Well I have hunted on the public lands in Virginia for the past 15 years, albeit the military base on which I hunt has some "bow only" areas. That being said, I am looking to expand and find new places to hunt. I will continue to hunt the military base alot but want some other options to keep things fresh/get on bigger deer. I am lucky to see more than 1 shooter buck per year on the base. I will continue to work harder to improve my game but I want to get to places that have a larger percentage of big deer in the herd.

Do you all have a good system of finding/acquiring hunting areas? Do you knock on doors? Put forms in mailboxes with your "bio" explaining your intentions? What do you offer the land owner(monetary, percentage of meat)? What are some great/proven lines you all use to "close the deal" on getting new places to hunt?

I am not a very good asker/beggar so doing this will be hard for me I know, but I need to do it. Thanks for any tips all.

shadow

I've got flyers I'll be placing in mailboxes this weekend. I'll also be knocking on doors.

tx--what do your fliers say? How do you present them?

I'm going to be hunting your land this fall, where would you like me to park?

I find a piece of land I want to hunt. Then I find out where the owner lives. Then I put a black patch over my eye, practice my limping and pull up in his yard with my Purple Heart Combat Wounded license plates. Get out and hobble over while using a cane or something... when he comes to the door I take a couple deep breaths as if pausing to gather my strength and just ask him. When they say yesI bound back to the car and squeel out.[8D]

If you have access to a book by Joe Brooks called 'Year round trophy whitetails', Joe details out (in minute detail) his "system". It works. If you haven't found something you like by Monday.....let me know. I'll copy/scan the pages in and send them to you (need your email addy.....PM me).

The only thing I've done, personally, to add to Joe's system is......I hand-write a thank you letter after speaing to them at their residence.....whether I get permission or not. I have gained access to my best two spots.....after being denied, initially. After they received my letter.....I was ASKED to come back. Rob/PA was witness to one such instance when he was here, last year. We were given permission to hunt for two days, only. After receiving my letter....we were asked when we were coming back.....and welcomed back ANY time.

I've killed both my bucks I will have mounted from this piece of property.

That's a good one.

My brother has a different take on the purple heart, you weren't supposed to be eligable to get one. He might just see you as accident prone.

We got land from our local tree farmer, and from there became good friends with the people around that area and branched out from there. We are now up two 80 acres in that area and started with 20.

That's a tough one in Va.

Be a good neigbbor and things will come around in time. If the topic comes up in a conversation, be sure and persue it gingerly at first, but if it keeps going, ask out right.

The older you get the more wealth people aquire. If your good to them now they will trust you later.

I head to Alberta each Nov.