Permission to Hunt

[phade]

Earlier this year, there was a pretty big thread on getting or obtaining permission. In it, there was a fair amount of discussion of how to go about doing it. Some people knock on doors, some call, some write. Some do all three at one point or another - and that's the best approach imo.

 

A case in point, I got a call last night about a letter I wrote and sent in the summer of 2012. 2012! The gentleman is going to grant me permission now on his farm. It's not the first time a letter has resulted in permission a long ways down the road, I've had some as far back a 6-8 mos., but this is the latest. I think the thing to take out of this is to have something physical to leave behind, whether in-person or via letter. Printing out some short business card size "resumes" or contact info could go a long way after the knock on the door.

 

Don't give up, if you aren't finding the places to hunt.

[First-light]

That is great. Yea leaving something behind sure does help. 

[Five Seasons]

my wife got this cool card from the DEC during her safety courses. It's call an "ask" card or something. Provides a copy to land owner and hunter that everything is cool and absolves some liability. I googled it and cant find details, but i thought it was a pretty good idea for land owners who don't want to be held liable.

[BUCKANDAQUARTER]

I called a lady up last year to ask if I could hunt her land (which borders the property I already hunt) in exchange for updating posted signs or other odd jobs. she was very rude  and said she already had two people on her 150 acres. I started to say "thank you for your time" and she had already hung up on me. her signs were updated last weekend and say her last name and town name along with 2013-14-15-16. I think I might try a letter and what exactly I could help her with (I am a carpenter). it is only about two acres on the deepest portion of her land where nobody goes. if I can get that across to her that it is a very small area with not much impact and potentially a lot for her to gain just maybe she'd have the letter to review in case she needed a small job done... Another parcel I wanted to hunt I wrote a nice letter and placed it in their mailbox. it stated I had hunted their land through the previous owner and that I would post it or help out with odd jobs in exchange for hunting. he called me back and was blown away by my letter but reluctantly declined my offer as they wanted privacy... but that land is now up for sale! a tactful letter along with a face to face with a good handshake may be the best way.  

[steve863]

A handshake with one hand, and a transfer of cash with the other is what will seal the deal.  Not that I like that it's become this way, but as time moves on the nice letters, firm handshakes or blueberry pies will get most of us NOWHERE.  If you want to hunt private land, you will have to cough up some money.  If we aren't at this point yet, it's surely right around the corner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[blackradio]

I wrote a letter to the property owner across the street from my house. It recently changed hands and none of the neighbors knew who owned this 240 acre piece of land. I emailed the tax assessor and she gave me the name and address and I wrote him a letter 2 weeks ago and really hoping to hear back from him. 

 

The day earlier, I went to the local watering hole to have a few beers with my friend and his dad, who lived next door to me. The father used to have rights to hunt the 240 acre lot I just mentioned, so i asked him what I have to do to hunt there. He wasn't sure either but he said "hell, you can hunt my land. I'll bring you up back this weekend to check it out." He has a 29.5 acre lot that extends into a big swamp. I had never asked because he is also a hunter but just doesn't have the time to do it anymore and just kind of lost the spark.

 

It can be that easy, I wasn't even looking to hunt his land and now I have a small chunk of property to hunt that I can walk to.

[Honest hunter]

I just wrote a letter to a older man that has a nice piece across a pond I live on. I heard back from his daughter over the weekend and she said she would talk to him about it. I really hope this works out because walking out the back door and canoeing for one minute would be a god sent here on Long Island. Plus the place is loaded with deer and hunting public land on Long Island has become frustrating to say the least.

[sampotter]

A handshake with one hand, and a transfer of cash with the other is what will seal the deal. Not that I like that it's become this way, but as time moves on the nice letters, firm handshakes or blueberry pies will get most of us NOWHERE. If you want to hunt private land, you will have to cough up some money. If we aren't at this point yet, it's surely right around the corner.

Not so for me. I have plenty of exclusive access around me. Last week I was invited to hunt a 4500 acre ranch in Kansas along with about the same in Montana without even asking for it, I just mentioned that this time of year I get a little distracted by hunting. In fact, I could hunt every major whitetail state without paying for anything more than my license, travel, and food (sometimes). Guess being a dairy farmer isn't so bad after all... except not having the time to take advantage of the opportunities...

Edited October 10, 2013 by sampotter

[Jennifer]

my wife got this cool card from the DEC during her safety courses. It's call an "ask" card or something. Provides a copy to land owner and hunter that everything is cool and absolves some liability. I googled it and cant find details, but i thought it was a pretty good idea for land owners who don't want to be held liable.

