Whether you're a weekend hunter, seasoned pro, or a beginner, my rule is you can never have too much hunting land or too many ponds to fish. I wanted to share some of the things that I have done in the past to gain access to new hunting grounds. The first thing I do is figure out where the best looking spots are in my home area. Keep in mind it's easier on your wallet and your truck if you can gain access to ground that's closer to your home. If you have to drive far distances, then that's ok too, but the closer the better I always say. Once you have an idea of where, you then need to use the Internet maps like google earth to take a closer look at the grounds from above. Then you can judge the size and the crop to woods ratio.
Once you have made a decision on where you want to focus your efforts, it's time to gain permission. You don't want to disturb a farmer that's hard at work in the field by driving right up to him and slowing him down. Keep in mind he has a lot more to do than you, so that's why he's working and your not lol. That will get you an instant no, I can guarantee it. What you do is you pick a nice rainy day when you know he's not planting or in harvest depending on the time of year. Then in the evening you simply knock on doors being very polite and respectful to the land owners. I just simply tell them who I am, what I do, where I'm from. I ask them if they allow permission for bow hunting only on their property, along with a lot of small talk about crop prices and things. They are more likely to give permission for bow than gun, due to the fact that most people don't want a stranger with a gun on their property, makes since. So that's good news for bow hunters.
Now remember you will get a lot of NO's but you will get yes's as well. I knock on twenty doors every preseason and might get two yes's and that's a lot of time and gas but it pays off big when you create great memories in the great outdoors. If you can just be patient and persistent good things will come. Stay after it and gain any piece of ground you can and hunt hard as long as you can. It's hunting, its the chase not just for big bucks but for the right piece of land, the right tree, the right food source and the right time. Its all about what you know and a little about who you know. I thank god every time I get to climb into the stand. Also, make sure you thank the farmer that lets you hunt his land because after all, he is the one paying the taxes on your hunting paradise. Good luck to all and be safe.
