Many hunters find themselves needing to ask for permission to hunt on private land, so here are our best tips to help you do exactly that.
It can be challenging to find the perfect place to hunt if you do not own land. You have very few options:
- You can hunt on overrun public land
- You can lease expensive land
- You can approach someone about hunting on their land
Of those options, the last one is ideal — but it definitely poses some challenges. Plenty of landowners aren’t quick to open their property to someone they don’t know, especially if they have had past issues with people trespassing. But, to help you gain access to private land for hunting this season, there are three things to keep in mind as you ask them for permission to hunt on their land.
3 Things to Keep in Mind When Asking to Hunt on Private Land
#1 Make a Good First Impression
While the hunting season is months away, now is the ideal time to start looking to hunt on private land. It does not look good to wait until a week before the season begins to ask a private landowner to hunt on their land — in most cases, the answer will be “NO!” Generally speaking, most people don’t like random people showing up at their homes without warning. Ideally, you’d make a phone call first where you can schedule a face-to-face meeting. Your chances of them saying “yes” when they expect you are much better than if you were to surprise them.
Here are a few more ways to make a good first impression with the landowner:
- Most of the time, there is no shortage of work on acres and acres of land, so ask how you can help
- Don’t ask for access to all of their land, just access to the areas you’re interested in
- Come bearing gifts — it never hurts to be polite and suck up just a little
#2 Share the Love
Make sure to offer to share part of your harvest. They shared their land; the least you can do is share part of your bounty. You’ll likely have more meat than you know what to do with and sharing the love is the perfect way to say thank you and maintain a good relationship with them. Sweeten the deal even further by having it professionally processed or doing it yourself before gifting it to them. It may cost you more money, but it’s the price you may need to pay to have access to their land.
#3 The Landowner’s Say is the Law
It is essential to remember that you are the landowner’s guest once they allow you to hunt on their land. This means that whatever they say goes — they make the rules, and their word is the law! If they say you can access the land on certain days, honor that — don’t just show up whenever you want. Make sure to get additional permission about setting tree stands and trail cams and set up clear expectations about accessing the land to check on your things. Make sure you understand 100% what their boundaries and expectations are and be respectful to those things.
Skip Asking for Permission to Hunt on Private Land — Contact R & K Hunting Company
If you’re like most, it might be out of your comfort zone to ask anyone for permission to hunt on private land. Instead, contact R & K Hunting Company, where we do all of the planning and work for you. Skip all the headaches and hassles of organizing the perfect hunting trip in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and Utah and let our knowledgeable and experienced team handle the task. Contact R & K Hunting Company for an unforgettable hunting adventure today.
