How do you say thank you?

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So as hunting seasons are approaching, squirrel opens next month here, I was reflecting on my relationships with property owners that let me hunt. I do the standard things like leaving gates how I found them and sending a message so they know when to expect hunters around and where. I also offer a share of the game I get but they always turn me down. They don't turn down the homemade bread, beer, and mead I bring them though. I've been known to do a little electrical work work the cost of materials and gas. I also make sure to carry a plastic bag with me to pick up any trash I see while out and about even after being told not to worry about it. How do you guys maintain positive relationships with property owners? The more creative the better.
 
I have been given full run on a nice farm and make it a point to fix any damaged fences or gates. If I can't do it alone I will tell the owner. Last year a tree was down on the fence and it was too big to move by myself so I told the foreman. Two weeks later I saw that it was still down and made it a point to bring my chain saw next trip. I cut it off the fence and tightened the wire. No biggie, but with high-dollar registered cattle you don't want them wandering all over creation. I have changed switches on augers and put up floods on the calving barn. It is all good for extra points. They have a big Bull sale every year at another farm 60 miles away. I always check the lighting and outlets. The owner asked if I was coming to the sale to get some of his fantastic Bar-B-Q. I told him that since everyone would be gone I might slip down to their monster pond and fish. He said that pond as always there, but the sale was once a year. I got Bar-B-Q and get to fish the pond too. Haven't caught anything over 7 pounds though.
 
I give a gift card from Bass Pro to the landowners where I go deer hunting, hand it to them personally with a heartfelt thank you on my first trip of the season. They hunt and fish too, and seem to appreciate it. For instance, one of them insists on dressing out my deer for me when I return to my car. He does not save any of the organ meat, just enjoys returning a favor!
 
So as hunting seasons are approaching, squirrel opens next month here, I was reflecting on my relationships with property owners that let me hunt. I do the standard things like leaving gates how I found them and sending a message so they know when to expect hunters around and where. I also offer a share of the game I get but they always turn me down. They don't turn down the homemade bread, beer, and mead I bring them though. I've been known to do a little electrical work work the cost of materials and gas. I also make sure to carry a plastic bag with me to pick up any trash I see while out and about even after being told not to worry about it. How do you guys maintain positive relationships with property owners? The more creative the better.
I share the game I kill with them, skinned, butchered in professionally wrapped butcher paper like it came from a neighborhood butcher shop.

I've NEVER had it turned down.
 
A few years back we went on a pheasant hunt to South Dakota. The folks who owned the 2 sections of land we hunted and who put us up in a bunk room in their barn needed their deck rehabbed and the steps removed and a ramp added. Hubby was in a wheel chair. We were there the opening week, so hunting could not be done before noon. So we used the time to fix the deck and ramp. We got two meals a day also. The last day there we had a game dinner with a bunch of tasty roosters.
 
They don't turn down the homemade bread, beer, and mead I bring them though. I've been known to do a little electrical work work the cost of materials and gas. I also make sure to carry a plastic bag with me to pick up any trash I see while out and about even after being told not to worry about it.

Looks like a good way to be invited back to me.
 
Most of the hunters who hunted my father-in-law's farm bought him some venison sausage. He served it every holiday, the kids didn't know they were eating venison. I stored mine in his freezer, and told him anytime he wanted some, go ahead. They'd use some of the burger, and usually mix it with beef. (He was a dairy farmer, and usually raised one steer a year. Plus if a cow went down from old age....there is no worse beef than a old Holstein, I found that one out the hard way!)
 
We allow hunting on the property. With that said we have our rules. One of our rules, shots taken equate to deer taken. Break that rule, don't come back. The hunters don't have to thank me for a thing, because the deer are a nascence as we have apple trees.
 
Oh another thing I forgot was taking pictures of game gotten, meals prepared, and just cool experiences on my walkabouts and sending those to the land owners. The guys I deal with like to see their land enjoyed and appreciated. I'm hoping other new hunters will take the hint and make the hunter stereotype respectable instead of messing up the place.
 
Plus if a cow went down from old age....there is no worse beef than a old Holstein, I found that one out the hard way!)
I second that. It's the only meat that still wears your jaw out even though it's ground.
I brushhog my lease. Even though it doesn't help my hunting. It does make it look better. Not having tall grass makes it easier to walk the trails.
 
I’m glad y’all are doing these things. I wish more would.
I suppose my tactic to keep the land owners happy is to treat their daughter well, having married her.
From the land owners’ perspective, people that hunt my in-laws’ place (with their permission and with my direction) give me either a back strap or rear leg if they get something, their choice. It fills my freezer faster.
 
