Now that the end of my season in Nebraska is 2 weeks away, I've got a newbie question. I've been fortunate to have a few landowners let me hunt their land. They have all said they didn't want anything when I offered, but I'd like to do something to show my appreciation, and hopefully, stay in good graces for next year.
Any advice on something to do for them? I was thinking I couldn't go wrong with a gift card of some kind, but what's the right amount? $25, $50? I don't want to insult them but don't want to break the bank either. Any recommendations are appreciated.
Most years I get the land owners that let me hunt either a $25 gift card or a nice ham from a local store. They always seem to appreciate it and they always allow me back the next year. I don't think it has as much to do with the amount you spend as it does just showing some sign or gesture of appreciation. Kind of a good example of the, "it's the thought that counts", principal.
A nice card or letter with a heartfelt expression of gratitude is a good place to start. An offer to help out around the place for a day or two during the offseason is another nice addition. If that is not practical, then a $50 gift card to a nice area restaurant,...or something similar,...included with the card or letter,...would be appropriate, I think.
As a land owner help is always nice!
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I always offer to help out. Neither of the guys that let me hunt have ever asked for any help but I try to check in with them periodically to see if they need anything.
Honey Baked Ham. Never met anyone who doesn't love 'em.
wait until closer to next turkey season. A nice present / thank you gift around Christmas is nice. It good to offer help on the farm every time you see him
If they drink bourbon, I'll buy them a bottle of Booker's or I'll get them a $150.00 gift certificate to one of the nicer restaurants in the area.
You can't put a price on good hunting. Especially when it's free. Anytime I hear someone mention "not breaking the bank" I wonder if they've considered what lease prices are in their area and how much they might be paying if they had to lease that ground. I also wonder if they've considered how much hunting contributes to their happiness and if $25.00 is an adequate representation of appreciation.
Quote from: VaTuRkStOmPeR on May 15, 2016, 06:16:20 PM
If they drink bourbon, I'll buy them a bottle of Booker's or I'll get them a $150.00 gift certificate to one of the nicer restaurants in the area.
You can't put a price on good hunting. Especially when it's free. Anytime I hear someone mention "not breaking the bank" I wonder if they've considered what lease prices are in their area and how much they might be paying if they had to lease that ground. I also wonder if they've considered how much hunting contributes to their happiness and if $25.00 is an adequate representation of appreciation.
Well said.
Ol' boy may let you hunt for free, but if someone walks in and offers him a thousand dollars you want him to be thinking, man, you know, old so and so gets me a nice honey baked ham fro Christmas every year and I sure appreciate that .
Even though the farms I hunt the landowner doesn't want anything I give them a 30 pack of their favorite beer and help around the farm. The ones that do not drink get a gift card and thank you cards plus I drop in on them to just talk.Just having someone new to bounce problems off or talk about daily life is all some people need to give them a nice lift. I do this even if I don't hunt their property that season.
Give them a 25 dollar gift card and 5 dollars in lottery tickets. Everyone like to try and win something and you never know one might win 20, 50, 100, or more..lot of fun. That's what i do..
Great ideas. Appreciate the input.
I usually end up getting them a nice quality pocket knife. They will always have that and remember you afterwards.
Some of my landowners like wildgame so that what they get. Snacksticks, bologna, sweet cured deer ham an of course some fresh deer loin or roast. Another likes wild turkey so a breast goes that way every year. Flounder plentiful here so fillets often make it as a gift too but if the're not into the wild thing then a restaurant gift card would be a pleaser for anybody.
Quote from: maytom on May 15, 2016, 07:32:40 PM
I usually end up getting them a nice quality pocket knife. They will always have that and remember you afterwards.
Great suggestion and very thoughtful gift.
Although I don't have any turkeys on my land I do have deer and I let guys hunt. The biggest thank you that I can get is someone offering to help out with the work. I usually turn them down with a "thanks for offering", but the fact that they offer a hand and are willing to says a lot. A bottle of good whiskey or a case of good beer is a close second though! LOL!!
One of the farmers that lets me deer hunt only wanted deer slim-jims,gave them to him for years,come to find out he didn't even eat them they went straight to his grandson.
Another older lady that let me hunt just wanted fish (bream),no fillets she wanted them gutted and scaled so she could pan fry them whole like her mom made them when she was growing up.
