Asking permission

[Buckskinbob]

Man up and go ask. Its part of the game. Like was posted above worst they can do is say no.... Well, they can say no in a really nasty and long-winded rant, but so what, you don't know them so whatever they say is water over the bridge so to say.

I find being short and direct is the best, dont waste their time...Just go with ...Hi Im your name. Im in the area from town and state and was wondering if you would allow me to hunt species.

Ive been using the same speal for 35+ yrs. Ive found trying to chit chat on the front steps usually doesn't work. Sometimes it does and sometimes you get sucked into a 2hr conversation that makes you think you're going to get access and then you don't. I gotten around to the point where Ill ask pretty much anywhere. Ive gotten access to some spots that I was positive I was gunna get chewed out for asking....ive also gotten chewed out for asking LOL but the takeaway is its almost always worth asking. I dont ask at places that have posted signs that say no hunting please don't ask or such but pretty much everything else is free game.

I drove past a gem of a turkey spot for about 4 or 5 yrs because it had all kinds of weird animal friendly signs and no trespassing ect signs. There was some public up behind the house and every time I called near the property toms would pop up on the ridge on the private. I had my kids with me one trip and we were struggling to get into birds so I said screw it and drove down a long access drive through 20 different touchy feely animal crossing ect signs. I walked up to the house and knocked.. the whole time knowing I was wasting my time. The owner walked to the door looked at my camo and started shaking her head. Before I could even ask she said we dont allow hunting. So I said oh ok sorry to bother you, I just heard some turkeys on the ridge above the house and thought Id ask and I turned and started to leave. She said Turkeys!?? you want to go after turkeys? I said yes I have my kids and was looking for a spot. She said well thats different, I hate those dam things they wake me up every morning and crap all over the place....that was 12yrs ago. We take at least on tom off her land every spring we hunt up there.

Dang, I guess you never know until you ask! Just seems to be one of those things you have to do a few times before it seems normal.

 

[44hunter45]

Letters are a waste of paper.
Just loiter around their ranch when they are working, they will find you, and not vice-versa, that is better way to make the initial contact, works for me, has to, we don't have any public land, politeness goes a long way.

This,
My best written permission came after driving up on a rough stock rancher with his rodeo bulls out on the road. I helped him get his bulls back inside the the fence and fix it. I grew up on a ranch and I'm comfortable moving cattle. Even rough stock isn't evil without a bucking strap on it.

TMALSS - After helping him I asked if my sons and I could hunt his land and he said yes. I had a Idaho landowner permission card in my truck and he signed it.

 

[Buckskinbob]

Be a good beaver/coyote trapper and you’ll have more places to hunt than you can tackle lol. I also bring them by some jerky in the off season. Especially one really great landowner who lets me hunt anything, trap and I do most of my waterfowl on his land

One of the places I want permission on is to trap coyotes, im just gonna have to go ask. Most ranchers seem to hate coyotes anyways.

 

[F250]

I make certain to wear regular work clothes when seeking permission. Never camo or orange. I grew up on a dairy farm/sugaring operation so I can carry on a conversation about cattle and equipment. I make it known that I understand fences, crops, and neighbors. I have business cards with my contact info and note my truck reg. # on it. All landowners where I hunt receive a gift at the end of the year (maple syrup, restaurant gift card, gift basket, etc.) Farmers talk among themselves. I had been hunting around a small Saskatchewan town for about 10 years. I found some geese one evening, located the landowner and knocked on his door. He opened it, looked at me, looked at my truck with the green license plate, and said," are you that guy from Vermont ? " I told him I was. He said, " I bet you want to hunt in my barley stubble." I told him I did. He asked," where's my maple syrup ?"

 

[wytex]

I wouold get out and start with trapping access. If you are experience on coyotes you may well find lots of access for that and the hunting will follow if you are respectful of their land.
I've made many a call for access, most that say no apologize for saying it and I just tell them no need for apologies, it is your land. I've had some change their minds after a short conversation on the phone. Make sure you go meet face to face also.

