Finding private ground for hogs?

[spraguejoe]

Not asking for anyone's secrets... But for those that hunt hogs in the off seasons, what's your best outlets to find private ground or connecting with someone wanting hogs removed. I mainly hunt Oklahoma public ground now and that's all fine. Just would like to be able to bait and or use my thermal etc. and capitalize on some when I get a little time off. I know hitting the road and talking to folks face to face is always best but a bit difficult when you're several hours away. The Oklahoma DNR used to have a site that linked hunters with landowners but that doesn't appear to have been active for some time. I know I could do the outfitter deal just not inerested in the high fence thing or the places that have tons of guys on it week after week. Thanks in advance for any tips your willing to share!

 

[Bubblehide]

I've traded skilled work for hunting.

 

[Hoghead]

I live in California so it might be different were you are. If I talk to 100 land owners I expect to hear no 99 times It took a long time to get a good reputation and good dogs but now with those 2 things it's a lot easier. If you hunt any private ground ask that land owner if you can use them as a reference sometimes that will help. I find face to face is best and don't BS about how good you are. I find genuine straight forward and honest works best. Remember most land owners make there living on that land they need to know that you know and respect that. Don't sound desperate or needy. Remember ranches are hard to come by but harder to keep. Good luck.

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[robtattoo]

Put on a clean shirt & jeans, drive down every back road you can & knock on every door.
I've found a lot of times that if one person says yes, you can mention that to the adjoining landowners & you'll often end up with 4 or 5 connected farms. Especially if you're in a big problem area with cattle. Get on OnX, or similar, & find out the landowner's names ahead of time. Greeting someone by their name gives you a fairly hefty headstart.

You might have to knock 50 doors before you get any kind of traction, but who cares. You just keep doing it.

Worst that can happen is you waste a day or 2.

A buddy of mine in Lake Jackson, TX was asking my advice on this & I told him the self same thing. He put a few days off into it & now has 8 contiguous properties totalling a shade over 600 acres to play with. He's done a bit of fence mending, here & there & helps out with cattle feeding if he's around while they're doing it, but other than that he has 24/7 access. Getting all the owners together for a big wild hog roast one Saturday didn't hurt his reputation either.

 

[spraguejoe]

I live in California so it might be different were you are. If I talk to 100 land owners I expect to hear no 99 times It took a long time to get a good reputation and good dogs but now with those 2 things it's a lot easier. If you hunt any private ground ask that land owner if you can use them as a reference sometimes that will help. I find face to face is best and don't BS about how good you are. I find genuine straight forward and honest works best. Remember most land owners make there living on that land they need to know that you know and respect that. Don't sound desperate or needy. Remember ranches are hard to come by but harder to keep. Good luck.

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Agreed on all accounts! Exactly how I operate too. I'm a landowner, farmer, rancher and I don't want my stuff leased out to the big hunting outfits either. Have had plenty of run ins where they overbooked hunts and trespassed on me to accomdate thier bookings... One had the gall to tell me that it won't happen next year they will have more land to accommodate thier hunters. You can guess how that comment went over-- not even a "oh we got turned around excuse". A yep we did it and have no problem doing it kinda deal. Well they are no longer in operation in my neck of the woods.

 

[spraguejoe]

Put on a clean shirt & jeans, drive down every back road you can & knock on every door.
I've found a lot of times that if one person says yes, you can mention that to the adjoining landowners & you'll often end up with 4 or 5 connected farms. Especially if you're in a big problem area with cattle. Get on OnX, or similar, & find out the landowner's names ahead of time. Greeting someone by their name gives you a fairly hefty headstart.

You might have to knock 50 doors before you get any kind of traction, but who cares. You just keep doing it.

Worst that can happen is you waste a day or 2.

A buddy of mine in Lake Jackson, TX was asking my advice on this & I told him the self same thing. He put a few days off into it & now has 8 contiguous properties totalling a shade over 600 acres to play with. He's done a bit of fence mending, here & there & helps out with cattle feeding if he's around while they're doing it, but other than that he has 24/7 access. Getting all the owners together for a big wild hog roast one Saturday didn't hurt his reputation either.

For sure!! Ya figured that's going to be the only way. Just going to have to go down and spend a couple days I guess.

Just didn't know if there was any specific forums or places people were posting etc that were connecting hunters and landowners.

 

[Wvroach]

Put on a clean shirt & jeans, drive down every back road you can & knock on every door.
I've found a lot of times that if one person says yes, you can mention that to the adjoining landowners & you'll often end up with 4 or 5 connected farms. Especially if you're in a big problem area with cattle. Get on OnX, or similar, & find out the landowner's names ahead of time. Greeting someone by their name gives you a fairly hefty headstart.

You might have to knock 50 doors before you get any kind of traction, but who cares. You just keep doing it.

Worst that can happen is you waste a day or 2.

This approach has worked well for me for metal detecting as well.

Chances are if the property owner has hog problems they will let you on.