Trespass fee... how to go about?

Joined
Apr 9, 2018
Location
Alaska
In some states, some units, they have high success rates due to private land or minimal amount of public land your odds of filling a tag are better by going private land paying a trespass fee.

How does one find or approach a land owner to hunt their property?
 
It really depends upon the species, unit, number of tags, etc. Outfitters often knock on landowners doors and lease up the prime large ranches in units. Ranchers don't have to deal directly with hunters (that they don't know or possibly trust) and outfitters often pay pretty good $ for dependable year to year leases.

The best way to find a property is to pound on doors. Nothing like getting face to face with a rancher/farmer. A good way to go about it is to offer labor for hunting privedges. Another way to possibly up your odds is to pound on a door with your youngster or wife standing next to you! You may get depressed pounding on doors and getting rejected! It may also take several attempts to catch a farmer/rancher at home.

Depending upon the species...if a farmer/rancher is hesitant you might mention that you don't need to hunt opening weekend and that you would be available to hunt later in the season after things settle down.

You can always call farmers/ranchers on the phone but you likely won't get a very good response.
 
I have had great luck making phone calls well in advance of my hunting. If an area with hard access I would make calls before I apply.
I call in mid morning. Usually get the ranchers wife. Inquire if the family allows hunting and trespass fee hunting. Sometimes they give the ranchers cell number to call him directly. I ask best time to call and talk.
As above, don't try to get on opening week.

Before I call I try to get info from GW , biologist ,or the access yes coordinators about landowners that allow hunting. They can usually tell you who at least does not allow hunting.
Look on the county GIS webpages and have some landowners names in mind to ask about with the G&F folks.
 
What is a typical trespass fee for pronghorn in WY? I am sure it can vary, but I am curious what people have heard. Want to manage my expectations.
 
What is a typical trespass fee for pronghorn in WY? I am sure it can vary, but I am curious what people have heard. Want to manage my expectations.
Just wanted to bump this. I'm looking to pay for unit 23 but don't want to break the bank I've seen 500 online but thats crazy.
 
Just wanted to bump this. I'm looking to pay for unit 23 but don't want to break the bank I've seen 500 online but thats crazy.

Good luck finding anything cheaper. If you do it will likely be severely over hunted. Knocking on doors may work.
 
I think Fishforfun nailed it. IF you can find a place in Hunt Area 23 that will do a trespass fee hunt and it is less than $500 you will be fortunate.

ClearCreek
 
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500 for good ranch in 23 sounds like a deal if you can find it. Looks like there is access issues. The right ranch will get you on not only the ranch but the BLM lands that it locks up.
 
500 for good ranch in 23 sounds like a deal if you can find it. Looks like there is access issues. The right ranch will get you on not only the ranch but the BLM lands that it locks up.
I'm guess it's not a great ranch for 500, we pay 3 times that in new Mexico..

Granted we're killing 80+

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$500 aint bad. I pay $150 for a Wy ranch I can hunt every year and $500 for a large MT ranch and get land owner tags included so can hunt every year.
 
I have had great luck making phone calls well in advance of my hunting. If an area with hard access I would make calls before I apply.
I call in mid morning. Usually get the ranchers wife. Inquire if the family allows hunting and trespass fee hunting. Sometimes they give the ranchers cell number to call him directly. I ask best time to call and talk.
As above, don't try to get on opening week.

Before I call I try to get info from GW , biologist ,or the access yes coordinators about landowners that allow hunting. They can usually tell you who at least does not allow hunting.
Look on the county GIS webpages and have some landowners names in mind to ask about with the G&F folks.

We should have called sooner than we did last year. Unfortunately, no one was willing to give us access. We still got to that portion of the land and filled our tag, but it took 5 miles of walking and packing out.
 
$500 aint bad. I pay $150 for a Wy ranch I can hunt every year and $500 for a large MT ranch and get land owner tags included so can hunt every year.

PETA and HSUS's biggest anti hunting fan chimes in . I'm flattered and thanks for stalking me Buzzy. But not into short, fat bald, anti hunting, anti science, anti gun bald guys lol

Perhaps you should dedicate all of your energy getting wolves introduced into Utah, Arizona , Colorado, New Mexico so you can can get more hunting seasons of elk, moose, mule deer shut down. oops my bad you're already doing this. I guess PETA and Ted Turner pay well. Everyone has a price I guess. lol
 
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PETA and HSUS's biggest anti hunting fan chimes in . I'm flattered and thanks for stalking me Buzzy. But not into short, fat bald, anti hunting, anti science, anti gun bald guys lol

Perhaps you should dedicate all of your energy getting wolves introduced into Utah, Arizona , Colorado, New Mexico so you can can get more hunting seasons of elk, moose, mule deer shut down. oops my bad you're already doing this. I guess PETA and Ted Turner pay well. Everyone has a price I guess. lol

Tell us more about your Montana pronghorn landowner tags you buy for $500...

I'm sure the MTFWP will be curious how you're doing that.

Page 13:

In Montana, It is unlawful
to loan or transfer a license to another
or to use a license issued to another
person
 
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Yea I'm curious about your MT landowner license because I've never heard of such a thing. I'm not interested in one, it just doesn't sound legal to me. All I've ever heard of are the landowner sponsored deer license.
 
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