Field Notes - Permission to Hunt
Hunters hoping to get access to private land this fall should seek permission now, well before fall hunting seasons. To build a positive relationship with a landowner, begin with a respectful approach. Once granted permission, treat the land as if it were your own. Here's how to succeed:
- Find out who owns the property, then call to say who you are and why you are calling. Inquire as to the best time to visit the landowner to discuss your request.
- When you visit, offer to help haul wood, mend fences, or do odd jobs in exchange for hunting privileges.
- Ask where you may drive and park your vehicle.
- Leave your name, address, and phone number, and your vehicle's make, model, and license number.
- Don't walk through crops or hunt near livestock or buildings. Leave gates as you found them. Cross fences carefully—don't loosen or break wires or posts.
- Don't litter. Carry away litter left by others.
- Let the landowner know when you're done hunting.
- Express gratitude. Offer to share any cleaned game.
- Follow up with a handwritten thank-you note and token of appreciation such as a gift certificate.
In Minnesota, hunters may not enter legally posted land without permission and may not enter agricultural land (which include cropland, pastures, grassland, haylands, and hybrid poplar and other woody cover) even if it is not posted. Penalties for trespassing may include loss of hunting privileges and hunting equipment, fines, and jail time.
For more information or for a copy of "Hunting Private Land: It's a Privilege," contact the DNR Information Center.
Jason Abraham