Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

I follow an account on Instagram called "Identical Draw", it's twin brothers who are passionate hunters of both turkey and deer. They recently had a post/story on their page that showed an interesting way of requesting landowner permission to hunt. Basically, it looks like they find farms or property via e-scouting or seeing deer/turkeys from the road but instead of going directly to the landowners, they mail everyone of them a letter asking permission to hunt on their property. Just curious if anyone has tried this approach or what your thoughts are on it? It does cut out the rejection factor face to face as well as the possible aggressive landowner who may not like someone knocking on their door and asking to be allowed to hunt. By mailing a letter, if you don't hear back then it's probably an obvious no.

Ive done this several times. I usually dont get a return response. The one time I did, the landowner called me and thanked me for writing a detailed request.

He said he couldnt let hunt, because family members already hunted it.

I had put my phone number and email on the letter, so the owner did not have to snail mail a response.

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I too have knocked on doors. Mostly it's a no but sometimes it's a yes. The reason I prefer to ask in person is so I can "see" the response. I have been in sales for over z25 years and part of that is reading body language. It also allows one to ask additional questions based on the response. Just this year I asked to hunt a 40 acre cutover for deer. Initially the response was no. The reason was someone used to hunt it and shot deer and scared his momma. I followed this with "what if I use my bow and only bow hunt?"  His no became a yes and I have a new place to hunt.

Letters may allow you to ask more folks but a knock on the door will always be the better approach in my opinion.

Speaking as a property owner, I would not respond to a letter.  I expect a hunter looking to access my property to ask face to face.

Quote from: bobk on January 31, 2022, 05:44:05 PM
Speaking as a property owner, I would not respond to a letter.  I expect a hunter looking to access my property to ask face to face.

Same here.   Right in the trash with no response.   If I'm not worth your time to see me face to face then your not worth my time for me to read or respond to your letter. 

I'm in agreement if it was mine I'd want the face to face. I could see where you could get some yes answers with the letters but most of the time I'm looking to hunt that weekend or next day so really don't have the time for mail.


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I will say with the letters I sent, were about vacant land mear me and the owner lived out of state.

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They didn't go into detail so it may be that type of situation where it's not lived on land or it's land possibly on the other side the state they live in or possibly land in an adjoining state. However, I also see the land owner perspective of wanting to meet the person asking.   

I ain't got the face for face to face.


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I am in the boat with those throwing it in the trash. If it's winter it goes in the wood stove. My feelings are the same as they were before I retired towards job seekers. I got unsolicited e-mails and resumes in the mail all the time. They all went to the trash can immediately. Now you can call and ask and I'll suggest you stop by. Like I always told job seekers, if you can't show me the respect and motivation to come look me in the face then you ain't getting a job nor on my land.

I am not a property owner but if I were I would never give permission to someone if I could not meet the person face to face and size them up.

I am a property owner and would throw the request in the can.

I am on both sides as a landowner and on who is knocking on doors. For me all face to face, especially for anything local, farmers know each other and have gotten on to farms because of those connections.


MK M GOBL

One problem with trying to talk to a landowner face-to-face (which I agree everybody should do, if feasible) is actually FINDING that landowner to talk to him/her.  Anymore, there are just too many absentee landowners and/or the properties you want to ask about have no clear landowner to ask because they are in a jumble of mixed private-land ownership and have no clear residence to approach them. 

There are plenty of exceptions to that, of course, but there are also plenty of places where running down a landowner to ask for permission to hunt borders on being impossible.  On the other hand, if there is clear ownership of a property and it is not impractical to track the owners down, I think it is pretty much always better to risk the rejection (and possible dog bites) to approach them face-to-face. 

Here's a question for the landowners among us:  If a stranger tracks you down and asks permission to hunt your property, what are the chances you are going to let them?  (be honest now...)   ;D

Quote from: GobbleNut on February 01, 2022, 08:29:17 AM
Here's a question for the landowners among us:  If a stranger tracks you down and asks permission to hunt your property, what are the chances you are going to let them?  (be honest now...)   ;D

There is always a chance of me granting access to decent hunters that ask face to face.  Guys need to recognize that we pay taxes,  insurance,  maintenance cost, etc. on our property. Showing respect when you ask increases your odds.

I've begged and borrowed turkey hunting permission all of my life.  I have a secret weapon now to take up on the doorstep with me.... My own little Sweet Suzie Snood.

I've never wrote letters.  There's just too much ground to cover when it comes to hunting permission.  I need to shake a hand, discuss respectful use, perhaps offer any meat I am lucky enough to get, property lines, and any other special rules all right there on the spot.  I've also offered to help with chores or noticed things on the property as I've hunted that I can come back and help with.  Nowhere within 3 hrs. of Northeast Alabama is out of the question anymore, permission is tough to get nowadays around here and we're limited to two public land birds now.  Private permission is now as important as ever for me if I want to keep hunting... and I sure do.

I have asked permission using three different methods. my preferred is face to face but it depends on the circumstance. I used the written method once for the same reasons Upfold99 mentioned the owner lived out of state and my only way to contact that person was by letter. I have used a telephone call but this was with people I already knew and they knew me. Lastly as mentioned face to face.

