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Post by medic22 on Sept 8, 2019 23:15:06 GMT -5
I'm adapting to my situation and taking full advantage of the saddle this year. There is a woodline I want to hunt that surrounds a grass field. The field is private property and I have no intentions of shooting over the line, but I do want to have permission to enter the property for tracking or retrieval should it be necessary. I will not hunt this area if I cannot obtain it.
Ive found the landowner info so my question is: would you rather a stranger knock on your door, or send a hand written letter?
Im leaning towards a face to face, as I can also easily ask him to sign the DNR form (ill mark out "hunt" and write in "track and retrieve" and initial, that should cover legalities), without him having to do extra leg work to mail it back.
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Post by esshup on Sept 8, 2019 23:26:12 GMT -5
Face to face. Any questions that they have can be readily and quickly answered, and while I'm not suggesting you go dressed in a suit, don't look like you crawled out from under a stump either. Have a list of references to hand out too, that might help alleviate some of their trepidation.
I'd go so far as to have a copy of my drivers license to give to them along with the form. That way they have a record of who you are too.
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Post by Brian K. on Sept 9, 2019 2:25:19 GMT -5
Go face to face and having that DNR form is a great idea, ive had some good luck obtaining new ground this summer and that form came in really handy in getting permission to hunt and also retrieve deer on neighboring land owners property.
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Post by genesis273 on Sept 9, 2019 5:54:00 GMT -5
I say face to face. One of my farms had no hunting on it for 18 years. Had the owner lived closer, he's in Michigan, I'd knocked on his door. But, I went with the hand written letter and he appreciated the touch and granted me permission.
Face to face is, IMO, always best. But, a hand written letter is a close second option.
Good luck.
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Post by wesb81 on Sept 11, 2019 22:05:03 GMT -5
Sometimes I write a hand written letter and send the dnr form with it. Make myself readily available and offer face to face meeting in the letter along with my contact info. I have gotten many phone calls return letters and emails with responses.
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Post by steiny on Sept 12, 2019 7:55:30 GMT -5
Stop and see them, by yourself and don't wear camo. Wear regular street clothes and try to look and behave like someone you might allow on your own property. Even if you don't get permission, thank them for their time and say pleased to have met you. If it doesn't work out this year it might next year.
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Post by chewbacca on Sept 12, 2019 8:31:05 GMT -5
People have a much harder time saying no to your face. Wear acceptable street clothes and knock on their door and just be friendly. Face to face is always best when it is an option.
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Post by jbird on Sept 12, 2019 13:54:07 GMT -5
EVERY time I have EVER asked for permission I have went out of my way to do it face-to-face. I can tell you as a landowner I would simply toss a letter in the mail. You want my attention...show me you are motivated enough to come talk to me. I want to see how you present yourself and get a vibe of who I am dealing with.
