Permission to Hunt

If you have not already, you are starting to think about getting permission to hunt new properties in your area.  If you are in a hunting club, your club is in the process of paying there leases on the properties they hunt.  Either way you are obtaining permission to hunt land in your area.    

Your hunting club is paying for the land they hunt and that is easy permission to obtain, pay your annual lease and hunt on the land for the duration of the lease.

Now you the individual wants to obtain permission to hunt a parcel of land.  The best approach is always to go up to the door, knock and ask but I always have a fresh baked pie or cake with me when I go.  Even if the landowner is not willing to allow me to hunt I will leave the treat and thank them for their time.  If the landowner is hesitant, even after your gift of sweets, you are always best to offer to perform a services or chores for them in exchange for their permission.  My husband and I have cut many a cord of firewood, cleared old farm roads of down trees and debris, helped fix a porch roof, spread a few loads of gravel on a driveway, helped haul freshly bailed hay from the fields, plow gardens in the spring,...well you can just imagine.    

Now, you are getting that permission to hunt a property, always and I mean always, offer to share what you harvest with the landowner.  Don’t just hand them a hindquarter either, clean dress and package the meat ready for their freezer.   If they do not prefer the taste of wild game over the holidays we show up at their doorstep again with a ham and/or turkey for them.  We also make sure that they have plenty of fresh vegetables from the garden if they have no garden of their own.

Always let the landowner know you are going onto their property to hunt before you go, you may have permission to be there but it is their property and they could be working in the area you are going to hunt.  That is safer for all.

Here is the front and back side of a "Permission to Hunt" card that we ask every landowner to enter into with us when they have given us permission to be on their property.  If they are allowing myself and my husband to hunt we both get a card.   Always inform them of the type of vehicle you drive and exactly what type of hunting you intend to do.  Some landowners may restrict you as to the type of weapons they prefer you use on their property.   If you wish to put stands on their property please get their permission we have heard many stories from friends that took their expensive new ladder stands into a property and set them up only to find them behind the landowner’s barn.  Just don’t get permission for you to hunt but for you to use your tree stands, ATV’s or trail camera if you want to scout this land in that fashion.   Ask them where you should park when you come to hunt their property.  Above all abide by the landowner’s wishes and you will find that you have land to hunt on for many years.

I have these set up on a template that will print 10 cards to a page with the Pledge on one side the Affidavit on the other.  If you want a copy please email me at BeaglePup@talkhunting.com and place "hunting permission" in your subject line.  I will get a copy out to you as soon as I can.