Face to face.  I have said both yes and no to face to face and been told both yes and no.  Sometimes can only do phone, but usually get a yes where we hunt ducks and geese.  Could not find a number or a home place for a farmer this past year and actually used Facebook Messenger to find the feller.  He said the only reason he even replied was because we had a mutual friend from the area (a guy that had recently passed).  he gave us permission and we had a crazy good hunt and took him some birds.  Like most of the folks he was surprised we had already cleaned them and packaged them for him.  I have allowed fishing by phone, but hunting only when asked face to face.  I would round file a letter. 

My brother had some business cards printed for our hunting in Canada and out of state. He hands them to the owner and lets them know we are not outfitting and will never hunt again without first asking.  We still have a land owner in MS call us when geese show up to come shoot them!  We are meticulous about leaving no hulls behind when hunting.  Always offer game. 

Personally I don't ask and don't expect to hunt others property. That being said I have been offered by a decent amount of landowners that know me well and I still haven't hunted 80% of what I have been offered. Unless its someone I know really,really well I just don't feel right doing it. I am pretty picky about who I even hunt with these days and many don't even make the grade on that level. I completely understand landowners being very picky. Heck I just had some cocky, punk kid invite himself to turkey hunt with me this spring to hunt my public land spots. I just haven't figured out how far I am gonna let him go before I tell him where he can take that idea.

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Quote from: Happy on February 01, 2022, 04:42:50 PM
I just had some cocky, punk kid invite himself to turkey hunt with me this spring to hunt my public land spots. I just haven't figured out how far I am gonna let him go before I tell him where he can take that idea.

Gee, I guess that means you are not gonna take me after all?...  ;D

Gee, I guess that means you are not gonna take me after all?... 
Oh your good to go with me. Figure that there's a lot a fellow like you can teach me. Worse case scenario I will at least learn how to pontificate and sound like I know what I am doing.

Quote from: Happy on February 01, 2022, 05:07:02 PM
Gee, I guess that means you are not gonna take me after all?... 
Oh your good to go with me. Figure that there's a lot a fellow like you can teach me. Worse case scenario I will at least learn how to pontificate and sound like I know what I am doing.

oh, i think you have pontificating down pat

I was always taught that it was rude to show up to somebody's house unannounced. Showing up while somebody's trying to work or eat is a good way to get sent off where i grew up.
So i guess I'm in the minority that thinks it is better to at least call or write to somebody first. There's nothing saying that you can't have a face to face after you agree upon a time and a place. Now the only time I've hunted off family property was by invitation without asking so take everything i say with a grain of salt.

Odd.  I usually enjoy both Happy and Gobblenuts posts and have never felt talked down to by either.  Never felt like either one was bragging or preaching. 

Down here in Mississippi you can ask all you want but you will never get a yes. Leasing is very popular here. Any place that has a bird to hunt is being hunted.

References are a very helpful thing as well, if another landowner can speak for you it helps a lot.

On another note, now I have a big question...how do you  hunt with a pontif?  :TooFunny: :help: :goofball:

That is the question Eggshell. On a serious note. I have interacted and known many landowners and I will say that at least around here you had better know them pretty well if you hope to stand much of a chance. I honestly can't blame them. For I have a good friend who has several hundred acres that she hasn't allowed anyone on ever in the 40 years that she has owned it. I have heard the stories of trespassers and people cussing her when she told them no. She even had her brother in law arrested for trying to sneak in and hunt. A lot of people dislike her because of it. But I have helped her and her husband with projects around the farm, hung out with them and become friends. I now have have unlimited access for everything but deer and turkey. But truth be told I don't shoot anything but coyotes, coons ect and never will. She isn't anti hunting but she likes having wildlife around. I think if many actually took the time to actually know the landowners and have a friendship it would make them much more comfortable extending those invitations. That and actually show that you care about wildlife and aren't just there to kill stuff. The image that many put off is just a bit embarrassing.

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Quote from: eggshell on February 02, 2022, 07:00:42 AM
References are a very helpful thing as well, if another landowner can speak for you it helps a lot.

On another note, now I have a big question...how do you  hunt with a pontif?  :TooFunny: :help: :goofball:

I would like to clear this up by pontifying that I am not a pontif, but I am a self-proclaimed expert at pontification!  Now, whether anybody wants to believe what I pontify about, that is up to them...but I would do it with the proverbial "grain of salt". 

Now, what were we discussing?....Oh yeah, getting landowner permission.  I would just like to pontificate one last time (well, maybe not) on this subject and make this general statement to all here:  if you happen to be a landowner and have turkeys to hunt...and would like to hear me pontificate in person...please feel free to invite me over!   ;D :angel9:

Pontificating on another mans property is a good way to not get invited back.   Especially if you're upwind from his house.

I don't ask for permission much anymore. Maybe from a few people I know. Back when I had the Brittany permission was almost a necessity if I wanted to get on some roosters. Back then I found it extremely helpful to have a plat book along. Onx will give the same info as the plat book.

When knocking on the doors I would always ask for the land owner by name and than introduce myself. It seemed most were surprised I knew thier names and most seemed to be put at ease. Not sure but maybe asking for the land owner by name shows you have put some due diligence into your effort and your not just a slob hunter.

Also look respectable. Wear decent clothes. Don't have the 5 o'clock shadow 3 days later. Be clean shaven or at least trimmed up nice and neat. If I were a land owner and somebody came to me looking for permission, His general appearance would play a big role as to whether not it was granted. If a guy shows up looking like Rambo after going at with the commies for a week chances are I m going to say move along. Not saying it's a fool proof method but it is a decent way to get your foot in the door.

Most of the farms around here have a designated area for pontificating. Its called the manure pit.

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