Help with private land access

[Gitzit69]

I found a beautiful piece of private land here in Ca that is absolutely loaded with deer and turkeys. This land is used for cattle grazing and I don't believe it has ever been hunted. I went to the county assessors office and found out who owns the property, address and phone number. What's the best way to approach the owner? By phone or mail? Remember this is Ca. It's not easy to ever obtain access just to take a hike much less hunt. I know one mistake and I'll get turned down.

Dave

[Bulldogmikey]

Dave I know this is the South and I used to go to the house with my kids and knock on the door. The kids usually give a comfort level. Plus I believe a face to face request gives the owner a level of respect. Always daylight preferably on Saturday or Sunday.

Mike

[superstrutter]

I would call and introduce yourself and try to see if you could make arrangements to meet with them person to person. All they can do is say yes or no, then there's no harm or foul. Maybe, offer a trespass fee or offer to lease it, you never know. You could even offer to help keep the property up, cutting grass, triming branches, etc.... I know for sure if you don't ask you'll never know! Good luck buddy!!

[letinmfly]

Dave.

I've always prefered the face to face method.  The owner will have a better feeling of the person you are if you speak to him person to person.  Could be the difference between a yes or no response.

[Mzlhunter]

As others have mentioned I've found the face to face method works best. Around here the landowners get inundated with requests to deer hunt their land. If I go the summer and ask to hunt deer the upcoming fall I get a lot of NO's. What I do is go in the winter after deer season and ask permission to turkey hunt in the spring and can usually get it. After turkey season and the landowner getting to know me a little better I almost always get permission to hunt deer the next fall.

[drabndouble]

Would you happen to be a coyote hunter too?

Many folks that raise stock are more than happy to get a coyote hunter on their place ,,,,,,,it'll open the door many times for other game ,,,,,,but ya need to kill a song dog to really git in good with the rancher/farmer .

[Gitzit69]

Would you happen to be a coyote hunter too?

Many folks that raise stock are more than happy to get a coyote hunter on their place ,,,,,,,it'll open the door many times for other game ,,,,,,but ya need to kill a song dog to really git in good with the rancher/farmer .

Yeah I thought about that, and that might be where I start the conversation.