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Help with getting access to hunting grounds

rsmith

Member
1,835
52
I am wondering if you guys could help guide me in asking a barn up the road and a house up the road for permission to hunt on their land for the 2014-15 season. I have never meet them before but I was thinking about typing up a letter asking for permission and leaving my information and saying that if anything needs done around their house like yard work or moving stuff I would before than willing to help out, and at the barn maybe volunteering in exchange for hunting permission. But if you guys have any tips for me it would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to widen my hunting land to more than behind my backyard and the house and the barn are in a prime location. So hopefully some wiser people will let me know if the letter idea is a good idea or if I should just try and knock on the front door to ask or what? :smiley_confused_vra
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
I would knock on the front door, introduce yourself and tell them that you live down the street, and just ask them. I've never offered anyone to help around the property,if they asked then I would but I just get them a nice thank you card, a smoked ham, some bacon, and chops from our pigs.
 
Last edited:

xbowguy

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
29,632
234
Licking Co. Ohio
Wait for better weather and do it in person. JMO but I sorta feel a letter is not very personal. Most land owners will want to know what sorta person is hunting on their land. If you see opportunity to help them out, by all means it goes a long way!
I was once denied access to trap because of people littering/dumping trash at the pull-off area. I got a box of trash bags, picked everything up (Like 4 bags and a couple tires) and went back to her house to ask again......I left with that permission slip to trap.
 

rsmith

Member
1,835
52
Thank you! I was thinking about waiting until weather warms up and to ask them in person but I didn't know what you guys thought so thank you!
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
I would agree with the others. Letter with some info is not bad. I would not leave it with them until AFTER you spoke with them in person though.
 

Hoytmania

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
11,518
167
Gods Country
Check out this thread started by Jesse. I found it very helpful.

http://www.theohiooutdoors.com/showthread.php?11902-Getting-Permission

PSE13 came to me earlier this year asking if I could help him find some property. I shared this thread with him and then showed him how much of an asset the county auditors website can be to a hunter. With those two tools I got a text from him 3 days later letting me know he scored a little over 100 acre farm to hunt on. Pretty good for a 17 year old.
 

Joel

Senior Member
3,049
113
Centerburg, Ohio
I just asked permission on a property for the first time. No problem getting the go ahead. Being a neighbor helped and having my daughter with me probably didn't hurt either. I did offer to help with chores but not until they said yes and only because they were in their 80s. More trying to be a good neighbor than anything with that offer.
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
I agree with Joel only offering to do chores after they said yes. Doing it before hand makes a person look desperate IMO.