Knuckledragger

I moved to rural Oklahoma a few years ago. The local guys are friendly, but kinda funny about allowing strangers on their property and around cattle.

Getting access to land isn't easy, you have to build a relationship first.

If I were to start from scratch and try to accelerate the process, the local feed store is a good point. Go in and buy something as often as possible. Get your deer corn there, or anything else they sell. Don't even ask about hunting until you learn the faces and names of a few people.

There is probably a local store where they go for coffee and lunch, duck in there as often as possible, again...learn faces and names.

Spend time on the rural roads, match the faces, names and trucks to different pastures.

If you see these guys stopped (and not just opening a gate), always check to see if they need help. If a cow is out, try to figure out where it came from and get it back in. Have the county sheriff's number in your phone so you can call it in on the non-emergency line.

All of this will pay off, it just takes time.

I have a local rancher who finally gave me access to about 3000 acres spread around two counties.

Even at that, I rode with him a few times feeding just to learn access, boundaries, who the neighbors are, etc. He was just tickled to have someone open gates.

Yesterday, he called me to help sort cattle. One of his hands was sick and left him in a bind. It was a couple of hours well spent.

Remember, pigs are a problem for them and they do need help, but don't want any yahoos running around either.

K