{"id":418,"date":"2022-11-02T08:51:40","date_gmt":"2022-11-02T08:51:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/americangunpeople.com\/?p=418"},"modified":"2022-11-02T08:51:40","modified_gmt":"2022-11-02T08:51:40","slug":"how-to-get-permission-to-hunt-ducks-and-geese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/americangunpeople.com\/?p=418","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Permission to Hunt Ducks and Geese"},"content":{"rendered":"


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In the old days of waterfowl hunting, you could knock on almost any farmer\u2019s door and get permission to hunt for the day with nothing more than a handshake and a smile. Or at least, that\u2019s what I\u2019m told. I\u2019m too young to have been around for those good old days. My duck hunting reality is a little more of a toss up: There are many farmers who will grant duck or goose hunting access, but there are also plenty who won\u2019t.<\/p>\n

The landowners who do allow access are usually well known by local hunters, so there\u2019s often competition for their fields or sloughs. It takes real effort (or serious cash) to get good waterfowl hunting permission on private land these days. But it can still be done. Don\u2019t let viral videos of landowners berating hunters<\/a> discourage you. Most farmers and ranchers are great people, and those epic hunts with greenheads tornadoing down into a cut cornfield can still be had by a polite freelance hunter.<\/p>\n

So, if you want to have more success getting permission and avoid pissing off the local farmers, ranchers, and hunters, follow these guidelines.<\/p>\n

Make Connections and Act Like a Local<\/h2>\n

Getting permission to waterfowl hunt on private land is going to be harder in some regions of the country than in others. Duck hunting is more popular in Louisiana than it is in, say, Oregon, which means that a waterfowler in Lafayette will have a lot more competition for private spots than a hunter in Nestucca. Every region also has its own cultural quirks and differences. Being aware of these and blending in with the locals will serve you well in your quest to find a productive field or marsh.<\/p>\n

A mixed bag taken during a field hunt on private land. Alex Robinson<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Regardless of whether you\u2019re eyeing a cornfield in the Midwest or a timber hole in the Southeast, however, having some sort of connection with the landowner will greatly increase your odds of getting access.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t have relationships with the people there, and you\u2019re not from the area, it makes it really difficult to get access,\u201d says Joe Genzel, a longtime Midwestern waterfowler, communications director for Ducks Unlimited, and former Outdoor Life<\/em> senior editor.<\/p>\n

Making connections with other landowners and hunters in the area will help you a lot more than just poring over maps and knocking on doors at random. If you or a friend knows another farmer in a specific area, take advantage of that connection and see if they can introduce you to the landowner you\u2019re seeking permission from. You can also network with other like-minded hunters by joining clubs or Facebook groups and introducing yourself to people that might have more connections than you do.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat relationship part of it is really key,\u201d Genzel says, \u201cand I think sometimes you have to set up that framework before you start asking for permission. Finding a way in before you go directly to that landowner and ask will definitely benefit you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Know Who You\u2019re Talking To<\/h2>\n

Does this mean you should give up on asking landowners for permission if you\u2019re from out of state and don\u2019t know anybody in the area? Of course not. It just means you might have to work a little harder to convince a landowner to let you through their gate.<\/p>\n

As an example, Genzel brings up a small tract of private land that he found in Ohio last year. Some Canada geese were loafing around the place, but he also noticed cows on the property. Knowing that the landowner probably wouldn\u2019t want him hunting around their livestock, Genzel brought the issue up at the forefront and asked if he could hunt some morning when the cows weren\u2019t around.<\/p>\n

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Doing your homework and figuring out what crops the landowner grows will only help your chances when you ask permission to hunt. USDA<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cShe ended up letting me hunt and told me there was a day that they wouldn\u2019t have cattle on it,\u201d Genzel says. \u201cStuff like that\u2014taking notice of what the property owner has on their land, what\u2019s going on and what kind of farmer they are. All that is important. If you just walk up and say, \u2018Hey there\u2019s ducks on your pond and I\u2019d like to hunt them,\u2019 most people are gonna say \u2018no.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Hunters can also greatly increase their odds of success by finding some common ground with a landowner right away. Being able to ask about their crops, chat about the weather, and just shoot the breeze with a farmer are all part of this. Picking up on simple cues is another way to buddy up with a farmer who doesn\u2019t know you from Adam.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s easy for me because I do pest control, so I\u2019m kind of embedded with farmers,\u201d says Todd Gifford, a Minnesota hunter<\/a> who\u2019s spent years mastering the art of asking for permission. \u201cBut if you pull in and notice there\u2019s a Donald Trump sign in the driveway, then you know what you\u2019re gonna be talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Avoid Deer Gun Seasons<\/h2>\n

If the farmer doesn\u2019t deer hunt his own property, you can bet that his kids, grandkids, neighbors, or buddies do. And farmers don\u2019t want waterfowlers in their field while they\u2019re trying to deer hunt. You can improve your odds of getting permission by simply avoiding rifle or shotgun seasons in serious whitetail states like Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and the Dakotas. On the upside, firearm seasons are typically much shorter than waterfowl season.<\/p>\n

