How have you gotten private land access?

[jryoung]

How have you all gotten private land access? Do you know somebody? I keep seeing adds on craigslist for people looking for places to hunt and am wondering if they work. I guess the best thing to do would be to try. I'm assuming there are some barley farmers that would like some pigs gone.

If you know of any opportunities (aside from anyone named Larry Hamilton) let me know, I'm happy to share meat, or pay a tresspass fee. I'd just like to have some other places to every once an a while, and living in San Jose, my opportunities to meet ranchers is slim to none.

 

[gundogs]

I book hog hunts all the time.

Bryceatiotic-wavin-flag Bryce Mann's Gun Dogs & Guide Service

 

[RIFLEMAN]

I have access to eight different ranches comprising about 40,000 acres; in every case but one, I have exclusive access. The list of ranches continues to grow without any effort on my part.

My suggestion is as follows:
1. Ask in person: Assuming you are what I consider to be "presentable," you will have much better odds if you meet the landowner face to face. First, I think that people naturally want to meet someone in order to evaulate their trustworthiness. Second, I think it is more likely that you will have more time to make your pitch. Third, I think it is more difficult or uncomfortable saying, no" face to face as opposed to refusing some anonymous voice over the phone.
2. Answer the question, "what's in it for me?": Convincing them you are a nice guy who really enjoys hunting and would like some extra food on the table is not going to cut it for all but the kindest and most generous landowners. You need to demonstrate how you will benefit them. Mention the ability to address damage to land, water, crops, livestock, etc caused by game. Mention the ability to "patrol" the property for trespassers and report on any dead or injured livestock. Offer meat, fur, capes, or labor in exchange for this opportunity.
3. Ease their concerns: Anticipate and address their fears by explaining your history, experience, and background relating to hunting, the safe use of firearms, livestock protocol (fences, gates, roads, etc), and other topics that typically motivate the landowner into saying "no."
4. Answer the question, "what's in it for me?": Yes, I said this already. What I mean now is that you have to match your words with deeds. If they have a legitimate wildlife issue that is impacting their ability to earn a living from their land, they do not have the luxury of being charitable for a hunter who is not producing results. Follow through on what you say you will do.
5. Consider this opportunity a privilege: Never cease to thank them endlessly for the trust they are placing in you. They should never doubt how sincerely appreciative you are.
6. Consider this opportunity a job: Put as much effort into keeping access as you do in keeping your job. This means that you have to put in the time and provide the results as expected. Spend however much time you have to in order to learn the country and habits of the game that inhabits it. If they are having problems with hogs, pattern the hogs to a T and produce some carcasses to demonstrate your work ethic and proficiency in your craft.
7. Never take advantage of the landowner: Show them that you value them for who they are and not just what they offer. Call them just to visit. Offer to bring some groceries if they live remote. Stop by just to visit without going hunting that day. Bring them some game you have shot from other places or states. Help them with their chores. Be a friend, not a leech.
8. Be generous: Offer them whatever portion of the game they may want, be it every pig or none. Gut and dress it for them if they are not inclined.
9. Respect their rules: Follow every guideline absolutely perfectly. If you are unsure of an expectation, ask clarifying questions. When in doubt, do not even approach the line. Be more cautious than you necessarily have to be. Some say to treat things as if it was your own. I say to treat it as it was not your own, but you wish it was.
10. Enjoy every minute: You never know when attitudes, circumstances, or owners will change.

Good luck to you.

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

Rifleman basically summed it up. When I was living in So Cal I had a pretty sweet set-up. I had a small ranch (1100 acres) in Parkfield that I was able to hunt on. In exchange for hunting trips, I would do work for the landowner (Basic Carpenter work on the house, Help out around the property, Etc). I had a "Face to Face" encounter with the landowner at the Parkfield Cafe and I don't know if he just liked me or I just caught him on a "good day". Basically, I would arrive on Friday afternoon and work my tail off until about 5pm and hunt that evening. I would hunt the morning and evenings and do whatever that needed to get done during the daytime. It worked out well for me and the landowner. I haven't hunted this particular ranch since I left California 4 years ago, but it was a sweet set up when I was livin a few hours south of the ranch. My advice is get out and talk to people. I remember driving down a road in Parkfield and seeing about 100+ hogs on a nearby private field. That day I drove up to the landowners house and asked if I could pay a trespass fee or do work on his property. His reply was "Sorry, Can't let ya do that". It's expected and for every 10 "No''s you hear, you just might get a "Yes".....Get out....knock and talk..Might just pay off......

