Getting land to hunt

[redleg06]

Look at it this way.... If you go ask a farmer for permission, it's true that they may say no but you might get a yes.

But, if you dont drive up and ask, what are the chances of the farmer randomly looking up your cell phone number one day and calling you, begging to have you hunt his place?   

Moral to the story being that if you dont ask, you wont get permission.

[wareagle99]

Look at it this way.... If you go ask a farmer for permission, it's true that they may say no but you might get a yes.

But, if you dont drive up and ask, what are the chances of the farmer randomly looking up your cell phone number one day and calling you, begging to have you hunt his place?   

Moral to the story being that if you dont ask, you wont get permission.

thats right...you have not because you ask not.  Great topic.  I just went through this today.  I've got land to hunt and am always looking for more.  Permission is a little like money.  The more you have the easier it is to get more.  I've been in Middle TN for almost 12 years now and I just now am getting the good hunting spots.  Today I stopped and talked to a dairy farmer that I had never met.  I just walked up and knocked on the door....BUT, first I did my homework,  I spent a few day on the phone trying to find out who he knew that I knew, and anything else I could about him.  I had aireal photos of his property i printed off the internet, and tried to be as prepared and informed as I could.  This time, I just happened to go to church with the manager of the Co-op where he buys feed, and happen to hunt on another dairy farmer that he knows.  When you can use familiar names it goes a long way to build a comfort level between you and someone you just met....I'm not generally a name dropper, but in a situation like this you really need to find something in common and sometimes who you know is a good start...Oh yea and pray hard on your way to meet him....it went well for me today.  Access to 900+ acres of turkey infested property. Saw 30+ longbeards in one group today while talking to the landowner and over 100 turkeys total...Its a crazy good place. 

[socalturkeyman]

Ya I would have to say thats the problem I have,is driving on to the land. So many ppl dont take a lliking to that much. I know I dont like it much.But talkin to them really doesnt bother me to much. I like talking anyway.lol

[Roostem33]

I don't mind asking at all, I stopped and talked to a guy 2 weeks ago. He didn't want anybody shooting on his land, so my next question is can I bow hunt here. The gentleman looked at me and said oh yea you can bow hunt all you want. I have never killed one with a bow but i might this year and its only a mile from my house.

[gob09]

where's uncle rick on this he's a permission getting professional

[redleg06]

Like mentioned earlier, I like to be able to have done a little "homework" beforehand if possible so I can say something to get the conversation going in the right direction.

Obviously you dont want to drive up to the front door, park your muddy truck in their yard and go up to the door in full camo and a gun on your shoulder and toss out the old...." Hey man, there's a bunch of birds out in your pasture, you care if I hop your fence and try to bust a few heads???" 

So what do you say to a farmer you've never met to break the ice and try to get the conversation started?

[Muskie03]

I have over 20 farms I hunt here in MN. A little more than 6,500 acres. I've talked to alot of farmers.  The VERY FIRST thing you need to do is introduce yourself, your full name. Then start a conversation with them. If you can have a 5 minute conversation with them before you ask permission your odds will definately increase. You gotta give them the chance to start to like you, let them see who you are otherwise they might pass assumptions and tell you NO.
Get in with one farmer and use that to your advantage to get permission from the neighboring farms. You'll be surprised how far one farmers name will go.
There are certain farmers I spend time working for doing things like catch and tag calves, pick rock outta fields, clean garbage up around the barns, mending fences. Heck I even take time outta one of my hunting days and help setup for a church youth rally.

Some small tips: Don't wear sunglasses, take off your hat. Wear clothes that aren't flashy. Use the words Sir and Mam.

And the very most important thing I have saved for last. GET A PLATT MAP BOOK!!!!!!!!!! If you can knock on a door and say "Hi Mr. Johnson my name is Nik Zewers, how are you doing today?" Your a step ahead.

I can count on one hand how many times I've been turned down. I've gotten permission when the farmer tells her boys they cant hunt tomorrow because I'm gonna be out there. Or "normally we dont let anybody but I think it would be okay for you to go". Or Mr Butruff tells me he hasn't let any one hunt for 20 years because he had some hunters leave beer cans and wreck a couple of fences, but I can go out. 

Alot of these farmers don't see many people other than in town, if you can be good company for 5 or 10 minutes you might be surprised where you will be hunting this spring.

