Locating Land to Pig Hunt
01-06-2018, 04:11 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 27
Locating Land to Pig Hunt
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
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
Last edited by Knuckledragger; 01-06-2018 at 04:37 AM.
01-10-2018, 08:18 AM
#3
Super Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Choctaw, Oklahoma
Posts: 1,350
Welcome to the forum. I mainly hunt public land in Okie Land but like you said the private I have gotten permission to hunt has normally been offered to me after I help them. I don't think I have ever just come out and asked cold turkey.
03-08-2018, 05:52 AM
#4
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 27
Just obtained access to another section adjacent to where I mainly hunt.
The landowner is very hesitant to let anybody on her property. She's had cows killed by spotlighters in the past.
Several months ago, she had a bull in the road and got him cornered at a road gate, but didn't have keys to the gate. I grabbed my cut-off grinder and clipped a link so she could get him in the pasture.
I drove past her house under blackout/night vision the other night and saw her look out the door with in a WTH moment.
A few days later, I stopped to let her know it was me. Explained that I had been hunting next door and generally keep an eye on everything around.
She said, "Well, if you see one on my property go ahead and shoot it.".
I explained that I would only do so after getting the Night Hunting Exemption for her property.
She seemed pleased with that approach.
The landowner is very hesitant to let anybody on her property. She's had cows killed by spotlighters in the past.
Several months ago, she had a bull in the road and got him cornered at a road gate, but didn't have keys to the gate. I grabbed my cut-off grinder and clipped a link so she could get him in the pasture.
I drove past her house under blackout/night vision the other night and saw her look out the door with in a WTH moment.
A few days later, I stopped to let her know it was me. Explained that I had been hunting next door and generally keep an eye on everything around.
She said, "Well, if you see one on my property go ahead and shoot it.".
I explained that I would only do so after getting the Night Hunting Exemption for her property.
She seemed pleased with that approach.
04-21-2018, 02:46 PM
#5
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 27
I've started keeping a changeable combo lock in my truck.
If the landowner locks his gates, offer it to them so they don't have to make keys or share a combo.
I set it to the last four of their phone number to make things easy.
If the landowner locks his gates, offer it to them so they don't have to make keys or share a combo.
I set it to the last four of their phone number to make things easy.