I’m glad y’all are doing these things. I wish more would.
I suppose my tactic to keep the land owners happy is to treat their daughter well, having married her.
From the land owners’ perspective, people that hunt my in-laws’ place (with their permission and with my direction) give me either a back strap or rear leg if they get something, their choice. It fills my freezer faster.

LOL, yeah, I did that too, marry the farmer's daughter. (not just to be able to hunt his land; actually that didn't happen until we'd been married for 7 years. We lived in other states until then.) Our niece and her husband now own it, and he has it blocked out for him and his Dad and brother for a couple more years (they never had private land to hunt before) so I'm biding my time for now. I and my son have pulled deer and turkey off that land for a while, I'm fine with them getting a chance.
 
Most of the privately owned farms where I grew up hunting are either sold off in lots or leased by large corporate farms. The 2 exceptions being one large farm that's hunting privileges are leased to a group of out of state hunters and one small farm. The owners of the small farm insist I needn't ask, though I always do and request a written permission note. They're always invited anytime I have a get together, and I often take whatever (non wild game) meat I've had in the smoker.
 
I've found the best way to thank someone for giving me permission to hunt is just to say "Thank You!" and to respect their land as if it were my own. Over the years I have given gift certificates, cheese boxes and hams, did carpentry work for free and helped with chores. Have even taken children or grandchildren of the land owners hunting when dad/grandpa don't hunt. Still it seems folks liked to be thanked and shown real appreciation. Many has been the time when I've mentioned to the farmer about a tree on a fence or other damage somewhere on the property and been thanked back. I have gone back to the farmhouse with hitch pins and other parts/things that have been lost and been told "Thanks, I've been looking for that" or "dang, that sure would have made a mess of my baler!". Most land owners also like to be praised about how well their land looks and or is being used. "Man, the alfalfa this year looks great!" or "you sure have a beautiful piece of property here!". Yep, have offered a share of the game, but have never been taken up on it, but folks appreciate the offer.
 
If you can find out there vise. Everyone has at least one. For some it's guns others it's clothes. I like a decent bottle of scotch. If I can fill up the tank on my truck with the price of said scotch. Then I don't want it.
Any ways find out what they like and get a decent what ever it is.
 
As a landowner, and one who sometimes hunts on other people's land, I have to work both ends.
On my land, the best way for people to say "thanks" is to observe my simple rules: appreciate the access I'm giving you, don't abuse it, be safe and don't cause me any trouble.
On other's land, I like the thing of giving the gift card, but what I do differently from the other posters is I give a card that will buy a dinner at the nearest nice restaurant for both farmer and spouse. I like having both of them think well of me.
 
Old thread, but this came up yesterday. One of the best ways to say thank you is to help out when needed and be an asset to the rancher instead of a liability or inconvenience.

I went back to a property to look for a hog I shot the night before and noticed a calf out in the road. It was trying to get back in the property, but could not, dancing back and forth along the fence. Mama and some others are there on the left, inside the fence.

next day calf out, fence fix, contact rancher (1) crop.jpg

While my wife and I tried to herd it toward the gate we opened, it got scared and magically found the hole it was looking for and ducked back through the fence that was twice compromised. I am not much of a fence guy and didn't have the tools necessary to fix the broken wire, but had some straight wire to reattach the one strand of barbed wire broken free of the T-post. I flagged the broken wire and contacted the rancher (lives in the next town) with pics and a location so that he could do a proper repair and he was there within the hour.

next day calf out, fence fix, contact rancher (4) crop.jpg

This took all of 15 minutes of our day, but it was something the rancher really appreciated.
 
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Still looking to deliver on that first Thank You.

There will definitely be some wild game sausage involved. Probably some gift cards for the holidays. I am an equipment mechanic by occupation so I would love to lend some of those services as well as any lawn and landscaping work that may be needed.

Still looking for a willing recipient.
 
I was invited by a coworker of my son to hunt on his lease about a dozen years ago. We hadn't even met; he just volunteered. Since then every Christmas I get him a couple of bottles of wine and about $75 in ribeye steaks. I only hunt 1 or 2 days a year and make it a point to only shoot a doe so as not to cause jealousy problems with the regular members but it is worth it and some lean years that is the only time I score.

He keeps telling me not to give him anything but he deserves it.
 
Sounds like a good exchange. You're doing all the things my dad taught me to show appreciation to a land owner. The owner has 1000 acres of undeveloped and unfarmed land. I try to work the land with the owner, goes a long way to work side-by-side. There's several old structures on it and a couple miles of road. Any chance I can be up there cleaning culverts, clearing roads, maintaining dams/ponds, fixing fences/gates I am.

He's got pride in his family property so learning about it and hearing his stories, sharing my own stories on the land has been a great way to build the relationship.

Keep up the good work!
 
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