Permission to hunt private property

[tyrant27]

Hey fellas,

I have been doing some looking around for potential duck hunting spots and find a lot of it is on private land. Most of the time the land is so huge I have no idea who owns it. How do you all track down the land owner to ask permission to hunt? Also, when you do find the person, what kind of tactics do you use to ask, ie... do you knock on the door and talk to them in person or do you call them?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Bean Counter]

1. Show them Some respect by making a separate trip other than the day you want to hunt.
2. Don't knock on their door dressed in camo
3. Exploit children. Take your little boy or girl and bribe a smile out of them with a milkshake right before you get there. Who can say no to a smiling child?
4. Be fairly fairly direct about what you want. "Hi... Blah blah quick plesantry... I respectfully request permission to hunt your property."
5. Drive slow on their gravel/dirt road especially on your first visit.

[Bean Counter]

Oh yeah
6. Look up their name on the county assessor website before you. As a part of your introduction tell them how you learned of their name.
7. Be ready and expecting them to say no. Its just low class to knock on someones door and ask for free access and have a pissed off look on ones face when told "no."

In some areas I had more people say "yes" than "no" when asking permission using these tips. In other communities, most will say no. I think its region specific honestly.

[MacAttack]

When they say no, be respectful and thank them for their time. They might just change their mind.

[tyrant27]

Awesome, thanks for the tips guys.

[Bill W]

When they say no, be respectful and thank them for their time. They might just change their mind.

This is a good tip.  I was asking for permission one time and got told no.  I was polite and then the guy said "go down the road and talk to my brother".  I hunted his place for 4 days for a fifth of black velvet.

[irishevox]

Great tips would recommend to start asking now for like deer season

[BiggLuke]

Food works well also... if the Guy actually says yes, after all the pleasantry, be prepared to say something like, "Thank you so very much for the oportunity. Hey, I've got some fresh jerky (or whatever you brought as briding medicine) with me... Would you like some?"

We found that a tray of costco muffins or some good 'ole smoked salmon helps alot in getting us a return visit.
Also, as a polite way to say thank you again, show up after the hunt at some point and show him how much fun you had. Some guys love to see the birds or whatever, you bagged.
Showing, or even giving them pictures of your hunt goes along way to showing what a nice fellow you are.   

We have sent a group photo to the guy who owns the land where we hunt mulies, with a shot of all of us at camp with our deer. Never thought much of it, but the next time we saw him he said something like, "My wife and I loved that photo of you boys you sent us last year. We put it up next to the others. Glad you had such a good time."

I know that when coyote hunting, the land owners get really excited about seeing the varmint you shot on there place.

[BiggLuke]

oh yeah.....

Also....

FIRM HANDSHAKES

[irishevox]

Sounds like a plan... i will have to do this... but i just wish people were more nice about it... i asked a guy while hunting once he said no but he was really nice about it.

[MADMAX]

When we were getting ready for some turkey hunting around Chewelah we went to the legion and asked if anyone liked oysters, got some folks talking and passed out some oysters we had brought over in a huge white cooler.
The drinks flowed and conversation turned to what we were doing in their neck of the woods, they invited us over to hunt their property.
Treat people decently and its surprising what can happen.

[Cougar125]

Something else with land access...

My younger brother is a trapper.  While he sells most of his furs to the buyers, he always gets a good one tanned for each land owner that gave him access that season.  He has always been asked back.  Not so sure how well it'd work with ducks, but hey...you asked for ideas?

[furbearer365]

I have knocked on tons of door and have not yet been turned down.  This may sound a little ridiculous or cliché but honestly the best thing you can do is show that you are a good person and keep it simple.  Try not to make it a business transaction or too stiff of a conversation.  Remember, if these people have tons of land they are probable some sort of rancher or farmer.  Most of these people are very simple minded and are very down to earth.  They will let people hunt if they feel at piece with who you are.  Always get on their level and talk to them about what they know.  Ask question about cattle if they have some, tell them a story about how a family member has cattle and how you have helped them.  Something to put you on their level, because at the end of the day, they would rather have a good feeling about you than a full belly of muffins  

[irishevox]

yeah, i know this started on waterfowl page... i am really looking for a deer area... but all these tips can really work for whatever kind of game.

[hdshot]

It has been years for me since I knocked on doors but just kept it brief and just ask.  I got tiered of doing the spotting for their friends and family because the land owner would tell me they would ask their person first and if they don't hunt then I can.  Seemed to always get the other guy excited to hunt it. 

For the landowners that allow hunting to anyone get out there on a Thursday because some will lock it down just for you!  Also try to hunt weekdays when their friends and family are working or at school. 

