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How to gain access?

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
This one comes up every year. We almost all have issues gaining access to properties. Not everyone, but many of us. I know it has been discussed before, but I implemented it today. Neighbor guy (on the next block over) called for a field mowing price. I measured it up, gave him our rate per acre and saw the look on his face. I know why. You start field mowing 5+ acres 2-3-4 times a year and the price starts to add up. Currently he has a tractor but no bush hog. As you can see, even at the rate of $30-40/acre to cover costs and not profit, it wouldn't take him long to justify the cost of a bush hog. Even at $30/acre x 5acres x4 cuts per year you are at the price of a pretty darn nice used bush hog. $30/acre would cover $8/hr in diesel, $12-18/hr in labor costs, and the basic maintenance on the tractor. We haven't even discussed repairs, replacement equipment, insurance, taxes, advertising, or profit.

So. . . I gave him a price per acre. Then I offered option B. Exchange the annual field mowing duties for hunting. I even offered bow hunting only if he didn't want any gun hunting. I understand it is mainly his wife against the hunting. I understand it is his property and will respect their wishes if the choose against the hunting. However, you just never know unless you ask. I told him the same as well. "Mr. So-and-so, I completely understand if you don't want to go this route. It is your land and I respect this and understand your position. However, I never had access to hunt it when the previous owners were in possession. Worst case scenario, I still won't have access to hunt it, but you and your wife have another option on the table to save some expenses on maintaining your fields, if you would be willing to barter a little. Just something for you to chew on. No pressure, and I understand if you decide against it."


Will it gain me access? I really don't know. It could go either way. Didn't hurt any to ask though. I thought it showed a bit of a neighborly gesture as well. It is always tough to give prices to friends, family, and neighbors. At least this way, they have a couple options to think about. Pay to have it done, buy a bush hog, or swap it out in exchange for hunting. The ball is in their court and it won't break my heart no matter how they choose. They are good people and I think he realizes I was trying to be fair with them by offering an alternative.

Plenty of property owners out there fellas. Many large property owners are getting older, cannot maintain it themselves, and often times their kids have grown and moved away. Sometimes a friendly gesture to barter it out, or help them in exchange for permission goes a long way. It really helps if you know them before hand, but I have heard of people seeking permission and offering to trade it out for labor with complete strangers as well. Never hurts. The worst you can hear is "No thanks." Good luck and think about this option now rather than a week before the season. Might just land the next property you have to hunt.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Doesn't hurt to try it, Phil.

What's his reasoning for mowing the fields? I don't know how close you are to this neighbor, but where I'm from if you're good neighbors these are the kinds of things we do for free. Sure you're biting a bullet, but eventually it all evens out. Do it for free for one season and I bet your odds of him accepting the hunting barter go up tremendously. I don't know... That's just how I roll. I'm not saying what you did was wrong by any means. The best thing you did was explain where you were coming from, and informed him that you respected his decision.

---

In regards to gaining access in general, I think these days it's a matter of increasing your odds. No matter where you live, you're going to get more "No" answers than "Yes" answers. The best thing you can do is just get out there and ask a BUNCH of people. The more people you ask, theoretically the more Yes's you're going to get. Then, the key lies in what you do with those Yes's. Once you get a good property to hunt, you do whatever you can help that landowner and show your appreciation. You just never know who that landowner knows...
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Hey nevermind, Phil... I just re-read your post and saw the neighbor was from down the road. I was thinking he was like your "next-door" neighbor or something. Barter away... lol
 

Mike

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,840
223
Up Nort
That is an excellent option for you to put on the table, Phil. All of my properties have come to me from friends and acquaintance, so far. I ALWAYS offer to help with the property or I offer my services like websites and the like. I always reward the owners with walleye fillets and deer if they want it. My dad was just bitching about the guy who hunts their farm. He's been hunting it since before we took it over when I was in second grade. He has never once offered to help my dad or even offered him a glass of water, or meat, nothing. The only thing saving this guy's hunting privilege is that he lives at the front and watches over things.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,741
274
North Carolina
Never hurts too offer them another option Phil, best case it works in your favor.... Worst case it works in your favor lol.....
 

