| Most bow hunter's today hunt on private | | | | keep in mind some rules and regulations. These |
| property. Over the past few years it has gotten | | | | are simple and very common sense rules that |
| increasingly tougher to gain permission from a land | | | | simply give land owners the respect they |
| owner to hunt his property. Finding good deer | | | | deserve. |
| producing property can be a feat all by its self, | | | | · Contact the landowner well in advance of your |
| and sometimes as tough as finding a needle in a | | | | hunt. Obtain permission for companions who may |
| haystack, but the more diligent you are the more | | | | come with you, and check with the landowner |
| luck you will have. You should by no means take | | | | each time you plan to visit. |
| it upon yourself to hunt any given land without | | | | · Follow the landowner's restrictions on when and |
| permission, or on the idea that no one will see | | | | where you may hunt. |
| you. Trespassing is a criminal offense; you can be | | | | · Leave gates open or closed as you find them |
| arrested, prosecuted, fined and even jailed. Not to | | | | (or as requested by landowner). |
| mention losing all future hunting privileges. Getting | | | | · Drive only on existing roads approved for use. |
| permission to hunt any particular land is both the | | | | · Don't walk across newly planted fields or areas |
| law and a courtesy to the land owner. | | | | with crops ready to harvest. |
| Land owners will have many reasons for not | | | | · Don't litter, build campfires without permission, |
| allowing hunting on their property, for example, | | | | or drive spikes or nails into trees that may |
| some may have had bad experiences with other | | | | someday may be harvested for timber. |
| hunters and no longer wish to allow hunting, | | | | · Leave livestock undisturbed. |
| others may have hunters already hunting his | | | | · Use portable tree stands or portable ground |
| property and don't want to over kill the wildlife or | | | | blinds rather than permanent structures, which are |
| over populate with too many hunters. My husband | | | | unsightly, may damage trees, and eventually |
| and I have heard these reasons and many | | | | become unusable because of weathering. |
| others, but in our quest for land to hunt, we have | | | | · Don't leave the remains of field dressing in |
| also encountered many land owners who are | | | | places where it would be easy to view or smell. |
| very forgiving and willing to have their land hunted. | | | | Bury, hide, or pack them out. Be especially diligent |
| Once you have found that "perfect" spot for | | | | about this if the landowner has pets that might |
| hunting and you wish to ask permission, it helps to | | | | find a gut pile and drag parts of it home. |
| contact the landowner well in advance of your | | | | · Show your appreciation to the landowner by |
| hunt. And best done when you are wearing street | | | | offering to share your game, buying a small gift, |
| clothing and you have a little time to get to know | | | | or saying thanks in some other way. |
| the owner, and the owner has a chance to get to | | | | Treat the landowner's property as if it were your |
| know those hunting his land. Be very clear with | | | | own. Maintaining a friendly relationship will ensure |
| the owner as to how many companions you will | | | | that you have a place to hunt from one season |
| have with you when you enter his property. | | | | to the next. |
| When you have acquired permission, you need to | | | | |