Sportsman's Resume (Permission to hunt/fish)

joeumholtz · Post by **joeumholtz** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:53 am

HAving hunted public land all my life I am now faced with the prospect of having to knock on doors and get permission to hunt private lands. Having had little to no experience in doing that it occurred to me that it might be a good idea to have a document to hand out to the prospective landowner that would include things such as:

Name
Address
Contact Info
Type of Permission sought
etc.

The bottom of the form could be a tear off section that would be a signed permission from the landowner that specified the activiites allowed and any restrictions imposed by the landowner.

Looking for feedback on this idea. Has anyone done something like this? Things to include? Please tell me your thoughts.

Joe

Fork Horn · Post by **Fork Horn** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:22 am

Here is what I use, It is for Ontario but I'm sure you could easily modify it to fit your needs.
I have had good luck using this form.

http://www.ofah.org/hunting/index.cfm?ID=5

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:49 am

Around here, it's more like:

"Hey! Mind if I hunt on ya'll this year?"

And the usual reply:

"Naw! Kill all you want!"

Or, as the farmer north of me put it in rifle season this year:

"Lay some thunder on 'em!"

Hope you have similar results!

joeumholtz · Post by **joeumholtz** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:46 pm

Thanks Fork Horn

That's pretty much what I was thinking. With some modifications it should work.

Anybody else have any similar examples?

,

Fork Horn wrote:Here is what I use, It is for Ontario but I'm sure you could easily modify it to fit your needs.
I have had good luck using this form.

http://www.ofah.org/hunting/index.cfm?ID=5

joeumholtz · Post by **joeumholtz** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:50 pm

Grizz,

That's how it used to be around here also. With new PA Game Commission deer management philosophies and the anti's, the deer population has been greatly reduced. Posted signs have gone up everywhere and driven hunters to the public lands, which furthr decimated the deer. And, I now live where public lands are somewhat scarce. The combination of all these factors has led me to the conclusion that I need to start knocking on doors. Now, I'm just trying to go about it in the most friendly and confidence building way possible...so I can lay some thunder on 'em.

DropTine · Post by **DropTine** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 3:50 pm

WOW Grizz, I wish it was that easy around here, but I think to many people are listening to PETA!

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:29 pm

As a hunter and an owner of hunting land, I can see the advantages of having a sort of "written agreement" such as those specified.

Our county just started requiring written permission for hunters on private land, and I simply printed up some business cards that said:

I, Adam Henderson, do hereby grant the cardholder,

__________________________________________ ,

permission to hunt on my _________________ county

property in the 2008 hunting season.

Overly simplistic, I guess, but it worked for this first year. I reckon I might go to something a little more detailed this year.

I truly do sympathize with those of you who have difficulty finding a place to hunt,

and wish you all the best in your search.

My best tip as a landowner would be this: offer to help out around the place! Even if I don't want folks to help me, it means a lot to hear them ask if I need any.

In fact, any sign of appreciation is nice.

Woody Williams · Post by **Woody Williams** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:39 pm

Around here, it's more like:

"Hey! Mind if I hunt on ya'll this year?"

And the usual reply:

You can for $20 an acre...

jpscribbler · Post by **jpscribbler** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:58 pm

This is an important issue and one I'm glad to see raised.

When I hunt up north I don't have landowner issues. Near where I live, in southwestern Ontario, it's a different story. It is densely population, filled with urbanites, deer and lots of land. It's a recipe for urban/rural splits and clashing cultures.
Each year I send out detailed letters to landowners and farm organizations. I explain who I am, why I'm writing and what I want to do.
I tell people that I am writing because I recognize their time is valuable and I don't want to intrude with a phone call or a cold call. I tell them I will follow up with a call after the letter.
I give them a copy of my insurance liability form. I also tell them, if they grant me permission to hunt their land, I will give them a picture of my vehicle, including licence plate number.
I tell them I am ethical, conscientious, responsible and hunt legally. I also specify that I am hunting with a bow - this makes a huge difference - many people are afraid of guns, but make allowances for bows.
When I meet landowners, I also make a point to do it outside of hunting season and I do not approach them in full camo. This shouldn't be complicated. It's relationship building and making last impressions.
Many, many times, people have said to me, "I'd like to give you permission, but we've had too many problems with hunters in the past." Gates have been left open, garbage (cans, bags, spent shells) have been left on the ground, etc.
I also make a point of saying thank you and following up with a card, letter and bottle of wine and offer of meat that has been processed.
After all that it's still a tough sell and nothing is guaranteed.
The point is, the more we can all be ambassadors, the easier time we will have selling ourselves and what we do. Hunting is moral, legal and ethical and no one has anything to apologize for, but we can do more to win the communications campaign.

