Landowner Relations
Private landowners control much of the wildlife habitat in the United States. Because their holdings include most of the habitat, these individuals are very important to both game animals and hunters. Forest, farms and ranch lands and their management controls the quality and quantity of habitat available to wildlife. After climate and soils, the type of land management is the principle factor determining the cover types and locations on the landscape. Availability of escape, breeding, resting and loafing, and winter cover is a key to wildlife survival. Private land also provides many of the food and water sources required by wildlife. The location of private lands often coincides with the best soils (therefore the best potential habitat) and frequently includes critical wintering areas. They also provide supplemental foods through agricultural waste.
Landowners are the key people in selection of the management options that will be applied to the land. They may elect to favor wildlife and agriculture or forestry, intensive agriculture or forest control. Keeping the land in active production of wildlife and crops, livestock or trees is often a matter of landowner resistance to placing the land in “non-productive” but lucrative uses. Landowners are the primary wildlife managers on the land because of the impacts of other management decisions on wildlife. They decide how much forage will be used by livestock and how much will be left for wildlife. They decide which windmills are shut off when livestock are not using them and which are left on to provide water for wildlife. They decide whether to leave or eliminate escape cover, whether or not to plow crop residues under in the fall, and many other choices that impact wildlife.
Landowners decide their level of cooperation with agencies and private organizations. They can adopt conservation practices, accept limitations of wetland development or other activities, or elect to maximize production of a crop or livestock species. They control access to their lands, and therefore control to some degree the level of harvest on that land. They also advise wildlife officials of possible poaching or other illegal activities that have an impact on wildlife. Landowner cooperation and action is often the key to creation of quality habitat and successful management plans. Sportsmen must recognize the importance of private land.
Incentive for Managing for Wildlife
Most landowners look at wildlife as something desirable on their land. Other landowners see wildlife as an attractive nuisance, bringing hunters who might cause them problems or as a source of competition for forage or crop damage. Responsible hunters must do all they can to promote a positive image and to reduce any disincentives for holding wildlife habitat. Among those landowners who appreciate wildlife and promote wildlife on their lands, there are nearly as many reasons for doing so as there are landowners. Generally, their motivations, like those of hunters, are complex and interactive.
Profit motivation is significant for some landowners. They may charge access fees on a seasonal or daily basis, charge access fees associated with trophy quality, or guide hunters on their own land. Some farm or ranch families traditionally have served as base camps for hunting parties, “taking in” hunters during the season. A few harvest furbearers as a source of extra funds during the winter.
Tax incentives or other governmental programs may also provide an incentive for wildlife management. Some states offer tax credits for wildlife management practices or allowing hunter access. Some states include tax payments on the land base as an incentive for public access, at least in specially designated areas. Set-aside programs may carry either purposeful or passive benefit for wildlife while meeting regulations or producing payments in kind. Several programs, both governmental and through private organizations, provide for cooperative development of wildlife habitat. Mitigation actions for desired conversion of habitat to agriculture may produce higher quality wildlife habitat than that which was lost. Programs like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) meet multiple objectives, like reduction in erosion and non-point source pollution of waterways, reduction of crop surpluses, and provision of quality wildlife habitat.
Personal interest and a sense of social responsibility are probably the greatest reasons for private land wildlife management. The traditions of seeing and interacting with wildlife on the land may cause multiple generation landowners to promote the kinds of wildlife that their parents or grandparents did. A personal interest in hunting for both recreation and food is often a motivating factor. Personal pride in producing wildlife on their land is a common incentive for many land managers. Some landowners enjoy the interaction with hunters, particularly those with whom they have developed a friendship. Still others maintain wildlife on their lands out of a sense of stewardship for a commons resource that happens to be in their charge. They promote wildlife out of a sense of good will toward their communities and reap good will in return. Their views may be in the early American tradition of commons resources – free to anyone under their personal control, taking pride in stewardship of wildlife as public trust. Some may even view their wildlife populations as environmental monitors, helping them assess the health of their lands.
