How NOT To Ask Permission to Hunt or Fish

The simple act of asking permission to access, hunt, or fish private lands is a book-length subject unto itself.  In younger years I read lots of articles and how-to advice on the topic, knowing that any stream trout, turkey hunting, or morel adventure outside of our own land would always first start with some permission.  Even growing up as a kid in the country whose father knew everyone, asking to fish and hunt on family friend’s and neighbor’s property, there was much to learn.  I was lucky to have that door at least partially opened for me, and still made mistakes.  Now I’m a landowner, regularly granting and denying access depending on the circumstance, such that maybe I can shed some light at least on “what NOT to do.”

Don’t:

Make Assumptions

I’ll admit, it’s gotten the better of me at times, especially as a young hunter.  You rationalize that such and such won’t care, or that “he always let me on in the past” and consider their property like it were yours.  I’ve learned the hard way that you can’t assume anything, and each entry typically requires a request to enter.  That’s difficult for those that have never been in the habit of asking in the first place, but something that’s ultra-important if you hope to access now or ever again.  For better or worse, first impressions make a big difference going forward, and assuming you have permission when you don’t may keep you out of there for decades to come. 

Take It Personally

I had a gentleman call and ask permission to fish the other day on a stretch of stream we have, and he was great.  He parked by my sign, called the number on it, and politely asked more information about fishing in the area.  He asked to be educated on property lines, do’s and don’ts, along with what my wishes and wants were for everything from what he kept to where he parked.  Contrast that with another group that called two days prior and were also kind and courteous.  That group I had to say “no” to, and the guy before I said “yes” to when both behaved exactly the same.  The difference was that I was fishing the same stretch with my kids that weekend and didn’t want anyone going through just before us.  Sometimes there are qualifying reasons as to why permission is or isn’t granted, and as a hunter or angler, we don’t always know why.  Don’t take it too personally, ask if you may seek permission again in the future, and look elsewhere for the time being.  

Ask Or Argue for Permission While Trespassing

This should seem obvious, but you have no idea how many people are willing to do the right thing after they’ve been on your ground.  Many more want to argue about details of posting, legal access, or high-water mark, etc., after they’ve parked in front of your no-trespassing signs and ignored them.  For the uninitiated, unless you have truly researched the legalities and know the signs to be errantly or erroneously posted on purpose, you’re likely in the wrong.  A landowner that otherwise would’ve just asked you to leave might now be doing all he can to ensure you’re ticketed. 

I’ve been yelled down by other hunters standing together in a field I own, while they told me I wasn’t standing on my ground.  Having signed the deed and paying the taxes to prove it apparently wasn’t enough for them.  These people and their friends will never access again, no matter the friends or connection.  I’ve also had stream anglers tell me they waded up the stream legally past impassible logjams, mudholes, and deep water, right next to their bootprints on the shoreline.  Others yet have hidden from wardens looking to make contact with them, dumped their fish in the weeds, or ditched rods to say they got lost while hiking.  It’s experiences like these and others that make private access harder and harder these days.  Most landowners just don’t want the hassle, and it’s hard to blame them after seeing this with my own eyes. 

Go In Blind

These days, it’s easier than ever to be in the right.  Mapping apps like OnX, which display property boundaries on top of aerial photography, contours, and so many other layers, make it nearly impossible to be somewhere you think you’re not.  Not only has it helped me stay on ground that I do have permission for, it’s given me ideas for access and permission granting that I never would’ve otherwise sought out.  It’s opened up more opportunities to both access legally, and in the end, hunt and fish better land that I would’ve previously thought access to be unattainable.    

Stockpile

Sometimes, in certain areas with the right connections, it’s easier to come across multiple chunks of ground to access.  The temptation becomes gathering access more to keep others out, than to use for yourself, or, to take more hunters in as friends or family to the burgeoning acres of land you have growing permission to hunt.  Well guess what, neighbors and landowners frequently talk, and before you know it, may wonder if you’re overharvesting, guiding, or otherwise just taking more than you give.  What seems like a short-term boom of acres to hunt and fish turns into hard “no’s” that stay that way for life.  Continue down that path on other ground, and you’re soon recognized as a person that’s desperate to lock up land you don’t recreate on, or create problems for landowners with additional hunters that are your “buddies.” 

