Permission question/tips

BamaHudson

BamaHudson

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Middle TN, Central AL
We'll see how this goes but figured it don't hurt to ask- Does anyone have any advice on asking for permission to hunt? I have very limited access for turkey hunting around here and am pretty far from any public ground (plus I don't want to contribute to the overcrowding if I can help it). I'm pretty confident that no one is hunting birds on the parcels in the area around me so I don't believe I'd be encroaching on anyone else's hunting opportunities. Getting quality advice on this is about like asking folks from another state where the best public land is but I'm hoping someone will be generous enough to share.. Open to any advice you have. Do letters in the mailbox work? Knocking on doors? What seems best to say or write?

For context: I'm 29 years old. Do just fine with eye contact, handshakes, sir/ma'am etc. In the military so I'm clean cut no scraggly hair or anything. Respectful/respectable to interact with.

Thanks in advance.. getting desperate as the seasons coming up
 
In my younger years I put up countless square bales, painted board fence, hauled/split/stacked firewood, painted barns, etc in exchange for hunting rights. Of course times/tasks have changed but alot of landowners are older people and could use a hand with any number of chores. Even if the answer is no, be sure to leave your name/number.
 
Boll Weevil said:
In my younger years I put up countless square bales, painted board fence, hauled/split/stacked firewood, painted barns, etc in exchange for hunting rights. Of course times/tasks have changed but alot of landowners are older people and could use a hand with any number of chores. Even if the answer is no, be sure to leave your name/number.
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Good advice.. I'd be more than happy to help with that stuff. Did plenty of it growing up in exchange for "a roof over my head and food on the table" according to my dad lol.
 
Huntaholic said:
As a dirt owner, let me say this: Its a whole lot harder to tell somebody no in person! Send me a letter? LOL to the trash it goes!
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Yeah face to face makes more sense to me just how I was raised but I know some folks get nervous about someone coming to the door these days.. still I'll start with knocking
 
BamaHudson said:
Yeah face to face makes more sense to me just how I was raised but I know some folks get nervous about someone coming to the door these days.. still I'll start with knocking
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Just be prepared. We have had some forum members say if you knock on their door they are going to stick a gun in your face.


🤣
 
A few things I've done and had luck with when asking for permission from strangers:

1. Don't show up in your camo. Go dressed like you would for a decent sit down dinner with your lady. Impressions matter.

2. Don't lead with, "can I hunt". Lead with would you be willing to let me earn the opportunity to hunt your land? I can do X, Y, Z for you. Some folks will just let you hunt. Some folks will put you to work.

3. Show up with paperwork in hand. Something that both of you can sign and get a copy. Make sure it includes language that releases the landowner from any liability. Make sure it includes the period for which you want access. If you are working for the right, clearly spell out the amount of work you wish to give.
 
If the parcels are local to you, don't show up asking to hunt. Show up and introduce yourself as a neighbor down the road, figure out how you may know people in common, where you go to church with their sister's grandkids from the next town over, yada yada…Go into it building the relationship first.

Stop back by throughout the next few seasons…hey Mr so n so, saw you had a gate open on such and such road last weekend, hope everything is ok back there. Saw a truck parked off the highway Tuesday morning. Heard some shooting sounded like on your place yesterday evening, were you aware?

Be strategic building toward permission two to three years out. If by chance you get to a spot in conversation where you talk about hunting and the natural flow of conversation brings you to that point, then fine…even if you stop to have the above conversations in your camo from a morning hunt, let them bring up the obvious…it still amazes me how many folks don't know turkey season is in the spring. Don't be manipulative, but be strategic. Be a postman too, take some dog biscuits with you for when you get out the car…ask before giving if the landowner is in sight, or give to the dogs anyway if they are not there so the dog will remember you kindly next time . Hard to be mean to someone your dogs take a liking to 🤪
 

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