Paying for access - appropriate? how much?

C

ChocoLab

New member
Hi all,

I'm going for the Nebraska opener this weekend and am considering knocking on some doors, something I've never done before. With my out-of-state license plates and general lack of experience asking for access I was thinking I could offer landowners a few bucks.

Any thoughts on offering money? How much is fair? General permission asking tips?

Thanks all - I look forward to hearing what you have to say. :)
 
ChocoLab said:
Hi all,

I'm going for the Nebraska opener this weekend and am considering knocking on some doors, something I've never done before. With my out-of-state license plates and general lack of experience asking for access I was thinking I could offer landowners a few bucks.

Any thoughts on offering money? How much is fair? General permission asking tips?

Thanks all - I look forward to hearing what you have to say. :)
Click to expand...

My guess and this is pure speculation because I have never had to pay any sort of access fee or such, however from what I have heard, seen, or read it goes by $$$ per gun for like a full day or half a day. It can be anywhere from $25 per gun to $100 or more.....and even more depending upon how much access you are requesting. As in say Mr. Farmer/Rancher has 1,000 acres, however he has most of it already leased out or saved for friends, family and such. However he says, hey I have a strip of milo or corn with some weeds, CRP (maybe a 50 acre area) well if it is one guy and one dog and he says you could hunt all day on it, then maybe $50 for just you would be a fair offer.

However, I would not offer money at first, you might offend. Offer something else or just ask for permission. If you get a no or something then perhaps saying well I do not mind paying. Again, some folks might get offended. Just something to remember.....

I know where I hunt in SW Kansas, the local guy is pissed :mad: (and this is a guy who doesn't not cuss and I haven't heard him use a cuss word since I first met him in 1996). However, he gets mad when he hears farmers/ranchers charging guys lots of $$$ to hunt....he just thinks it is wrong.

Just my .02cts....

Good luck and have a good time,

Greg
 
retrvrman said:
My guess and this is pure speculation because I have never had to pay any sort of access fee or such, however from what I have heard, seen, or read it goes by $$$ per gun for like a full day or half a day. It can be anywhere from $25 per gun to $100 or more.....and even more depending upon how much access you are requesting. As in say Mr. Farmer/Rancher has 1,000 acres, however he has most of it already leased out or saved for friends, family and such. However he says, hey I have a strip of milo or corn with some weeds, CRP (maybe a 50 acre area) well if it is one guy and one dog and he says you could hunt all day on it, then maybe $50 for just you would be a fair offer.

However, I would not offer money at first, you might offend. Offer something else or just ask for permission. If you get a no or something then perhaps saying well I do not mind paying. Again, some folks might get offended. Just something to remember.....

I know where I hunt in SW Kansas, the local guy is pissed :mad: (and this is a guy who doesn't not cuss and I haven't heard him use a cuss word since I first met him in 1996). However, he gets mad when he hears farmers/ranchers charging guys lots of $$$ to hunt....he just thinks it is wrong.

Just my .02cts....

Good luck and have a good time,

Greg
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I agree, I would never offer to pay to hunt in KS or NE.....getting a yes or no won't be affected by offering to pay...more likely it will offend these guys.
if you get a no, ask if they know a neighbor who might have an 80 he would let you on...doesn't hurt to ask, I have gotten on doing things this way.
 
I never offer to pay....I agree that many out east would find that offensive. I do take a few small gifts along to give to the farmer after I hunt....nothing fancy or expensive just a token of my appreciation. You can buy 12 pairs of decent work gloves pretty cheap at Harbor Freight and stash them in your hunting rig...farmers use and appreciate them. Some like alcohol....a pint of Jack or a six pack. I even make up my own goodie baskets with some fruit, candy, cheese and crackers, summer sausage...something to snack on while they watch the game. I even take small potted flowers or plants for the wife.
If you give them a little something like that and a sincere "thank you" for allowing you to hunt they'll remember you next time you knock on the door.
If you can get a name and address a Christmas card with a little note that says " Thanks for allowing me to hunt this year" to remind them who you are is also a good idea. I do this and I honestly have more places to hunt than I can make it to in a season and I hunt alot!
 
