Asking Landowner Permission

[Lucky Goose]

I've begged and borrowed turkey hunting permission all of my life.  I have a secret weapon now to take up on the doorstep with me.... My own little Sweet Suzie Snood.

I've never wrote letters.  There's just too much ground to cover when it comes to hunting permission.  I need to shake a hand, discuss respectful use, perhaps offer any meat I am lucky enough to get, property lines, and any other special rules all right there on the spot.  I've also offered to help with chores or noticed things on the property as I've hunted that I can come back and help with.  Nowhere within 3 hrs. of Northeast Alabama is out of the question anymore, permission is tough to get nowadays around here and we're limited to two public land birds now.  Private permission is now as important as ever for me if I want to keep hunting... and I sure do.

[NCL]

I have asked permission using three different methods. my preferred is face to face but it depends on the circumstance. I used the written method once for the same reasons Upfold99 mentioned the owner lived out of state and my only way to contact that person was by letter. I have used a telephone call but this was with people I already knew and they knew me. Lastly as mentioned face to face.

[g8rvet]

Face to face.  I have said both yes and no to face to face and been told both yes and no.  Sometimes can only do phone, but usually get a yes where we hunt ducks and geese.  Could not find a number or a home place for a farmer this past year and actually used Facebook Messenger to find the feller.  He said the only reason he even replied was because we had a mutual friend from the area (a guy that had recently passed).  he gave us permission and we had a crazy good hunt and took him some birds.  Like most of the folks he was surprised we had already cleaned them and packaged them for him.  I have allowed fishing by phone, but hunting only when asked face to face.  I would round file a letter. 

[g8rvet]

My brother had some business cards printed for our hunting in Canada and out of state. He hands them to the owner and lets them know we are not outfitting and will never hunt again without first asking.  We still have a land owner in MS call us when geese show up to come shoot them!  We are meticulous about leaving no hulls behind when hunting.  Always offer game. 

[Happy]

Personally I don't ask and don't expect to hunt others property. That being said I have been offered by a decent amount of landowners that know me well and I still haven't hunted 80% of what I have been offered. Unless its someone I know really,really well I just don't feel right doing it. I am pretty picky about who I even hunt with these days and many don't even make the grade on that level. I completely understand landowners being very picky. Heck I just had some cocky, punk kid invite himself to turkey hunt with me this spring to hunt my public land spots. I just haven't figured out how far I am gonna let him go before I tell him where he can take that idea.

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[GobbleNut]

I just had some cocky, punk kid invite himself to turkey hunt with me this spring to hunt my public land spots. I just haven't figured out how far I am gonna let him go before I tell him where he can take that idea.

Gee, I guess that means you are not gonna take me after all?... 

[Happy]

Gee, I guess that means you are not gonna take me after all?... 
Oh your good to go with me. Figure that there's a lot a fellow like you can teach me. Worse case scenario I will at least learn how to pontificate and sound like I know what I am doing.

[bigriverbum]

Gee, I guess that means you are not gonna take me after all?... 
Oh your good to go with me. Figure that there's a lot a fellow like you can teach me. Worse case scenario I will at least learn how to pontificate and sound like I know what I am doing.

oh, i think you have pontificating down pat

[HillclimberWV]

I was always taught that it was rude to show up to somebody's house unannounced. Showing up while somebody's trying to work or eat is a good way to get sent off where i grew up.
So i guess I'm in the minority that thinks it is better to at least call or write to somebody first. There's nothing saying that you can't have a face to face after you agree upon a time and a place. Now the only time I've hunted off family property was by invitation without asking so take everything i say with a grain of salt.

[g8rvet]

Odd.  I usually enjoy both Happy and Gobblenuts posts and have never felt talked down to by either.  Never felt like either one was bragging or preaching. 

[Spitten and drummen]

Down here in Mississippi you can ask all you want but you will never get a yes. Leasing is very popular here. Any place that has a bird to hunt is being hunted.

[eggshell]

References are a very helpful thing as well, if another landowner can speak for you it helps a lot.

On another note, now I have a big question...how do you  hunt with a pontif? 

[Happy]

That is the question Eggshell. On a serious note. I have interacted and known many landowners and I will say that at least around here you had better know them pretty well if you hope to stand much of a chance. I honestly can't blame them. For I have a good friend who has several hundred acres that she hasn't allowed anyone on ever in the 40 years that she has owned it. I have heard the stories of trespassers and people cussing her when she told them no. She even had her brother in law arrested for trying to sneak in and hunt. A lot of people dislike her because of it. But I have helped her and her husband with projects around the farm, hung out with them and become friends. I now have have unlimited access for everything but deer and turkey. But truth be told I don't shoot anything but coyotes, coons ect and never will. She isn't anti hunting but she likes having wildlife around. I think if many actually took the time to actually know the landowners and have a friendship it would make them much more comfortable extending those invitations. That and actually show that you care about wildlife and aren't just there to kill stuff. The image that many put off is just a bit embarrassing.

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[GobbleNut]

References are a very helpful thing as well, if another landowner can speak for you it helps a lot.

On another note, now I have a big question...how do you  hunt with a pontif? 

I would like to clear this up by pontifying that I am not a pontif, but I am a self-proclaimed expert at pontification!  Now, whether anybody wants to believe what I pontify about, that is up to them...but I would do it with the proverbial "grain of salt". 

Now, what were we discussing?....Oh yeah, getting landowner permission.  I would just like to pontificate one last time (well, maybe not) on this subject and make this general statement to all here:  if you happen to be a landowner and have turkeys to hunt...and would like to hear me pontificate in person...please feel free to invite me over!   

[guesswho]

Pontificating on another mans property is a good way to not get invited back.   Especially if you're upwind from his house.