I’m on my way out to South Dakota for my second time next week. I had a blast last year and hunted exclusively public land. Just wondering what people‘s experiences were asking to hunt on private land. I just got back from North Dakota and was never turn down one time to hunt farms that were posted. That was for ducks and geese though not pheasants .Anyway, Best of luck to everyone giving it their all. Stay safe.
Permission to hunt
- Thread starter Stickbow
- Start date
jackrabbit
Active member
Way too many variables to give you a good answer. For the most part, expect to pay $150 a day per gun. However, you can certainly knock on doors, ask a farmer if they're at the field entrance without bothering them, etc. If you are just one guy and make a good first impression, you could possibly expect to be told "yes" for small pieces here and there. If you roll up with a handful of guys in multiple vehicles with out of state plates, no chance. If I am by myself, I will occasionally stop at a house to ask for permission if I saw one run into their property off the road, etc. Just ask to hunt a small piece here and there, a tree grove, will only shoot at one bird and be on my way, etc.
Goosemaster
Well-known member
What works for me is my 73 Ford farm truck. It's a permission getting beast. 6 cyl.4 spd.I bought it off a farmer in Kalispell, 20 years ago.It even has a vintage international Harvester sticker in the window.
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
If it'll make it out here, let us know how it works in the pheasant belt. Not sure the farmers around here, with their $75k pickups, $400k tractors, & $500k combines still feel a great kinship with someone driving an old beater. Maybe I'm wrong.
carptom1
Well-known member
No shit. The guy where I hunt has a 75k pick up and a 300K plus in fueling station in his front yard. Farmers don't give a shit what you drive they care how you act. Moochmaster just has some kind of complex he is trying to overcome.
Goosemaster
Well-known member
They do care.I drove up to a farm in my truck, and got permission. The next day, my friend drove up in his new suburban. He was turned down. Montana farmers are not as well off as South Dakota farmers.They don't make money off pheasant hunting.
Goosemaster
Well-known member
Lol, that's probably right, but I would love to try.Too bad its such a cruise!!
SDJIM
New member
Rich South Dakota farmers
I am really put off over your statement that SD farmers are better off because they " make money " off pheasant hunting. Yes turning a farm into a pay to play operation can work----big investment and MAYBE a big return. I work on improving habitat so there will be more birds/deer/ and everything else that needs the same habitat and it only costs me 4k or 5K$ a year to provide that. I don't charge people to hunt most are repeat guests and a few have been told not to come back.
Here is a list of things that are NOT OK
1. Drive over the hill out of sight and change the oil in your truck----make sure to leave the old oil and cans and filter.
2. Trespass on land across the fence even if I pointed out that this was NOT OK-----I enjoy him yelling at me because of you.
3. Clean your birds at the gate going into the land, that way everyone now knows it's a good place to hunt including those that like to trespass----I enjoy cleaning up your mess
By the way--the crops are almost in and the bird # are up-----looks like late season hunting is going to be good.
I am really put off over your statement that SD farmers are better off because they " make money " off pheasant hunting. Yes turning a farm into a pay to play operation can work----big investment and MAYBE a big return. I work on improving habitat so there will be more birds/deer/ and everything else that needs the same habitat and it only costs me 4k or 5K$ a year to provide that. I don't charge people to hunt most are repeat guests and a few have been told not to come back.
Here is a list of things that are NOT OK
1. Drive over the hill out of sight and change the oil in your truck----make sure to leave the old oil and cans and filter.
2. Trespass on land across the fence even if I pointed out that this was NOT OK-----I enjoy him yelling at me because of you.
3. Clean your birds at the gate going into the land, that way everyone now knows it's a good place to hunt including those that like to trespass----I enjoy cleaning up your mess
By the way--the crops are almost in and the bird # are up-----looks like late season hunting is going to be good.
Goosemaster
Well-known member
Isn't it a shame, that a few idiots can ruin the chances of real hunters gaining access to private land.Hunting, is slowly becoming commercialised, and it saddens me.I know South Dakota has better hunting than Montana, but pheasants are not a commodity, to be bargained for, like a sack of flour.Thank you for improving habitat, that's awesome. I know that all pheasant hunting, will eventually be pay hunting.Probably within 20 years.In that I mean, if you're not family, or friend, you will have to pay to hunt.Ive never been a group hunting guy, but I can see how it would be fun to stay on a farm, and hunt with the same guys every year.As a solo hunter, I can get on places that a group would not get on.So yeah, I get it, but it sort of rubs me the wrong way.
We had an interesting experience recently in SD, close to Aberdeen. We hunt almost exclusively public land, but as we were driving around saw a birdy-looking little cat tail by the road. There were a few guys getting tractors and trucks ready to work the cut field. We pulled up to where they were, introduced ourselves and asked if we could go hunt that little spot by the road. The guy we spoke to said no problem, just watch your shooting – keep it directed away from their guys and equipment. Great – no problem. We unloaded the dogs and off we went into the little spot.
