BEAST CHALLENGE - knocking on doors

[Lockdown]

2 for 2 today

[ Post made via Android ]

Keep going! You never know when a spot doesn't pan out. I had one a few years ago that looked great on an aerial but was overrun by the neighbors dogs.

I spent a bunch of time on GIS today and ended up copy and pasting 53 landowner names and addresses. Took about an hour total. Now i'm coming up with a game plan on which ones to visit and when.

That's quite the list! Also sounds like a lot of driving! I assume they are all in state?

[ Post made via Android ]

Not all... I forget if it was this thread or my journal where I mentioned I would send letters to the distant landowners. There's one from WI and another in AZ.

60-70% of the landowners are within a half hour of my house. I purposely started with the best and closest properties and will branch out from there.

[hunter10]

So far in 2016 I have gained permission to 3 pieces all of which are behind my house, I have decided to give away a couple pieces that I don't hunt much, haven't had much success and have too much issue with neighbours and family against hunting. I also have a hand full more places I will be asking permission for

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Lockdown]

Knocked on 13 doors yesterday. 6 weren't home. I did receive permission for some riverbottom!

I did have the most awkward experience I've ever had while asking permission. I pulled into an old junky farm yard and walked up on the guys deck which was full of cases of empty beer bottles. That's a little a-typical. I knocked and waited. I look over and there's a security camera pointing at me. FULL BLOWN AWKWARD! Next thing I know I hear something coming around the house and I see German Shephard running right at me! I thought I was in trouble. He was big and he came at me with his ears perked and mouth closed. I stood calm and still so he wouldn't feel threatened and let him check me out. After 3 seconds of sniffing my hand and pant leg he started wagging his tail and looked up at me. GOOD BOY. I gave him a pat on the head and quick scratch. WHEW.

The encounter reminded me to buy dog biscuits.

When the guy finally came to the patio door he slid the curtain aside, glanced at me, and walked away. Pretty sure I woke him up at noon as he was still in his underwear. I'll take that as a No.

I had some great conversations with some of the landowners. They all were very nice minus the booze hound above. I always stay happy and ask a question or two after they say no. "Do you ever see any big ones in there?" or "Are there any big bucks around anymore?" I had one guy look at me with a guilty face and say "I shouldn't even say anything but there's two big ones in there that my grandkids are trying to shoot." Two different guys pointed out some public pieces to check out "There's always a hail of gunfire in there opening weekend. EVERY year." It's amazing the info that people will volunteer. One guy made me go into his house with him so he could show me his prized mount. I declined at first because I as in a hurry to go get my daughter. "No I want you to see it I'm really proud of it! Leave your boots on!" It was prized indeed "It scored 164"!! Shot it in 2008" he said. I told him it looked a lot bigger than 164". "Oh! Well the gross score was 181"

This buck was a main frame 10 with a deep split brow. Probably 19-20" wide, tall, and heavy. Slob and a half. He even told me the property he shot it on (not the one I was asking permission for). Swamp buck.

The property I ended up getting permission for is river/creek bottom. There isn't a whole lot to it, but there's two oxbows that I think will be buck bedding and I did shine a two year old buck on the property last year. I still have to ask permission for the land across the river. I don't have gun permission, and the guy's kids come from the cities and bow hunt sometimes. "Just call me and if they're not hunting, you can hunt!". Pretty sure anything mid week will be fine.

Is anyone else having any luck?

[Stanley]

Knocked on 13 doors yesterday. 6 weren't home. I did receive permission for some riverbottom!

I did have the most awkward experience I've ever had while asking permission. I pulled into an old junky farm yard and walked up on the guys deck which was full of cases of empty beer bottles. That's a little a-typical. I knocked and waited. I look over and there's a security camera pointing at me. FULL BLOWN AWKWARD! Next thing I know I hear something coming around the house and I see German Shephard running right at me! I thought I was in trouble. He was big and he came at me with his ears perked and mouth closed. I stood calm and still so he wouldn't feel threatened and let him check me out. After 3 seconds of sniffing my hand and pant leg he started wagging his tail and looked up at me. GOOD BOY. I gave him a pat on the head and quick scratch. WHEW.

The encounter reminded me to buy dog biscuits.

When the guy finally came to the patio door he slid the curtain aside, glanced at me, and walked away. Pretty sure I woke him up at noon as he was still in his underwear. I'll take that as a No.