[kyhareraiser]

  ahhh..being a door to door salesman,ain't so bad,,,,i've sole the kirby vac and retired from being a door to door ins.salesman ,ooooooooh  ..i've had people run up the hill,behind the bard and thru the creek thinking i was the law,,i'd just yell,,come back..i'm no law .i'm worse....i'm a ins. salesman.that would usually lighten things up..but i've learned one thing out of it, people can read a fake faster than you can say hi'  i'm _ _ _ _ _ from whereever..(can't you) so when you try being something or someone you are not they will know..juwst be yourself and you will get farther with getting hunting land.. really i canvassed for hunting permission ,,i just sold ins. on the side .lol       also,,bad news travels alot faster than good news ,so if you get a piece of property to hunt on be nice to the people ..just a little christmas gift to show appreciation goes along way plus the offering to help with anything they ned done and it never hurts to just stop by and chat even if hunting season is't in if you are in the area..   my two cents worth

[wvboy]

If you have young kids.. take them with you when you ask .. My percentage of getting permission went way up after I had kids and starting taking them along when they were 5 years old.  Old farmers love kids and it's puts them more at ease I think.

[BowBendr]

I've never really just pulled up in a driveway and asked. I live in a smallish type area and people just get to knowing people. I always happen to meet people thru other activities.

I play guitar and most everybody around the mountains plays something, and most friday and saturday nights find folks getting together to play in various places. Music draws people from all over, people talk, people drink, people talk some more.....then I ask.

Got another couple hundred acres to bird hunt last saturday by just dropping in to pick with a boy at his house while I was in the area. Saw about 6o birds out the window while we were pickin' and just asked about it and got sole permission...but I knew the birds were there.......

[wvboy]

I've never really just pulled up in a driveway and asked. I live in a smallish type area and people just get to knowing people. I always happen to meet people thru other activities.

I miss those days.. where I grew up it is still like that in WV .. small commnunity I either know them went to church with them or had worked for most of them growing up at some point and permission was and still is easy to get.

But that doesn't happen where I make a living now .. suburb of D.C.  .. people are funny up here, most of the land owners didn't grow up on the place they own now.. they are City folk who made their money elsewhere then moved to a bigger place in the country outside of the big City .. so they don't know or understand the hunting tradition and they sure don't socialize with their neighbors much.. so getting permission is hard and you have to use different tactics to get it accomplished..

[vicksburg]

I have over 20 farms I hunt here in MN. A little more than 6,500 acres. I've talked to alot of farmers.  The VERY FIRST thing you need to do is introduce yourself, your full name. Then start a conversation with them. If you can have a 5 minute conversation with them before you ask permission your odds will definately increase. You gotta give them the chance to start to like you, let them see who you are otherwise they might pass assumptions and tell you NO.
Get in with one farmer and use that to your advantage to get permission from the neighboring farms. You'll be surprised how far one farmers name will go.
There are certain farmers I spend time working for doing things like catch and tag calves, pick rock outta fields, clean garbage up around the barns, mending fences. Heck I even take time outta one of my hunting days and help setup for a church youth rally.

Some small tips: Don't wear sunglasses, take off your hat. Wear clothes that aren't flashy. Use the words Sir and Mam.

And the very most important thing I have saved for last. GET A PLATT MAP BOOK!!!!!!!!!! If you can knock on a door and say "Hi Mr. Johnson my name is Nik Zewers, how are you doing today?" Your a step ahead.

I can count on one hand how many times I've been turned down. I've gotten permission when the farmer tells her boys they cant hunt tomorrow because I'm gonna be out there. Or "normally we dont let anybody but I think it would be okay for you to go". Or Mr Butruff tells me he hasn't let any one hunt for 20 years because he had some hunters leave beer cans and wreck a couple of fences, but I can go out. 

Alot of these farmers don't see many people other than in town, if you can be good company for 5 or 10 minutes you might be surprised where you will be hunting this spring.

Good advice.  I have been on several out of state trips blind, and just ride till i see birds and stop at the nearest house and eventually get permission. Like Muskie, i can count on 1 hand the number of times i have been told no...It may be because i'm so good looking though! 

[lohaus]

I research the land on the County tax roles.  Our county has the parcels and the owners and links to satellite picture with boundaries.  Then I match it up with Google earth to get an idea about boundaries.  That way when we talk land I can say that tree line, the creek there or what not.  Plus, it always helps to have kids with you.  I bring my boy and make sure he shakes hands.  No hats/sunglasses/camo.  I won't hesitate to name drop either. . .especially when it is good people or people that have had permission in the past.  'So and so said to stop by and ask'.

I've found the farmers aren't too fond of turkeys and want you to take more then one of those 'feathered rats'.  I hope it helps.

[sodfather]

Some of you were saying that you can count on one hand how many times you were told no, but I think people are just as scared telling you no than you hearing no. Did I just type that, does that make sence.