Kicked up a few birds in short order and we were to the other end of the spot in about 10 minutes – It was maybe a 1 acre cat tail. As we started back to the truck, one of those huge new green tractors came roaring over to us (from where we just were) and the guy in the seat came stomping out. He asked if we had permission to hunt there and I told him yes – we just spoke to the guy he was with (though he was not in the conversation) over by the road (100 yards away). He proceeded to cuss and f-bomb me as I stood there looking at him – told me that we could not be there without landowner permission and that the group he was with was an outside company and did not have authority to grant permission. When I asked why the other guy could not have just told us that and why he said yes – go ahead, he said we must be idiots because we did not recognize that their mismatched T-shirts had small logos on them – In his mind that is clearly a ‘uniform’ we should have recognized. The ‘sorry we had a misunderstanding’ did not register.
Again, this was a 1-acre roadside cat tail and we parked with their trucks and talked to his guy – he was on a tear like he caught us sneaking over a hill and past no trespassing signs to walk his groomed sorghum strips. He continued to try a get a rise out of me – attempting to impress because he could cuss and yell – so I told him to go snap a picture of our license plate and call the GFP and Sheriff if that floats his boat, but I would not be wasting any more time on him. Not surprisingly, we have not heard back from anyone – I expect a bit more intelligence and reason from law enforcement.
Long story, but the takeaway is that unless you are willing to ID who is giving you permission and verify they have the authority, there is risk in ‘getting permission’. This was never a scenario I had imagined would happen so thought I would share – might be worth some effort to verify authority. Hard to imagine anything coming from what happened, but it could put you in a defensive position where it’s just the word of a local vs. an invading out-of-stater. We attempted to find the landowner afterwards, but like much land this is wrapped up in a trust, which is part of a LLC, which shares the same name as hundreds of the county's residents - never could get anyone on the phone.
Kicked up a few birds in short order and we were to the other end of the spot in about 10 minutes – It was maybe a 1 acre cat tail. As we started back to the truck, one of those huge new green tractors came roaring over to us (from where we just were) and the guy in the seat came stomping out. He asked if we had permission to hunt there and I told him yes – we just spoke to the guy he was with (though he was not in the conversation) over by the road (100 yards away). He proceeded to cuss and f-bomb me as I stood there looking at him – told me that we could not be there without landowner permission and that the group he was with was an outside company and did not have authority to grant permission. When I asked why the other guy could not have just told us that and why he said yes – go ahead, he said we must be idiots because we did not recognize that their mismatched T-shirts had small logos on them – In his mind that is clearly a ‘uniform’ we should have recognized. The ‘sorry we had a misunderstanding’ did not register.
Again, this was a 1-acre roadside cat tail and we parked with their trucks and talked to his guy – he was on a tear like he caught us sneaking over a hill and past no trespassing signs to walk his groomed sorghum strips. He continued to try a get a rise out of me – attempting to impress because he could cuss and yell – so I told him to go snap a picture of our license plate and call the GFP and Sheriff if that floats his boat, but I would not be wasting any more time on him. Not surprisingly, we have not heard back from anyone – I expect a bit more intelligence and reason from law enforcement.
Long story, but the takeaway is that unless you are willing to ID who is giving you permission and verify they have the authority, there is risk in ‘getting permission’. This was never a scenario I had imagined would happen so thought I would share – might be worth some effort to verify authority. Hard to imagine anything coming from what happened, but it could put you in a defensive position where it’s just the word of a local vs. an invading out-of-stater. We attempted to find the landowner afterwards, but like much land this is wrapped up in a trust, which is part of a LLC, which shares the same name as hundreds of the county's residents - never could get anyone on the phone.
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
Wow. Too bad you ran into a) one person who didn't want to be reasonable & b) another who didn't know it's not his place to grant permission.
Because finding & contacting the actual landowner can be SOOO incredibly difficult these days, & because I don't need to find a ton of birds to satisfy a big group, I spend very little time trying to procure permission on private land any more. But I've done a lot of it. After introduction & pleasantries, the next words out of my mouth are, "Do you own that?" If the answer is, "No," then maybe they can tell me who does & how best to contact that person. But I've had many people tell me things like, "Yeah, that's Frank's land. He's into town today, but he lets people hunt. Go ahead. He won't mind." Or, "The lady who owns that lives in Timbuktu & never, ever comes here. It'd be fine if you walked that."
NO. WAY. Even if I talk to someone who leases the land & says yes, I ask, "Do you feel you're in the position to give me permission? I don't want to put you in a bad spot." Although I believe it rarely happens, I think the letter of the law states that thou shalt have WRITTEN permission to hunt somebody's land. But at a minimum, I always make every attempt to talk to the actual owner, or at a bare minimum, someone who says they have the authority to grant me permission. And I GET NAMES. And....even if it seems like the boundaries of a pheasanty little spot are clear, ALWAYS clarify with the landowner what IS his land & what ISN'T. The potential problems just aren't worth it.
