Landowner: What do I do?

[MuleShack]

I would keep it to one group/person. If the first guy only hunts weekends then fine, you know you can still open up the week days to someone else...but I wouldn't get into the multiple hunters thing. Just creates problems for both parties, unless there is good communication.

...and we all know that guys are not good at communicating. Just look at your reviews at work or ask your wives

[fivebucks]

As a hunter I would prefer to be the only person field hunting the property. For pheasant I would just want to be the only person at that time out there. Letting others out on other days is not an issue. Although in a perfect world I would like to have every nice chunk of private land just for me As far as the guy not hunting the land I would not be too upset at that. I myself would try to secure up several areas to hunt cause we all know geese can go anywhere. They were probably not feeding on your land when he scouted or something.

I think a fair way for waterfowl field hunting would give out time periods. This guy gets early goose. The next guy could get opener thru the 1st month and a 3rd guy the late season or some variation of that. It all comes down to how you feel about it. Most of the time you burn a field out after a couple days of hunting anyhow so it would be moot point. Thanks for posting the question out here.

[graingrower]

Charge a fee. Ask for a cash deposit prior to the season, dont worry about the hunter showing up. A typical rate in my area is $100/day/person. If your location is more productive than most, I'd ask for double that amount, you'll get it.

[TooTallTom]

What about giving people permission for a specific weekend (or M-F if they can get out)? Then there's no worries about mixing groups, and your land isn't tied up for the entire season if someone's just tying up properties.

I guess this works much better for birds than deer, but might be worth considering.

Edit: I didn't notice the second page. I guess this is kind of a redundant suggestion.

[TylerS]

Charge a fee. Ask for a cash deposit prior to the season, dont worry about the hunter showing up. A typical rate in my area is $100/day/person. If your location is more productive than most, I'd ask for double that amount, you'll get it.

Ya...there you go. Let's turn into South Dakota or Texas. Pay to play! Woohooo!!!

[Farley]

in that situation, not knowing you and just knocking on your door, if I had asked permision first, I would have asked to hunt the wheat stubble, and would really really like (not go so far as to expect) that I or my group would be the only ones in the wheat, especially at 25 acres. Different story if its 100+. Now if you give permision to another group to hunt the alfalfa, thats the way it goes when you are guests on a strangers land, I wouldnt expect you to say no to anyone, I would hope you do, but it would be for my benifit, but like I said before, thats the way it goes when you dont own it.

now on a neighbors or a good buddys land its's different, I think you could expect to have sole permision.

[BobT]

Charge a fee. Ask for a cash deposit prior to the season, dont worry about the hunter showing up. A typical rate in my area is $100/day/person. If your location is more productive than most, I'd ask for double that amount, you'll get it.

I appreciate the thought but charging for the use at this point is not on my radar. I’m a hunter too and I just feel I'd rather allow hunters who respect enough to ask. Not everything has to be a money-making venture.

[BobT]

in that situation, not knowing you and just knocking on your door, if I had asked permision first, I would have asked to hunt the wheat stubble, and would really really like (not go so far as to expect) that I or my group would be the only ones in the wheat, especially at 25 acres. Different story if its 100+. Now if you give permision to another group to hunt the alfalfa, thats the way it goes when you are guests on a strangers land, I wouldnt expect you to say no to anyone, I would hope you do, but it would be for my benifit, but like I said before, thats the way it goes when you dont own it.

now on a neighbors or a good buddys land its's different, I think you could expect to have sole permision.

When it comes to pheasant hunting I can see where I would have mixed feelings if I knew that other hunters were turned down to hunt a parcel of land because I had already secured access. Pheasant hunting demands more mobility and restricting access to one person to me seems unfair. I just don't think it would be fair for me to tie up land that way. Nice maybe but not fair. On the flip side if I got permission to hunt a field for geese during the September season and got there at 5:00am only to find out other hunters also got permission, I would feel a little betrayed. Likewise if I was turned down because another hunter was granted permission but then I discovered the other hunter never did show like this year’s Labor Day hunt, it would seem unfair. I felt guilty for turning down the second request after I discovered nobody showed up to hunt.