Rutin

Senior Member
2,029
0
Ina Duck Blind
Heck yea man... make it so theres a benefit for both of you and if it doesnt work your not out anything, especially explaining yourself and reasoning. Good luck
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Eddie Salter gives the best advise on gaining permission....Use whatever you have as a leverage or barter. He used to be a barber, and said he would always ask landowners as he was running the scissors around their ear, or razor across their neck. Makes perfect sense to me. I have plenty of property to hunt, but am always looking for a little more. These days, I look for ground that isn't already tramped to death....that is much harder to find. I used to have a hard time getting myself "up" to ask a complete stranger for permission. A landowner that had known my grandfather since his childhood put things in perspective. He said "Sure you can hunt. Why would I say no? We claim to own it, but really we just have a piece of paper that says we can dictate what happens to it while we are here. You can't really own land.... have a good time, and keep the gate closed." After that conversation, I never really felt like I was imposing on a landowner so much. I don't tear things up while I hunt, and I don't feel like I owe a person my soul because they let me hunt...but I do appreciate the hospitality.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
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39,721
248
Ohio
Hey nevermind, Phil... I just re-read your post and saw the neighbor was from down the road. I was thinking he was like your "next-door" neighbor or something. Barter away... lol

Absolutely. If the neighbor was right next door or across the street it would be a no brainer to pitch in and help them out. You get a couple miles away and it is a little different. Not like we chat very often. More of an acquaintance than a neighbor I guess, but we call them neighbors since the further out from our house you get, the less houses there are.
 

Redhunter1012

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Before I started here at the elevator I used to do concrete stuff (Septic tanks, steps catch basins, etc..). My best property I have to date I got because I was delivering a set of steps that wre normally around 400 bucks. As i was setting them in place the homeowner says "there's another one of them cropkillers", as he points out a fat doe in the beans behind his house. I brought up how I liked to hunt and asked if he needed a herd reduction specialist. He was a bit hesitant at first. I offered to knock off delivery, railings, and half the price for hunting priveleges. He smiled and jumped at it. Come to find out, he had an additional 400 acres to hunt. I basically have free roam of all his property to take whoever I please. I always take them Walleye and my buddy who plows always gets there drives whenever possible, and it opened the door up for other properties that tied into his. In these small rural areas, word travels fast. A good reputation has opened up alot of opportunites for me.
 

hickslawns

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39,721
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Ohio
Very nice Ryan! Too bad word doesn't travel as fast about guys like you that respect the land as it does with those that ruin it.
 

Hoytmania

Dignitary Member
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11,518
167
Gods Country
I too have gained access to many properties through my work. If there is a job I am going to and u see the address is in a area I might like to hunt. I get on the auditors website and see how much land they have and if it is unstable. That I know going out if I am even going to bring it up. Once there you can usually get a good vibe on wether or not you should bring it up. I think the other thing that has helped is when I ask I specifically ask if they allow anyone to "BOW HUNT". This lets them know I am not going to be flinging lead all over the place.

Hope this works out for you Phil.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
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39,721
248
Ohio
No word either way just yet. If it doesn't work out, oh well. It isn't like I had permission prior to this. I dohave permission to the north end of the woods and they made it plenty clear I was open to recover any deer which runs onto their property.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I've been compiling a list of potential properties to hunt this fall and plan to make a few passes at them once I get a chance to scout some from the road. Being a landman, knocking on the door of a stranger and starting a conversation comes natural. I think my "bedside manner" does me as much good as anything. Add in the fact that I know a lot of people and can usually get a "6 degrees of Kevin Bacon" moment in given enough conversation, that helps as well. I need some new ground with the lackluster showing from the farm so far, so I plan to hit things hard in this department for the first time in a long time...