 

You can get "ASK" cards and stickers for free from DEC regional offices... I'm not sure if you can order them online or get them mailed. It's worth a call. The ask cards are as you described, it's a two part thing where the landowner gets your information and you get a little signature from the landowner saying that they granted you permission (they are able to revoke at any time should they wish).

The stickers are blue squares that you can put on posted signs, showing your willingness to possibly allow access if people take the time to ask you directly (and you are okay with it, of course). I have them on my posted signs.

They look like this:

 

 

To date, I have never seen these used other than the ones I put on my posted signs! Sad...

[Jennifer]

A handshake with one hand, and a transfer of cash with the other is what will seal the deal.  Not that I like that it's become this way, but as time moves on the nice letters, firm handshakes or blueberry pies will get most of us NOWHERE.  If you want to hunt private land, you will have to cough up some money.  If we aren't at this point yet, it's surely right around the corner.

 

Surely a bummer for those of us that can just barely afford the sport to begin with.

[Caveman]

You can get "ASK" cards and stickers for free from DEC regional offices... I'm not sure if you can order them online or get them mailed. It's worth a call. The ask cards are as you described, it's a two part thing where the landowner gets your information and you get a little signature from the landowner saying that they granted you permission (they are able to revoke at any time should they wish).

The stickers are blue squares that you can put on posted signs, showing your willingness to possibly allow access if people take the time to ask you directly (and you are okay with it, of course). I have them on my posted signs.

They look like this:

 

 

To date, I have never seen these used other than the ones I put on my posted signs! Sad...

 

I knew these existed but I've never actually seen one in person.  I can only speak for Catt Co. but it seems like more people alter their signs to make them less welcoming than anything.  "Posted: No Trespassing" no longer suffices and I see "Keep Out!" added in Sharpie instead.  

 

I can understand though, I'd be frustrated too if I paid the taxes and kept up my land and someone else helped themselves.  

[Jennifer]

I knew these existed but I've never actually seen one in person.  I can only speak for Catt Co. but it seems like more people alter their signs to make them less welcoming than anything.  "Posted: No Trespassing" no longer suffices and I see "Keep Out!" added in Sharpie instead.  

 

I can understand though, I'd be frustrated too if I paid the taxes and kept up my land and someone else helped themselves.  

 

I hunt mostly in Catt. co so I hear you. I have a few theories why but that would take this topic seriously off track.

I've only had the fortune of getting permission to hunt one additional property here, which is of course limiting as all the properties I used to hunt when younger have closed off to us. I'm really lucky that she accepts offers for help around her property and free eggs from my chickens as 'payment' because I can't afford the cash to lease property. I'm very thankful for her permission.

[chiefbkt]

Not so for me. I have plenty of exclusive access around me. Last week I was invited to hunt a 4500 acre ranch in Kansas along with about the same in Montana without even asking for it, I just mentioned that this time of year I get a little distracted by hunting. In fact, I could hunt every major whitetail state without paying for anything more than my license, travel, and food (sometimes). Guess being a dairy farmer isn't so bad after all... except not having the time to take advantage of the opportunities...

 

I too have been pretty fortunate when it comes to land for hunting and have never really had to ask for permission. I'm not sure I would even know the right approach, so I'm glad to hear the few suggestions there were.  I have been part of a hunting club since 2000 and we have ~600 acres in Oswego county.  We have 8 members, and it's not the best hunting, but it is our land to hunt.  I also grew up in area where my neighbors were all relatives who in total had ~200 acres of property available to hunt. Now I currently own a 96 acre farm in Cayuga county that is bordered by several hundred acres of crop fields that my neighbor owns.  He only has 3 guys that hunt his property and has granted me access to all of his land that borders ours.  So I guess I would consider myself to be pretty lucky when it comes to this situation.  Plus like Sam said, it seems like I'm constantly running into old friends that have land access out of state. I just need to take advantage of some of that.   

[Honest hunter]

I just wrote a letter to a older man that has a nice piece across a pond I live on. I heard back from his daughter over the weekend and she said she would talk to him about it. I really hope this works out because walking out the back door and canoeing for one minute would be a god sent here on Long Island. Plus the place is loaded with deer and hunting public land on Long Island has become frustrating to say the least.

The old man gave me permission last weekend. I set up a stand on last Saturday and hunted it for the first time yesterday. Within the first hour this guy came to my scent and I decided to take him. This buck meant a lot because my family just moved into this house this year and I worked hard to obtain permission. Goes to show you some people are nice. I feel reall blessed. Not a Long Island beast but a trophy to me.