Because finding & contacting the actual landowner can be SOOO incredibly difficult these days, & because I don't need to find a ton of birds to satisfy a big group, I spend very little time trying to procure permission on private land any more. But I've done a lot of it. After introduction & pleasantries, the next words out of my mouth are, "Do you own that?" If the answer is, "No," then maybe they can tell me who does & how best to contact that person. But I've had many people tell me things like, "Yeah, that's Frank's land. He's into town today, but he lets people hunt. Go ahead. He won't mind." Or, "The lady who owns that lives in Timbuktu & never, ever comes here. It'd be fine if you walked that."
NO. WAY. Even if I talk to someone who leases the land & says yes, I ask, "Do you feel you're in the position to give me permission? I don't want to put you in a bad spot." Although I believe it rarely happens, I think the letter of the law states that thou shalt have WRITTEN permission to hunt somebody's land. But at a minimum, I always make every attempt to talk to the actual owner, or at a bare minimum, someone who says they have the authority to grant me permission. And I GET NAMES. And....even if it seems like the boundaries of a pheasanty little spot are clear, ALWAYS clarify with the landowner what IS his land & what ISN'T. The potential problems just aren't worth it.
Good words of wisdom and I will be a bit more cautious next time (if there is one). This experience was a real downer for an otherwise great hunting trip (on public land). If I had responded to his attempts to get me riled up I could be sitting in jail.
Hi Woollybob,
don't let that bad experience spoil anything. That are strange ducks in all walks of life, period. Last year I had a guy accuse my wife and I of hunting his land, because I backed up into his lane and turned around! He was screaming at me, with his wife and kids in his truck, and my wife in mine. Did not set foot on his land. I just worked at diffusing the situation, we don't trespass, and he must have been having a bad day. beyond belief, but whatever. I'll also say I've had numerous very positive land owner discussions out there, so just let this negative stuff slide. good folks wash out the bad by a long shot. That's true in all walks of life, and Laura and I were not going to let something this silly ruin our always great experience in SD... .and we did and always have a great time... ..
Goosemaster
Well-known member
You just ran into some rube, with no manners. I had the same thing happen to me onetime, and I just got in my truck, and drove off.I wasn't going to let some rube chew me out.
You are right wild pheasants are not a commodity. Access to those pheasants in an environment that offers an opportunity for an enjoyable hunt with your sons and grandsons. Is marketable. It is fine that you do what you do, but others can do what they do too. It isn't much different than going golfing, and people pay for that.
benelli-banger
Well-known member
habitat is a commodity...that land could be used for many things...crops being one of them...wildlife habitat being one of them...pasture being one of them...and there are others uses for land...each choice has costs/consequences...
I started bringing a guy out hunting back in 2006...he had primarily hunted public land in SD...i got a kick out of the fact that he would refer to the wildlife as belonging to "the state"...I did point out that the spots that had the most birds had no connection to the state...that private landowners had created habitat, which created great bird #'s...he thought corn alone created birds...I disabused him of that notion pretty quickly...yes, CRP/WRP, etc, do generate revenue for the landowner, so at some point the Federal Govt is involved...
just one guys point of view...i do own land in SD, it is in a perpetual conservation easement...and I have costs annually to disk and plant food plots...spray for thistle...etc...not huge, but it is a meaningful amount of $ to me...like I have said before, there is plenty of pretty darned good public land in SD...if you use your internet tools carefully, it isn't too tough to figure out where there are decent bird #'s...
I started bringing a guy out hunting back in 2006...he had primarily hunted public land in SD...i got a kick out of the fact that he would refer to the wildlife as belonging to "the state"...I did point out that the spots that had the most birds had no connection to the state...that private landowners had created habitat, which created great bird #'s...he thought corn alone created birds...I disabused him of that notion pretty quickly...yes, CRP/WRP, etc, do generate revenue for the landowner, so at some point the Federal Govt is involved...
just one guys point of view...i do own land in SD, it is in a perpetual conservation easement...and I have costs annually to disk and plant food plots...spray for thistle...etc...not huge, but it is a meaningful amount of $ to me...like I have said before, there is plenty of pretty darned good public land in SD...if you use your internet tools carefully, it isn't too tough to figure out where there are decent bird #'s...
Goosemaster
Well-known member
What I don't get, is if South Dakota has great public hunting, why are these fancy, blue blood hunting farms all over the state? I don't get that.
Because there are fancy blue blood hunters all over that want to hunt there. I do not offer a fancy blue blood hunt. It is a no frills do it yourself working mans hunt.
benelli-banger
Well-known member
pebble beach costs over $500 a round to play golf...and it is a public course! Some golf clubs cost over 100k to join...just join! A public course in Howard, SD costs about $20 per round...your choice. Some people like to rub shoulders with others who are impressed with money and status...because they are impressed with money and status! There's something for everybody!!!!