Bryan HH714

 

[sancho]

rifleman is wise.

let me add: logging onto a website just like this is a great start. be respectful, online, and maintain strict politeness.

at work, anyone that wears camo, i ask if they have land. it starts slow, but it can snowball.

 

[559hog]

rifleman is wise.

let me add: logging onto a website just like this is a great start. be respectful, online, and maintain strict politeness.

at work, anyone that wears camo, i ask if they have land. it starts slow, but it can snowball.

That's the first thing I look for, doesn't always work though, because the hospital is full of doctors and professionals. I actually ran into someone a month or two ago that had a business. I went there to get my car tinted and just happened to have my bow in the back as they were tinting. He asked me what kind of bow it was and if I hunted, I told him it was a Hoyt and heck yah I hunt! He thanked me for the business and invited me to come along on his trips to D7 to check game cam on his ranch. Good stuff, can't wait!

 

[jryoung]

Thanks for all the advice, I don't think I'll have any problem "closing the sale". I've been hunting since age 12, grew up on range land where we had to check fences occasionally, I've built a house, I do taxes, am a good cook, have lots of wine, and love to get my hands dirty. In short, I think I have lots to offer and am plenty willing to do so, I'm just looking for the chance. Hopefully at some point I'll get the chance to meet some ranchers.

 

[buckfever07]

Rifleman,

Excellent post!!

Buck

 

[deadducks]

Keep trying.

Rifleman great post.

Everyone should do thier part even on public land, it should be taken care as if it is private.

Dan

 

[sancho]

.............have lots of wine, .

you see? you didnt give us ALL pertinent information! j/k

i came this close to getting permission near mt hamilton. then some jackarse decides to gut a pig in public view. the entire area went full lockdown...i still wonder what happened to that pig population up there?

good luck!

 

[BoarHNTR]

Thanks for all the advices Rifleman! I know that's going to help lot's of folks wanting to gain access to private land but don't know how to start.....

 

[biseger]

That is way to easy to just ask. Do what I did and find good properties that you want to hunt and marry into the family. On second thought what have I done. HaHA Good luck on getting acess. During turkey season I finally got acess to a nice ranch holding lots of turkeys after 10 years of trying. Cut lots of wood and took time to get to know the folks. I basiclly gave up asking to hunt and then they offered me the chance. I cooked a real nice turkey dinner that we all enjoyed.

 

[jryoung]

Well that wasn't too hard, through the power of the internet I just started asking and it looks as if I have three properties (one in Sonoma, and two in the Santa Ynez) that the owners would be willing to let me hunt. I'm pretty damn well stoked right now, there's a long way to go before I get meat hanging, but chances are lookin' good.

 

[calpig]

I started begging to go a friend of the families ranch at age 14 and finally gained access at age 34 so I would have to say be persistant. 20 years of asking paid off on my first trip there when I bagged a nice little boar.

 

[shoot-it]

Jryoung did you put a add on craigslist?ig-laughing:

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

Jryoung did you put a add on craigslist?ig-laughing:

I was gonna ask the same thing shoot-it....

 

[jryoung]

I never got around to it. As I mentioned above I'm a bit of a wine dork/snob/connoisseur and I was wine tasting in the Santa Ynez. One of the places I was tasting at was a warehouse where a couple of seperate "wineries" had set up operations (very common with start-ups so they can share costs/resources/equipment). Anyway, one of the vineyard owners that they all source from happened to show up the same time and we got to chatting so I just fired the question. "Do you guys ever have any problems with pigs in the vineyards"? Sure enough he said a couple of them (vineyards) have problems in Aug. when they do a "green drop" (cut off green clusters to concentrate the remaining hanging clusters). We're still working out some details, but hopefully it all pans out. I'll be sure to post up a story if/when it happens.

 

[Mirkwood]

I never got around to it. As I mentioned above I'm a bit of a wine dork/snob/connoisseur and I was wine tasting in the Santa Ynez. One of the places I was tasting at was a warehouse where a couple of seperate "wineries" had set up operations (very common with start-ups so they can share costs/resources/equipment). Anyway, one of the vineyard owners that they all source from happened to show up the same time and we got to chatting so I just fired the question. "Do you guys ever have any problems with pigs in the vineyards"? Sure enough he said a couple of them (vineyards) have problems in Aug. when they do a "green drop" (cut off green clusters to concentrate the remaining hanging clusters). We're still working out some details, but hopefully it all pans out. I'll be sure to post up a story if/when it happens.

I think I know the warehouse you are talking about. Is it in Lompoc? If so they call it the Wine Ghetto. My in-laws live right up the street from there and we also taste a lot in the Santa Ynez valley. I'll have to remember to talk to some of the winery owners the next time we are down there. thanks for the tip.