Go easy on us!

[meandmyboy]

Well, I guess I am going to be that guy! That Dad! Go easy on me!
I’ve got a 12 year old who has been stomping through the woods with me for the last 5 years waiting for this year. He saved all his cash to pay for his draw entries and all his tags. He got drawn for antlerless WT in 166. After quite a few trips east all summer touring the DU land available we thought things looked promising! Not so anymore! After a few trips west to crown land, no luck!
I’m not one to knock on doors and ask for permission, I have the utmost respect for the farmers out there and can’t imagine some stranger knocking on my door asking to hang out in my yard... with a rifle...
Not looking for honey holes, and willing to travel even though without a job it is alot cheaper to go to the grocery store! Just wondering on the whitetail population in WMU 166, or even 162 where he could grab an undersubscribed antlerless tag.
All he wants to do is make his own jerky!

Thanks fellow outdoors people!!

[calgarychef]

Someone should help you out to get a deer for your kid, I don’t know that WMU though.

Here’s the thing, nowadays a person needs to know how to knock on doors.
It’s never easy believe me but learning door knocking with your son would be a good idea.

[3blade]

Permission seeking is part of the game, and most farmers are done with the harvest. In fact you might find some are more than happy to get rid of another deer, lots of crop damage and vehicle accidents this time of year. A 12 year old after a doe will likely get a much better reception than you think. Most country folks want to see kids outside.

Pick somewhere you’ve seen the deer, or if nothing else a property with a brushy creek bottom or river

Never been there so I can’t help with a spot. Hope someone chimes in.

[TBark]

I agree,
Approach a landowner with a Jr hunter and your chance of permission goes up ten fold.
Lots of stories from landowners I know of why they may say no, or tip the scale towards saying NO.
Driving right up to the door or window with headlights on, Guys with hats on while chatting, or ballcaps backwards.
Dropping others names before they introduce themselves, I could go on.

Knock on a door or 2, you will do fine.

TBark

[slough shark]

Lots of whitetail there, find land with crop land with bushy slough bottoms, sneak up on them and wait. The vast majority of land is private there so get out and ask, you’ll pretty well need to ask for permission, be respectful, follow their rules and you’ll likely be able to do it every year,, heck you’ll probably even develop relationships with these people over the years

[elkhunter11]

Unfortunately, most of the land in that area is private, so knocking on doors is hard to avoid, if you require access. It's not as big of a deal as you think, go during daylight hours, be polite, and although some people may say no, some will say yes, especially if you are taking a youth hunter.

[gramps73]

I've never had anyone tell me no when asking for my boys.
Be honest and tell them its for the kids.
good luck

[sns2]

I've only had one person deny me when I had my son at my side. Find deer and you will get permission. Remember, no white Oakley sunglasses!

[buckbrush]

Some good advice here.

Learning to talk to farmers will increase your hunting area in a huge way.

Most of the land owners I ask are ones I have known for years or neighbors but I try to meet a few more each year and stop in to the old ones just for a BS even if I'm not planning on hunting their land that year.

I always have a hard time pulling up to a house since I know I've had hunters stop in when I was busy or away and just the wife was home.

This year I tried something different that was received well. I hate calling people on the phone to ask, especially if I don't know them. I also hate going to peoples places unexpected. This year I called and this is pretty much what I said. "Hello, this is ******. I'm from ***** and doing some hunting in your area, I was wondering if it would be possible for me to swing in today and discuss getting foot access to hunt on your land? If you're in the middle of something, I can try again another time."

I used this on about 5 land owners this year and all five said I could go ahead and hunt but didn't have to stop in first. Two of those that gave me permission on the phone said I could still stop in if I wanted to so I did swing by. The one fellow's wife insisted I stay for supper then force fed me coffee for a couple hours (It was past dark at that time and I had nowhere to be)
I had permission before I went there but walked away with a good meal and a couple new friends. The other one I stopped in at I was given some good pointers at where the animals were, got shown about 300 trail cam pics (old boy doesn't hunt anymore but enjoys trail cams) and offered the use of the loader if we got a moose.

[meandmyboy]

All advice greatly appreciated. Thanks guys. He know’s that being out there looking is 99% of the game! We will get out and knock on some doors.