I had some great conversations with some of the landowners. They all were very nice minus the booze hound above. I always stay happy and ask a question or two after they say no. "Do you ever see any big ones in there?" or "Are there any big bucks around anymore?" I had one guy look at me with a guilty face and say "I shouldn't even say anything but there's two big ones in there that my grandkids are trying to shoot." Two different guys pointed out some public pieces to check out "There's always a hail of gunfire in there opening weekend. EVERY year." It's amazing the info that people will volunteer. One guy made me go into his house with him so he could show me his prized mount. I declined at first because I as in a hurry to go get my daughter. "No I want you to see it I'm really proud of it! Leave your boots on!" It was prized indeed "It scored 164"!! Shot it in 2008" he said. I told him it looked a lot bigger than 164". "Oh! Well the gross score was 181"

This buck was a main frame 10 with a deep split brow. Probably 19-20" wide, tall, and heavy. Slob and a half. He even told me the property he shot it on (not the one I was asking permission for). Swamp buck.

The property I ended up getting permission for is river/creek bottom. There isn't a whole lot to it, but there's two oxbows that I think will be buck bedding and I did shine a two year old buck on the property last year. I still have to ask permission for the land across the river. I don't have gun permission, and the guy's kids come from the cities and bow hunt sometimes. "Just call me and if they're not hunting, you can hunt!". Pretty sure anything mid week will be fine.

Is anyone else having any luck?

Big biting dogs are a great way to keep unwanted solicitors off properties. I got chased off a property back in the late 70s I got up to the house door and noticed a huge chain anchored into the ground close to the front door. The chain had no dog on the end of it. I slowly backed out towards the chain link gate out front. I heard a dog barking and ran out the gate just barely getting it closed behind me evading a snarling growling biting German Shepard. Got into my car and left unscathed.

Another time in the mid 70s I pulled up into a farm yard and the guy had about 10 huge dogs. The dogs dared me get to out of the car "I didn't". Couple of the dogs were biting at the tires of my car. A hunched back crippled looking guy came out and yelled at me to get the blank off his property. I didn't get permission to hunt that property. LOL

That winter I read in the paper the guy was crippled. His furnace went out, he wet the bed and froze to death stuck to his bed. Man, no wonder he didn't want visitors. I used to knock on doors all the time. I just don't do it anymore too many crazies out there for me. Good luck to all those that brave the task of knocking on doors. I used to get people asking me to hunt their property. Been quite a few years since that has happened.

Things just are different now than it was 30-40 years ago. I often wonder about those bible thumpers knocking on doors and how often they get the boot?

[Haus86]

Knocked on 13 doors yesterday. 6 weren't home. I did receive permission for some riverbottom!

I did have the most awkward experience I've ever had while asking permission. I pulled into an old junky farm yard and walked up on the guys deck which was full of cases of empty beer bottles. That's a little a-typical. I knocked and waited. I look over and there's a security camera pointing at me. FULL BLOWN AWKWARD! Next thing I know I hear something coming around the house and I see German Shephard running right at me! I thought I was in trouble. He was big and he came at me with his ears perked and mouth closed. I stood calm and still so he wouldn't feel threatened and let him check me out. After 3 seconds of sniffing my hand and pant leg he started wagging his tail and looked up at me. GOOD BOY. I gave him a pat on the head and quick scratch. WHEW.

The encounter reminded me to buy dog biscuits.

When the guy finally came to the patio door he slid the curtain aside, glanced at me, and walked away. Pretty sure I woke him up at noon as he was still in his underwear. I'll take that as a No.

I had some great conversations with some of the landowners. They all were very nice minus the booze hound above. I always stay happy and ask a question or two after they say no. "Do you ever see any big ones in there?" or "Are there any big bucks around anymore?" I had one guy look at me with a guilty face and say "I shouldn't even say anything but there's two big ones in there that my grandkids are trying to shoot." Two different guys pointed out some public pieces to check out "There's always a hail of gunfire in there opening weekend. EVERY year." It's amazing the info that people will volunteer. One guy made me go into his house with him so he could show me his prized mount. I declined at first because I as in a hurry to go get my daughter. "No I want you to see it I'm really proud of it! Leave your boots on!" It was prized indeed "It scored 164"!! Shot it in 2008" he said. I told him it looked a lot bigger than 164". "Oh! Well the gross score was 181"

This buck was a main frame 10 with a deep split brow. Probably 19-20" wide, tall, and heavy. Slob and a half. He even told me the property he shot it on (not the one I was asking permission for). Swamp buck.

The property I ended up getting permission for is river/creek bottom. There isn't a whole lot to it, but there's two oxbows that I think will be buck bedding and I did shine a two year old buck on the property last year. I still have to ask permission for the land across the river. I don't have gun permission, and the guy's kids come from the cities and bow hunt sometimes. "Just call me and if they're not hunting, you can hunt!". Pretty sure anything mid week will be fine.

