I would like to do some coyote hunting this fall and have been doing some scouting. I found a couple of places that look promising. Wondering if anyone has any advice on how to approach land owners to get permission to hunt? I plan on hunting alone using an electronic caller. Thanks!
Sept 15/15 Update:
Just thought I would share some of my experience for those just starting out, for what it is worth. I am a long time shooter that has been away from any serious hunting for a while, and never really had to "cold call" for hunting spots. I am taking up coyote hunting this winter and realize that having multiple locations will be beneficial.
Armed with much of the advice received here, I used a free topographical map app and identified areas I wanted to inquire about. I made a list in my phone and headed out. I drove sensibly in the lane and tried to park out of the way. I haven't encountered any aggressive dogs yet but I checked them out before hopping out of the truck, and spent a minute with them if they were friendly, which all have been. Farmers seem to appreciate it when you are nice to their pets, and I like dogs anyway, which also helped as an ice breaker in a couple of instances.
When making inquiries, I have been brief and to the point once pleasantries have been exchanged. I apologize for the interruption, introduce myself and ask who I should talk to about coyote hunting. I Iet them know I am from the area, and mention other nearby farms that I will be hunting on which seems to help. I explain that I will be hunting by myself and likely drop by every couple of weeks for around an hour, and will still hunt using an electronic call, in order to give them an idea of what I'll be doing. I offered my contact information (only one farmer has wanted it, to call me if he sees anything
). I made sure to record everyone's name, told them what vehicle I would be driving, asked where it would be best to park, asked about livestock locations, property boundaries, and asked if they wanted me to let them know when I was coming.
I think that being organized and thorough with my approach was key to my success, proof being that when I offered the same explanation to those that declined, I could see a change in attitude, even to the point that they were apologetic! My response was always "no problem, I have lots of places to hunt. Do you mind if I check back later in the year?" I have about a dozen spots so far (7 total cold calls) with three refusals. Of those that refused, all three said they already had enough hunters on the land, one said to check back later on (which gave me the idea to ask the other two), and seemed on the verge of changing his mind at the time. Before I started, I was a little aprehensive about being refused, but it was no big deal at all, and I did not feel it was anything personal.
What did surprise me was how friendly people were! I had several nice "visits", and got a lot of useful intel from the land owners. They have let me know where I can drive on the land for faster access, where / when coyotes have been spotted, and have told me who owns adjoining land, and what they are like. I actually kind of enjoy the experience now, which is interesting, since I was dreading it before I started.
I still have about 6 places on my list, and I keep looking / adding all the time. Depending on how things go I have two goals in mind, one: to harvest at least one coyote from each location, and two: to harvest at least one coyote with each of my .222, .243, and 25/06 rifles. Might as well dream big!
Sept 15/15 Update:
Just thought I would share some of my experience for those just starting out, for what it is worth. I am a long time shooter that has been away from any serious hunting for a while, and never really had to "cold call" for hunting spots. I am taking up coyote hunting this winter and realize that having multiple locations will be beneficial.
Armed with much of the advice received here, I used a free topographical map app and identified areas I wanted to inquire about. I made a list in my phone and headed out. I drove sensibly in the lane and tried to park out of the way. I haven't encountered any aggressive dogs yet but I checked them out before hopping out of the truck, and spent a minute with them if they were friendly, which all have been. Farmers seem to appreciate it when you are nice to their pets, and I like dogs anyway, which also helped as an ice breaker in a couple of instances.
When making inquiries, I have been brief and to the point once pleasantries have been exchanged. I apologize for the interruption, introduce myself and ask who I should talk to about coyote hunting. I Iet them know I am from the area, and mention other nearby farms that I will be hunting on which seems to help. I explain that I will be hunting by myself and likely drop by every couple of weeks for around an hour, and will still hunt using an electronic call, in order to give them an idea of what I'll be doing. I offered my contact information (only one farmer has wanted it, to call me if he sees anything
). I made sure to record everyone's name, told them what vehicle I would be driving, asked where it would be best to park, asked about livestock locations, property boundaries, and asked if they wanted me to let them know when I was coming. I think that being organized and thorough with my approach was key to my success, proof being that when I offered the same explanation to those that declined, I could see a change in attitude, even to the point that they were apologetic! My response was always "no problem, I have lots of places to hunt. Do you mind if I check back later in the year?" I have about a dozen spots so far (7 total cold calls) with three refusals. Of those that refused, all three said they already had enough hunters on the land, one said to check back later on (which gave me the idea to ask the other two), and seemed on the verge of changing his mind at the time. Before I started, I was a little aprehensive about being refused, but it was no big deal at all, and I did not feel it was anything personal.
What did surprise me was how friendly people were! I had several nice "visits", and got a lot of useful intel from the land owners. They have let me know where I can drive on the land for faster access, where / when coyotes have been spotted, and have told me who owns adjoining land, and what they are like. I actually kind of enjoy the experience now, which is interesting, since I was dreading it before I started.
I still have about 6 places on my list, and I keep looking / adding all the time. Depending on how things go I have two goals in mind, one: to harvest at least one coyote from each location, and two: to harvest at least one coyote with each of my .222, .243, and 25/06 rifles. Might as well dream big!
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