Asking permission is a very hard thing for me to do..It is awkward asking a total stranger permission to use thier land...I just try to smile and be as polite as possible and hope for the best...I would ask now before the planting season begins.
Asking Permission
I am going to ask permission to bow hunt on some land near my house for next season. I was just wondering if anyone else just goes up and asks? I don't know the people, but if I ask right, I feel that they will let me. Any one have any experience? Do you find that they already have their minds made up, or will they reason with you? I've seen some quality deer on the properties, but I don't know if the owners are deer hunter friendly. I guess the only real way to find out is if I go and ask. Hopefully it works for the best. Another thing, when should I ask? Over summer, or right now? Thanks.
David
David
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Be sure and ask when it is at the land owners convienience. Be polite and professional. Business cards sometimes help along with a formal permission slip. If they say no,,, so be it . It is their land. If they say yes, be thankful and treat their land with much respect. Be sure and ask about where to park and any gates or fences that may need to be crossed. Be sure and tell them what you are going to hunt and what weapon you will use. I hunt many properties with bow that I am not allowed to hunt with gun. Best of luck and remember that you are representing "hunters"
Thanks
Thanks guys, I think I will go up either this week, or this weekend. I always see one guy repairing fences, so I was thinking maybe I could help him out over summer if he'd give me permission. Hopefully it works out. I've seen some very nice bucks that way.
David
Thanks guys, I think I will go up either this week, or this weekend. I always see one guy repairing fences, so I was thinking maybe I could help him out over summer if he'd give me permission. Hopefully it works out. I've seen some very nice bucks that way.
David
When I ask for permission to fish a pond, not the same I know but still, I try first to be presentable. I always start out with a hello, tell them my name and where I am from and ask them to to allow me to fish. Either answer is ended with a thank you. Politeness and first impression is very important.
Bill
Bill
Well I can't help much here but dress nice,look nice like getting a job.
Thanks guys
I'll be sure to keep all this in mind when I finally go. Hopefully it will work out.
David
I'll be sure to keep all this in mind when I finally go. Hopefully it will work out.
David
It seems to me that asking permission this year is almost like my job. I have knocked on hundreds of doors in 3 states and over a dozen counties. Here's what I have learned:
1. Get used to hearing the word "NO". I have found that maybe one out of every 20 houses or so give permission. Knock on A LOT of doors.
2. Buy a plat book. This lists property boundries and names of the people who own them. This helps in deciding who owns what. It is also helpfull when you can go up to the farmer and call him by NAME. It makes you look as if you have done your homework.
3. I would wait until a warm spring day to ask. Right now, farmers have fresh memories of the past season-some may not be good. If you ask in the spring for permission in the fall, it may help. Another thing-who is gonna want to stand there with the door open when it's 20 degrees outside?? It's enough that you have to inconvenience the farmer-at least do it when it's warm.
4. Dress nice; don't go at dinner time.
5. No matter what-offer to help with work on the farm. If he says no at first, offer a few days labor in exchange.
6. Try different angles. Talk to his neighbors. Find out what he is like. Perhaps he would grant you permission to hunt squirrels instead of deer. Accept this, and then BS with him every chance you get. Once he gets to know you maybe he'll let you hunt other critters.
7. Be persistant. If he says no one year, stop back and ask the next. Sometimes if you ask for late season (post gun) they will grant it. Maybe even drop him a Christmas card if it seems like it may help.
Sorry so long, hopefully other people will benefit from my experiences. Some farmers will just say no, no matter what. Others let everyone hunt. The most common reasons for denial are " I used to let people, and they littered, etc." and "Sorry-I've already got people hunting." Find a way around those, and you're in!
By the way, if anyone has anything to add to this, let me know. I'm always looking to improve my odds.
1. Get used to hearing the word "NO". I have found that maybe one out of every 20 houses or so give permission. Knock on A LOT of doors.
2. Buy a plat book. This lists property boundries and names of the people who own them. This helps in deciding who owns what. It is also helpfull when you can go up to the farmer and call him by NAME. It makes you look as if you have done your homework.
3. I would wait until a warm spring day to ask. Right now, farmers have fresh memories of the past season-some may not be good. If you ask in the spring for permission in the fall, it may help. Another thing-who is gonna want to stand there with the door open when it's 20 degrees outside?? It's enough that you have to inconvenience the farmer-at least do it when it's warm.
