Door Knocking?

[Lonestar_Slinger]

Do any of yall do it? If so, how often? What are some do's and donts of the trade? Or are you completely against bothering people for permission?

 

[KurtR]

all the time. I either just go up and ask or call them and tell them who i am and ask worse they can say is no but doesnt happen very often but I live in an area where every one knows every one

 

[Crowmangler]

I haven't in many years but I always had pretty good success. The main thing I always tried to do is offer them something in return. Give them a reason to want you there. Help work around the farm, help watch after the place, give them part of meat, etc. Promise you won't ever bring anyone else unless they approve ahead of time. Always go in person to introduce yourself but maybe call first to ask when would be a good time to visit & take something with you like a jar of honey, etc.
Nowadays it might be a good idea to have an attorney write up a little CYA letter that says they won't be held liable for anything that might happen to you while you're on their property.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I’ve tried it quite a few times. Ask 20 people and get 1 yes. It’s a pain in the butt to find the right person at the right time. Some places you might be more likely to get yes, but others you could ask 100 and get 100 no. Probably would have been more successful 20 years ago…

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Never in many times did I get a yes, but I did get a lot of, get off our property, and no we don't like your type. I live in Cal. ughh. I had good success in Wis. and AZ.

 

[11boo]

We wanted to knock on a ranchers door, but it was 600 yards beyond a locked gate. Big checkerboard area, and we were hoping to corner cross with permission. While we sat by his gate glassing elk on public he pulls up and asks what we were doing. Turned out really well, we had cow tags, his paying hunters were done and he lets us on his ranch to take a couple cows.
It almost felt dirty. Drove a couple hundred yards from the herd, rested rifles on his fence then drove right up to the kill.

 

[ScottRK]

I did for coon hunting. Got mostly yes. Some no’s were deer leases. One lady was a Karen’s grandma about 20 years ago. I was asking during training season, and it was “ NO ! I REHAB COONS FOR THE STATE” . Like there’s a shortage here.

I was down the road aways in the co. truck asking a farmer ,and she pulled in and took the license plate. She said she was calling DNR. Called them and yep she did. They tried to explain to her…

 

[ozyclint]

The trouble with trading work with access is getting fair exchange of value. Often a full days work is worth a couple of hours hunting at the end of the day....apparently.

 

[___DAN___]

Door knocking has led to some ground i still have today. It all started with, "go down the road a few miles and talk to such and such and tell him I sent you". 15 years later, additional new property, all which came from having courage to go up and ask for permission. The worst they can say is no.

 

[Lytro]

I always assume people get asked all the time so I don't even bother trying anymore. I've had quite a few people offer access after a short conversation while I'm pulled to the side of the road glassing adjacent public though. I've noticed they nearly always take a look at the license plate before doing so.

On the other hand I have a buddy that has access to thousands of acres of prime whitetail hunting in WI, KS, IA, and NE solely from door knocking and meeting locals in bars.

 

[venado mula]

I believe in it, we should all be more social in a positive way. Most of the time around my area the landowner is frustrated with unfair compensation for his allowing public hunters on his land. I always offer handyman and livestock services for entry. Most of the time they might refer you to another landowner looking for your services down the road. I'm after one specific animal and size so I'm pretty picky who I ask. You never know what you're going to get knocking on someones door.

 

[ozyclint]

Then you have the "having terrible trouble with pigs/deer/rabbits/foxes, etc, etc" farmer in the local paper/radio.
Go ask- "no, we don't let hunters on"

 

[Newtosavage]

Do any of yall do it? If so, how often? What are some do's and donts of the trade? Or are you completely against bothering people for permission?

Only regret I have is that I didn't do more of it early in my hunting career when it probably would have been even more effective.

Fellas, it's only gonna get harder. Do it as much as you can now and establish those relationships. Otherwise, someone else will.

 

[hunterjmj]

My dad and I use to trap a lot so I'd ask permission to trap and many times it turned into them offering us to hunt deer/elk. Never took it up cause I had my hunting spots. I rarely got turned down to trap someones property. Trapping is probably a good way to eventually get hunting access.

 

[Coveyleader]

I consider myself quite good at it. My ratio is very very high from CO to KS to NE and even WY sorry to say there is more than just showing up asking. Way more.

 

[Z71&Gun]

I have had next to no luck door knocking in Washington. People either look at me like I have three heads or tell me their family member hunts there. Wild goose chase. I have had way more luck meeting people at dinner, school, BBQs, social events and asking about hunting property.

 

[Z71&Gun]

I consider myself quite good at it. My ratio is very very high from CO to KS to NE and even WY sorry to say there is more than just showing up asking. Way more.

Care to elaborate? More research, more work after asking, more gifts? I'd love to hear a tried and true method.

 

[Mt Al]

Used to all the time and, if I may say so, was excellent at it. Several times I asked if we could fill doe tags only, used to buy as many as I could, and it was a great way to open the door. After shooting a few, drop back by the ranch house and show them a truck full of dead does. Then a "thank you" bottle of spirits at Christmas. A few times it worked out for access to bucks, elk, birds for a few years.

I stopped years ago, just got tired of it and enjoy just going to public land without having to talk to anyone.

I have a close friend who does it all the time and is excellent at it! I hate him for it.

Ending with a story: I asked for permission at a place near Big Timber, MT about 25 years ago. Rancher says, "yeah, go down to the grain bins and talk to the guys working there and ask them where to go." We went there......and the guy says "Oh yeah, go ahead. But, did you know if you see a fox, shoot it, have it tanned you can trade it for a piece of ass at the Road Kill Cafe? True story!!..." and he proceeded to tell us a story I'll never forget. No amount of counseling has helped.

 

[Coveyleader]

Care to elaborate? More research, more work after asking, more gifts? I'd love to hear a tried and true method.

I won’t go into all of it, but seriously, you can either talk to people or you can’t. There is no bridging that gap. I could send my hunting partner to the same door, and it’s a no, without question, and I’ll get the ok a week later. I picked up three properties in Colorado last year and I only asked three people so that is a pretty high ratio.

I will say it is much easier getting permission for one person than +1 without a doubt.

The hardest thing about ask for perMission properties is keeping them. There is a lot of maintenance to them, and I’m getting to the point I’m letting them slip out of laziness.

 

[ozyclint]

That's my trouble. Complete social phobic hermit. The less I have to talk to other people and even more so, strangers, the happier I am. I just want to hunt and fish. I hate ringing up and asking if it's OK to go for a hunt this weekend on the properties I have now.

As for keeping properties, you can just about guarantee that once you have a place worked out, it gets sold. Happened to all my best access. Trying to find access is almost a constant process because of this turnover.