Go prepared. Have your access form, and have a form for them....give them every piece of information they would need....down to the description and plate number of your vehicle. I did this and it helps. Shows them you are serious AND that you are going to follow your word. I provided name, address, cell number, vehicle description and plate number, dates I would have access (if not for full year) and I had a copy for them and a copy for me. I like keeping a copy to prove I have permission as it never fails a neighbor or son-in-law or someone is going to give you a hard time. I even put a sign in the window of my vehicle "I have written permission for access - if you need to contact me immediately please call XXX-XXX-XXXX" This goes a long way with farmers in case you are blocking field access and the like and they have equipment to move.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Sept 12, 2019 13:56:33 GMT -5
EVERY time I have EVER asked for permission I have went out of my way to do it face-to-face. I can tell you as a landowner I would simply toss a letter in the mail. You want my attention...show me you are motivated enough to come talk to me. I want to see how you present yourself and get a vibe of who I am dealing with. So you’d drive out of state just to get face to face with an owner to ask permission? Or would you just not ask an owner who lives out of state. |
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Post by jbird on Sept 12, 2019 15:33:20 GMT -5
EVERY time I have EVER asked for permission I have went out of my way to do it face-to-face. I can tell you as a landowner I would simply toss a letter in the mail. You want my attention...show me you are motivated enough to come talk to me. I want to see how you present yourself and get a vibe of who I am dealing with. So you’d drive out of state just to get face to face with an owner to ask permission? Or would you just not ask an owner who lives out of state. I have never hunted out of state. I hunt in areas where I drive on a regular basis and that is how I locate/target properties. I did this a few years ago when I was looking for properties to waterfowl hunt. I see your point. I think your odds are vastly improved by being face-to-face....but I certainly wouldn't drive 100's of miles in hope of the owner being home. A letter, e-mail, phone call, something, to reduce the leg work in that instance would be warranted. I think those means grossly reduce your chance of success, but it beats just giving up on it. Giving up gives you ZERO chance.... Nobody got anything by giving up. Maybe it leads to further communication and then a meeting....I know I would never grant permission just based on a letter or phone call, and I can't fault someone else for doing the same. |
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Post by tynimiller on Sept 12, 2019 15:39:00 GMT -5
I'm personally a much bigger fan and have had much better success with a well drafted cover letter, and support docs (liability release form (not needed but good touch), DNR permission letter and a very brief short 1 page resume of myself) I always apologize for wasting their time if it is a no, but also include every form of communication they may wish to respond with (phone, email, self addressed stamp envelope).
I've had folks contact me 2 years later and see if I was still interested in hunting as the previous hunter moved away or wasn't going to now...
Going the extra mile during the interview phase as I call it is important...and then ALWAYS going the extra mile during the relationship phase (hunting it) is just as important if not more!
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Post by medic22 on Sept 12, 2019 17:48:09 GMT -5
Well that was a hard no.
Oh well, life goes on, it was looking less likely that I would hunt that spot anyway.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Sept 12, 2019 18:51:37 GMT -5
jbird I was speaking of landowners here in Indiana that live out of state, but I get what you’re saying. I was honestly just wondering what you’d do.
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Post by jbird on Sept 13, 2019 9:32:13 GMT -5
jbird I was speaking of landowners here in Indiana that live out of state, but I get what you’re saying. I was honestly just wondering what you’d do. Sorry - I didn't understand the situation you had in mind. I place such a high value on face-to-face that I would try any realistic manner to accomplish it. The dialog and communication you have just can't happen as well any other way in my opinion. I understand you are not going to travel 100 miles to see if someone is home. I can't fairly answer your question....my experiences are far different than what you describe so it's easy to say what I "would do"....but I have no history to say I can back that up....so that adds little value to any advice I would give on the matter. I hunt the land I live on and land my folks own for deer. I hunted some other properties in my relative area (less than 50 mile drive) for waterfowl. To be honest if I didn't have those immediate type outlets I doubt I would hunt as much as I do. In fact my journey as a hunter reflects that as I didn't hunt deer until my early 20's simply because I lacked the opportunity. I can tell you how I was successful in gaining access and what I as a landowner see and expect to provide access. |
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Post by schall53 on Sept 13, 2019 10:10:29 GMT -5
One thing I would like to add is go out and ask in the winter or during the mid summer period. I know from experience that the quickest way to get a no answer is to bother a farmer while he is busy on a tractor or combine.
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Post by medic22 on Sept 13, 2019 10:40:31 GMT -5
This specific piece of property is a 2 acre grass field next to a roadway. The couple lives in town, I can only assume they plan to build there eventually.
Someone had actually came by the day before and asked for permission to track. They denied them also, stating they do not want anyone on the property and they will be posting signs. All well and good as I highly doubt a wounded deer is going to go into that field anyway. I didnt have the heart to tell her signs wont do any good, people trespass that land all the time.
No bother, I think ill be hunting much further away.
Guess that begs the question just based on how she reacted to the question, I wonder if theyre truly prepared to live within 100 yards of public hunting land.
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