Gaining access
 

Hey all! First time poster on this site but I read the forums everyday for great information. I was wondering what some tips and suggestions anyone had on gaining permission to hunt on private land. I've been fortunate at the spots I hunt now to have friends who are family to the landowners but would like another spot or two.. thanks for any info and i look forward to your responses!

some good tips are to be upfront with them, be honest, respectful, and you need to show them your a safe hunter! nobody wants to let a rambo on there property.

just be polite when you ask...maybe offer the landowner some of ur kill if he wants it. Or, you could even offer your labor if he needs help with anything on his land. Thats how I got permission last time I asked to hunt a piece of land and it was def worth it. good luck!!

When you go to appraoch a landowner for permission, wwear neat, clean clothing. It may sound chinsy, but first impressions are the ones that last. What LB nad HuntPA said are also very relevant. GL in your attempts.

be extremely courteous, and make it very clear you will treat their property like it was your own. It wouldn't hurt to show up with a cheesecake or a pie of some sort to break the ice.

I have gained access to a lot of places by offering to hunt coyotes and not asking to hunt other game. If there is game there they have been effected or farm animals as well. I have ended up with a lot of new opportubities from this approach, All the above ideas are good too. Offering them something that will help them and not asking for anything in return seems to work well. It may take s few visits but it really has opened doors and with neighbors as well and they will offer you other opportunities. Give it a try you might be suprised.

When you go to appraoch a landowner for permission, wwear neat, clean clothing. It may sound chinsy, but first impressions are the ones that last.

Too formal will be a mistake, but a tucked in button-up shirt will go a long ways with fitting in with most of the farmers/major landowners in my area. Most I've grown up with work their butts off for a ridiculous number of hot hours in long-sleeved button up shirts and jeans or khakis depending. No dress clothes, but not sloppy.

I'd also say try to expand the contacts you have. Stop by just to say hi and help out with whatever work they're doing, but be sure to not get in the way. If it seems like they actually like you, try to socialize with them. In this area a lot of the local farmers go to bars at similar times, or they go have breakfast at certain places. If you take a guy out for a drink at the right time you'll instantly make a ton of contacts. Of course, if you come off that you're using everyone you're screwed in the community.

All of the above. AND, you could offer a backstrap off your harvest to them. Also, see if they need help with whatever work they are doing, in payment for allowing you to hunt their ground. Also be sure to ask if other hunters will be hunting the same ground. They will probably tell you if they have given others permission though.

Try to find someone that has a strawberry farm or some other crop that deer destroy. These folks are generally more than happy to have someone shoot deer on their property. Even some people that are avid gardeners might be appreciative of having someone shoot deer that are causing damage to them. I hunted a few years on property like this but they started bringing in so many hunters that the deer got too spooky so I had to stop.

told him to be honest? and you dont know him...what if he said to the guy.."hey, my name is charlie, i sell hunts on craigslist and want to bring them over here to hunt your land dry and "accidentally" kill your cows and never give ya a cent. i have never bought a hunting license, nor do i plan too...i sight my rifle in on live game, and the best way to check if the rifle is empty is to pull the trigger. "
:evil:

Thanks for all the helpful information everyone! I'm going out to farm country this weekend to try and talk to some landowners about hunting their properties. I guess the biggest thing for me is breaking the ice lol... like i said earlier, ive been fortunate to have friends take me along to their land so i never had to ask a total stranger. I only hunt bow so hopefully that will favor the decisions. I'll udpdate on how it goes! Thanks again!

Last time a neighbor girl offered me a piece of her cheesecake, the Ex got extremely pissed. But all she was offering was really cheesecake and it was the Ex that was off in left field, and that's where I left her. lol :woot:

@ halfbaked. U confuse the hell outta me son! I dunno if ur a website terrorist yet or not. Oh but ill figure u out soon...trust me.
@jimmy t....if u don't change that gay ass pic of u in ur Camo snuggie im not Takin u to the honey hole this weekend! Lol

Oh ya as far as gaining access..just do what I do jimmy boyeeee!...U walk up say excuse me sir? Landowner: " hey ur big web! I read ur article in Whitetail journal ..you wanna hunt my land?" Lol that's all ya do bub! Worked in moscow!?

A final note: In WI we have an option to get a tax break or other subsidies by doing natural habitat improvements but the catch is that we must allow the public to use our land. I don't do this so I don't know all the details, but if you have such a program in your state, there may be such land near you that you may hunt. Contact your state DNR to find out if there is such a program and get a listing of such parcels.

Yea son you might get one for christmas this year so no reason to be jealous!

Well, went out today equipped with some of the tips i got from you guys.. unfortunately all 4 doors i knocked on were non responsive lol.. gonna give it another shot tomorrow, but i'm thinkin that an evening during the work week would be my best bet... Thanks again!

Sorry, haven't read the thread. I find opportunity at martini bars and social events. Bring up the deer problem and it helps to bow hunt. In like flint.

Son of a!!!! You buy me one a dem damn thangs n ur not hunting the better stand locations! Ill put u in a canoe in the ohio river! Lol

Lol! Hell son you'll never see me! I'll stealth around the woods in my snuggy and hunt your favorite stands! What size ya need an xl? I got ya bubba!!