Most farmers I know here in Colorado would be extremely offended. Offer something else instead of hard cash, like others have suggested. Also the time to ask is either well before the season when you offer a hand around the farm or late season when they don't have much going on.
 
I agree with upland hunter, myself and cousin always talk to the farmers every time we go to their property making sure they know we are hunting that day and then in the spring we drive back out their and have tokens of our appreciation to give out. Last year we gave out broncos jerseys to two of our farmers who we always end up talking about, others received gift cards to gas stations or walmart. I think most of them are more impressed and shocked that we would drive out their just to say thanks. We also do this to offer help if needed giving them our cell numbers that way when opening day comes around we are meeted with the same friendly faces and a "yes" you can hunt. Last year we stopped by a house and asked permission to hunt his tree line we got a very fast ok and then the door closed, by the end of the season he was inviting us into his garage to show us the semi truck him and his son was rebuilding. Even though we wanted to go hunt we felt it more important to continue to build on our relationship and frankly it was quiet interesting. Where i'm going is I think just being respectful, friendly and talk to them is the best payment.

good luck this year,
 
Thanks for the input - no cash sounds like the way to go. Maybe I'll stock up on a few six-packs.... :cheers:
 
Shorthair Hunters said:
I agree with upland hunter, myself and cousin always talk to the farmers every time we go to their property making sure they know we are hunting that day and then in the spring we drive back out their and have tokens of our appreciation to give out. Last year we gave out broncos jerseys to two of our farmers who we always end up talking about, others received gift cards to gas stations or walmart. I think most of them are more impressed and shocked that we would drive out their just to say thanks. We also do this to offer help if needed giving them our cell numbers that way when opening day comes around we are meeted with the same friendly faces and a "yes" you can hunt. Last year we stopped by a house and asked permission to hunt his tree line we got a very fast ok and then the door closed, by the end of the season he was inviting us into his garage to show us the semi truck him and his son was rebuilding. Even though we wanted to go hunt we felt it more important to continue to build on our relationship and frankly it was quiet interesting. Where i'm going is I think just being respectful, friendly and talk to them is the best payment.

good luck this year,
Click to expand...

all good advice...yes, especially spend the face time, these guys love to visit, ask them about their operation, acres farmed, corn or wheat yields in the most recent harvest, predator issues, anything farming....they will appreciate your interest...also, don't litter and pick up the odd trash you see, so you don't get blamed...in essence, be a steward of their land.
 
Please dont Texafy Colorado. Leave that paying for access & leasing crap down there and back east. We are losing enough access thanks to outfitters as it is. Its killing me how all these Texans and other easterners are turning Colorado into the States they've fled from.

Sorry if I offended anyone, but you moved to Colorado because its different, lets keep it that way
 
jlmatthew said:
Please dont Texafy Colorado. Leave that paying for access & leasing crap down there and back east. We are losing enough access thanks to outfitters as it is. Its killing me how all these Texans and other easterners are turning Colorado into the States they've fled from.

Sorry if I offended anyone, but you moved to Colorado because its different, lets keep it that way
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Simply asking advice. No need to go all xenophobic on me.
 
asking

if you are going to hunt nebraska, smarten up, spend $15 and buy a big red cap to wear, let em' know you are a supporter. many years ago i had gotten access to a large ranch/farm and thought it cool to bring the guy a bottle of jack daniels whiskey. boy was that a mistake, the guy drank milk and resented drunks on his property, finally calmed him down. things ended up being ok. be careful. i spent years as a baskin robbins store owner, boy did the farm kids love to see me coming