4. Dress nice; don't go at dinner time.
5. No matter what-offer to help with work on the farm. If he says no at first, offer a few days labor in exchange.
6. Try different angles. Talk to his neighbors. Find out what he is like. Perhaps he would grant you permission to hunt squirrels instead of deer. Accept this, and then BS with him every chance you get. Once he gets to know you maybe he'll let you hunt other critters.
7. Be persistant. If he says no one year, stop back and ask the next. Sometimes if you ask for late season (post gun) they will grant it. Maybe even drop him a Christmas card if it seems like it may help.
Sorry so long, hopefully other people will benefit from my experiences. Some farmers will just say no, no matter what. Others let everyone hunt. The most common reasons for denial are " I used to let people, and they littered, etc." and "Sorry-I've already got people hunting." Find a way around those, and you're in!
By the way, if anyone has anything to add to this, let me know. I'm always looking to improve my odds.
I just let my 80-year old father read this post, and he was amazed to say the least...He said when he used to hunt you just stoped and asked, you did not have to "kiss behind" to gain permission to hunt
Ahhh.......those were the good ol' days. Unfortunately, it's gotten much harder to gain permission. I would go so far as to say next to impossible in some areas. I drove around for 7 hours last year knockin on doors in Hillsdale County, and not ONE person said yes. If you think all there is to gaining permission is to 'just knock on some doors', then be my guest. Make sure you wear a glove on your door hand.
I think the popularity of hunting has killed the easy-access days. I've heard many people talk about how easy it used to be to hunt someone's land. Besides, gamegetter was asking if anyone else had any experience in this, so I offered what I have learned. Hopefully the "kissing behind" comment wasn't aimed at me in particular. It's not my fault the world is what it is.........
I think the popularity of hunting has killed the easy-access days. I've heard many people talk about how easy it used to be to hunt someone's land. Besides, gamegetter was asking if anyone else had any experience in this, so I offered what I have learned. Hopefully the "kissing behind" comment wasn't aimed at me in particular. It's not my fault the world is what it is.........
No it ws not aimed at anybody really, I just told how hard it is for me to gain access also, and he was amazed of some of the things that I would do to hunt private land....He hunted up till he was appx 60yrs old...And he said he never done farm chors or anything else for that matter to gain access, and he said the vast majority of people he asked said yes..I told him I even offered to cut one guys grass if he let me hunt..He said he was glad he was to old to hunt anymore..LOL
One other thing I have gave up asking permission..I am lucky I have a little bit of private land I live on to hunt, or I would not be hunting either...My big problem is gaining access to fish Rivers and Creeks, I have asked countless farmers and I alwasy get a big NO...Every once in awhile they will explain to me that they used to let people in, but had bad experiences with them.
Let us know what you did and whether it worked or not ok?
Lots of info...
Thanks for all of the info. Lookma-nohands, thanks for taking the time to write all of that out for me. I think that I have a better chance than I did before, and i'm glad I posted. I'll let you know what happens.
David
Thanks for all of the info. Lookma-nohands, thanks for taking the time to write all of that out for me. I think that I have a better chance than I did before, and i'm glad I posted. I'll let you know what happens.
David
Yeah, it gets discouraging hearing the word "no" all day. Just keep at it. The only thing I'm worried about is how bad it's gonna be in 10 or 20 years.
Flathunter, I know what ya mean about farmers having bad experiences. That's probably the number one reason I am told no. It sucks other people screw things up for us.
Let us know what the guy says gamegetter-hopefully it works out for ya!
Flathunter, I know what ya mean about farmers having bad experiences. That's probably the number one reason I am told no. It sucks other people screw things up for us.
Let us know what the guy says gamegetter-hopefully it works out for ya!
I never dressed to look good I dress to help out when asking to hunt... Early Spring is the best time I have found due to all the work that needs done. Mending fences is a easy way into a farmers heart especially when he has cattle... I've found that by repairing a fence on your own then reporting it to the landowner gets you in the front door much faster then simply asking to hunt or help for same... What we did when I started my guide service and needed private land to get things going was simply ask area farmers if we could help them in exchange for learning how to do the things needed done before we went asking for permission on other farms... One said sure I have plenty here for you to do and learn from but you'll never get to hunt here cause I don't allow it... Long story short he missed us not being around so much that he came looking for us and offered his land to us in anyway we see fit... Land managment for game and so on bla bla blah... Well I know it won't go that way for everyone and know how lucky I was and am... Ask to help 1st with no strings attached like hunting for work then after you have helped and showed your salt then ask if by then it is not already offered. The way I break the ice is I say look many farmers ask if I could help and since I do not know how to do anything I can't help... Let me learn from you and we both are better for it... GOOD LUCK !!!
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