Novice asking for advice on approaching private LO

[Ruggerbob]

New here but have come across your forum when searching for hunting tips in the past. I attempted to search this topic first but as a novice hunter that lives near the city, does anyone have advice on how to approach private landowners (or maybe as valuable “what not to do’s”) to ask if I could hunt deer or turkey on their land. Start with turkey maybe as the gateway?

 

[Werty]

Dress appropriate, speak clearly, archery is a gateway weapon to get on properties. People aren't as afraid of them.
If they give you access to part of there property, be happy. Remember, they don't have any idea if your a safe hunter or not.

My call generally sounds like this. " Hi, my name is _____! I am interested in hunting your property for blank. Do you allow people to hunt your property? " I listen for concerns that they might have, like gun or bow, no hunting certain days. If they have livestock, you need to address that you know they have animals and you are very careful. Hope this helps. Remember every No, leads to a yes.

 

[MallardSX2]

Personally, I would start with trapping coyotes for a year or so and go from there.

I used to get a lot of permission to hunt deer because I shot woodchucks and a lot of them on peoples property.

Some landowners would only let me and me alone shoot the woodchucks because they tried letting other guys hunt and they boomed it up for an hour with their 22-250's and got 2-3. I would hunt with my .22 and shoot over 20 in a single night. I real woodchuck ninja I was when I was a young buck....

It got me a lot of access. Perhaps there is some kind of predator control you could do for trade.

One thing I have learned is dont waste too much time trying to appease any given landowner. If they dont warm up to you in the first few months of interaction, move on because your likely wasting your time and will be disappointed.

Most of my deer access came after I killed around 50 woodchucks. Thats when I would set the hook.

Also, ladder work will sometimes get you permission. People hate working on ladders cleaning gutters.

In GA no amount of anything other than pure green money will get you on most properties. Which is sad but its the way it works here.

 

[Ruggerbob]

Personally, I would start with trapping coyotes for a year or so and go from there.

I used to get a lot of permission to hunt deer because I shot woodchucks and a lot of them on peoples property.

Some landowners would only let me and me alone shoot the woodchucks because they tried letting other guys hunt and they boomed it up for an hour with their 22-250's and got 2-3. I would hunt with my .22 and shoot over 20 in a single night. I real woodchuck ninja I was when I was a young buck....

It got me a lot of access. Perhaps there is some kind of predator control you could do for trade.

One thing I have learned is dont waste too much time trying to appease any given landowner. If they dont warm up to you in the first few months of interaction, move on because your likely wasting your time and will be disappointed.

Most of my deer access came after I killed around 50 woodchucks. Thats when I would set the hook.

Also, ladder work will sometimes get you permission. People hate working on ladders cleaning gutters.

In GA no amount of anything other than pure green money will get you on most properties. Which is sad but its the way it works here.

I can certainly shimmy up a ladder and I don’t mind doing other outdoor chores for the most part.

 

[Ruggerbob]

Dress appropriate, speak clearly, archery is a gateway weapon to get on properties. People aren't as afraid of them.
If they give you access to part of there property, be happy. Remember, they don't have any idea if your a safe hunter or not.

My call generally sounds like this. " Hi, my name is _____! I am interested in hunting your property for blank. Do you allow people to hunt your property? " I listen for concerns that they might have, like gun or bow, no hunting certain days. If they have livestock, you need to address that you know they have animals and you are very careful. Hope this helps. Remember every No, leads to a yes.

Dress appropriately is good advice. I suppose best not to show up full camo...thanks

 

[SummitsCalling]

You'd be surprised how many people will just say yes if you ask. When I lived in Texas, my buddy and I wanted to shoot hogs, but lots of people wanted you to pay for the privleage of cleaning up their problem. Hah, fat chance. Was at the sporting goods store, an older farmer was there buying ammo complaining about hogs on his property. Low and behold, offered to go and trap/shoot everyone we could find on the weekends and got access to literally thousands of acres for free (gas quickly became our biggest expensive) He told his friend and we got more access, which then rolled over to being able to shoot deer. The per gun cost in texas was overpriced then for deer and still is now today. For a bucket of .223, some gas, we had more then we could handle, let alone we could never afford that type of access we enjoyed for solving someone's problem.

 

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

Go before season opens and yes not in camo. What state are you hunting?

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I have had great success by offering chores as trade...and not just before hunting season.

 

[NevadaZielmeister]

Ah yes, Turkeys, the gateway drug to the hunting addiction.

That said, I am thinking about making a resume with important information, my qualifications, and what I will do in return. I can offer to watch their property, explain when I arrive and leave, and point out any other hazards that would reduce their liability exposure.

 

[Fowler530]

Welcome to Rokslide! Looks like you’ve already received some solid advice. Good luck!!

 

[Aaron Warpony]

My opinion:
Don't- show up with a lifted muddy 4x4, flat billed hat, and bragging about how great you are at hunting. -most of my experiences with people asking. Honesty goes a long ways. I've had alot of people ask to hunt on our property and brought their kid with the sad eyes only to go hunt with their beer drinkin buddies while the kid was in school. I would leave the kid in the truck and just be nice. If they say no, don't be surprised or offended. Being nice will go a long ways

 

[Justin Crossley]

Like others have said, dress nice, be polite, and I think most importantly ask long before the season. My buddy and I have spent over 20 years building relationships with farmers in our state and would take at least one trip if not more every summer to knock on doors and make sure we were set for season. We started out getting permission to hunt coyotes and pheasants and as the years went on (like 10 years later) we were allowed to start hunting deer on some of the ranches.

 

[TSAMP]

I think the best scenario with highest odds is actually spending time driving around the area. Seeing them outside and approaching. I hate getting calls or knocks on the door from strangers. You've already inconvenienced me at that point. The bonus of pulling up as they are out and about is you may be able to offer assistance immediately. I was parked on my phone looking at onx this year after a failed stalk on a antelope hunt( it crossed into private) when I saw a 4 wheeler approaching the road. I jumped out and got the gate for him so he didn't have to dismount and we chatted. I got access to his 3k acres.

Also on that note. Generally approaching land owners who have land adjacent to public is a waste of time.. As they have been pestered to death in most scenarios.

 

[JDTx]

We own a place a few hundred miles away. Once I received a nice handwritten letter from a guy inquiring about hunting on that property. It was brief and to the point with his contact information. If it wasn't for already leasing the land for livestock I would have been inclined to get to know him.