cheers
 
Upland Hunter said:
I never offer to pay....I agree that many out east would find that offensive. I do take a few small gifts along to give to the farmer after I hunt....nothing fancy or expensive just a token of my appreciation. You can buy 12 pairs of decent work gloves pretty cheap at Harbor Freight and stash them in your hunting rig...farmers use and appreciate them. Some like alcohol....a pint of Jack or a six pack. I even make up my own goodie baskets with some fruit, candy, cheese and crackers, summer sausage...something to snack on while they watch the game. I even take small potted flowers or plants for the wife.
If you give them a little something like that and a sincere "thank you" for allowing you to hunt they'll remember you next time you knock on the door.
If you can get a name and address a Christmas card with a little note that says " Thanks for allowing me to hunt this year" to remind them who you are is also a good idea. I do this and I honestly have more places to hunt than I can make it to in a season and I hunt alot!
Click to expand...

^^^^^
I think this is all right on. A sincere thanks with a gift usually works well, and I agree don't offer cash as it may do more harm than good. And I have learned not to give liquor as a gift until you get the know the person a little better and you'll get a sense as to whether that's OK or not.
 
Yeah, I grew up on a wheat farm in NE, and I don't ever remember my dad taking $$ for hunting privileges. I know in some areas it is common, but not where I'm from. Just the courage to ask, a firm handshake, and a promise to respect the landowner's property/crops/animals will get you farther than an open wallet. Good luck!
 
jlmatthew said:
Please dont Texafy Colorado. Leave that paying for access & leasing crap down there and back east. We are losing enough access thanks to outfitters as it is. Its killing me how all these Texans and other easterners are turning Colorado into the States they've fled from.

Sorry if I offended anyone, but you moved to Colorado because its different, lets keep it that way
Click to expand...

I retired here from active duty and it is different....pot is legal and our firearms are limited :p;):D:rolleyes:

I am just messing you, I do agree with you.....

Greg
 
I'm really suprised that no one has offerd the owners some of their take in exchanage for the priviledge to hunt the land. Dressed birds for dinner hits the spot for some.
 
I hunted with a friend in North Dakota a few years back and his gift was a 5# bag of potatoes under his arm when he went to the door. Left the bag even if they said no! He always arrived with 15 bags or more to start the hunt.
Another friend would take turkeys when King Supers had them cheap a few years back. He had been delivering turkeys a couple of weeks before turkey-day for quite a few years, even knew them well enough to leave one in the freezer in the garage if they weren't home. We had some awesome fields to hunt!
:cheers:
 
Here's how we did.

Again - I want to thank everyone for the input. What a great forum! :cheers:

This is a cross-post from the Nebraska forum. We (my wife and I and a friend and his wife) went out for the weekend to the SW part of the state (both wives do not hunt). I ended up NOT knocking on any doors as I was happy with the public access properties (similar to WIA in CO).

Hunted Saturday and Sunday, Saturday for most of the day, and Sunday just in the early morning. Saturday we put up ten birds (6 roosters and 4 hens) with three making it into the bag. Sunday, just my wife and I, put up five birds (4 roosters and 1 hen) with just one making it in the bag. Dogs did great - I need a little work...

Overall a great trip. I'd share a picture or two, but we lost our camera in a field. :( Maybe I'll get a shot or two from my buddy to share in a few days.
 
I hunted on a farmer in Iowa that let his main hired man decide who hunted and for how much. The hired man charged us $20 per day per gun. That is the most I ever paid.

However, I ALWAYS take some goodies. In SE Ohio and western WV there are several rather unique food items. Amish cheese and trail bologna, unique pasta made in Marietta, Ohio, some organic jam and jelly from West Virginia, and there is a German chocolate store in Parkersburg, WV. All of the landowners and their wives and kids enjoy these treats. Something from our area that you don't see in Iowa or Kansas.

My hunting buddy and I spend a fair amount to do this and it goes a long way! Most of the family farmers seem to enjoy that over a "mercenary" dollar.

One year I took pictures of our home area, which is "western piedmont" Appalachian hill country and over 60% forested. The hog farmers in WC Iowa and Kansas wheat farmers are interested in how our section of the world differs from their country.

And since WVU has joined the Big 12 it is interesting to visit with folks while tailgating at football games as well.
 
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