Why Landowners Grant or Deny Hunting Permission
Landowners have both a right and a stake in knowing who is on their land for any purpose. Many landowners readily grant access to their lands to hunters who seem responsible and respectful. They may have a personal relationship with those hunters or a developing or long-term friendship with them. They may grant access as a gesture of good will to hunters with whom they interact in other settings. Often they grant trespass rights to unknown persons who show a sense of responsibility and training and who make their contacts early, introducing themselves positively. They may grant a hunter who shows concern about their land and livestock or crops by asking if there are any special restrictions that should be addressed when afield. Hunters who show a willingness to lend a hand where it is needed are often granted permission as well. Most of this comes down to the impression left by the prospective hunter on the landowner.
The reasons for denying hunting access are a bit more complex. They may be concerned about protecting their crops or livestock from damage or disturbance. Hunting or allowing dogs to hunt n standing grain or seed crops can be extremely damaging and reduce yields significantly. They may have had experience with goose hunters digging pits in winter or with hunters driving their vehicles across fields softened by rain. Someone in the past may have “liberated” a bit of a crop for camp use without asking permission or offering to pay for it. They may fear careless shooting around livestock, harassment of livestock or even the loss of livestock either by shooting or failure to leave gates as they were found.
Disruption of farming activities is another fertile area for denying access. This may come about because the hunting activity would interfere with normal farming or ranching operations or because an insensitive hunter broke into a busy landowner’s schedule to push for permission to hunt. Creation of additional work is also a reason to deny access. Failure to leave things as they were found or to report problems that were observed can result in denial of hunting access. Gates that are closed when they should be open or left open when they should be closed can result in greatly increased workloads, usually when there is no “extra” time. Damage to fences and gates creates work for the landowner and can cause loss of stock or crops as well as the fence damage. Damage to equipment, either accidental or deliberate can result in loss of access for all hunters after such an incident.
Safety and behavioral concerns may also result in denial of hunting access. Irresponsible or unsafe shooting or gun handling is a sure way to close lands to all hunters. There is never an acceptable excuse for it! Violation of safety zones or specific restrictions or directions from the landowner are grounds for denying future access. Rowdy or irresponsible behavior, including loud, foul or abusive language will result in denial of access most of the time, as will bringing along unauthorized persons. Permission is usually granted for specific persons. Bringing along friends of friends tends to make the landowner wary or angry at being misled. Hunting is a small mob is almost never a welcome sight to the landowner. Driving or camping in areas where permission was not granted or showing disrespect for the landowner or his/her family, pens, livestock or the landscape (like littering) is a sure way to sour access hopes for oneself and all those who follow.
Denial of access is often based upon past personal experience, reports from neighbors, or rumor that grows with re-telling.
Management for personal hunting may be a landowner’s reason for denying access. Perhaps only family members hunt, or the landowner allows hunting only by invited guests and personal friends. Hunting may be used as an income source, where exclusive lease rights have been granted or the landowner acts as a guide or outfitter for hunting parties. Occasionally, denying access stems from an assumption of “ownership” of game animals on the land. This comes from a European tradition of wildlife ownership where the proprietor of the land has proprietary rights to the wildlife as well. It is much more common in the western states than it is in the eastern part of the country.Simple uneasiness about having strangers on the land may lead some landowners to deny hunting access. The landowner may be a very private person who enjoys their privacy and does not want it disturbed. That may be a stated reason that hides a major concern over potential liability risks involved if a hunter is injured on the land and decides to litigate. Fear of losing one’s property can be a powerful disincentive to allowing hunting access.
Regardless of their reasons, landowners have the right to permit or to deny access to their lands by hunters. Potential hunters must respect that right and the persons who exercise them, without bias toward the response received when seeking access.
Obtaining Permission to Hunt on Private Land
Hunters can do many things to increase their chances of success when seeking permission to hunt on private land. If possible, visit the area and make initial contacts with landowners well before the hunting season, carefully avoiding very busy times or season for the landowner. Early contact sets you apart from other hunters and may impress the landowner with your seriousness and responsibility. Dress neatly and casually for your visit with the landowner. Your appearance affects his or her perception of you a great deal. Be particularly careful to avoid dressing in camouflage clothing, face paint or other features that may make you appear a bit odd. Leave guns, bows, dogs and other hunting equipment at homer for pre-season visits or at least leave them in your vehicle. If you will be hunting with kids or companions, take them along to meet the landowner; but keep the group size minimal – two is about right.