[BobT]

This is what I’m considering. Do you all think this sounds fair? Forget that I am the owner when you answer this. Don’t worry. I’m not on some kind of power trip or anything. I’m just attempting to illustrate how I would try to manage access to my land while being as fair to as many as possible. I’m a hunter too and once I grant someone permission I close my own land to me as well……unless they invite me to join their party of course.

September Goose Hunting:

* Hunting the early goose season requires a lot of setup and space. For this reason I think it is probably best to only allow access to one party at a time therefore access will be exclusive and other hunters will be turned down.

* Access can be for a specific time period such as a day, weekend, or an entire season if requested.

Pheasant hunting:

* Pheasant hunting requires a lot of mobility so hunters come and go throughout the day.

* Access can be for specific time periods including the entire season if requested.

* I will consider exclusive access for specific days or weekends but not for the entire season. These special requests will have to be made on per day or per weekend basis.

Deer hunting:

* Deer hunting presents some unique challenges because it encompasses both mobile (drives) and stationary (stands) tactics.

* Access can be for specific time periods including the entire season if requested.

* I will consider exclusive access for specific days, weekends, or the entire season.

With regard to exclusive access:

*I understand that when someone asks for a whole season they may not be out there every single day but I would expect regular activity throughout the season to warrant me closing my property to others.

* If I grant someone non-exclusive access for a time period, I will not undermine it later by granting someone else exclusive access to the same time.

* In fairness to other hunters and to discourage tying up private land for personal hunting preserves, exclusive access comes with a hitch that they hunt the land.

* If for some reason they choose not to hunt I expect to be notified within reasonable time so I can allow other hunters.

* If I don’t get notified then I will take this into consideration in future requests.

[Farley]

All I know is it seems like you are already being more than fair by letting people you dont know hunt. You cant get any more fair than that. Dont feel guilty because one guy missed one hunt because another guy didnt show up. Not your fault.

[BoxMN]

Bob and others who let us without land hunt, THANK YOU!

Here is my two cents Bob - first, your list above works fine, and fair.

For Pheasant hunting, you could just tell them you want them to park in "X" spot. If there is a vehicel there, somebody else is out there, come back at a different time.

Goose - I as hunter with permission would not be upset to make sure you know ahead of time (a day or two) if I am going to be out there. I also don't mind cooredinating with others so you don't have to do the legwork. I also would not just "tie up" land, but I know it happens.

For deer, I think I would try to stick to one party, or else keep the weekends together for different parties... that one is a bit more tricky since it is such a short season. For bow is different, I would keep bow hunters out during rifle season, for their own safety

Thanks again for allowing guest hunters, and also for thinking and trying to be fair about it, rather than just telling one guy he has full claim for the whole year, thus keeping many of us out.

[TooTallTom]

BobT, I think that all sounds very good for those who would ask permission to hunt your land. I don't say "fair" since you say (if I read it right) that you might exclude yourself from hunting your own land, and I don't think that's fair.

And again, I'll give you a high-five for putting so much consideration into this, and for going so far out of your way to look out for others.

[nofishfisherman]

Whatever you decide to do its going to be fair. No one should ask permission with the expectation that they get free run of the land whenever they want. You've already done more than what could be expected from a land owner.

What I would do is give permission to several people (whatever number you think is safe) but tell them to give you a call a day or two before hunting to confirm that no one else is going to be out there that day, they should also check in when they arrive if possible so that you know they are there. Let them know that if they show up unannounced then may find someone else already setting up and if that's the case then they are out of luck. You could set up a specific parking spot for hunters so others know right away if another hunter is there.

If everyone did this then its not a big deal if people look for access at several different spots because they would know none of them are guaranteed spots. They would make the calls a few days before the hunt and see which one of the lands is open for that day and all would be good.

