ORIGINAL: Trembow
Hey folks,
There's a couple of properties that I'd like to ask permission to hunt, but I don't know the folks at all.
One of them is a business (nursery/gardening supplies/flowers) and the other is a small farm operation (mainly corn/peppers/pumpkins).
I know the ins and outs of asking permission (dress in clean street clothes, ask in person, etc..) but what I'm really not sure of is exactly how do you brooch the subject? I mean script it for me...
What if a woman answers the door, do you ask for her husband or not?
Do you just come right out and say, "I'm Chris and I'd like to bowhunt on your land?"
Do you make small talk?
These are people I've probably never met before or only met in passing. How do YOU do it?
Trembow,
I am not a big fan of the knocking on doors method........I have tried it and gotten some pretty poor reactions and actually been told I was being rude by disturbing people in their homes. Maybe it works great in other areas but around here I have had no luck with that approach at all. Maybe if I knocked on 100 doors I might get a few yes answers but if I wanted to do that I would be a salesman.
In my experience once someone knows you.......even a little then they are MUCH more accepting to being approached. There is just something about opening your land up to a total stranger that doesn't sit well with people. My suggestion would be to approach the nursery as a customer.......they may even let you hunt to just try and keep you spending money there.
I am just on guard 365 days a year.......when I hear of someone that even mentions something about land I immediately ask about hunting permission. I have landed 4 or 5 new spots this year that show a LOT of promise and I actually had a woman call me the other day and tell me she found me a place to hunt [
] She didn't have anything of her own but remembered me asking and so she asked a friend who lives close by and this woman opened her land and both neighboring properties to me with the only condition being that I give her some venison. Nothing better then someone else getting you a spot to hang a stand
In my experience the best way to land a hunting spot is by being a nice guy........people feel much better about giving permission to someone they like and don't feel is taking advantage of them.
Good luck buddy!!!