RE: What is the best way to approach a landowner?
I USE TWO DIFFENT APPROACHES, ONE IS AROUND FEBURARY I PUT A SMALL ADD IN THE NEWSPAPER THAT SAYS LOCAL BOWHUNTER LOOKING FOR LAND TO HUNT ON THEN PUT MY CELL PHONE # AND EMAIL ADDRESS. THERE ARE SOME PLACES AROUND THAT SOME HUNTERS HAVE TRIED AND GET AND WHERE TURNED DOWN. I TAKE AND FIND OUT WHO OWES THE LAND AND THEN I CALL THEM AT AROUND 7 PM THAT WAY I DON'T CATCH THEM AFTER JUST GETTING HOME FROM WORK AND DURNING DINNER. I JUST ASK THEM IF THEY COULD SPARE ME A FEW MINTUES ON ANY DAY TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT HUNTING THERE PROPERTY. I LET THEM PICK THE DAY AND TIME. SOME WILL AGREE AND SOME WILL HANG UP. ON THE DAY TO MEET I GO DRESSED IN JEANS AND A NICE SHIRT, THEY ARE USED TO THE OLD BOYS IN ALL THERE CAMO TRYING. I TELL THEM THAT I WOULD REALY LIKE TO HUNT THERE AND WOULD BE WILLING TO SIGN A RELEASE AND FOLLOW ANY RULES TO THE LETTER THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE FROM TIMES I CAN ARRIVE AND SO ON. I TAKE A SMALL NOTEBOOK WITH ME AND WRITE DOWN ANY RULES THEY MIGHT HAVE AND I KEEP A RELEASE IN CASE THEY AGREE. IF I'M TURNED DOWN I THANK THEM AND GIVE THEM A BUSINESS CARD WHICH I MADE ON MY COMPUTOR AND JUST ADVISE IF THE CHANGE THERE MIND I WOULD BE INTERESTED. I HAVE GAINED ACCESS TO THREE PROPERTIES WHICH OTHER HUNTERS HAD BEEN TURNED DOWN FROM. TWO OF THEM CALLED ME ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I SPOKE WITH THEM. ONE BIG THING TO ALWAY DO AND DO AS THEY ASK AND THANK THEM. IF THEY LIKE WILD GAME GIVE THEM SOME, ALSO SEND THEM A CHRISTMAS CARD EVERY YEAR AND BE WILLING TO HELP THEM IF THEY NEED HELP WITH A FENCE OR SOMETHING. YOU WILL HAVE LAND TO HUNT ON AND MAYBE MAKE A NEW FRIEND.
BE CAREFULL AND GOOD HUNTING.