Also if you ever do consider charging a fee for the land you'll probably want to get some sort of waiver written up to absolve you from any sort of liability. Right now if you give free access state law protects you from liability but I believe if you charge a fee then you open yourself up to potential liability.

[hockeybc69]

I have permission on several properties for turkey hunting and duck hunting.

I make sure to let the landowner know that I do have permission on other properties and that I obviously wont be there hunting every day/weekend.

I line up several pieces so I have some options in the event a location or two are not productive.

They do not grant any more permission to anyone else. As said before, early bird gets the worm.

I have cultivated relationships with these landowners over the years, and they have no problem with the arrangement we have.

[bigbucks]

+1 for me, same with bowhunting.

[BobT]

This question is not aimed at you specifically so please don’t take it personally but I can’t help but wonder.

When you knowingly secure exclusive access to multiple places thereby tying up many parcels of private land for yourself how do you justify to the rest of the hunters complaining about private land owners not granting you access to their property when you are actually part of the problem by tying up the land? We’ve had plenty of discussions, some heated, on this site about how so many greedy private land owners are unfair and create their own hunting meccas by not allowing others to hunt. Just paraphrasing the many discussions from my perspective as a land owner.

I'm not asking in order to start an argument but I am curious how you can reason this because it all plays into my decision as a land owner.

Thanks,

[hockeybc69]

I see your point and completely understand your question.

One thing a farmer told me years ago. He would rather grant me exclusive access, so he doesnt have to keep track of who else has been granted permission.

And in addition, he is more comfortable knowing that people arent going to bump into each other, and possibly have issues with that.

He said he doesnt have time to manage for hunting, and its just so much easier to let me and my family hunt there. He knows us. He respects us. We know him and we respect him.

As far as securing additional properties. I dont feel guilty about it. Those landowners I think enjoy knowing who is coming out on their land because we have done so for many years. They know what to expect. Not saying others would treat them wrong, but there is a sense of comfort knowing who you have on your land.

We own some land too, and do let some limited access. And that access is to people that we know(friends).

[BobT]

Quote:

As far as securing additional properties. I dont feel guilty about it. Those landowners I think enjoy knowing who is coming out on their land because we have done so for many years. They know what to expect. Not saying others would treat them wrong, but there is a sense of comfort knowing who you have on your land.

I understand.

[CodyDawg]

I was trying to find access to a field so I could take my 7 year old girl and my 16 year old brother goose hunting. I wanted just 1 field. Luckily, my brother got that field. We also found out another hunter had permission as well. It sure gave us a quesy feeling. We are not big goose hunters....we have 17 decoys and I suck as a caller, so if there were two groups in that field, we were gonna lose out. We got out there really early (if we were the second to the field, I think we would have just went home). I would really have liked to have a backup plan of some sort just in case. As it turned out, the other hunters respected our position and put out there full body decoys in an adjacent alfalfa field. How did it work out? Neither group got shooting on any geese! But we had fun and a bunch of snacks were consumed by the girl!

One thing with goose huntin is that if there are geese using a field, the odds of success go up exponentially. If not, it is difficult to get much shooting. that is "why" someone locks up multiple fields....to increase the odds of having a field that will produce.

[Musky Buck]

Locked up, in my area recently and with times being tougher, groups are leasing up every field they can, helps in a way, we all know none of us will maybe ever be allowed to hunt these fields again so not many of us buy stamps anymore, anyway, a lot of folks these days may have ulterior motives, even 1 neighbor that was granting goose permission to 3 guys I mentioned to him when I asked that it's unusual that these 3 guys hunt geese with compound bows, they had access to some of the most prime deer land in our state and never hunted waterfowl. Just ask, be polite and honest and expect to be turned down and offer the guy I'm sorry to have bothered you and take care. Eventually you'll find something, if not go to LQP and reserve a pit.