4) Don't Be Greedy: When I first considered calling the landowner I mentioned earlier, I fantasized about hunting his entire 400-acre farm. However, I knew that there were already other family members and neighbors who he allowed to hunt different sections of it. With that in mind, I strategically asked for permission to only hunt a secluded 15-acre area along one boundary of his property, far away from any residence or easy access. Since I asked only to hunt on a relatively small piece of his farm, I received the answer I had hoped for. (I'm certain I would have been told I couldn't hunt at all if I had asked for rights to hunt the entire farm.)

If your first request to actually hunt on the private property results in the word "no," think about asking for permission to do something that they might say "yes" to -- especially if you feel that the property is prime whitetail real estate. For example, if they tell you that you cannot hunt on the property, ask if it would be OK to search for shed antlers in the late winter, mushrooms in the spring, or blackberries in the summer.

The reason it is often worthwhile to walk the land during the non-hunting season is that you will have the opportunity to scout for deer sign. If you discover some sizeable buck rubs from the past fall or a giant shed antler, you might want to continue seeking a way to gain permission to hunt. On the other hand, if your off-season scouting efforts are fruitless, you'll know that the property isn't worth hunting.

Greediness also involves how much time you ask permission to hunt. For example, you might want to ask permission to hunt for the entire length of the rifle season, but an approach that will give you a better chance of receiving permission would be to ask for "only a few days" to hunt during that season. When I talk with a landowner, I initially ask only for bowhunting privileges. If I later discover that I can gun hunt on that property as well, that's a bonus. The bottom line is that you want to ask in a way that makes it look like you're just requesting a small favor instead of a huge obligation.

6 Ways To Permission 1) Start Early (In The Spring) 2) Get Your Foot In The Door 3) Make A Great First Impression 4) Don't Be Greedy! 5) Offer To Help Out 6) Show Your Thanks!

5)Offer to Help Out: Another good way to build trust with the landowner is offering to provide some "free" help around their property when needed. Mowing, fence mending, wood cutting, snow shoveling, and cattle wrangling are just a few of the ways you could offer to help out when there is a need. I recently heard of a man who just happened to meet the owner of a large farm on the afternoon the farmer was butchering hogs. The stranger quickly jumped in and began to help with the butchering that afternoon. He not only made a life-long friend that day, but he established the foundation for years of hunting rights on that farmer's land.

6)Show Your Thanks: After you've talked with the landowner -- even if you did not receive permission to hunt this season -- make sure you send him a "thank you" note in the mail. Again, include an offer to help out when needed, along with your phone number. Also, it doesn't hurt to add property owners like this to your Christmas letter or card list.

In fact, you might even want to stop by an owner's place during the holidays and drop off a small gift that he and his family will enjoy. Then, later on when you talk to him again in the spring about gaining access to his land, he'll be more likely to want to return the favor by granting you permission to hunt.

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