# Getting Permissions



## Trapper (Jun 2, 2006)

Last night I went out to secure permissions for this falls trapline. I do have a pretty good reputation in my area so it helps a bit. During the trapping season my grooming habits take a beating :shrug: so when doing this I try to present myself in moderately cleaned up state. Hair is groomed cloths are clean and not rags, even clean under the finger nails. Always greet the people with a smile,  the impression you make at first sight may be the one that gets you on the property. I like to met the landowners face to face and give them a card with my name and phone number and also with my trucks license plate number on it. I feel that by doing this I am showing respect and being responsible. If they refuse me I tell them if they change there mind they have my number and I am thankful for their time and considerations. If granted permission I ask if there are any rules they wish me to follow or special areas not to be in. At the end of season I go back to each land owner to say thank you. When doing this I take along a gift of appreciation. Being not a rich man, I have found that work gloves and homemade soap really are remembered for future permissions. What all works for you? Trapper :hobbyhors


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## DaleK (Sep 23, 2004)

I'm on the other end, a non-trapper with 1000 acres. What really works for me is the trapper like you who also makes a point of trapping nuisance/crop-destroying animals as a service for me in exchange for my allowing him to trap the more valuable animals. My current trapper, for instance, kept trapping and hunting raccoons even when they weren't worth anything because he knew how much damage they were doing to my corn.


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## Farmer Willy (Aug 7, 2005)

The man that used to let me hunt (before he passed some years back) always liked store bought chewing tobacco, the sweet stuff. I liked to take whatever homemade preserves I had and a piece of jowl for his Mrs. I think the most important thing to them was when I finished for the day was to just sit and visit for a while. I never saw these folks but from year to year, but they'd ask how each of my kids was doing by name. I figured if they could take the time to remember my kids name, having never met them, then I could spend the time for having coffee and cake, talk a bit, offer to help with anything might need to be done (Don was pushing mid 70's by then, but still ran his dairy herd and stripped tobacco every November). Good folks, lived on the same farm his people settled when they stepped off the flatboat generations ago.


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## Trapper (Jun 2, 2006)

DaleK said:


> I'm on the other end, a non-trapper with 1000 acres. What really works for me is the trapper like you who also makes a point of trapping nuisance/crop-destroying animals as a service for me in exchange for my allowing him to trap the more valuable animals. My current trapper, for instance, kept trapping and hunting raccoons even when they weren't worth anything because he knew how much damage they were doing to my corn.


Dale, it sounds that you have a good trapper that you appreciate and one that appreciates you. I also do the service trapping when needed, even going to the part of getting special permits for protected species (otter). I have done a lot of fence mending and fence line clean-up over the years. thank you for making this avenue availible. Trapper


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## swamp man (Dec 25, 2005)

Most of the farmers here are so used to peple trespassing,that they tend to be quite welcoming (usually)to those who show the curteousy of asking permission.Asking about locations of gates and good places to cross fencelines tends to quell their fears of torn-up fences,which is,understandably,a common concern.The offer the whack whatever coyotes who may show themselves tends to go over pretty well,too.
Share the spoils of the hunt!No,not the burger,either.Cough up a backstrap and a tendeloin,and you'll most likely be invited back.
I dont trophy hunt,I only take management deer,and I'm pretty sure that it helps me get in the door.

I must need another cup of coffee.When I clicked on this thread,I thought it said"getting persimmons".


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## Bwana (Jul 9, 2006)

Thanks Trapper, for the thread. I don't trap, though I'd like to start some day but I do hunt and as you know bow season here in WI starts a week from today.

I still have no good private land to hunt on right near where I live (which would afford me much more time to hunt and less travelling/gas) but it's my own fault. I guess I'm under the impression that every one wants folks to pay to lease land around here for hunting, so I kinda lose the urge to even try. Of course, if I could get a handful of buddies to go along, that might make it doable but no one seems willing to shell out a couple hundred to have a real good piece of land to hunt on.

Perhaps I could get permission to goose hunt or squirrel hunt, I dunno. Every year I kick myself in the shorts saying; "next year I'm gonna get permission to hunt somewhere!", then work and stuff just gets in the way and before you know it, boom, it's a week before opener and no private land to hunt! Arrgghhh!

What time of year do you ask? Is it right about now or in the summer? I've heard/read somewhere that July is the best month to ask permission from farmers on account of falling between planting and harvest. 

Well, thanks again for the thread, and the advice/tips too! Good luck to you this year, Trapper.

Dave


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## bgak47 (Sep 4, 2003)

Land owners really appreciate a polite personal approach by a potential trapper or hunter.I think the card is a really good idea! I haven't trapped since I was a teenager. Then it was on public lands for muskrats, which were considered nuisance vermin.I hunt on my own land these days, & there isn't enough of it for anyone else, but I appreciate it when someone asks politely & I reccomend them to some of my neighbors who have more land than me.