[Honest hunter]

Sorry don't know how to post the pics.

[Doc]

A handshake with one hand, and a transfer of cash with the other is what will seal the deal.  Not that I like that it's become this way, but as time moves on the nice letters, firm handshakes or blueberry pies will get most of us NOWHERE.  If you want to hunt private land, you will have to cough up some money.  If we aren't at this point yet, it's surely right around the corner.

Many years ago, I remember arguing with a co-worker that there would come a day when hunting would become a paid activity. I believe we are well on our way in that direction and moving fast.

 

Two years ago I had 300 acres of prime deer hunting country that was all of a sudden posted up tighter than a drum with the only access for hunting granted only after payment of fairly expensive "membership fees". That's just one example and there are at least two other examples that I can think of. Leases are becoming commonplace with hunters bidding against each other for prime hunting land. Its a shame, but the European model for hunting access is quickly over-taking the U.S.  Sport of the wealthy?.... yeah, that's where we are heading as state land continues to become so overcrowded that that may not even be an alternative before long without impractical travel.

[Honest hunter]

Figured it out I think.

[bubba]

Being a land owner, I have people asking me permission once in a while. When we sit and yack about it, I have granted and not granted people permission. I always have preferred the face to face.  If I got a letter in the mail, unless from along ways away, I would think they really were not putting forth much effort.  I have never charged anyone, but I do tell them that I would like them to help around the camp.  Cut wood help with food plots things like that. I did once have a guy go to a great deal of effort to contact me.  He left a note in a zip loc bag on my cable across the driveway.  The note had a phone number in it and a request to please call.  I called the number and it was a guy who had purchased  a piece of property near mine.  He just wanted to introduce himself and let me know that he bought the piece adjacent to the back of a corner of mine.  he just wanted to let me know that if a deer from our place got over to his land we were welcome to go get it and he wanted permission to do the same.  The best part was he left this note in early June. I invited him over in the evening and we sat and chatted.  Now we have a lot of evening chats.  He has to travel over an hour to get to his piece, and I have given him a key to the gate.  he stays at our camp a lot and wee hunt together both pieces.  The guy was sleeping in his car and hunting.  Well next summer we are going to get him a camp built.  I have invited a few people from this site to my camp.  None have taken me up on it yet.  I hunted state land for a long time before I was fortunate enough to get my place.  I did well on the state land, but nothing like having a private place to go.  I try to help others out as best I can. Kind of long winded just to say come ask me face to face.  

[bubba]

Being a land owner, I have people asking me permission once in a while. When we sit and yack about it, I have granted and not granted people permission. I always have preferred the face to face.  If I got a letter in the mail, unless from along ways away, I would think they really were not putting forth much effort.  I have never charged anyone, but I do tell them that I would like them to help around the camp.  Cut wood help with food plots things like that. I did once have a guy go to a great deal of effort to contact me.  He left a note in a zip loc bag on my cable across the driveway.  The note had a phone number in it and a request to please call.  I called the number and it was a guy who had purchased  a piece of property near mine.  He just wanted to introduce himself and let me know that he bought the piece adjacent to the back of a corner of mine.  he just wanted to let me know that if a deer from our place got over to his land we were welcome to go get it and he wanted permission to do the same.  The best part was he left this note in early June. I invited him over in the evening and we sat and chatted.  Now we have a lot of evening chats.  He has to travel over an hour to get to his piece, and I have given him a key to the gate.  he stays at our camp a lot and wee hunt together both pieces.  The guy was sleeping in his car and hunting.  Well next summer we are going to get him a camp built.  I have invited a few people from this site to my camp.  None have taken me up on it yet.  I hunted state land for a long time before I was fortunate enough to get my place.  I did well on the state land, but nothing like having a private place to go.  I try to help others out as best I can. Kind of long winded just to say come ask me face to face.  

[azhuntress]

A handshake with one hand, and a transfer of cash with the other is what will seal the deal.  Not that I like that it's become this way, but as time moves on the nice letters, firm handshakes or blueberry pies will get most of us NOWHERE.  If you want to hunt private land, you will have to cough up some money.  If we aren't at this point yet, it's surely right around the corner.

Yep, money talks that's for sure. My husband and I leased 75 acres of land for probably 10 years

now from the landowner (for $500) and then this past September the landowner calls us to tell us

that he leased it to some other people. He didn't even give us the courtesy to say "hey, these

people are willing to give me more money...want to match it or beat the price?"

What a bummer!