Cheers,

Jp

TPM · Post by **TPM** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:58 pm

Written permission is required in some areas around here. One of the Townships I hunt in (Woolwich for you local guys) requires that each hunter carries on his or her person written landowner permission and it must be renewed each year. Not bad as we hunt the whole season there but it's a bit of a pain to bring a guest along as it means stopping by the landowners place to get a form signed first.
I give anyone hunting my land up north a permission letter to carry if I'm not along with them. It's not required but it helps as we have watchful neighbours up there who will approach anyone they don't know who is on our property as we do for theirs.

TPM · Post by **TPM** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:05 pm

When I meet landowners, I also make a point to do it outside of hunting season and I do not approach them in full camo.

I also make a point of saying thank you and following up with a card, letter and bottle of wine and offer of meat that has been processed.

Excellent points. I always try to look clean and presentable when I meet with the landowners and never go in camo. Taking my young son along has always been a hit too.

This Saturday my son and I are doing the "tour" with cards, wine and meat for the local landowners. Hopefully then Saturday evening I'll be touring to Woodstock!

Doe Master · Post by **Doe Master** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:23 pm

Here is an example of what we use.Just type it up on the computer and fill in your own name.The land owners wanted the not being responsible put in.

flbuckmaster · Post by **flbuckmaster** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:37 pm

Hey Griz...mind if I hunt on ya'll this year?

jay

joeumholtz · Post by **joeumholtz** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:22 pm

Wow,

I'm glad I started this thread. You all make some very good points. I agree with approaching out of season, which is why I'm starting to do my legwork now. I wrestled with the best way to approach this, by mail, by phone, by person and had my reservations about mail and phone. Around here I think the personal contact may carry more weight (sans camo) so I may try that first. I've also wondered if posting an ad in a local agricultural publication might work. Somethinng like:

51 yr old ethical hunter with 35 years bow hunting experience seeks landowner with deer management problem for mutually beneficial relationship.

I'm also thinking that maybe approaching them and asking for permission to bowhunt groundhogs at first and then working up to deer and turkey later in the year might work. It would give the landowner an opportunity to observe the hunter and how he operates and I don't know one farmer that isn't interested in lowering his varmint population.

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:43 pm

I don't give anyone blanket permission to hunt this farm. My usual response to those who ask is to be perfectly honest:

I don't mind folks hunting here a little, or once in a while ... but I don't want anyone here all the time, or even every week. This is my home; I live right here, and it's the only place I hunt ... at least it has been for the last five years. I don't mind sharing some, but I do like my privacy and serenity ... and I like to reserve the hunting for myself early in the season, so that I have a chance at the critters while they're relatively undisturbed and before they get all skittish and nocturnal. Hope that doesn't sound stingy, but hey ... I worked hard to retire that mortgage, and I pay the taxes.

So that's my attitude about it ... if someone really needs a place to hunt and if there is some good reason they can't make use of the more than 250,000 acres of easily accessible and little utilized public hunting land around here (where the hunting is just as good, if not better in places) ... then I'll usually let them hunt this little 104 acre farm, if they'll keep my preferences in mind:

Not too early in the season
Not too often

One inflexible rule I have is that NO LITTER of any sort left behind ... and that includes spent shells and cases and filter cigarette butts.

If that seems unreasonable ... well, I can't help that. That's the way it is in the Land of Grizz.

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