# Show of appreciation to landowners



## cupnglide (Aug 15, 2010)

This Fall, our group will be visiting ND again. This will be my third year; for some of the group, their seventh.

We are diligent about meeting & greeting landowners and requesting permission to hunt. We have made a habit of it, whether the land is not posted or posted with permission required.

It's great seeing many of the same landowners each year. You make friendships that pick up with each visit where they left off with the last year or the last postcard.

Each year, we like to show our grattitude the the farmers and landowners who allow us the use of their land and resources. We always offer some of our harvest, cleaned and ready for the oven. And we've been known to supply a flask of something warm. There's also been gifts from the South that ND folks don't see too often.

I'd like some of you guys to chime in with other suggestions, particularly the landowners! With more and more ND land going to closed leases, the farmers that keep the land open should get some thanks.


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## slough (Oct 12, 2003)

Sounds like you are doing plenty to show your gratitude. Some other ideas: gift certificate to a local restaurant/meat market, etc, send a thank you card (I suppose Christmas cards could be nice too), or volunteer to help them out with a chore or two. That last one might be a little tougher since you don't live in the area but if you took a few hours out of your vacation to offer help that might make a pretty big impression.


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## cupnglide (Aug 15, 2010)

Good advice. Appreciate it, slough. You're right, there may be some job around the property that eight extra hands would make easier.


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## Bug Guy (Jul 19, 2009)

This is my own personal opinion, but the best appreciation as far as I'm concerned is to show some respect to the landowner and the land for the privilege of hunting there.

Cleaning up after yourselves goes along ways toward showing me you appreciate the opportunity. Also, for you guys that like to pick your ducks/geese, put the feathers in a trash bag or other container. I don't need, or like for that matter, a blizzard of feathers piled up on the approach.

Plan your hunt. I really don't like the early morning knock on the door or that supper time phone call the night before you want to hunt.

Please realize that just because I gave you permission one time, doesn't give you permission for the rest of the season unless that is specifically stated. It also means that when I give YOU permission it means just that. I gave YOU (or your immediate party) permission, not you and everyone you know.

Please hunt where you ask permission to hunt and not somewhere else close by. It makes a difference.

Hunt what you ask permission to hunt. If you ask to hunt ducks, don't knock down a pheasant or two just because you had a gun, a liscense, and it was in season when it got up.

Control your dogs, or better yet, leave them in the truck. I have dogs too and it's their yard, not your dogs. I don't like dog fights and I deal rather harshly with dogs other than my own.

Don't take it personal if I say no. I will usually give you a reason why, but some folks won't. Don't let that stop you from checking back later in the season.

Have a good time. It sounds odd right now after this runndown of what I think are common sense items, but all of these things have happened to me more than once in the not so distant past. For me, following these ideas and using common sense shows more appreciation than anything else. It also helps when you ask to hunt again.


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## The Warden (Jul 2, 2005)

I hope my knock finds your door some day Bug Guy, it sounds like you and I are cut from the same cloth. Those are great suggestions no matter where you hunt.


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## Kris brantner (Sep 22, 2009)

i always bring cheeze out to give away!


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## The Shovla (Aug 23, 2009)

there is one landowner that lets us hunt every year for the last 6 seasons, and only lets us on. We talk periodically throughout the year to keep in touch. We just happened to meet him at the local bar one night at dinner and we hit it off. Every year, we either get him a gift cert. for a local restaurant he likes, or we bring a huge basket of stuff from Wisconsin for him.....cheese curds, landejagers, spotted cow beer, ect.....plus his maker's mark whiskey  Last year, we did both for him. We also had dinner three out of 7 nights with him and his family. It's just nice to show your appreciation, any way you can :beer:


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## clint_hay (Aug 25, 2010)

If you can or live close by, I know alot of farmers in my area like to have help laying/picking up irrigation pipe. I've been doing that for my land owner for about 5 years now. Been hunting in that spot for over a decade and we can do pretty much anything we want....dirt work, blinds, etc. We don't pay a lease either, but we cut him a check every year just because.