Forget to Respect the Privilege – Before, During, and After

This is golden-rule type stuff, so I don’t need to harp on the basics of it, but it’s worth noting that most of the long-term permission I’ve secured has lead to decades of friendship.  The landowner and I have gained a mutual respect, both in the way we treat each other as well as the way I treat his or her land.  That’s especially when asking, but also when recreating, and too after I’m done.  Everyone has a special deal, angle, or access to something of value that the landowner may be interested in as a simple gesture of “thanks.”  These are typically the same items or experiences you offer your friends, so consider doing the same for someone that’s gracious enough to let you hunt and fish.  As a landowner, I don’t ask or demand a gift or fee, but even heartfelt “thank you’s” are remembered the next time it comes to ask. 

I’m a big proponent of public lands, and when possible also like to pay forward the many years of successful private land hunting and fishing I’ve personally enjoyed.  Hopefully I’ve given some perspective as a hunter, angler, and landowner as to what NOT to do, as avoiding these pitfalls has been key to successful permission seeking no matter where I’ve ever gone. 

Early Season Turkeys - Is Opening Day the Best Time To Take a Tom?

Birds are showing themselves in a big way these days, as snow recedes from wooded hillsides and crop fields offer what’s left of last fall’s bounty.  It’s got turkeys on top-of-mind for all kinds of hunters who, rightfully so, are excited to get out and kill some winter blues and hopefully turkeys in a few mere weeks.  Yet, despite the enthusiasm, there’s a case to be made for some patience, or at least not putting all your tags in the early basket should you be able to get out with family and friends. 

Sometimes, waiting a few weeks until green-up is a better option than hunting early season turkeys.

Early Birds Ain’t Dumb

I’ve heard it said that first-season birds are “dumb” or “easier-to-kill” when chasing them on opening weekend or at least during the first week or so of the season.  Birds will decoy easier in my experience during the first few time periods, and unfettered access to birds that have been scouted for weeks really does provide an upper-hand.  While I understand the sentiment, and agree that there’s advantage to being the first person to send a call at a tom that hasn’t heard or seen a hunter for months, it’s sometimes amazing how “smart” they can seem in the early part of the spring.

Then again, “smart” probably isn’t the right way to describe an early season longbeard.  They’re certainly still sharp, but even more-so instinctual, and caught up in the rites of spring.  That makes them seem more intelligent than they are, if at times more difficult to take.  They stick tight to their hens, often don’t make a peep sans some heavy roost gobbling, and can be tough to converse with.  Ultimately, they don’t need to gobble on the ground as much, because they’re frequently in close visual contact with a bevy of hens.   

Lots of Beady Little Eyes

Early seasons are often characterized by hero-or-zero type days, where you’re really on ‘em, or not at all.  Birds are typically still flocked-up, roosting together in large mating groups that can be tough to crack.  While you may be in tight on them early morning, the whole crew can march off as you attempt to lay it on thick to any of several gobblers in the flock.  Lead hens don’t like upstart and unfamiliar Jenny’s (you), and pretty soon you’ve got a long line of rubbernecks working a bee-line straight away from you.

To make matters worse, you’ve got little room for error in the naked early season understory.  Even in big timber and brush, its extremely difficult to conceal movement and reposition on birds nearby.  While it’s easier to keep a visual on them, the reverse is also true, and there’s usually far more of them than you.  It never fails, some inconsequential hen far to the left or right of your viewable area spots a toe-twitch or a head-scratch and the game is blown before it begins.  I’d rather take on less pairs of legendary eyes than more, and also do so during later seasons where I can get away with at least a bit of movement.

The Effect of Hunting Pressure

You’re also contending with the dynamic of hunting pressure.  While most people hunt early to try to escape pressure, or hunt birds that haven’t been pressured, it’s amazing how many people can be in the woods pushing birds around in the first few weeks.  What may be considered an opportunity to hunt un-pressured, “easy” birds, turns into an exhausting exercise of finding areas without tracks and parked trucks. 