[Hilgy]

Originally Posted by buckbrush

Some good advice here.

Learning to talk to farmers will increase your hunting area in a huge way.

Most of the land owners I ask are ones I have known for years or neighbors but I try to meet a few more each year and stop in to the old ones just for a BS even if I'm not planning on hunting their land that year.

I always have a hard time pulling up to a house since I know I've had hunters stop in when I was busy or away and just the wife was home.

This year I tried something different that was received well. I hate calling people on the phone to ask, especially if I don't know them. I also hate going to peoples places unexpected. This year I called and this is pretty much what I said. "Hello, this is ******. I'm from ***** and doing some hunting in your area, I was wondering if it would be possible for me to swing in today and discuss getting foot access to hunt on your land? If you're in the middle of something, I can try again another time."

I used this on about 5 land owners this year and all five said I could go ahead and hunt but didn't have to stop in first. Two of those that gave me permission on the phone said I could still stop in if I wanted to so I did swing by. The one fellow's wife insisted I stay for supper then force fed me coffee for a couple hours (It was past dark at that time and I had nowhere to be)
I had permission before I went there but walked away with a good meal and a couple new friends. The other one I stopped in at I was given some good pointers at where the animals were, got shown about 300 trail cam pics (old boy doesn't hunt anymore but enjoys trail cams) and offered the use of the loader if we got a moose.

^^^^^^Excellent Advise. I have done basically the same thing several times and each time worked out well.

[Dewey Cox]

Not getting something you work for is also a character building life lesson for your boy.
So you could count that as value if you get skunked.


But seriously, I was pondering this the other day. If you have no connection to landowners, finding a place to hunt would be a pain in the rear, and I don't envy anyone in that situation.
One thought I had was maybe getting in contact with a fish and game club in the area you are wanting to hunt? Maybe even buying a membership?
I don't know if that would actually be beneficial, it's just a thought I had. Members of the local club obviously know where to hunt, and some of them are bound to be landowners as well. Whether or not they'd be open to the idea of sharing land or contacts would need to be seen. But maybe the prospect of selling some more memberships would open some doors (or gates).
I don't know how it would all shake out, but maybe it would be a way to bridge the gap between the "citiots" and the "dimwitted country folk".

[Whitetail503]

Originally Posted by meandmyboy

All advice greatly appreciated. Thanks guys. He know’s that being out there looking is 99% of the game! We will get out and knock on some doors.

Thats the way to do it. Door knocking and politely asking has always paid off for me. Good luck

[mtnhunter]

PM sent

[270person]

Originally Posted by sns2

I've only had one person deny me when I had my son at my side. Find deer and you will get permission. Remember, no white Oakley sunglasses!

Good advice. Also a plus to be carrying a 30-06. The landowner will either pity you for not having the coin to buy a real rifle, or think you're some doddering old fool and let you in. May even hand you enough cash for new suspenders.

[Positrac]

I drive a 2005 Power Wagon that’s been through hell and back. One rancher a few years back said “sure you can hunt my land, anyone that drives a truck like that could probably use the meat...”. We both got a good laugh out of that.

I’d say maybe 25% of the landowners that I pull up and talk to in person turn me down. That would be for deeded land. I haven’t had an issue getting permission on leased land yet but that’s probably only a matter of luck. The areas I hunt are also not near any big cities, so probably less traffic.

By knocking on doors I’ve met some great people, ones that I’d now call good friends. I just wish I lived closer to the areas I hunt so that I could spend a bit more time with them.

Good luck OP, now get out there with your kid and get some deer...!

[meandmyboy]

Originally Posted by 270person

Good advice. Also a plus to be carrying a 30-06. The landowner will either pity you for not having the coin to buy a real rifle, or think you're some doddering old fool and let you in. May even hand you enough cash for new suspenders.

Haha, this deer is getting expensive, im going to buy spray paint and paint the white oakley’s! And now i gotta go buy a 30-06, great!!

He bought himself an old .303 lee enfield and he is hoping to use the open sights! He know’s the game is a lot harder that way and that is the challenge he wants! He is a history/war fanatic and wants to use what they used to fight for our freedom he said. He does have a .243 with a scope if needed!

Thanks again for everyone’s help.