Talondale

I also find that older (70+) are more inclined to let you hunt than younger. They don't hunt themselves, they have old fashion notions about letting others use their property (actually letting them) and their children usually are older and don't hunt or are out of town. I got permission last year to hunt a farm behind where I work. I started out by asking her if I could walk her farm during my lunch hour for excersise. Later I told her I saw lots of deer sign and asked her if she allowed people to hunt. She let's me and my father hunt. A nice Christmas card or little gift (ham, jellies) helps solidify relations as well.

youngfart

JD
You sure have gotten some good advice here,sure wish forums like this were available in my younger years. Here's few other items that you can also use that I saw were missed. Try remembering them at Christmas time with a card saying thank you. You'd be surprised what a little thank you card will get you. Another thing I do each and every time I walk their property I take a long a chain saw and cut trees that have fallen on there fence lines and clean it up by throwing the wood into the bush. They really do apreciate the things we do to help out and they also act as advertisement to other property owners also by telling them what we as hunters have done for them.
Take Care and God Bless
Youngfart

recurver67

If you got any time you can swap labor for hunting privilages. It works for me, but sometimes you wonder who's getting the better deal.

max the dog

Be warned that a lot of them know that some people will pay to hunt their land. Be prepared to be asked for money especially if he's been asked before. You might end up having to pay if the property has very good deer. It's simple economics and these people expect their land to make money.
If you don't want to pay then be prepared to ask a lot of people. If one says no then ask if he knows of another farmer who has a deer problem on his property. Go to that farmer and say, "Bob down the road refered me to you about the deer that have been giving you a problem, I'm a hunter and could realy help you clear them out." In his mind, you know his neighbor Bob and Bob think well enough of you to send you to him. You must be an okay guy.
Let them know that you will be safe and won't shoot around the livestock and will always close any gates. Give them every courtesy you'd want a stranger to give your own mother and you might end up with permission to hunt more properties than just his own.

IL Rancher

Just a thought for you folks out there and it will save you a bunch of time in the long run, make sure you have a good, current plat book so you are actually asking the right people for permission to hunt the land you want to hunt. Bring it with you and the farmer might be able to point out where so and so who owns this section actually lives and that he/she allows hunting. Just a thought.