getting access

[horst]

Theres a guy here who bought a farm a couple years ago.The problem was its a farm I used to bowhunt but he wont let anyone in to hunt it.Actually he wont let anyone in for any reason anymore.To many bad expeiences with shotgun hunters and to many dead deer winding up on his property have really pissed him off over the years and he just flat out hates deer hunters.

So I was out shed hunting yesterday and seen him standing out in the yard as I was coming up to his place.Ive known him since I was little and other than his wierd hatred of deer hunters hes a pretty good guy.So I pulled in to visit.

He asked what I was doing and I told him I was looking for sheds and pulled a small one out of the truck to show him.He launched into a speech about a deer that got run over and died in his alfalfa field.Someone stopped and instead of taking the whole deer they cut the antlers off.

I could see he didnt have a clue about deer losing thier antlers so I explained I wasnt ot cutting racks off of dead deer.I was getting ready to leave and he told me stop out next weeked if the snow continues to melt.I asked him why and he said hed like to walk back through his property with me and I could look for sheds while we did.

Im not sure where hes headed with this but I do know hes got way to many deer staying in way to little space and they keep eating the little trees and stuff hes planting.

Maybe thisll get me a foot in the door towards getting to bowhunt his place again.But Im thinking Im not gonna ask him this time around.Maybe later in the year Ill see If I can set up a camera in his grove and take it kinda slow from there.Im gonna take some of my pictures along to show him this weekend, he was curious about them to.

On the bright side Ive got a whole year to work on it, and if nothing else Ive got acess to a good shed hunting spot for the future if he sees Im not out to cut the antlers off of dead deer LOL.

 

[kansasbowhunter]

Horst, you have your foot in the door and I would take it slow. Don't pressure and in time, I bet you that he will give you the run of the place.

I had a similar situation with some land that I goose hunt west of KC. This old boy owns an orchard and about 500 acres of timber/crop land. He has had many bad experiences with quail and deer hunters and flat out refused anyone that asked permission to hunt - including me...

Over a period of about 3 years I occaisionally stopped by and simply visited with him. One day my 12 year old son and I were out scouting canada geese and there were about 500 birds in one of his corn fields. I once again stopped and this time I asked if he would mind if my son and I came back the next day and set up on the geese. Since I had built a pretty good relationship with him, he said that we could.

We came back the next day and had an awesome hunt. We stopped back by and thanked him and offered him a bird. I continued to stop by on occaisions and continued to build the relationship, being carefull not to pressure him in any way...

I now have exclusive rights to the hunt all of his property and I will never do anything to jeopardize that relationship.....

If I had not taken the time to build the relationship, he would still think that I was just another A$$hole hunter....

Good luck....

Mark...

 

[biggest buck]

My father and I have a near similar story.
Dad has known this guy for about 8 years now and he owns a patch of 477 acres. Some is pasture some timber with 3 small ponds on it. Everyone in the area knows about the place and always wants to go in it. My father finally got permission 3 years ago to go scouting with the older gentleman and saw a lot of deer sign and a [censored] ton of does while in there. So on dads first outing he shot his 181 nontypical there. Now everyone in the area really wants to go there but we are still the only ones with access. We have taken good care of this man and his property and have developed a very strong relationship with him over the past 3 years. Since then we have taken a couple of does and two 137 inch deer this year. Now I have even talked him into letting me place a deer stand to bowhunt next year, now I am really getting pumped. Only 7 months to go now!

 

[Bobcat]

Horst, you're gonna think I'm nuts, but it took me seven, yes I said seven years of visits and chance meetings to get permission to bowhunt my best property. Now the guy I are good friends and would do anything for each other. I was over just the other day and buried one of his brood cows that he had to put down because of cancer.

 

[BW]

Timing and your presentation of yourself can be a winning combo.

I recall standing in the road after hunting one morning with bow and back quiver in tow talking to a friend about how no one had been able to get permission to hunt the property on the other side of the road.

A truck pulled up and we engaged in conversation with an older gentleman about the usual country stuff. He asked about how the hunting was and we said ok. We really never discussed it much in all the small talk.

Before leaving he introduced himself and I knew immediatly he was the owner of the other side and he also said we could hunt there if we wanted. He may have felt sorry for me after looking at my longbow and wood arrows.

This has been a while ago, but I have found many times that circumstances and timing made a big difference good and bad. I lost permission on a place one time because coon hunters cut some fencing. It was the all hunters were bad boys type thing.

 

[hershy]

...great stories, guys!...it can be done...this is one of the biggest hurdles we face in regards to the access problems we face today...sportsmen & women no longer take the time to get to know the landowners & landowners no longer feel comfortable granting access to hunters they don't know (I would have a hard time doing so also)...throw in a few bad experiences with slob-shooters (they are not hunters) and the doors close...nuture those few chances when you are able to prove & re-educate a landowner what a real hunter is because they are rare and the benefits are more than good hunting - they often mean a new friendship...

 

[Fletch]

For those landowners that express that they are tired of chasing trespassers and slob hunters, and having to constantly monitor their land. It's often helpful to explain to them that not only will you be responsible and a good steward of their land, but you will also be an extra set of eyes to keep track of their interests, chase off intruders, etc.

I have run into a couple land owners that have said no, only to grant me permission when I explained that by letting one responsible hunter on their land they have essentially doubled their forces towards protecting what they own.