# Permission



## Walter Adkins (May 20, 2004)

I was wondering what you think is the best way and time of year to get permission to hunt and fish on someone's land.

I start in the late spring and go through summer. I let them know that I will not be using a four wheeler. I also offer some of the game to them. 
I do other things to but this is what I typically start with.


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## Onion (Apr 10, 2004)

I start in the summer. That way they may have forgotten any bad experiences they had from the last year. Plus I get more time to scout, build blinds etc..

I have always had good luck in that I seem to fall into spots. I mention to folks that I love to hunt and fish and a lot of times they flat out ask me if I want to hunt their farm or fish their farm pond.

Once I have permission I always make sure to let them know everytime I will be coming until they tell me I no longer have to let them know. I also always offer to help around the place. I often spend as much time doing chores as I do hunting.

Cleaning up after yourself is of course paramount. I spent 5 years fishing at a guy's farm pond before he would give me permission to hunt his land. He said he wanted to make sure I wouldn't trash the place.  Actually he had some very bad experiences giving permission to the neighbors and swore no one would ever hunt there again.

Now his neighbors all cuss me when they drive by as I am getting my gear put away after a hunt


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## Richs63Corvair (Apr 6, 2004)

I start asking in June or July. As mentioned I offer to bale hay or whatever when needed....................Rich


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I think all of the previous suggestions are great. The only other thing that comes to mind is that when we get permission we always make sure to tell the owner(s) that we will not use screw-in steps and will not damage the trees. Many owners may not give that a thought initially but when you mention it to them it shows a level of respect for their property that they appreciate.


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## Richs63Corvair (Apr 6, 2004)

Great suggestion Brian. I switched to hunting ground blinds this year due to that reason........Rich


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## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

another way is to get your foot in the door. Alot of people may deer hunt their own land and not want you to deer hunt there, but if you start with something such as maybe just squirrel hunting, or grouse hunting, or **** hunting and get a relationship going with the land owner, a couple years down the road you may be deer hunting right next to him come slug season. This is just a thought that I came up with but have never tried it. Anybody think this may work?


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## ARGEE (Apr 5, 2004)

My Permission Started This Way..stopped And Saw Some Nice Farm Close To Where I Been Hunting Public Land..the Farmer Said He Already Had Hunters Hunting There..he Said Since I Was Bowhunting,i Could Hunt That 1 Day Only..i Said Great..it Was An Afternoon So I Didnt Have Time To Scout Any..got My Treestand Out Of My Truck And Over The Hill I Went..from What I Could See There Was A Trail By The Fence Line..i Saw A Big Tree Right By The Trail..looked Like A Good Spot To Me So Up The Tree I Went About 30ft..about A Hr Later I Look Over And See This Buck Looking At The Opposite Direction I Was..to Make This Story Shorter I Take About A 35 Yd Shot At This Buck...i Shoot He Stands Still..i Thought Oh **** I Missed Him..about 10 Seconds Later He Bolts Off Fast..i Sit In My Tree Till It Gets Dark..i Go Look For Some Kind Of Sign To See If I Hit Him..saw Some Drips Of Blood Then A Big Gob Of It..look Closer And There He Lays About 150 Yds From Where I Shot Him..it Was A Small 10 Pt But A Big Triump For Me As That Was My First Bow Kill..i Went Back Down To Take The Farmer Some Meat And Have Been Hunting There Ever Since..that Was In 1978..he Passed Away A Few Yrs Ago And Now His Son Lets Me Hunt......he Lived To Be 93...


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

Great story Argee!


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## Walter Adkins (May 20, 2004)

I have been doing most of these, helping with the farming, start asking in the spring and summer, and starting off with small game hunting. I do like the idea of not using screw in steps. I had not thought of that one. My best thing in the last few years is just the fact that I do not use a four wheeler. 
Thanks everyone. 
anymore suggestions out there from land owners that do not allow hunting. Better yet, why do you not allow hunting?


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I don't allow hunting on my place in the sense that I don't have anyone who I have given permission to that I don't know. I hunt it along with about 3 others and soon my boys (I have 3) will be included. I mention that so that I don't sound as if I am against the hunting on my land. I just simply feel that I have enough people using it already. This is on about 40 acres of land.

I think one of the main reasons that many do not allow the hunting is just due to past happenings on either their property or someone they know. Unfortunately, the hunters themselves are the ones ruining their chances. I am not pointing fingers at any one here but I too have a few problems that I have had to deal with in the past. It just gets easier for owners to say no to all than to walk the fine line between a good hunter/owner relationship and one that leaves bad memories. I know of places around me that people have gotten permission in the past and they feel that gives them much more freedom than the owner intended. The next thing you know is that there are several extra people hunting a property because so-and-so got permission. 

What you guys are doing and suggesting here are the best steps that you can make to changing that impression that owners have of hunters. Show them and their property respect. Be willing to help. Be willing to give back. Do not do more than was granted to you. Keep in touch with the owner. Listen to them for feedback. Ask them what they would like to see happen on their property. Who better to answer that question? Like many have said, you need to build a relationship.


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

I had permission on a 300 acre Greene County farm from 7th grade until 4 years ago. I always had a great relationship with the landowner - he enjoys venison so I always made sure he got some (even when I didn't harvest a deer); always stopped in and talked; never drove my truck off his lanes; did all the right things. The year before I lost permission he told me he was letting a few guys from his CHURCH hunt now too. These guys had no respect for his property. I saw a stand on the wrong side of the fence (neighbor's property that didn't allow hunting), they would drive a blazer right through his fields to the woods even on soft ground making ruts. I had a conversation with one of the guys and told him how the landowner felt about all this.

The weekend before gun season I drove to landowner's house to chat and let him know I'd be hunting Mon-Weds and the weekend. I was very surprised when he told me "no you won't, take down your stands"  He said somebody had cut his rear fence in 2 places recently and he knew it was one of us. I explained that it wasn't me and the behavior of the "new" guys that I had seen. I told him to think about all the years I'd been there and never a problem. He said he knew it wasn't me, but he decided on no hunting - period!  I was really upset as this was my only hunting grounds. I decided to try to make amends so I bought wire and fence and went back that day and repaired the areas myself. I made sure he knew I fixed them for him, and that I would never do anything like that. It didn't matter  I told him I couldn't blame him, but I'd be back. I went back the next year with a pack of jerky - no dice! He was very nice, but said he will never allow hunting again. 

Sometimes you just can't win


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Good story Fish-N-Fool!

That is a good illustration of what I have heard from guys in the past. And like you said you did everything right but as a result of other so-called hunters your image was damaged. "Hunters" have an uphill battle to maintain respect in the community. We need many more doing the things you did to keep ensure it.


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## Walter Adkins (May 20, 2004)

Give him a few years then stop back buy. After he cools down and time passes he will remember that you fixed the fence for him. Not because you were triing to cover yourself but because you cared. 
I gained permission to a farm that covers 1800 acres just because people did the same thing to him. In WV land owners have had so much damage because of guys and gals on four wheelers. I am glad that my dad taught me to respect others and what they have. This has been insightfull.


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