Another likes fall mushrooms,so I make it point to drop some off to him first batch I find.
A few years ago me and a buddy of mine knocked on a farmers door out west and he gave us permission to hunt for the week,and we had a great time.
So one day before heading home we stopped and talked to his wife and got his coat size and sent him a really nice carhartt coat,with a thank you card for christmas.
I think most landowners are happy for anything that shows you appreciate them letting you hunt.
Greg
I too believe it's the thought that counts. I've taken a grocery sack with a couple 2 liters of Pepsi and a few bags of chips. Something the whole family enjoys and rembers me.
Guy lets me hunt deer and turkey on him. I usually give his twin daughters $20 I tune gift cards at Christmas. One year I mounted a fan display and gave to him. He still talks about that.
Another family used to let me hunt they really liked it when I fried up a bunch of crappie and delivered it to them. That's always a win/win!
Boudin, cracklins, fresh shrimp/seafood. Community coffee. A lot of times when we go up north we bring them stuff they can't easily get up there.
One of my buddies loves......whiskey!!! So whiskey he gets!!!!
Quote from: Tomfoolery on May 15, 2016, 09:50:32 PM
Boudin, cracklins, fresh shrimp/seafood. Community coffee. A lot of times when we go up north we bring them stuff they can't easily get up there.
I have a buddy that lost an amazing farm in KS to some southern boys who were offering boudin and shrimp. Mighta been you guys. ;D
Not us haha. That was for pheasant hunting. But making the trip north next year for turkeys with ice chest loaded.
I've done a ham and the restaurant gift card is another good option.
Quote from: Tomfoolery on May 15, 2016, 09:50:32 PM
Boudin, cracklins, fresh shrimp/seafood. Community coffee. A lot of times when we go up north we bring them stuff they can't easily get up there.
Yep, if you are from Louisiana, you better bring some local seafood... It is expected of us. My cousins from the north shore bring an ice chest slam packed with shrimp each time they come up for deer. They get a free pass to kill any 2 deer they would like.
I vacuum pack a few turkey breasts and fillet a bunch of fish caught from the land owners farm to thank him!!! He loves getting his freezer filled up....
Quote from: Chilly on May 16, 2016, 09:40:44 AM
I vacuum pack a few turkey breasts and fillet a bunch of fish caught from the land owners farm to thank him!!! He loves getting his freezer filled up....
Yes sir. I'll just make a few extra trips to stock up on shrimp for the trip. I always have a few extra packs for bartering goods. Hard to beat fresh shrimp.
If they are a drinker you can't beat a nice bottle of liquor, Christmas cards, and offering to help. We had an old rancher that used to let us work dogs on his land, he liked quail so we never shot any but the ground to train on was incredible. We never showed up without 2 bottles of black Jack Daniels and a few packs of cigars. Always sent him something at Christmas. He died, now a big corporation owns the ranch, probably will never set foot on that place again. Take care of the people that let you hunt, because there's very few left that will.
We cook gator meat, cheese grits and fried wild turkey every year for a farmer and his friends in Canada every year where we duck hunt (we've done all kinds of cooks, but they ask for that every year). We also keep him well supplied in what he calls "spotting fluid" (beer).
In MS, we tend to take Florida things (cane syrup, oranges, orange blossom honey, locally made jams/jellies).
I love the idea of the pocket knife. That is like a flashlight, can always use another.
Sounds like taking the time to find out about what they like, what you have access to and making the effort is the way to go.
In my home range, I worked the ranchers cows every year to deer hunt his place. Preg checked, vaccinated and dewormed them every year. He passed and I quit deer hunting, but that was always a fun days work.
I asked the main land owner I turkey hunt on if I owed him anything just like I always do and he replied, "you owe me to kill some crop eating does off this place this fall". I'll be glad to pay that debt!
Gave them some country ham and jellies one year!
The farmer where my wife and I hunt gets homemade jelly, fresh fish, a Christmas ham with a gift card to the local ag supply store. We also send pictures of us deer hunting or trail cam pictures of neat animals from his land.
Asking for permission now is like going and talking to an old friend and he told me to quit asking if I can hunt. He said the farm is yours and if you need anything let me know.