I have family members that have deer and turkey causing them to get asked all the time.  They have seen all the tactics and the ones that come close to hunting that I hear about are the one that are just straight up without the guilt trip story.  Lucky for me they have a grandson that loves to hunt.

Some landowners start up a conversation and just listen then join.  Sometimes they end it with a go hunt!  You will find out this is the best tactic because people just don't listen and people like to be heard.   

[irishevox]

yeah... some people don;t even give you the chance to be neighborly espically on the islands where i live.

[furbearer365]

Also, land owners know most to all the other land owners in the area.  Once you find a good spot to hunt and get to know them fairly well, ask if they know anyone else who may allow you to hunt.  They may send you down the road to "Bills" house.  Then when you knock on the door, you will be able to introduce yourself to him and be able to say his name, instantly giving you credibility.  Once the new house associates you as a friend of the guy up the road, you may put him at ease and could gain more land access. But don't forget to pop in once in a while or even call just to chitchat.  Do your PR work

[hdshot]

At first asking permission might feel odd, but you will get the hang of it. I don't even blink an eye now, probably knocked on hundreds of doors in the last few years. Once you get it dialed in you will end up with more land to hunt then you have time to hunt them. That's when things start to get fun! Best tip I have is if you get permission outline the specific details on the agreement to hunting that property. For example what days can/are you allowed to hunt, number of hunters allowed on the property, number of game animals the owners will allow you to take and so forth. Following the rules always ensured my invitation to hunt the following season and on the flipside I have seen it earn lifetime bans for other hunters.

That's right, when you cold knock get to the point because the landowner has what you what instead of acting like a pushy salesman trying to provide service or products and payment will be hunting access.  Later on if you and the landowner get to know each other then helping out could be an option but farmers are people that don't need much help.  It can be more helpfull just to stay out of the way and leave the property the way you found it.  Also report problems to the farmer if seen such as down fence around cattle or possible tresspasser. 

[irishevox]

All of this is extremely helpful information

[irishevox]

^^^ I checked it out good stuff there to..... Island county is tough to get access but I am trying

[redfish]

My family has farmland in Alberta in the prime flyway.   They and their neighbors get asked for permission seemingly every day during hunting season.   The best tip by far for getting access.....is to keep it simple.  You will likely get access if its just you and your son...or you and one other.   Group hunts are what annoys the land owners.  No matter how careful a group is....candy rappers, pop cans, spent shells seem to get left in the fields.  The other thing hurting access is group hunters (mostly goose) that get access to multiple fields (to keep options open) and then only hunt the one.   Farms figure this out and get annoyed and stop giving permission.   In short....keeping it simple will usually give you access with most farmers.

[irishevox]

Yeah I am gonna start banging on doors with in the next month

[JJD]

Hunting geese of the east side, we are constantly getting permission to hunt private land.  Only issues we have met are a result of lazy hunters who have messed it up for the rest of us.  If they tell you not to drive in their field and to pack in, don't drive in them regardless of conditions and how tired you are.  County plat maps work well, many counties have them online if you know where to find them.  Another thing I use is Hunting Maps GPS, which is a chip you can put in a GPS, and it tells you who owns every piece of property in the state.  If worse comes to worse we knock on a door and find out who farms said property.   

[irishevox]

how is it to like leave a post card in thier mail box?  espically if i never see them at home.

[hdshot]

how is it to like leave a post card in thier mail box?  espically if i never see them at home.

Not a bad idea but you better mail it and do not touch their #$%& mail box.

[WSU]

Face to face is better.  Also, ask neighbors if they'd share a phone number.  I've had the work a few times.

[GameHunter1959]

Buy a Garmin GPS with "Hunt WA" map card. The Hunt WA map card contains all the land owner names, property lines, GMU they are located etc. I can sit on my couch in western Wa and navigate the GPS to a specific area in eastern Wa. Once I get it to where I want to be, I simply zoom in and the landowner information is listed. Anyone that is not listed, will list their property as private. Most land owners are listed. Everything is color coded, which makes it real easy when trying to trace property boundaries etc.

GMUs that I preceived as "mostly private" I now hunt, because I was able to locate DNR, State Land, or land owners willing to let me hunt.

I purchased the smaller Garmin GPS (burnt orange and dark grey in color). Don't buy that model; the screen is too small when your trying to zoom in and out. Spend the extra money and get the larger screen. It is about the same screen size of the Galaxy cell phone. Also burnt orange and dark grey in color.

Total investment is about $500

You will spend that over a couple of seasons wasting time driving GMUs. Well worth the money, and it protects you from some jerk trying to tell you he owns the land, when the GPS says otherwise.

[irishevox]

i like the GPS Idea.   I might go that route... the postcards i sent never got a response... but i did go to a farm and talk to a land owner and acquired permission.... going to pick up permission slip today