what do you do? landowner question
 

You work hard to find and buy a piece of ground on your own. In the process you do everything, build a pond, plant trees, implement a deer management and sanctuary program, existing stand timber management, hang tree stands, plant food plots, mow, weed-eat, etc, general upkeep of the property. For those of you that have or lease land, and even those of you that take care of the ground you hunt, you know what I'm getting at.

2 years in a row, someone you know closely calls you the day before deer season opens and asks you about bow-hunting opening day, which opens tomorrow morning. The last time you heard from this person was the end of last deer season, besides casual meetings/community get-togethers. There has been no offer to help with any work throughout the year on the land, no offer to buy a $20 bag of food plot seed or mineral blocks, etc.

What do you say to this person?

tell him thanks for asking, but no,
your still working the land, deer have been pushed out because of the work, trying limit the pressure until they return.
tell him if he wants to hunt next season you can probably use some help during the summer if he's interested.

we all know the rules of etiquette for permission,
ask in advance, offer to help, dress appropriate. blah blah blah
99% of the time that doesnt happen, they come last minute asking for permission, if they ask at all.

That sounds about right! If you take some nice deer(yourself) off of the property that YOU'VE manicured, you will be rewarded for all your hard work! Keep it up and good luck!

I would tell him in the kindest way possible, that you want to lower the hunting pressure on your property for a time (which isn't a stretch due to you're current process of implementing a management program). The best way to do this is limiting the amount of access to your properties. Now if he's willing to help in the spring time (he must in order to gain access next year) find things that need to be done, make a note and when the spring time rolls around, ask him if he is interested in hunting the property that fall. If so, break out the list and tell him what needs to be done and if he shows up to help; great! He can hunt in the fall. If not; no work, no play!

what they said^. I agree 100%

I would say sure, I'm too nice maybe, but i would still tell him that if he wants to hunt this year, he has to pay for the expenses next year. I.E. seed etc.

Explain that you paid and worked all this year for this season, so he should have to work/pay if he want's to hunt too.

Just say no, not right now, call back later and keep telling them that until your open to it.

What kind of "close" person would ask? Not one that's close at all.

If we were close I'd know what you've put into it and wait for an invite which I may or may not accept. If I thought the relationship would suffer one way or the other I'd do what affected it the least. That's what it means to be close to someone, they matter most.

Sounds like my "friends" and brother.

Just say no. And add i have too much time, effort, money into it right now..

They don' t understand taxes either?

12 years i have my land......i got about 4 hrs work out of anyone.

Just say no. I dont figure you owe anybody any explanation. If you feel bad tell him he can hunt after you take a deer.

Nope sorry..

I'll let you know when you can hunt.

Long time ago.....I'd have said "no".

Now, I'd tell him to come on.

It's just not that big of a deal anymore. I don't expect my guests to cook their own dinner when I invite them over.....or, mow my lawn to enjoy a game of horseshoes.

It's just a deer.

Guess it would depend on a couple things - how much ground is available and do I have a history of hunting with this person. If we're talking about a large enough area and I've been out hunting with this person in the past, he'll probably be welcome.

But next year, he better show up to help out.

If it's food or a need ..I wouldn't turn anyone down...a deer hunt is not a need ..it's a luxury...I'd kindly tell him no..UNLESS he wants to contibute to the cost ...

Back in 2005 I ask a member on here if I could hunt..he said yes..I shot a nice deer and left a nice tip..He has given me permanent permission..{ -; but it's a 17 hour drive.

:s12:

AFTER reading the other post ..one thing that can make a difference...and that is.if you got plently of game..no big deal..I hunt a highly pressured WMA ..Leases in my area are 3000.00 I see maybe 2 bucks a year..so you can see why I wrote what I wrote..deer are scarce in my neck of the woods..

I hunt of a friends property that does everything you are doing. He allows 3 of us to hunt the property with him. He makes it clear that the work on the property doesnt get done by itself. Dont want to help out then dont hunt. He doesnt make a big deal out of it he just doesnt want to do it all himself its allot of work. knowing all the work that kind of management takes i would feel like a fool asking to hunt without giving a hand.

I would tell him he can hunt there next year if he helps out pre-season.

i am very strict with if u dont help sow the work time and money u dont get to reap the rewards. My bestfriend called me two days before archery opener and asked if he could hunt my property which he did nothing to help with he told me he didnt know what to do he didnt know where to go. I told him im sorry man there are only two people hunting my property this year myself and my father. we put so much work into stands and food plots and there are massive bucks on the property and my friend knows this. i could tell how pissed he was getting cuz he figured id let him. well none the less i called him the night after the opener only to hear that he didnt even go out in the morning and in the evening he went to one of our old spots with his new girlfriend and sat on the ground which probably ruined the spot. o well people have to learn if u cant buy or lease ur own property u can always help someone else out and they will probably let u hunt there.

The fact that you do all of this work and eaven consider letting this guy hunt makes me you want to be your freind!! I'm not fortunate enough to own land, but am fortunate enough to be able to hunt some really good private land. To me, the fact they let me hunt it is HUGE!!! Those that own the land, no matter what time of yr it is, they call me for anything i'm droppin whatever i'm doin an goin to help them out, and thats the way it should be as far as i'm conscerned. The guy that owns the one farm i hunt put a butcher shop in over the winter, i gave many hours of labor and footed the bill for over a 1000 bucks worth of plumbing and heating materials to the thing without eaven thinkin about it. To me, to invite someone on your property to hunt is one of the biggest favors someone can do for you, and anyone that doesn't appriciate that to the fullest, doesn't deserve the right to be there.

seriously everything those guys above said with a kudos fer sure

I would either give him a list of jobs to be complete before he hunts or charge a fee for fuel, seed, and stands you have put into the place. I've had no money and plenty of time to help before, and little time to help now but can help with cost.

Haha! Glad to hear I'm not the only one going through this! I've been a land owner for a long time and everyone seems to find your number when season starts. I used to let them hunt but have stopped in the past couple years. Everyones got a good bud they like to hunt with, and with that being said that person usually wants and offers to help you without being asked! Funny how some people cant break loose to help all summer but somehow have all the time in the world when season starts. We work hard to have a place to hunt and should be able to enjoy that with who we want, not just who wants to! Good luck this year and GOD bless!

I say no. I tell them that I have many friends that want to hunt with me and if I let one hunt, it wouldn't be fair to the others.

I would give anything to have a landowner like you near me. You would never lack for help. I am fortunate to have a place for over 30yrs. All I have to do is ask permission, but I always offer to do anything for the owner because most landowners here won't let you even if you help because it limited and usually they have others on their land. Maybe I will move near you.

You'll have to suffer with the fact
 

you're a rich ol landowner with hunting rights unavailable to the dirty masses. And you'll have to learn to be an old meanie who says no to every exemplary request for hunting rights.

Is your land on the way to those wall street protests ???