Gaining Permission
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Ben from IA asks:Bill! Your show rocks and you are killing the biggest deer on film!! I just got lucky enough to move to Northern Iowa for a new job...meanwhile I need to find some private land, or land for lease. I have had some cameras/tree stands stolen off public land and I am ready to get some access to private land. My question is whether or not there is someone to contact about hunting leases in Northern Iowa near the MN border. I live in Forest City to be exact.Winke Responds:Ben, Thanks a lot. I am glad you like it. There is no such service that I am aware of. In that area, you should still be able to find places to hunt by knocking on doors. Look for wood lots and creeks and other narrow cover. Don't shy away from anything that might hold a deer. Also, if you are willing to travel some, head east and you will find more cover. I think that is what I would do. Good luck. (2-10-12)
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Mark from AL asks:Bill - I want to find more private land to hunt in my area, what is the best way to go about asking for permission from land owners?Winke Responds:Mark, It is always best to start with friends, family of friends, people you work with, their friends, etc. It is much easier to gain that initial acceptance if you know someone. If not, all you can really do is knock on a bunch of doors. Be willing to offer work for hunting rights. That works well if you have some kind of specialized skill like carpentry, etc. but it is OK just to offer general work. Have something you can leave them with your name and number on it, because they may change their mind later. It is a process that you have to go through. If you are patient and work hard at it, you will eventually find a good spot. Be willing to get away from populated areas. It is really hard to find permission near population centers. Good luck. (1-30-12)
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Jacob Stuttgen from WI asks:Bill, I sure love the show, it must be a ton of work. I want to try and gain permission to hunt a few different properties. I was wondering if you had any tips or anything on asking someone to hunt their land. ThanksWinke Responds:Jacob, Before buying land, I did all my hunting on permission. My family didn't own any land. I had the best results by networking (friends of friends, friends of relatives, etc.) and then offering to work. Be sure to make the actual work a priority as it goes a long, long way with landowners who are used to hunters just asking for something and never offering to help. It will take some time. Don't get discouraged. Stick with it. Good luck. (11-12-11)
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Joey from PA asks:Just thought id get some advice on how to gain permission to hunt surrounding farms. I'm located around south central Pa in Hershey. So around here there is a lot more tillable ground compared to the rest of the state. Ive noticed that a lot of hunts on Midwest Whitetail are on farms that the hunters have permission to hunt. Ive read that you also have experience with getting permission to hunt land before you owned the land you hunt now. I'm 18 right now and my father doesn't hunt so I'm on my own when it comes to hunting. Ive been bow hunting for 4 years but with my family's farm we have to woods and the crop rotation leaves the field completely bare every other year. So I've been trying to gain permission since 2009 to bow hunt other farms. But from my experience not to many land owners seem to trust a young 18 year old hunting on there land, even if I would like to just bow hunt. Ive offered to do work if needed but it just hasn't worked. Any strategies you have in mind? I have shoWinke Responds:Joey, Start with family, then branch out to friends of family and then friends and then to friends of friends to see if you can find people in you "Rolodex" that own land. You are always better off starting with some kind of relationship than going in cold. If you have to go in cold, you are doing all you can do. Just keep doing it. Offering to work is a big deal. Eventually someone will take you up on that and then the ball will get rolling as the local farmers realize you aren't a bad guy to have around! I got way more permission than I could ever hunt once I started bailing hay for farmers to get access. They talk. However, that was many years ago in a state with much less hunting pressure than PA. It will work there, but it will just take longer. Good luck.
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kevin from MN asks:First time on your website (just got done watching your show on Sportsman Channel), and its great! After a 15yr break from whitetail bowhunting due to completing an MBA, building a business, getting married and raising kids, I am ready to dive head-first into bowhunting again this year. My question: What is the best way to find public land to hunt around my home? I live in Minnetrista MN. Thank you for your time and happy hunting! Kevin K Minnetrista MNWinke Responds:Kevin, Thanks for your support of the site and the TV show. I would look for two things: big blocks with limited access making it harder for people to get to the back corners of the area or very small areas that other deer hunters overlook. Obvious areas, and places that are easy to easy to access get overrun. Don't overlook swamps, they can be very good too. Good luck.
