The bells will be required if you get in some of the crp or public ground that has 8 foot tall grass...not sure if it is big blue or what it is, even dense 5 foot high switch grass on a windy day, you won't know where your dog is without a bell. I tell the guys I bring into our crp to have a bell or leave the dog at home....it won't be a good experience without one. I put the bell on a snap-swivel, and only use it when neccesary, otherwise it is in a pocket.
John has great advice (stragey) of pushing into the corners, this always is a good stragey, always be ready....you can tell the inexperienced hunters, they quit before completely hunting into the corners.
One other piece of advice for gaining private land access, I would try to keep the group small, 2, 3 maybe, if you have 4, break in to 2 groups. I grew up with the landowners around here and a few of them just don't like groups of hunters. Rolling in with multiple trucks and any dog trailers will not help your chances. Just look like a couple farm kids looking a place to hunt....not like slick city kids that don't know a hen from a horse. Helps to know something about livestock or farming, but if you don't, skip that small-talk. Good luck, hunting pressure seems to be down, I usually don't even see other hunters.
