Landowner access appreciation gifts

[seattleman1969]

All, other than providing some of the take/kill to the landowner what suggestions do ya'll have for showing some appreciation for a landowner providing free access to their property, sight unseen (by phone call alone)?

Sweetest old lady ever! She's in the Buffalo, Wy. area, we are coming from Texas...

 

[hhonker74]

I offered money. The landowner asked if I could reach a light bulb in his shop that he couldn't reach to change. He refused money. I always ask if they need any help on the ranch.

 

[lazylabs]

If your close to fresh sea food.... Not much of that in WY. I say that because in MT our relatives always came from tx with shrimp and crawfish and left with deer/antelope!

 

[Dosh]

My friends and I elk hunt on a huge ranch here in AZ. We thank them by gladly paying a $60 impact fee per hunter. We also thank them by following the ranch rules, picking up all the trash we find, and respecting their environment. We have noticed since the fee was instituted the number of hunters has dropped dramatically and curiously the amount of gates left open and especially the amount of trash we pick up has dropped by 90%. As a plus the hunting is easier with less hunter pressure.

 

[geo4061]

Offer your handyman services. If she won't let you find out what she likes or needs. Just get to know her a little by asking questions. You never know. Maybe your caring and friendship is enough. I sent a pair of work boots to a rancher that had the world's best quail hunting. No one else was allowed to hunt and to this day I still have the only hunting pass.

 

[gillettehunter]

Most folks like good quality jerky or sausage and rarely get the good stuff for themselves. Bruce

 

[seattleman1969]

Thanks all for the suggestions! I am willing to do anything it takes to build a rapport with this landowner, she is a well thought of pillar or the community there, former County Assessor for a very long term, etc. Good rapport with her could provide inroads to other private land access!

As far as gates, trash, and hunter impact goes I am very familiar with best practices as I have several uncles that ran/run cattle on their land here in central Texas. Those are always a given with my brother and I.

@Dosh - Love the tag line "No apology for liking Weatherbys"!

@lazylabs - Seafood was a thought, need to call her and see what she likes for sure.

@geolabs - She's recently remarried so I am not sure about the handyman services being needed but I'll certainly drop an open ended offer of assistance! She mentioned her new husband has a couple of large tracts down near Kaycee... maybe, just maybe...

 

[wyowinchester]

Come up, or stay, a couple days extra. There are always fence too be fixed, working in the field for a day or two, ..... Visit in the spring and help brand calf's. Sometimes that can lead into shooting some p-dogs for them.

 

[Broz]

Some suggestions.

Don't flood them with phone calls. Ranchers leave early, come in late and seldom eat before dark. They are always behind with work. We have a depredation hunt going on right now and I get 6 to 12 calls a day. I realize it is a necessary evil, but keep in mind you are not the only one calling.

A small gift is fine if you want. A card in the mail for a Thank you and offer to help with some clean up, or working cattle in the spring would go a long ways.

They feed hay daily in the winter, and its a cold job. Maybe stop out with some hot coffee and donuts and offer to help feed a time or two.

Don't leave a deboned animal in plain sight or worse yet in the alfalfa field. That was the gift I got last night from a management elk hunter that did not even have permission to come on the ranch. Elk bones will play heck with a swather or conditioner if the hay grows up around it and it is not seen. I will be cleaning that mess up myself and his hunting on this ranch was a short story.

Hope this helps, good hunting.

Jeff

 

[seattleman1969]

thanks for all the tips!

 

[geo4061]

Stop on the town square at the lady's shop. They usually know everyone. Get them to pick and deliver or mail something she would like( with the condition she can return and pick something else).

 

[geargrinder]

She's a lady. Have some flowers delivered with a sincere thank you note.