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Travis from KS asks:Bill, I love your show, keep knockin' em down. I'm active duty army, stationed at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. I've been knocking on doors and have had no luck gaining permission. What are some resources that I can use to narrow my search for landowners say by county? I'm from Tennessee originally, and have dreamed of bowhunting the midwest. Now that I'm here, I just need to find a place. Thanks for what you do, and God Bless. Good luck this season.Winke Responds:Travis, I don't know of such a resource, but I am sure it will pan out. I always had decent luck knocking doors in KS. The best strategy is to befriend a local farmer and help him with tasks around the farm, etc. and gain access that way. He will open doors for you with his friends and soon you will be all set. I would stick within 30 minutes of the base so you can get to the spots often. That is my best advice. Start looking for any decent areas of deer cover within 30 minutes in any direction. Don't overlook small creeks that other prople drive past as they can hold great bucks. Also switchgrass CRP fields can be great hunting too. The biggest buck I ever hunted in KS lived in a 300 acre field of switchgrass. I nearly got him one day by sneaking up on him in the rain, but I wasn't aggressive enough and he eventually ran off chasing a doe. Keep trying, but be sure to offer to work. Farmers like that kind of thing. Good luck.
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Cody from MN asks:I've been struggling trying to get a 'decent' buck for 13 years now. I have been trying to keep minimum pressure on hunting land and run trail cams and mineral areas. Every year I get a few nice bucks on cam in the summer but they always disappear at the end of August or early Sept. With land harder and harder to get on, what do you recommend me trying different? My only thoughts of what I can change are watching weather more and trying to hunt right after weather changes and hunt a bit harder early season when they are still possibly around. Where I hunt in MN pressure is impossible to avoid with many hunters and small tracts. Thanks!Winke Responds:Cody, I don't have an easy answer for you. You may have to travel a bit farther from your home to hunt to get away from the pressure. I know you may not be able to do that right now but it is likely the future for you. There are parts of MN that aren't hunted as hard as others and those are the areas you may need to seek. Or be willing do do more to gain access to hunt. I used to bale hay and build fence to get hunting rights. That was many years ago, but I had farmers calling me to ask if I would be willing to work in exchange for hunting rights. Again, times are changing, but that is still a good way to get into places you otherwise would not be able to hunt. About the only thing you can do to make your hunting area better is to hunt it early. Good luck.
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I am graduating from college and am looking for some better hunting ground; what tips can you offer?Sam from IA asks:Bill, I am soon to graduate college and I have began to look at recreational properties that are around 100 acres or so that are for sale. But I can't believe how much property is! I probably won't be buying any for a while, I have e-mailed back and forth with a few agents and they typically require a %25 down payment! It's much more than hunting to me, I want to improve the habitat and make the land as best as it can for the deer and other wildlife. So I'm stuck with trying to find exclusive rights on a good sized private ground(I'm tired of running into others on public or having to share small peices of private ground with other hunters). Being from just south of Des Moines it seems like every peice of ground I ask is already hunted by so and so or is leased or the owner is from out of state, etc. Do you have any tips on anything or any good leads lol.Winke Responds:Sam, I would get farther from the city, for starters. Look to the SW. There is less pressure in that part of the state because the population is lower. However, you are going to have to drive a ways. Otherwise, you just have to deal with your limitations while saving money. Learn to hunt small properties well with competition. The Schlueters from WI (they are a big part of WI show) have proven this can be done effectively, but they work very hard at it and knock on a lot of doors for each person that says yes. They hunt close to Milwaukee in a state with far more deer hunters than Iowa. So if they can do it, you can do it. You just have to work hard at it, save your money and then start looking for good deals when the time is right to buy. Good luck.
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Bryce from MI asks:My Dad and I are have really been struggling the last couple of years to find good hunting property. What are some good tips for landing hunting leases and or finding a good piece of land to buy? Are there any tricks that you can pass on?Winke Responds:Bryce, Probably no tricks, but I have learned quite a bit about it. The main thing is the neighborhood. Do the research and find people who are managing their land the way you want to manage yours. There are pockets of people like that in every state. There may not be as many such pockets in MI as in some other states, but they do exist. Those are the areas you want to focus. How do you find out? You have to start asking - game wardens, archery shop owners, friends, etc. Then check it out. Eventually you'll find the right areas. That is really the only way to do it. Yes, the land and the leases will be more expensive in those areas, but it is still worth it. The neighborhood is everything when it comes to producing mature whitetails.