 

[atlas]

Dont want to be negative but absentee landowners are almost always no

Shot my biggest deer to date on private land adjacent to a WMA. The place was owned by a woman in Washington. My friend found her number and called her and we got on for opening weekend. Three out of four of us shot bucks.

We thought it would be nice to show her what we shot in a thank you letter, hoping it would secure our future access. Next season rolled around and we couldn't get on because she showed the pictures of our deer to her nephews. They were now coming out to hunt that year...

 

[PrairieHunter]

This reminds me of dating.

Rejection/failure is often avoided at all costs by many humans. This has a similar feel.


My recommendation is to try and meet these folks somewhere outside their home. Go to church, Co-op, coffee shop, sale barn, feed store, etc and start asking around on scouting trips well before season opens up. People will be more open to talking at these places during the spring/summer compared to knocking on doors the day before season opens up.

I read an article a while back about a guy who even had some sort of hunting liability insurance. Had cards with contact info and the policy # on them which he gave to the landowners. That might help in some situations.

 

[Wild Bill]

It can kind of be like public speaking. Intimidating at first, but when you do it a few times it's nothing. Gotta get over the fear by doing it. I ask permission on tons of properties a year for deer, turkey, and upland. Try waterfowl hunting ag fields. You'll get real comfortable, real fast.
I will carve out a few hours of time and drive to the location and meet them in person to introduce myself. I have found that works a lot better. Immediately puts a face to a name and voice. As stated above, try and show up in relatable clothing or try and be personable. Don't try and be what your not, but heading to a cattle ranch? Boots and jeans cant hurt. Going to some place in town? Park on the street and not in the driveway. Little things can go a long way to show respect and earn trust before a word is spoken. I've often found too that where I'm at, a lot of these folks might not get visitors often, and they enjoy company. Let them talk, listen, and give them the time of day.

 

[Buckskinbob]

I got a letter back from one of the property owners. He said he appreciated me taking the time to write a note and to give him a call so we could meet.

I went up to his place this morning, with a jar of dehydrated oyster mushrooms I found not far away. We talked a while, he showed me around his place and ended up giving me permission to park on his property and access the forest service.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I got a letter back from one of the property owners. He said he appreciated me taking the time to write a note and to give him a call so we could meet.

I went up to his place this morning, with a jar of dehydrated oyster mushrooms I found not far away. We talked a while, he showed me around his place and ended up giving me permission to park on his property and access the forest service.

Forgive me if I've already told this story on here, but one day, I was driving through the farmland around here and I saw a big flock of turkeys in a field. I wasn't in a hurry, so I thought, "I'm just going to pull in there and ask if I can hunt there this year." I found the driveway to the farm, pulled in and saw a man out in a field digging something up. I walked out there, introduced myself and asked permission to hunt (fully expecting to be rejected). His answer was, "Absolutely!" He then proceeded to introduce himself and tell me all about the farm and the csa they were building there. By the time I got away from him, he'd given me a couple dozen eggs, a bunch of veggies, a pork roast and permission to hunt.
He ended up becoming a friend and both my wife and I worked at the farm at one time or another, as well as becoming members of their csa for about 12 years.

 

[Buckskinbob]

Forgive me if I've already told this story on here, but one day, I was driving through the farmland around here and I saw a big flock of turkeys in a field. I wasn't in a hurry, so I thought, "I'm just going to pull in there and ask if I can hunt there this year." I found the driveway to the farm, pulled in and saw a man out in a field digging something up. I walked out there, introduced myself and asked permission to hunt (fully expecting to be rejected). His answer was, "Absolutely!" He then proceeded to introduce himself and tell me all about the farm and the csa they were building there. By the time I got away from him, he'd given me a couple dozen eggs, a bunch of veggies, a pork roast and permission to hunt.
He ended up becoming a friend and both my wife and I worked at the farm at one time or another, as well as becoming members of their csa for about 12 years.

Nice!!