Is anyone else having any luck?

The scary or shady looking places are the best! I drove past a farm over and over for several years. I could never get the courage to pull in the driveway. There were plenty of no trespassing signs, and the occasional "smile you're on camera" sign. I had to step over garbage, bacon, and cats to get to the door. Long story short, he was a super nice guy and I got permission. If only I had asked several years earlier.

[mainebowhunter]

Knocked on 13 doors yesterday. 6 weren't home. I did receive permission for some riverbottom!

I did have the most awkward experience I've ever had while asking permission. I pulled into an old junky farm yard and walked up on the guys deck which was full of cases of empty beer bottles. That's a little a-typical. I knocked and waited. I look over and there's a security camera pointing at me. FULL BLOWN AWKWARD! Next thing I know I hear something coming around the house and I see German Shephard running right at me! I thought I was in trouble. He was big and he came at me with his ears perked and mouth closed. I stood calm and still so he wouldn't feel threatened and let him check me out. After 3 seconds of sniffing my hand and pant leg he started wagging his tail and looked up at me. GOOD BOY. I gave him a pat on the head and quick scratch. WHEW.

The encounter reminded me to buy dog biscuits.

When the guy finally came to the patio door he slid the curtain aside, glanced at me, and walked away. Pretty sure I woke him up at noon as he was still in his underwear. I'll take that as a No.

I had some great conversations with some of the landowners. They all were very nice minus the booze hound above. I always stay happy and ask a question or two after they say no. "Do you ever see any big ones in there?" or "Are there any big bucks around anymore?" I had one guy look at me with a guilty face and say "I shouldn't even say anything but there's two big ones in there that my grandkids are trying to shoot." Two different guys pointed out some public pieces to check out "There's always a hail of gunfire in there opening weekend. EVERY year." It's amazing the info that people will volunteer. One guy made me go into his house with him so he could show me his prized mount. I declined at first because I as in a hurry to go get my daughter. "No I want you to see it I'm really proud of it! Leave your boots on!" It was prized indeed "It scored 164"!! Shot it in 2008" he said. I told him it looked a lot bigger than 164". "Oh! Well the gross score was 181"

This buck was a main frame 10 with a deep split brow. Probably 19-20" wide, tall, and heavy. Slob and a half. He even told me the property he shot it on (not the one I was asking permission for). Swamp buck.

The property I ended up getting permission for is river/creek bottom. There isn't a whole lot to it, but there's two oxbows that I think will be buck bedding and I did shine a two year old buck on the property last year. I still have to ask permission for the land across the river. I don't have gun permission, and the guy's kids come from the cities and bow hunt sometimes. "Just call me and if they're not hunting, you can hunt!". Pretty sure anything mid week will be fine.

[glow=red]Is anyone else having any luck?[/glow]

Yep. Got permission to park in someones driveway...guy saw me in woods. "Hey...can I help you??" I said...."Just out scouting". He said "Oh.". Than I said, "Mind if I park in your driveway?" His response. "I don't F%^%%&king care. Park here head right out back".

Did stop by today to drop off some homemade turkey soup to a 90yr old landowner. Just got permission there this year. Little old lady. Became friends with her. Headed back to remove some branches out of a tree by her house. She is such a sweetheart. No idea how much hunting I will even do there. Good spot.

[Lockdown]

Knocked on 13 doors yesterday. 6 weren't home. I did receive permission for some riverbottom!

I did have the most awkward experience I've ever had while asking permission. I pulled into an old junky farm yard and walked up on the guys deck which was full of cases of empty beer bottles. That's a little a-typical. I knocked and waited. I look over and there's a security camera pointing at me. FULL BLOWN AWKWARD! Next thing I know I hear something coming around the house and I see German Shephard running right at me! I thought I was in trouble. He was big and he came at me with his ears perked and mouth closed. I stood calm and still so he wouldn't feel threatened and let him check me out. After 3 seconds of sniffing my hand and pant leg he started wagging his tail and looked up at me. GOOD BOY. I gave him a pat on the head and quick scratch. WHEW.

The encounter reminded me to buy dog biscuits.

When the guy finally came to the patio door he slid the curtain aside, glanced at me, and walked away. Pretty sure I woke him up at noon as he was still in his underwear. I'll take that as a No.