Courtesy is vital in gaining permission to hunt as it is in all walks of life. Use regionally acceptable forms of address, including “sir” or “ma’am” when speaking to the landowner and his/her family. Grant the landowner warmly and introduce yourself in a positive way. Let him/her know who you are, where you live, what you do (if that helps to establish credibility), and offer a card with your name, address and telephone number on it. Comment on the good qualities you have observed on the land, and let the landowner know that you are seeking permission to hunt, and continue by letting him/her know that you are a responsible, well-prepared and trained hunter who will respect both the property and the landowner’s wishes. Look the landowner in the eye and let him/her know that you are sincere; but do not overdo it and come off looking like a phony. Be specific in the types of hunting, names of companions (like your child), and time. Volunteer to phone ahead of the hunt date to confirm your being able to hunt.
Whether permission is granted or not, thank the landowner graciously and wish him/her a good day. Even if access is denied this time, the goodwill your generate will instill a favorable impression of you and other hunters. That good will and positive attitude may open the doors of that property at a later date. Even if the landowner is not polite or friendly, maintain a respectful attitude and courteous manner at all times. If permission is granted, get a written permission slip on a form you provide if required by state law. Record the landowner’s name, address and telephone number in a notebook so you can contact them later; and offer them a signed one-way contract that outlines your responsibilities and behavior.
A few helpful hints might be useful in gaining access to land for hunting. If you are using any special hunting methods, like bowhunting or muzzleloader hunting or you use well-trained dogs, let the landowner know about those methods. Keep first-time groups small. Two is a good number for a first visit. Leave your guns and other gear at home or out of sight when seeking hunting permission. Leave any dogs in the vehicle and under control. Pet any friendly dogs that may approach you on the farmstead. Be sincere, open and genuine in your comments and behavior. Landowners, like other people, like honesty and sincerity. They do not like people who appear to be putting up a front or pretending they are something they are not. Finally, make a point of outlining obvious restrictions, and ask about any additional ones that you cannot see from a casual look at the property. Let the landowner know that you consider hunting on their land a privilege and that you are sensitive to their wishes and needs. This includes asking where you should park your vehicle to keep it out of the way of farm and ranch operations.
Hunter Responsibilities on Private Land
Receiving permission to hunt on private land carries a set of responsibilities with it. Safety both around the vehicles and in the field is of paramount importance. Adhering to strict rules of sportsmanship is also critical. Hunters should maintain a friendly courtesy and respectful attitudes, and they should avoid rowdiness, including loud, foul or abusive language. Make sure that you initiate any questions about extra restrictions and that you abide by those restrictions when afield.
Your treatment of the land reflects upon you and all other hunters. It is also a critical point with landowners. Drive your vehicle only where permitted, and park in designated areas or where access is not restricted. Leave gates as you found them, and report any problems you have observed while afield. Avoid disturbing livestock, and stay out of crops that could be damaged, keeping dogs out of them as well. Pick up your litter, including spent shells, and any other trash or litter you find. Leave the area looking better than it was when you arrived. Make sure that you get specific permission before bringing anyone else on the land, and be very careful not to over-extend your permission to be there.
Show your respect for the landowner in your behavior. Try not to impose upon him/her with additional things like asking for water, permission to cut firewood or towing help for a vehicle problem. Offer to share bagged game with the landowner, and select good specimens that have been dressed properly for that sharing. Always stop to thank the landowner when your hunt is over if possible. If not, call or drop a note to the landowner expressing your thanks. Ask if you can help with off-season chores, like mending fences or other activities where an extra set of hands will be useful. Even if your help is declined, stop by and say hello during the off-season, if possible. Treat the landowner as a respected friend, sharing Christmas cards or gifts with him/her at appropriate times. All of these things help you to maintain communication over the year and to let the landowner that your respect thanks are genuine.