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## Toonhunter (Apr 12, 2009)

As an avid Waterfowler and hunter in general there a few points i would like to make coming from both sides of the fence so to speak. First and foremost there is nothing that ****** me off more than someone walking out to try to talk to me during the busiest time of the year(harvest) while i am on a $250,000.00 piece of equipment that i am trying to pay for, to bug me about permission to hunt. Watch from the road and if ya need to watch how long it takes me to do a round of the field and figure out when i am going to be done!Then come talk to me. Secondly if ya come to my land to hunt remember it is my BACK YARD. Do you like people tearing up your alley or yard when it is wet and rainy? Ever tried to get a swather through 1.5 to 3.5 foot ruts ? Time is money for farmers and having to navigate access roads that are there for equipment because it was easier than going around for a hunter tends to make me grumpy. You have to deal with it for maybe a couple of days i have to deal with it till the harvest is over. Third and lastly when you come to my homestead DON"T wear your camos! Take the time to come on a day when you are not hunting. If someone rolls up to your front door dressed in camos you know they have guns ! Not everyone is comfortable with firearms. Don't want to sound like i am on the pulpit but take some time to make common sense decisions. I don't think i ever denied permission to anyone to hunt a field/slough or tree stand if they took the time to come see me. Knowing WHO is in your backyard is always a good thing. My back yard just happens to be a little larger than yours :beer:


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## birddogsunlimited (Aug 9, 2010)

toonhunter makes a very good point im not a farmer nor a land owner but i know enogh around here that more often than not will give permision if you ask. and like he said when there on the combine is not the best time. i always ask for permision even if its not posted its still some one elses property they have the right to know whos on it. not to mention when ive gone through the work of scouting my areas and asking permision then get out to my hunting spots to have some one from out of town show up and ignore posted signs or feel they can hunt were ever they please and come set up in my back pocket really is anoying and just rude. back to what the thead is about i usually make an offer of meat, beer, or other beverage of choice to the land owner makes comeing back the next year a whole lot easier. also respect the farmers feilds ask befor you go draging your decoy trailer through tearing up a feild is a good way to garantee there wont be a repeat visit in the futer.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Alcohol is about the worse gift I can think of. I know a lot of farmers/landowners who hate the stuff. Don't call after 9:30 or right away in the morning. Just because we farm doesn't mean we start the day at 6 am and get done at 11pm. Don't ever drive down a wet or muddy prairie trail, because we are the one's who have to take time to level it so we can use it again. Don't rut up the gravel roads either. Gifts aren't really needed in my point of view. Most farmers want the birds gone and out of the field anyways. Always ask about driving into the field no matter how dry it is. Soil compaction is an issue.


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## birddogsunlimited (Aug 9, 2010)

i should say that we may offer a case of beer or or meat ext but alot of times have been told its not needed. also have been told by land owneres shoot your limit of geese then shoot 10 more


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## Pikeguy (Oct 16, 2006)

Kris brantner said:


> i always bring cheeze out to give away!


Kris, it's Adam S. We do the same thing and have for years. People forget/don't realize how good the cheese is around here. :beer:


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## wingaddict (Sep 16, 2009)

clint_hay said:


> If you can or live close by, I know alot of farmers in my area like to have help laying/picking up irrigation pipe. I've been doing that for my land owner for about 5 years now. Been hunting in that spot for over a decade and we can do pretty much anything we want....dirt work, blinds, etc. * We don't pay a lease either, but we cut him a check every year just because*.


I'm sorry, but you cut him a check. You pay a lease. Dont fool yourself into thinking otherwise.


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## clint_hay (Aug 25, 2010)

wingaddict said:


> clint_hay said:
> 
> 
> > If you can or live close by, I know alot of farmers in my area like to have help laying/picking up irrigation pipe. I've been doing that for my land owner for about 5 years now. Been hunting in that spot for over a decade and we can do pretty much anything we want....dirt work, blinds, etc. * We don't pay a lease either, but we cut him a check every year just because*.
> ...


not really, but if you say so...


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

You are paying money to use something. That is called leasing or renting. :roll:


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## Griz (Sep 24, 2003)

A pair of good leather work gloves and a box of candy for the wife has been my favorite for years. Also, a deer cam is a nice twist since many farmers can't take time to hunt until deer season kicks in.


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