I had some great conversations with some of the landowners. They all were very nice minus the booze hound above. I always stay happy and ask a question or two after they say no. "Do you ever see any big ones in there?" or "Are there any big bucks around anymore?" I had one guy look at me with a guilty face and say "I shouldn't even say anything but there's two big ones in there that my grandkids are trying to shoot." Two different guys pointed out some public pieces to check out "There's always a hail of gunfire in there opening weekend. EVERY year." It's amazing the info that people will volunteer. One guy made me go into his house with him so he could show me his prized mount. I declined at first because I as in a hurry to go get my daughter. "No I want you to see it I'm really proud of it! Leave your boots on!" It was prized indeed "It scored 164"!! Shot it in 2008" he said. I told him it looked a lot bigger than 164". "Oh! Well the gross score was 181"

This buck was a main frame 10 with a deep split brow. Probably 19-20" wide, tall, and heavy. Slob and a half. He even told me the property he shot it on (not the one I was asking permission for). Swamp buck.

The property I ended up getting permission for is river/creek bottom. There isn't a whole lot to it, but there's two oxbows that I think will be buck bedding and I did shine a two year old buck on the property last year. I still have to ask permission for the land across the river. I don't have gun permission, and the guy's kids come from the cities and bow hunt sometimes. "Just call me and if they're not hunting, you can hunt!". Pretty sure anything mid week will be fine.

Is anyone else having any luck?

The scary or shady looking places are the best! I drove past a farm over and over for several years. I could never get the courage to pull in the driveway. There were plenty of no trespassing signs, and the occasional "smile you're on camera" sign. I had to step over garbage, bacon, and cats to get to the door. Long story short, he was a super nice guy and I got permission. If only I had asked several years earlier.

Yep! It seems like the "shady place resident" is either TOTALLY off his rocker, or a super nice guy that hoards junk.

Some landowners have a big house and beautiful farm and they're down right rude.

Never judge a book by it's cover. You have to step out of your comfort zone and hope for the best. When it works out it's pretty awesome.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[ruttnhrd]

Here in Wisconsin it can be pretty tough to knock on doors. We are a pretty big whitetail communitee state wide. Im not sure how other states work with some of the programs the DNR and other government agencies have but here in WI, we have programs that open up private land to hunters. The owners of the land usually get a tax break when in the program. We also have a law that if farmers are getting paid for crop damage they have to allow so many people per day on the farm to hunt. They have to keep a log of daily hunters and if you go and ask to hunt the only way they can tell you know is if they have the minimum required hunters actually out hunting when you asked. These properties can be a little harder to find and might take a little leg work on the keyboard but can be well worth it. I don't think very many people take advantage of these types of programs. It is definitely worth looking into. I have taken some nice deer off of properties like this. Here in Wisconsin the land owners can even sometimes give you doe tags to use because they have a required number of doe's they have to kill each year to to keep receiving the crop damage benefits.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Crazinamatese]

Knocked on 13 doors yesterday. 6 weren't home. I did receive permission for some riverbottom!

I did have the most awkward experience I've ever had while asking permission. I pulled into an old junky farm yard and walked up on the guys deck which was full of cases of empty beer bottles. That's a little a-typical. I knocked and waited. I look over and there's a security camera pointing at me. FULL BLOWN AWKWARD! Next thing I know I hear something coming around the house and I see German Shephard running right at me! I thought I was in trouble. He was big and he came at me with his ears perked and mouth closed. I stood calm and still so he wouldn't feel threatened and let him check me out. After 3 seconds of sniffing my hand and pant leg he started wagging his tail and looked up at me. GOOD BOY. I gave him a pat on the head and quick scratch. WHEW.

The encounter reminded me to buy dog biscuits.

When the guy finally came to the patio door he slid the curtain aside, glanced at me, and walked away. Pretty sure I woke him up at noon as he was still in his underwear. I'll take that as a No.

I had some great conversations with some of the landowners. They all were very nice minus the booze hound above. I always stay happy and ask a question or two after they say no. "Do you ever see any big ones in there?" or "Are there any big bucks around anymore?" I had one guy look at me with a guilty face and say "I shouldn't even say anything but there's two big ones in there that my grandkids are trying to shoot." Two different guys pointed out some public pieces to check out "There's always a hail of gunfire in there opening weekend. EVERY year." It's amazing the info that people will volunteer. One guy made me go into his house with him so he could show me his prized mount. I declined at first because I as in a hurry to go get my daughter. "No I want you to see it I'm really proud of it! Leave your boots on!" It was prized indeed "It scored 164"!! Shot it in 2008" he said. I told him it looked a lot bigger than 164". "Oh! Well the gross score was 181"

This buck was a main frame 10 with a deep split brow. Probably 19-20" wide, tall, and heavy. Slob and a half. He even told me the property he shot it on (not the one I was asking permission for). Swamp buck.

