Thanks IL Rancher. Good post, I am saving it.

I also am very timid about asking. I'm a purty aggressive individual, but not when it comes to blatantly asking for favors that I don't have a way to return, and access is a BIG favor. I don't know how many times a year these owners get bothered. It is easy to ask someone who I helped with something or who are acquaintances of friends, but not cold calls.

What I have found, however, once I get in, is that the smallest of thank you's seem to go a long way. I'll bet a lot of people don't bother. My sons make up thank you cards on the computer with their trophy photo on the front, and maybe a Christmas wreath or cookies or sausage from the deer, and it makes a big impression. If they don't get deer on the guy's property - hell with him. No, just kidding. Those people get thank you's, too.

It's much easier to ask for your kids than for yourself. Unless owners are anti hunters, they seem to love helping kids. I also tell owners that we pride ourselves in being respectful hunters. For all the owner knows, I could be lying, but just saying it lets him know I understand.

The other gift owners really appreciate is a bag of trash you collected from their property. I was camping with my sons two years ago in summer near a fence on state land. We're scouts; we always pick up more trash than we bring in. The bordering rancher watched us, then drove up on his 4x4, and told us we could camp on his land any time. My bold son says, "Can we hunt it, too?" He got a chuckle out of my son. We now have full rights on his posted land. Lucky day.

Wanted to add - thanks for all the posts, not just IL. All very useful.