, thank them for their time and ask if it would be okay to check back with him next year. (I have been declined permission to hunt and stayed around chatting for several more minutes and the landowner granted me permission after we talked for quite some time.) Good luck... permission to hunt on private land is becoming quite rare... | ||
| mudfork |
Appearance can be the make or break. Being neatly dressed and groomed is crucial. Also make sure your vehicle is clean. Try networking. Gain access to some less desirable land that belongs to a life long resident of the community. Chances are fewer people are hunting the land and your chances of getting in are better. Show this individual what you are made of and chances are dropping his name around (with his blessing of course) will get you where you never dreamed possible. This has worked well for me. I don't think this is underhanded in any way. Most hunters are good people that just need the chance to prove it to strangers. Be ever mindful of the risk you are asking landowners to take in allowing an armed stranger on their land. | ||
| Big Bird |
Great tips...except for the barn burning threat  . I just found some other good info in Jim Crumley's book, The Secrets of Bowhunting Deer, chapter 4. Freddy has the link to the whole book on his links page. Have many of you been successful obtaining permission for new areas since last year? What do you do to show your appreciation? Let's hear about it. | ||
| GN |
I got thrown off a place when I tried to give the fellow Va Tech football tickets instead of Tenneesee football tickets. It had gone downhill as a plce to hunt, anyway, so I thought I might get out with a less desirable ticket, but it did not work. | ||
| mudfork |
GN: WHEW! You got out just in time. Sounds like you might have been in danger as this fellow was obviously not of sound mind! GO HOKIES! | ||
| Big Bird |
Well that's understandable since UT fans are known for not capitalizing on a great opportunity when it is presented to them. | ||
| GN |
I did not realize this was a sensitve issue. I already said the placce had gone downhill. Now you all asked for the best way to get on and I am just trying to help you out here. It may not be the same once you get north of Blacksburg, I am just trying to tell you what sells and what does not in SW VA. As far as UT fans capitalizing, they would go anywhere , anytime, at any price..it is the team that might not capitalize...not the fans...and that is not unique to UT (the blind fan allegiance and the not capitalizing part). I'll tell you what, let's leave this alone or we'll split Freddy's board in to factions...hahhaha | ||
| Big Bird |
I guess the lesson here is that by knowing what the landowner values, wants or needs could go a long way in obtaining permission. GN, if, by some freak occurance, I run into a landowner that is a UT fan, I am coming to you to help me get tickets!!!! Some wise person once said that by helping others get what they want, you will get what you want. | ||
| GN |
In the whatever it is worth I carry some printed cards with my name and address and phone number and give them to folks who let me on. Not a business card, just a contact information card...I write on the card a description of my vehicle etc and tell them if they ever change their mind or see a problem when I am there to please advise me asap...there is a whole other issue here in the landowner relations part, and that isthe question of whether you should offer the landownder the game or part of it if you harvest something...that is another subject all the way around. | ||
| turkey576 |
Heck I only have one parcel of land to hunt this year so far. That is about all that I ussally have, besides government land. People just don't like hunters. I wonder why?  Jon | ||
| Turkey576 |
As I wonder I finnally see why most have stopped. Money!! They want money to LEASE the land for a hunt club. Or they are scared to be sued if you get hurt. Society is most of the blame. People like me who make a humble salary can't hang with the big dogs. Sometimes it pays to be nice and try though. This is my opinon and I do not mean to hurt anyone. Sorry if I do. Jon | ||
| gn |
I have access to a lot of parcels in a lot of places through just knockng on doors, Jon 576, and you will too if you work at it a bit and follow some of he suggestions here ...at least I hope you do. If yo u tell landowners you are onlyy asking to turkey hunt and are not asking for deer hunting that makes a big differnece to a lot of people. Deer hunting has created its own set of problems for access. Go to the courthouse and see who owns al ot of the tracts before you start asking if have the time...I use the same approach all ove the west and midwest and cananda for bird hunting and it sems to work everywhere . If I told you I had never hired a guide for access or paid a fee to a landownder for access, would it surprise you. | ||
| knight_va
|
Lots of good ideas here of which I use or have used most...NO BURNING STUFF..lol.....To me its simple bottom line..........be open honest & staight forward.....offer a farmer help then follow thru ,show up in hay season in work clothes & a pair of gloves...so what if him & his family can work u in the ground do ur best.. it shows them u are sincere & that u have character.....I never had a farmer turn me away when I rolled into the hay field.. even if months back he nicely declined my offer.....Guys farmers have lots of hunters stopping all the time asking permission........SHOW HIM dont tell him what u are willing to do...........I stopped more than one hunt to help chase cattle...mend fence...work calfs....pull calfs etc....farmers for the most part dont need your money.....they need (at various times of the year)...MANPOWER.....all the above relates to farmers only..........the rich guy who bought the 2000 acres down the road is another barrel of fish....while permission can be had from them to me its alot harder to get.....I guess being an ole counrty boy that grew up on the farm gives me better insight on how to help the farmer down the road | ||
| shopson |
First of all, I like to have my young son with me. Go neat and clean looking. Introduce myself first. Make a little small talk, and then just politely ask.If they say yes, ask for specifics such as property bounderies, where to park, etc. If they say no, politely thank them for their time and leave. Next time maybe they will say yes. | ||
| turkeypicker |
In my home state the DNR printed up some "permission to hunt/fish" cards. The theme of the cards is "RESPECT" and on the cards it tells things like -- I agree to respect the land, respect all game laws, be safe, ethical etc. It has on the card a place to write special instructions by/from the landowner. And the landowner and hunter both sign. Landowners seem impressed when I have those cards. Also, we have a recreational use statute in my state. The law essentially exempts landowners from liability if they allow someone to recreate on their land at no charge. I have found that if landowners are aware of this they are much more likely to let me hunt. I never mention unless they express liability concerns though. I personally think taking the landowner some meat, a turkey breast or backstrap, a bushel of apples, quart of honey, etc. goes a long way once you have permission, but I don't recommend this to try to obtain permission initially. Great question Big Bird | ||
| Piedmont Gobbler |
Hey Knight, Did Huffman teach you that honest stuff? | ||
| TScottW99
|
WOW!!! There is some really great advice here, Lord knows I need it! I hope it pays off | ||
| knight_va
|
No............My hunting mentors did..lol..I have never hunted with john. Max | ||
| TScottW99
|
here's a link for a really nice permission form on Jesse's Hunting page.... http://www.jesseshuntingpage.com/permission-slip-1.pdf hope it works, Scott |