The property I ended up getting permission for is river/creek bottom. There isn't a whole lot to it, but there's two oxbows that I think will be buck bedding and I did shine a two year old buck on the property last year. I still have to ask permission for the land across the river. I don't have gun permission, and the guy's kids come from the cities and bow hunt sometimes. "Just call me and if they're not hunting, you can hunt!". Pretty sure anything mid week will be fine.

Is anyone else having any luck?

The scary or shady looking places are the best! I drove past a farm over and over for several years. I could never get the courage to pull in the driveway. There were plenty of no trespassing signs, and the occasional "smile you're on camera" sign. I had to step over garbage, bacon, and cats to get to the door. Long story short, he was a super nice guy and I got permission. If only I had asked several years earlier.

I know a guy who lives in a one room 'shanty' without plumbing or electricity out in the middle of nowhere. I think people are afraid and I don't blame them. lol. He is a hardcore Christian man that is trying to live like Jesus I guess (maybe amish?). He is healthier than most, very intelligent, soft spoken. Grows and raises his own food. The whole nine yards. No one has ever came to his door asking for hunting permission. Anyways, He owns 10 acres in big buck country and tells me Im welcome to hunt there anytime. He sees nice bucks regularly in his gardens during the summer and he wants them gone. I haven't taken up the offer yet.

[DropTyne]

Anybody have an example of a letter they would send?

[ Post made via iPad ]

[mainebowhunter]

Man am I pumped! Took some time today to go and knock on a couple of doors to get permission on the property I scouted yesterday. I drove up to the house...could not believe it. It was one of my website/hosting clients. Knocked on the door. No one was home. So I went to the neighbor. Chatted with him. He did not own out back. My client did. Back into town. Stopped by the guys business. He happened to be outside...he did not recognize me as I had built the site and done a bunch of work through someone else at his company. This person since left.

So I remade the acquaintance and approached him about permission. SCORE! No hemming. No hawwing. Not a big deal. Just a big yep. Not a problem. I just scored fantastic permission on such a great urban spot. Urban spots with deer in them are a gold mine. More tags. More season. AND, you can catch a buck in September.

[Lockdown]

Anybody have an example of a letter they would send?

[ Post made via iPad ]

Seazofcheeze has a great example on page 2 of his journal

viewtopic.php?f=191&t=34057&start=15

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[seazofcheeze]

Anybody have an example of a letter they would send?

[ Post made via iPad ]

I've had luck with the one I posted in my journal. viewtopic.php?f=191&t=34057&p=495871#p495871

I had very lofty ambitions in this particular area, but after I secured permission on my #1 target (a 300 acre farm in a great area) and scouted a bunch of new to me public, I decided I had too many spots already. I am fairly certain I will shoot my biggest Michigan buck this year off that property.

[ Post made via Android ]

[jmaas07]

Anybody have an example of a letter they would send?

[ Post made via iPad ]

I've had luck with the one I posted in my journal. viewtopic.php?f=191&t=34057&p=495871#p495871

I had very lofty ambitions in this particular area, but after I secured permission on my #1 target (a 300 acre farm in a great area) and scouted a bunch of new to me public, I decided I had too many spots already. I am fairly certain I will shoot my biggest Michigan buck this year off that property.

[ Post made via Android ]

I like the confidence, it's going to be a banner year!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[briar]

Here in Wisconsin it can be pretty tough to knock on doors. We are a pretty big whitetail communitee state wide. Im not sure how other states work with some of the programs the DNR and other government agencies have but here in WI, we have programs that open up private land to hunters. The owners of the land usually get a tax break when in the program. We also have a law that if farmers are getting paid for crop damage they have to allow so many people per day on the farm to hunt. They have to keep a log of daily hunters and if you go and ask to hunt the only way they can tell you know is if they have the minimum required hunters actually out hunting when you asked. These properties can be a little harder to find and might take a little leg work on the keyboard but can be well worth it. I don't think very many people take advantage of these types of programs. It is definitely worth looking into. I have taken some nice deer off of properties like this. Here in Wisconsin the land owners can even sometimes give you doe tags to use because they have a required number of doe's they have to kill each year to to keep receiving the crop damage benefits.

[ Post made via Android ]

We have a similar program in PA...but it needs some fine tuning. I had a owner of a marked game co op just tell me yesterday no, because its leased...lol. I have no issue with leasing, but then dont be in the program!

[ Post made via Android ]