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## BearCreekFarm (Jun 24, 2005)

Early goose season opened here last weekend, and during the two weeks prior we were swamped with people driving up to ask if they could hunt (we leased out a field which is bordered on 2 sides by county roads- the farmer planted barley on it and the geese have turned out in huge numbers to feed on the leavings- they frequently spend the night in the field, so all the hunters who drive by in the morning on their way to work see all those geese sitting there and can hardly stand it, lol). Not one person offered anything in exchange- no $$$, no help around the farm, no share of the bounty. Initially we turned them all down because we were going to hunt there ourselves, but, we got busy and missed opening day, so that afternoon when a hunter stopped by DH gave him permission to hunt with a few friends the next day.
The guys came and hunted- we don't know how they did but we heard a lot of shooting going on over there so unless they are really lousy shots, they should have gotten a few geese. The limit is 5, and since we haven't yet made it out to hunt we were kind of hoping they'd bring a bird by for us, or at least enough liver for a pate, lol. But, no sign of them- not a phone call, or even a note of thanks stuck in the mailbox. I'm not sure what I expected, maybe nothing, other than thanks and an acknowledgement of some sort- the way everyone around here is so desperate for a place to hunt before the season, I just guess that if I were me I'd make some sort of gesture towards the landowner by way of thanks. Oh well, we're still hoping to get out before the early season ends, maybe we'll get our own goose, lol.


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## Trapper (Jun 2, 2006)

Bwana said:


> Thanks Trapper, for the thread. I don't trap, though I'd like to start some day but I do hunt and as you know bow season here in WI starts a week from today.
> 
> Dave, its not to late to make the attempts. I normally do my permissions all in August just before harvest. This year do to a bout with cancer I was delayed to this last week. I also am an avid bow hunter and did get permission on two different properties this week (both to bow hunt and trap). On both these properties I had never hunted before. Tomorrow I will be putting up a couple deer stands with the help of my son as the sign looks very good on both places. Even better news is both places are within ten minutes of my home which means I can hunt almost every night after work. The point is that if you want it bad enough you can still get it and stop kicking yourself. I hope you can make the effort because the reward is well worth it. Trapper :hobbyhors


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## bgak47 (Sep 4, 2003)

BearCreekFarm... I'm glad to hear that you did give permission to Some hunters, but I'm sorry that you received no thanks. The next time that you are asked you'll probably think of that first. When I used to hunt on others' property I always offered to share any game that I took... usually in the form of dressed portions after the hunt. My son & I had a successful dove hunt on a friend's place yesterday & we offered 1/3 of our kill to him. He was delighted, & admitted that he didn't hunt doves because he wasn't clear on how to clean them...so we were pleased to show him. Now we've been invited to another hunt next weekend & he is going to hunt with us! Hunting has always been about more than just putting meat on the table to me. He was surprised that we picked up all of our spent shells untill I explained that we reloaded & that even if we didn't,we would still not want to leave a mess. It's just the way that my Dad & Grandad taught me to behave, & I've taught my kids the same things. It's too bad for Hunting that this trend doesn't seem to be continuing.


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## ericjeeper (Feb 25, 2006)

if you want to get in good with a farmer.. Ok you all want to hunt and trap on our land.. We all kow you as you drive by the hayfields on your way home from work.. We are out there sometimes late into the evenings , after we have put in a day at our other job as well. 
Don't just drive on by.Stop formally introduce yourself and help put up a load of hay. Offer to do something.We have a regular trapper/hunter. he will trap groundhogs when we need em out of the barnlot.He even stopped and laid a room of carpet for my father one day.I had no idea he used to lay flooring for a living.His help sure was appreciated.
Yet we used to have others that we allowed to hunt our 192 acres/.They had rules.. You must not bring a buddy.I had one guy that I busted twice **** hunting with two other men.. Screw that..The buddy comes back without the original permission holder, and he brings buddy.. Before you know it.. Everyone is showing up and they do not even know who owns the land.He no longer hunts on this farm..

So if your intentions are to trap with a son, or a buddy.Make sure the landowner meets him too..
We as lanowners pay a lot of property taxes just to "own" the land. So be thankful to the landowner. show up at Christmas time with a fruit basket for the Mrs.
I gues the point I am trying to make. Landowners do not "owe you anything" So make sure that they know you appreciate them letting you recreate on their land.
I coonhunted for the first 25 years of my life almost daily.. So I know that landowners can use a little help at times.Happy hunting


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## Trapper (Jun 2, 2006)

When I started this thread I was feeling pretty good as I had just asked permission on four different properties and got the landowners blessings on each plus the blessings from one other to do some bow hunting. It was my idea to maybe give a few good hints to others about doing so and also how important it is to be responsible as a hunter, trapper or even a fisherman. I really want to thank everybody that replied to this, especially the land owners that reaffirmed my values.  I hope we all can continue to add good ideas to this and build better relations between users like myself and the landowners that allow us to particapate in our endeavors. Trapper :hobbyhors


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