Asking for Permission or Access

[Czabs]

How do you guys go about asking permission for land and for access to walk across their land to get back to public or where you hunt, etc. I've been hunting public land all my life and I ask permission A LOT. I've never had really good luck with it.

On occasion I would get a few that said yes and then kicked me off for no reason and I had a lot of people say others hunted it already. I've noticed getting permission to turkey hunt or trap is MUCH easier than deer hunting.

Do you guys have anything tips or techniques that will help me out.

[76chevy]

dress professional

carry and sign a waiver of liability, mine has a a short bio and my vehicle info on one side

knock on lots of doors

network--make connections with friends and friends of friends

contact the neighbors to hunt their property as well

offer to bowhunt only if they are uneasy with guns on the property---this has been key for me getting on small urban properties that hold some real monsters!!

offer to help around property

focus on certifications you have, NRA, hunter ed, etc. I am a hunter ed instructor and am sure to tell landowners that.

when all else fails, money talks

[Beason]

i would give them your resume, or create a hunting related resume of the people who let you access/hunt their private property. one big thing, people dont care about you if you dont care about them. strike up a convo about something you can tell they are passionate about (by looking in their lawns, if they have kids, etc). offer a hand on their property, even if it isnt a farm. ive met some good ppl by knocking on doors.

[publiclandhunter]

It has been darn tough in Michigan where I live also. I would say the biggie is to be polite and clean-cut. Let's face it, we already have a tough hill to climb because of potential conflicts with anti-hunters and/or non-hunters, so putting the best foot forward is a must. You only get one chance for a first impression.

Shake hands, smile and be gracious even if they say "no".

PLH

[BigHunt]

dont lead them on. your there for a reason, start out stong and finnish strong, be straight to the point, "im here to ask for permission to hunt" ethier theyll look at you like this or like this ether or dont get disscuraged move on. i go from house to house and get turned down 80 percent of the time! i got people asking me every year to bow hunt but they drag it on so when its time to ask im sick of them already and say no

[Haus86]

I usually ask to do something else first, like shed hunt. It's easier to get permission to do, you can get to know the land owner better, and you get to walk (scout) the land to see if it is worth while.

[xpauliber]

I usually ask to do something else first, like shed hunt. It's easier to get permission to do, you can get to know the land owner better, and you get to walk (scout) the land to see if it is worth while.

This is a good tip, but make sure you ask to "take a walk and look for shed antlers.". I have asked landowners to "shed hunt" and right away they snap back, "what are you hunting??". So from now on, I ask to look for shed antlers, and be prepared to explain that deer shed their antlers every year. You'd be surprised at how many people don't know that.

Something else I do is ask the landowner if they like venison. If they say yes, then I make it a point to take them some jerky or trail bologna even if I don't shoot a deer on their land. When I take the venison to them I make it a point to tell them that even though I wasn't successful on their land, I am still very grateful for them allowing me on their land. This does wonders for July when I make my rounds back to the landowners to ask permission. It is alot of work and sometimes I can use a whole deer just hooking up the landowners, but it is absolutely worth it to me.

[ Post made via iPad ]

[Czabs]

All a bunch of great tips! I'm working on some permission to sit on their field edge to get some better video of some of the deer and that way I don't have to be parked on the road with a camera and a huge spotting scope (very obvious). Its a really nice old lady but her children hunt the land. I've never seen anyone hunt it before so I wonder if she's just giving me a few lines of bs. I started chatting with her and was talking about deer and the neihbors and stuff like that. I ended up giving her my card with my name and phone number on it and told her to give it to her children, to call me. She's very old and I see her doing a lot of yardwork all the time. I might go back and ask her if she needs any yard work done in exchange for me to sit on the field edge. I made clear I was not hunting. But the deer that come out to the field usually come from the public.

[76chevy]

If it is like some of the properties around here, her kids likely hunt it the gun opener and the next weekend....heard that line many times.

Ask if you can bow hunt it only during early archery and let them have it during gun season.

Also, assuming she owns the land and pays the taxes on it...you need permission from HER not her kids.

A.... a really nice old lady but her children hunt the land. I've never seen anyone hunt it before so I wonder if she's just giving me a few lines of bs. I started chatting with her and was talking about deer and the neihbors and stuff like that. I ended up giving her my card with my name and phone number on it and told her to give it to her children, to call me. ....

[Czabs]

Thanks for the tips and stuff guys. I made up a card for myself and scored on my first private land ever. Its only 21 acres but it borders the public and I saw 2 giants come out of it opening morning last year! Super pumped, best thing is I got it all to myself, which is rare. I'm going to go back to his house and give him some venison and smoked fish!

[Bucky]

I usually ask to do something else first, like shed hunt. It's easier to get permission to do, you can get to know the land owner better, and you get to walk (scout) the land to see if it is worth while.

x2

[ah110]

i just got a spot yesterday from just knocking on the door. i just got back from a long 3d shoot and was wearing just a tshirt and camo shorts.

i used to dress "professional" but realized if theyre gonna say no, theyre going to say no., and vice versa. just look like a normal dude.

might be different around he but people hate the deer.

[headgear]

I pretty much gave up asking for permission to hunt, maybe I had a string of really bad luck but I never got any access. Just about everyone I talked to either hunted themselves or had family that hunts so I just stick to the public land.

[Czabs]

i just got a spot yesterday from just knocking on the door. i just got back from a long 3d shoot and was wearing just a tshirt and camo shorts.

i used to dress "professional" but realized if theyre gonna say no, theyre going to say no., and vice versa. just look like a normal dude.

might be different around he but people hate the deer.

haha same here! I guess people like saying yes to hot and sweaty!

[BackWoodsHunter]

When I thought goose hunting was cool (its not really) we would give landowners a gas gift card for permission to hunt. It was a little more reasonable when 4 or 5 guys were asking for permission and all threw in for gift cards but its another option. Or maybe something to a local restaruant.