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Calvin from OH asks:I recently moved and do not know anyone living in the area. Do you have any advise for asking someone for permision to hunt on their property?Winke Responds:Calvin, That is a tough one. I would talk with people where you work or go to school, etc. and try to find someone who is an insider in the area that can help you. Other than that, you have no choice but to be tough and go knock on doors. Learn as much as you can about the best neighborhoods and try to avoid the most popular ones. I know that sounds like poor advice, but it is really hard to gain access in these areas. You are better off investing your time in overlooked neighborhoods where the hunting can still be good but the pressure is less. Be willing to do work. It is a good way to get in the door and a good way to make friends in the area. Once a farmer realizes you are serious about helping him he will likely be able to turn you on to farms owned by his friends. You have to start somewhere and that is where I would start. You have a big job - be thick-skinned. You will get told no way more often than you will get told yes.
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Denny from MI asks:Bill, First of all thanks for the great videos and thanks for giving thanks to God for everything he has given us. I hunt a lot of state land and am now retired. I have killed a few nice bucks on this land, but now with so many hunters it is very difficult to even see a decent buck. How can I gain access to better land and where do I start to look in other states including Iowa? Is it difficult to find a place to hunt these big bucks? Thanks for your time and expertise in these matters. God Bless you and your family and Merry Christmas! I really enjoy Midwest Whitetail! Denny Bobeldyk Zeeland, MichiganWinke Responds:Denny, I appreciate your support. Thanks so much. The key has always been, and will always be, who you know. The Midwest in general is insider country because most of the best hunting is on private land. That is not to say that there aren't any good public areas (we have some good ones in Iowa and I know there are also some good ones in MO, KS and IL). OK, so start with your list of contacts. Who do you send Christmas card to? Who did you work with before retiring? Who does your wife play bridge with? More than likely one of them knows someone or is related to someone who owns land. It never hurts to ask about hunting. So what if they say no? You are certainly no worse off for asking. Be polite of course and it won't be an awkward moment. When hunting out of state you need to invest some time. Again, your friends and friends of friends are the place to start. I have hunted a lot out of state over the years and did it just the same way you are going to have to do it. Drive there and start asking around. Select the counties that don't have the big reputations. They will still offer good hunting but the pressure on landowners for permission will be much less making it noticeably easier to get permission. It can still be done. It just takes some time. Starting with a local contact will shorten the process considerably. Good luck.
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Phil from IL asks:Mr. Winke, Whats the best way to go about asking a landowner to hunt on there property? I know you could say you would help with work and manual labor, but some of the people around here just won't take it. I hunt my grandpa's land but its an hour and a half away and I cant't always get to it everyday.Winke Responds:Phil, Not everyone is going to let you hunt. In fact, even if you do everything right, you are going to get 10 "No" for every "Yes". You just have to invest the time and energy and over a period of a couple of years you will find some good hunting. Be persistent. Keep offering to help with chores and projects, maybe mow a widow lady's lawn for the summer, etc. There is a cost. Someone has to pay it, either you when you buy the land or work to get on, or your grandpa when he bought the land and pays the annual taxes. It seems like it should be all free, but there are costs associated with private land ownership so never take the right to hunt someone else's land for granted. Finding a place to hunt is becoming more challenging than shooting a nice buck once you get access! Just don't give up, eventually it will all fall into place. I am not just saying that, I know it to be true. Persistence is how you get places. Good luck.
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Billy Cody from IN asks:Bill, The last 2 years I have been researching Kansas. I have P&Y excel spreadsheet that shows the highest entry counties into the Pope & Young record books. With that information I have narrowed down to the Unit I want to hunt, properties, land owner, phone #'s and Google Earth layout of each property. When you are looking at properties out of state, how do you present to the landowner that you are interested in hunting there property? I live in Southern Indiana and were I am wanting to hunt is 10 hours away. Love your show and God Bless!Winke Responds:Billy, Thanks for the support. I have hunted whitetails in a lot of states, usually just on permission. I haven't hunted with outfitters for whitetails very much so I know the challenges. First off, consider looking through your rolodex. Find friends and friends of friends that may know someone in KS. The Midwest in general is most accessible by insiders. Ask them about hunting, if they know somewhere where you can try, etc. If you get in with a local you can usually gain access to lots of quality ground in KS. I did it that way. Through my own land search I made friends with a family and they adopted me as if I were part of their family. In a way, I was part of their family. I don't travel as much to hunt, but I sure miss those days. Anyway, look for natural relationships first. If that doesn't work, just make yourself vulnerable and go out there and knock on doors. Just be flexible at first. It is likely you won't land the best property the first year. If you can afford it, you might consider leasing but even that takes plenty of effort and I think your chances of finding quality hunting on permission is nearly as good. It takes time and patience to gain access to good ground. But it can still be done. Good luck.
