It's a little late in the game, right now, here.....IMO....to be asking for hunting permission. I've always felt that the earlier we do this....the more it appears that we are professional, expeditious, dedicated, etc..., etc..., etc..

I pulled this from a thread I'd posted on some time back. If you have methods that work for you, by all means employ them. This is what has worked, for me.

I read a book by Joe Brooks that outlines how to ask for permission. I've never been denied. (**Edit) I have been denied permission, once. The land that abuts my in-laws land is a PRIME piece of land that the lady landowner just doesn't want hunted. This plays DIRECTLY into the hands of the poaching neighbors I have.....because it ensures them that they will have sole access to it. I approached this lady last week and told her that her land was, indeed, being hunted. She wrote me 2 permission slips. I signed them both. The first said I had sole rights to be on her land during the hunting seasons. The second was an impromptu affidavit that stated I would NOT hunt them. Sounds counterproductive, I know.....but at least I have something to show if I run across the poachers.....and I hunt adjacent properties. It's a start.

I'm 43 yrs old....and my father in law has lived in my area a LONG time. He knows everyone....and he's a good man. I drop his name a LOT.

1) Go on a sunny day. People are just in a better mood when the weather's nice. I know I am.

2) Go in an American made vehicle.....preferably a truck. Lots of land owners are "old School' and have a few years on them. They remember the day when buying American made meant more than it does, today. I'd hate to make a bad impression by riding up in my Tundra and have them judge me on that without ever speaking a word to me. I take the Yukon when I go.

3) Go in a CLEAN vehicle. A clean vehicle shows that you take care of things. If the landowner is contemplating letting you have access to their land.....it makes a good first impression.

4) Take your aerial map of their property with you.I never understood this until I did it. Mr. Brooks described EXACTLY how everyone would react to this. They will focus on the paper in your hands as you're walking up. People are extremely curious about these maps. They like looking at their property. I've gone a step further and made one, for them, which I leave with them. It's a good way to show how serious you are in your craft....and you can also discuss where you'll park and what your entrance/exit routes might be. Explaining that you've thought these things out goes a long towards showing them how serious you are, also. If they get a call from a nosy neighbor.....they'll know it's you. This is also a good time to discuss where you'll park and what vehicles you might be driving.

5) If you wear a hat.....make it something "farm" related....and American made. This goes back to a previously mentioned item.

6) GO ALONE....or with a child. Don't take a hunting buddy. Two's a crowd.

7) Go to the side door. People WANTING something or selling something go to the front door. 'Nuff said. You're a "friend". "Friends" don't go to the front door. "Company" goes to the side door.

8) Ask if anyone else is hunting the property. If they are....DON'T ASK for permission to hunt it. You wouldn't want someone butting in on your hunting areas.....and you also can't control how others hunt THIS area. You don't want that.

9) DO NOT wear camo. I hunt on lands owned by some SERIOUS animal lovers. If they don't HAVE to see the "hunting" aspect of what you're doing.....don't make them see it.

10) Get permission for bow, only, first. I can't tell you key this is. If it weren't for bow access.....I'd have had NOWHERE to hunt where I do, now. I could gun hunt my new lands (and hey I might, one day) but people are more apt to allow bow hunters. I even go so far as to say that I hunt with a "bow and arrow" instead of "bowhunt". This sounds a little more "harmless", to me.

11) OBEY THEIR WISHES! I've got a PRIME spot (my honey hole) that the owner won't let ANYONE else in there (not even with me). He doesn't let his family in there. It's also bow, only.....and I'm to tell NO ONE I'm hunting there (I know....but you don't know where it is!). Rob can't hunt this spot with me when he's here. I don't take this lightly. I don't take anyone in there.

12) Whether I gain permission or not.....I go home, immediately, and hand-write them a letter.....thanking them for the opportunity to talk to them about their land. On two occasions, I was initially denied access. Once they received my letter.......I was ASKED to come back by one....and the other came to my house and said he'd changed his mind. These are my two best properties......and the lady who asked me to come back owns the woodlot where I've taken my two 8-pointers.

I know I left a couple out......but I can tell you that I hunt places that NO ONE EVER thought I could gain access to.....simply by following this to the letter. It's a "system". If you like it.....use it. If you don't.....good luck with yours.

Again....Joe Brooks outlined MUCH of this in his book 'Year round trophy whitetails'. I've just made a few minor amendments.