Quote from: wisconsinteacher on May 16, 2016, 02:06:36 PM
The farmer where my wife and I hunt gets homemade jelly, fresh fish, a Christmas ham with a gift card to the local ag supply store. We also send pictures of us deer hunting or trail cam pictures of neat animals from his land.
Asking for permission now is like going and talking to an old friend and he told me to quit asking if I can hunt. He said the farm is yours and if you need anything let me know.
You are doing it right. I applaud you for taking care of them, even if you could 'get away with' spending less, you are showing them their hospitality has great value to you.
Well done sir, from a fellow Badger.
Take a photograph of a special place on the ranch/farm and commission Flintlock to do a drawing for them.He has done 6-8 for me over the years and always goes well.
I make blue bird houses and put a few out for them.
They usually talk about those everytime im out there!
As a landowner, I haven't read a bad idea on this thread! You guys are without a doubt doing it right!
Quote from: gotcha on May 16, 2016, 05:38:57 PM
Take a photograph of a special place on the ranch/farm and commission Flintlock to do a drawing for them.He has done 6-8 for me over the years and always goes well.
What a great idea!
Quote from: gotcha on May 16, 2016, 05:38:57 PM
Take a photograph of a special place on the ranch/farm and commission Flintlock to do a drawing for them.He has done 6-8 for me over the years and always goes well.
How do you go about getting in touch with flintlock?
Quote from: Farmboy27 on May 15, 2016, 08:12:37 PM
Although I don't have any turkeys on my land I do have deer and I let guys hunt. The biggest thank you that I can get is someone offering to help out with the work. I usually turn them down with a "thanks for offering", but the fact that they offer a hand and are willing to says a lot. A bottle of good whiskey or a case of good beer is a close second though! LOL!!
Indeed!
Quote from: Chilly on May 16, 2016, 09:28:13 PM
Quote from: gotcha on May 16, 2016, 05:38:57 PM
Take a photograph of a special place on the ranch/farm and commission Flintlock to do a drawing for them.He has done 6-8 for me over the years and always goes well.
How do you go about getting in touch with flintlock?
He is on this site from time to time.Message him,you won't regret it.
Depending on your location, a quart of pure maple syrup goes a long ways. Guys out east it's very prevalent, out west not so much.
The landowner next to us we let farm our tillable ground for free and cut what hay he wants. Its worked out great for both of us as we also end up with free food plots every year. Other landowners(plus the neighbors) get invited to a turkey/fish fry every year. They always ask what they can bring and my response is "you already provided the meat"
Quote from: Farmboy27 on May 16, 2016, 08:34:07 PM
As a landowner, I haven't read a bad idea on this thread! You guys are without a doubt doing it right!
You guys are top notch. We've been burned a couple a times. It's nice to know that there are still respectful people out there. Hats off to you all!
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A hand-written letter of thanx... Make sure it is a sincere expression of your gratitude for allowing you to hunt.
I always try to have some friendly conversation with land-owners, and I make an attempt to contact them outside of the hunting season as well. During these conversations I probe them for their interests.
If they enjoy beer, I might buy them one of those beer club memberships (where they are sent a different bottle of beer every month). If they enjoy golf, maybe some golf balls or a magazine subscription for golfing magazine. I have also bought subscriptions in the past for Sport's Illustrated... I like the idea of them getting something from me every month and thinking of me... Makes it a lot easier when I approach them next season for permission.
Knives are great gifts, but there is a lot of superstition behind a knife. You should ask them for 2ยข or some other token amount of money to purchase the knife. Superstition says that in giving someone a knife you will sever the friendship. More people than I would have thought are sensitive to this superstition to some degree.
Here's a gift I gave this year to a landowner. The property I hunt is their vacation home named "Christopher's Run" after a late family member. I ordered them a personalized hanging bottle opener with the name of the property, the name of the family, and the year they purchased the land on it.
(http://i470.photobucket.com/albums/rr70/WackEmStackEm/7a425ed6-42a8-4e7b-acac-bab54129cba8_zpslmk3k5jg.jpg) (http://s470.photobucket.com/user/WackEmStackEm/media/7a425ed6-42a8-4e7b-acac-bab54129cba8_zpslmk3k5jg.jpg.html)