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Casey from IA asks:Can you help me get started on leasing hunting ground? I am a teacher in south central Iowa (Mahaska County) and I am new to the area. I am looking at leasing a piece of ground for hunting and managing whitetail deer. I currently have a couple of farms that I am allowed to bow hunt but once the shotgun season comes around its fair game for everyone. How do I go about finding ground that a farmer is willing to lease year-round? Is there a place to look online or do I need to go door to door? I don't want to step on any toes by taking their hunting ground but I want a place to bow hunt and late muzzleload hunt and have it left alone during the shotgun seasons. What is the going rate for leasing hunting ground? Thanks for your help.Winke Responds:Casey, The very best situation is to lease ground where the farmer or landowner doesn't allow any hunting in the first place. It will be much easier to do that than try to wedge in where there is already a tradition of hunting. Also, you won't have any hard feelings from local hunters who got pushed out. The second best method is to run an ad in the local newspaper. Again, you are likely to get landowners who don't have a regular group hunting their ground, or if so, that group isn't doing anything to make the farmer feel good about them being there (like helping with farm projects). They were probably short-termers anyway. If you want to be a long-term user of someone's land, you need to give back - that is all there is to it. People get tired of being taken advantage of. So you can run an ad about being willing to work for hunting rights or run an ad suggesting you are willing to lease hunting rights. You will get several calls. The rate is not fixed so you might want to talk to a local guide service to see what they are paying, but $8 to 10 per acre should be roughly in the ball park. Good luck.
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Tim from IL asks:Bill, Im active duty Navy, stationed in Lake County, IL. I transferred here in February 2010, and spent the entire spring and summer looking for places to hunt. Local public lands were out of the question because they manage it heavily, and only allow hunting on Mon. & Tues., but like I said, Im in the military, and we do work! I scoured over county plat books, and all-in-all, asked for permission from 108 different landowners. I have a "system" to aquire land, so its not like I just strolled up to their front door at dinner time and asked if they would mind if I hunt. Anyhow, I never received permission to hunt anywhere, so Im stuck for the 7th consectutive year with taking a few weekend trips back to my hometown in west Michigan, and maybe...maybe, shooting a doe. What can I do to put the odds in my favor when looking for local property to hunt? I even offered to give some landowners money if their land looked extra promising, or offered to do any handyman work aroundWinke Responds:Tim, Those are some very low results on the permission. I never would have expected it to be that rough. I guess Lake County is just too populated. You may need to branch out the next county and try again. I can't believe a person in the military would not find a place to hunt once you get out into the farm country. I would be shocked actually. Keep trying, but look for places with less people and I think you will do better. Forget the popular counties and focus on ones with less of a reputation. All of IL is good, don't worry about that. Good luck.
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Tracy from IA asks:Hello Bill! My question this time is, what would be the best way to get permission to hunt a neighboring piece of property to one of our normal hunting spots when you don't know the landowner at all? I know you usually talk about swapping farm work, etc., for hunting rights, but that's out as it isn't farmed. Thanks, TracyWinke Responds:Tracy, The person probably has a home somewhere that needs some repairs, etc. You can think of something. The first step, of course, is to track down the owner. The county office (recorder's office probably) will be able to tell you the address of the person that owns the land. You can attempt to find them that way. It starts with a relationship. Don't be too pushy, be willing to do something in return.
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Brandon from MN asks:I just finished my 4th season as an archery hunter, the majority of my season is hunted on public land in the high pressured area of the the metro. I have run into a number of situations where people are not being respectfull of their fellow hunters and it gets frustrating when I have to deal with that and all I want to do is have an enjoyable day in the woods. I have decided to search for private land to hunt. What is the best way to get permission from a land owner? How do I approach them? when is the best time to start asking? Any help with this would be much appreciated. By the way I love the show, I watch it every week. Keep up the great work!Winke Responds:Brandon, By far, the best way to find permission to work through your list of people you know. The friend of a friend is a great starting point. Even if they can't let you hunt, they may know someone who will. Cold calling rarely produces the results you want. I would start out by asking about shed hunting and form a relationship that way. Be sure to offer regularly to help the landowner with chores. In fact, go out of your way to insist on helping them whenever possible. That is also good for the relationship and shows you take the privilege seriously. Be very professional. Give them a business card or even a short description of who you are. That will let them know you are responsible and not up to something shady. Now is a good time to start. It will not be easy, but what worthwhile activities ever are? Don't feel bad when you get rejected. It will happen many times. Keep plugging away and you will find something good. Good luck.