Be Polite, Confident, and Sociable<\/h2>\n

Politeness is obviously key when you\u2019re asking a stranger for permission to hunt their land. Say \u201csir\u201d or \u201cma\u2019am,\u201d be humble, and stay respectful. In the right circumstance, you might as well pretend you\u2019re speaking with someone\u2019s grandmother in church. But the way Gifford sees it, acting confident and sociable with a landowner are just as important as being polite.<\/p>\n

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Being polite has its perks. USFWS<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cYou gotta be super confident about what you\u2019re gonna do,\u201d Gifford says. \u201cBe forthcoming right when you get to the door. They\u2019ll either say \u2018yes\u2019 or \u2018no,\u2019 and if it\u2019s a \u2018no,\u2019 be just as grateful as if it was a \u2018yes.\u2019 Just think of [their land] as a refuge. And who knows, a lot of times they\u2019ll say \u2018no,\u2019 but then I strike up a conversation and they\u2019ll say \u2018yes\u2019 later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gifford has learned over the years that most farmers, ranchers, and rural landowners are social creatures who are happy to take a break for a conversation with a stranger. Take advantage of this fact and don\u2019t be afraid to spend time chit-chatting. Maybe they don\u2019t give you permission at the end of the conversation, but the next time they run into their neighbor down at the local caf\u00e9, they just might put in a good word for you.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust get to know \u2018em. If you build that rapport, it\u2019s gonna help you with other people. All that just builds on itself,\u201d Gifford says. \u201cAnd it carries over. If you get confident with your area permissions, your confidence when you leave the state is just as high. Even if the permission doesn\u2019t work out, I\u2019d rather just talk to those people and find out what\u2019s going on with them. It\u2019s just good for you to talk to people, and a lot of times it leads to McDonald saying, \u2018Well you know what, I\u2019m not really fond of hunting, but I know the Chamberlains have a great marsh. Here, come on in the house and let me get them on the line.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Bring a Kid and a Gift<\/h2>\n

Sometimes when you\u2019re knocking on doors, the people you\u2019re with are just as important as the things you say. Genzel, for one, has found that his odds of getting a \u201cyes\u201d go up significantly whenever he brings his son along.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt always seems like if you just go with two guys, it\u2019s almost always a \u2018no,\u2019\u201d Genzel says. \u201cBut I would say I\u2019ve had the most success door-knocking when I take my son with me. And honestly, I\u2019ve had a good amount of success when there\u2019s a woman hunting with me, too. It lets people know that I\u2019m doing this to get my son into hunting or to hunt with a friend. Think about who you\u2019re going up to that door with and how you\u2019re presenting yourself to that person.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t have kids and can\u2019t borrow a buddy\u2019s son for the day, you can still help your chances by being self-aware and genuine with the landowner. The last person they want on their property is a selfish, ego-driven hunter who\u2019s only interested in killing birds.<\/p>\n

On that note, one of the best ways to prove that you\u2019re worthy of hunting their property is to bring along a gift or suggest a trade to the landowner. They may turn down your offer to mow their lawn or string fence and let you hunt anyway. If they do take you up on it, then a chore isn\u2019t a bad price to pay for a good hunt. <\/p>\n

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A hunter holds up a brace of ducks taken on private land. Todd Gifford<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you are<\/em> lucky enough to secure permission, you\u2019d be shooting yourself in the foot if you don\u2019t bring the landowner a gift of some kind after you\u2019re done hunting. Offer to take the farmer or his grandson hunting with you, or simply leave a few (cleaned) ducks behind at the end of the day. A case of beer or bottle of whiskey never hurts, either. Even just stopping by to say hello and thanks again after your hunt will help your chances of getting invited back for another shoot.<\/p>\n

\u201cWeird things happen when you\u2019re kind like that,\u201d Gifford says. \u201cHe\u2019ll stop you on the road afterwards and ask you how your hunt went. Everybody\u2019s happy, and it\u2019s not this weird, anti-social thing where you\u2019re walking on eggshells. It\u2019s the old-school way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Build and Maintain Good Relationships<\/h2>\n

The worst thing you can do after you get permission from a landowner is to piss them off and burn that bridge. This kills your chances of ever hunting there again. It also makes that landowner less likely to grant access to other hunters in the future. When hunters collectively lose permission on a large property, that only puts more pressure on surrounding properties. One bad experience with a hunter can be all it takes for a landowner to close hunting opportunities for good. <\/p>\n

Getting clear directions from the landowner from the get-go will help with this, and one of the most important questions you can ask them is where you can drive and where you should park. Rutting up a field, blocking a road, or leaving a gate open are some of the biggest mistakes you can make when driving on private land for the first time.<\/p>\n

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Picking up your spent shells after a shoot is one of the easiest ways to stay on a landowner\u2019s good side. Natalie Krebs<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Other steps you can take to ensure you\u2019ll be invited back:<\/p>\n