WDFW Hunt by Written Permission program

[drbones]

Do any of you hunt locations that are registered in this program?  From what I can see in GoHunt it looks like I need to go to a given location to find the landowner contact info for that parcel, then contact said landowner.  I'm wondering if these sites offer any better hunting or are less pressured than public lands in the same areas.  Anyone have experience with this?

[Elkstuffer]

Over the years I have hunted quite a few of these properties. I go over to the area that I plan on hunting during June & July and check out the areas. I find that they are more receptive that time of the year. Unfortunately not all of the land owners in the program play by the rules. It is real hard to find a name and phone number on the signs like there is suppose to be. I take my Gazetteer with me and mark the locations down with a number. ex: parcel #1, #2 etc. and then on a separate piece of paper write the name and phone number next to the corresponding number. I then call and if given verbal permission I get there address and mail them a self addressed stamped envelope so they can return the permission slip. I also mail them what I cal my "resume". It is a piece of paper with a photo copy of my drivers license, hunting license, vehicle description and license plate # and a list of hunting groups that I support (pheasants Forever, RMEF, DU ect.) I was very surprised that a lot of these farmers don't live in the immediate area. So knocking on doors doesn't really work. Good Luck!

[MichaelD]

A lot of this land is CRP.  Some of it is right next to feel free to hunt land which is swarmed with hunters, some is next to limited entry land and you will get some animals crossing fences/property due to pressure, and some is next to No Hunting/No Tresspassing land and you can find some bruisers there.  THe quality of the hunting depends on location, cover crop, neighbor land, etc.  The land will have 12" x 10" yellow signs on gates and fenceposts with the landowner name and contact number.  Actual success to gain permission to hunt is better for birds than deer in my case, but a lot worse if you don't call and ask.  
Michael

[markts]

I hunted one last year and saw no other hunters the times I was there. Mark

[MichaelD]

Dang, outgunned while changing my baby son.....

[sako223]

There are opportunities and like has been said go early. A little extra on your part may etch their memory for the next time. Like some hunters give a little gift or give a hand with something.

I will say that asking specifics before and abiding to the letter will help keep these grounds open.
Our family stopped participating along with several neighbors for several reasons, illegal kills, cutting fences and trees, garbage, driving off road, leaving blue tarps and game waste, signing up for two and bringing twelve, camping over, hunting closed parcels.

[Wacenturion]

There are opportunities and like has been said go early. A little extra on your part may etch their memory for the next time. Like some hunters give a little gift or give a hand with something.

I will say that asking specifics before and abiding to the letter will help keep these grounds open.
Our family stopped participating along with several neighbors for several reasons, illegal kills, cutting fences and trees, garbage, driving off road, leaving blue tarps and game waste, signing up for two and bringing twelve, camping over, hunting closed parcels.

Used to be a staff of private land biologists stationed in local areas during the 90's whose job it was to assist landowners with habitat plantings, access, signage, basically whatever they had an interest in to sign up lands in this program and provide access to the public. 

WDFW decided that wasn't a good approach and let it erode away to a a low level over the past 8-9 years.  Used to be 20 folks dedicated to the program....now maybe 5 or 6 and they are directed to do other things that takes them away from what they used to do. 

The above example is commonplace now with landowners leaving the program.  Can't blame them.....those so called managers in WDFW could care less about them.
 

[Todd_ID]

I've had good luck gaining access on these types of lands.  It takes some work figuring out who is the owner or manager; a couple times I have just kept a list of the properties and stopped at the county courthouse once I had a few to check out that didn't have the contact info on the signs.  After a couple phone calls I generally have a list of addresses of people who actually manage the land that I have to go to to get the permission slip.  Once I finally find the right person to talk to, I can't think of any places that haven't allowed me to hunt their land for elk or deer.  I've had a couple places say not to hunt for either deer or elk because someone in their family drew a tag that year.  Like mentioned above, it takes a few weeks of work to figure it out, but it is definitely worth the effort, because I never have anyone else hunting the land that I am on that day.  The slip you get is provided to the landowner by the WDFW and the landowner keeps a copy.  You have to have that slip with you when you're on the land, and I've been checked by the game warden several times to make sure I have the slip and am hunting with permission.  It has your info, your vehicle info, Wild ID number, etc. and a place for names of people (up to 3, I think) in your hunting party that are allowed access with that slip. 

Now that I've gotten a few places figured out it's pretty easy to get the permission each year.  One thing to keep in mind, if you see a sign with an arrow on it, follow the arrows, and they generally lead to a parking area with a sign-in-to-hunt station that allows access to the land as long as you sign in every time and carry the slip with you.

[PA BEN]

Your money goes to post and patrol these lands. And yes, if they play by the rules it's a good thing. But, I knew of a farm out of Chewelah doing this. I hunted this land before the program and after they entered the program. One year I had seem a nice w/t buck that I wanted to bow hunt. I called to get a pass, THE ANSWER WAS, '' THE KID WORKING FOR US IS HUNTING A BIG BUCK ON THE PLACE. NO ONE CAN HUNT UNTIL HE'S DONE.'' These people were my friends for many years, I started there son hunting. He killed his first duck out hunting w/me. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I told them it wasn't right to take my money and let your farm hand lock up the land. There not in the program anymore, but this whole thing pissed me off.
BTW, this kid is starting a guiding business. I grew up there and could have been the best guide the area had. But, I don't like the idea of locking up land, pissing off my neighbors and taking opportunities away from the Joe hunter and there kids. I take friends and kids hunting for free.   

[Jerbear]

Wacenturion I have to say that you don't see the overall picture.  Perhaps you are leaning toward being selfish.  To have biologists out there helping the hunter who helps support the program.  My My.  Then my friend, you would be taking away from other programs.  You know, like the 3 biologists down along the Columbia that do nothing but take care of The Western Pond Turtle, and the Oregon Spotted Frog. 
The next time you are compelled to submit such selfish thoughts, call me and we will work through it for you.  Your friend  Jerbear.

[Wacenturion]

Wacenturion I have to say that you don't see the overall picture.  Perhaps you are leaning toward being selfish.  To have biologists out there helping the hunter who helps support the program.  My My.  Then my friend, you would be taking away from other programs.  You know, like the 3 biologists down along the Columbia that do nothing but take care of The Western Pond Turtle, and the Oregon Spotted Frog. 
The next time you are compelled to submit such selfish thoughts, call me and we will work through it for you.  Your friend  Jerbear.

 

[jackelope]

I went this weekend and got contact info for 3 different land owners. I haven't called any of them yet but I will soon. I've never done it before so it should be interesting to see what comes of it.

[fullpipe77]

I was out driving and found a couple of hunt only with written permission.  I called the land owner and he was okay with me hunting on his land.  He asked for my name and wrote it down.  He also asked that I call him the day before I hunt his land

[dvolmer]

There are a few land owners that use the system the way it is and was set up for but for the most part it is a big joke!  Your tax and license money goes to pay for WDFW to post their land so the owner, his family, and close buddies can hunt.  Saves him the time and money to post his own lands and he has total control on who and how many people can hunt.  The Feel Free to Hunt program and the register program work well, but this program here in south eastern WA is a joke that we as hunters are flipping the bill for.   Now some will argue with me and there are some land owners that do it right but my Buddy who is a biologist for the state here in the Tri-Cities will tell you the game dept is getting tired of posting and patrolling ranchers land that have no intention of letting anyone hunt except close friends and family.  Good luck.

[cwuhunter]

how do you get their phone numbers to contact them?