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Dusty from OH asks:i am a disabled hunter im 21.....its hard for me to find places to hunt and people to hunt with what do u sujest i do......im a avid bowhunter and shotgun/muzzleloaderWinke Responds:Dusty, The best organization I am aware of for finding answers to this question is www.wheelinsportsmen.org. They are committed to helping disabled people find the help they need to enjoy the outdoors in general and hunting in particular. I would start there and see what other suggestions they may have. Good luck.
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Anthony from NM asks:Bill, I'm interested in heading out to the Midwest to hunt. I was wondering what are some good resources for finding landowners that allow hunting on their property? I'm looking at Iowa, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri. I enjoy the show and look forward to many more.Winke Responds:Anthony, There are no such resources that I have access to. There are businesses set up to offer do it yourself hunts on lands that they lease, but that is going to cost you some money and I don't know their track records or much about them. Maybe there is a really good one out there. Not sure. In IL, you can try Access Illinois Outdoors. It is set up to help farmers make money from hunters so it is far from a free service, but it might be some service to you. I used the service myself about 15 years ago and had a decent (unsuccessful) hunt, but I have no idea what it has evolved into since then. Here is their website: http://www.accessil.org/ Also, knocking on doors can sometimes produce good hunting. It is tough and you have to have thick skin, but I know several of my friends that have shot good bucks just by knocking on doors. The very best method is to go through all your contacts. Who do you know that has family in the Midwest? Start there and see where that leads. Good luck.
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Nick from WI asks:Question about our Land Lease? Hey Bill, first off thank you for the great site! A friend of mine showed it to me and have become hooked! Anyways back to my question, our family, about 7 of us in our hunting group who share a land lease have hunted this land for 40 years from the same landowner. Great hunting, a lot of deer, and a lot of big bucks. We negotiate on a contract basis and this year will be the end of our 5 year contract. we have actually been paying cheaper than what most people will get for a lease, 2400 for 200 acres. The landowner recently came to us and told us to come up with an offer. He wants more money because he has been doing a research and he has also hinted letting other people in on the lease to hunt which we dont want obviously! want to keep it family because of tradition. Guess my question is what on average would you say a 200 acre land lease goes for these days? Just doing my research so we can come up with the best offer available! Thank YouWinke Responds:Nick, I appreciate the support. It seems to be totally regional - based on supply and demand. I know that in some areas of IL they get big money and in some areas of states like Iowa and Missouri, they practically give it away. It really depends on the area and the local demand. Find out what any outfitters are paying in that area and come in a little above that and you should be in the ballpark. I hate to even guess at a number.
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Tracy from IA asks:Hi, it's me again, I think I asked a question once or twice before; but I hope you don't mind. Anyway, I as wondering how to go about getting some new ground to hunt. I was wondering,(1) how to decide on a new farm, should I just look at arial photos until I find one that looks promising, or what should I go by were I've seen deer a lot?(2)When is the the best time to ask, earlier in the summer so I can do some scouting, or right before the hunting season, as that is when my brother says to do it, as he thinks the farmer is more likely to give permission then? I can't wait for the shows to come back regularly! Thanks, TracyWinke Responds:Tracy, I would be looking and asking all year long. There is no bad time. The best places are the ones where you have a natural connection - the friend of a friend or your buddy's uncle, etc. Those are your best shot for getting in. Most farms in Iowa have decent hunting, so getting started, I would not worry about finding the perfect farm. Someone will have found it already anyway. I would go through the rolodex and look for natural contacts and work it that way. Then I might also knock on a few doors, though that can certainly get discouraging if you get a lot of "no's". Eventually, someone will say yes. Be prepared to offer to shoot a few does if they have an overpopulation problem. Good luck.
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Chris from AR asks:What is the best way to go about asking for permission to hunt on someone's property?Winke Responds:Chris, The best quick advice I can give is to be persistent - don't give up if you get rejected a few times - and willing to work. Everyone that owns land needs help with something. I baled a lot of hay and built some serious fence to earn hunting rights before I was able to afford some land. If you are willing to roll up your sleeves and work hard, not just once or twice, but as needed, you will never run out of hunting areas. Good luck. Bill