What I will concede is that during early season, there are simply more gobblers to go around.  Rather than them being an easy target, I think the fact that early season supply starts at max leads to those thoughts.  There are times, in early season, where entire valleys seem to be alight with gobbling birds in the morning hours.  To the point where it would seem difficult not to kill a bird if you just sat still and let one wander into range.  Surely, sitting tight during early seasons certainly has a place in terms of strategy.  In Minnesota, where I grew up hunting, it’s been the preferred tactic of most hunters for many years.  Understandably so, as most hunters simply did what they did in the fall for whitetails; take a stand, get comfortable, and wait for one to come along.  Not to mention, it’s often pretty successful, especially if you’ve done some scouting, have a little patience, and will be hunting the first few weeks of the season.

Yet, one of the reasons I enjoy turkey hunting so much, is specifically because it’s NOT deer hunting.  Woodsmanship, calling, and some strategic repositioning makes the sport what it is, at least for this turkey hunter.  That’s a game more easily played once green-up occurs, when the budding understory both conceals movement and offers legitimate pathways to approach certain birds.  Terrain plus greenery flips the script a bit, putting you at a greater advantage providing you like hunting this way.

More Gobbling Happens Later

Perhaps the unsung heroes of later seasons, are the longbeards themselves, who during this time can often be gobbling at all hours.  Mid-season and on, gone are days of big flocks of notoriously henned-up birds, and what’s more common is toms that are left mid-day by the very hens that made them so difficult to kill earlier.  With hens that are focusing efforts on nesting, it’s not coincidental then that research indicates an increase in overall gobbling as toms seek out the last of the unbred or non-nesting hens.  That’s right, even though many birds may have been harvested from a single area, it can be common to hear even more gobbling from the ones that are left, all throughout the day.  That makes them a more vulnerable target, and a fun way to fill a tag.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll likely be hunting early as well, especially for youth seasons and the like where blind-hunts and decoys are more commonplace for me.  In reality, there’s not a “bad” time to hunt turkeys during the spring season.  That said, especially in these times with more liberal bag limits, open-ended seasons, and greater availability of early tags, it can pay to be patient and wait for some of the best turkey hunting that’s yet to come.

Wheelhouse Angling - Family Edition

The popularity of wheelhouses has grown in recent years for good reason.  It is a comfortable way to enjoy fishing for the whole family.  Though, at least for my crew, the camping-on-ice part has been as much fun for them as the fishing.  That part has been hard for me, as I’ve traditionally been the kind of guy who would much rather forgo niceties, comfort, and conveniences, in favor of more and better fishing.  While the two sides aren’t mutually exclusive, I’m slowly learning that to get the most out of any family trip, it’s important to weigh considerations of fun and family as much as you do the fishing.

As a kid, I could not get enough of fishing.  Any day, and any kind.  I was, I’m sure, a pest to my grandpa who would take out all of his grandkids over the days of vacation we spent together, and I dreaded the word “too.”  “It’s ‘too’ windy, cold, or full for you to come this time,” grandpa would say when he knew it would be a challenging day out for someone younger.  The tie-in to modern wheelhouse fishing is that kids can now come along without parents having to constantly tend to needs.  Everyone is warm, there’s usually quite a bit of room, and there’s plenty of fun for the entire family to be had – fishing or not.

For my family, I expect everyone pitch in to make things that much easier on dad.  Many hands make for light work kind of idea.  My family helps drill holes, set-up lines, and generally prepare for the act of fishing.  That includes adding hole sleeves, scooping out slush, and preparing the electronics.  It’s not too much to ask, and I’ve learned that if they’re not helping, they’re typically in the way when we’re getting ready to fish anyway.  That and they’re proud to be able to do everything needed and generally be helpful.  My oldest son on our last trip even added some banking snow to the house all the way around, just perfectly.    

Over time, my kids have learned that we try to run a tight ship for a multitude of reasons.  Everything needs a place, and the sooner we get organized, the earlier we can get down to fishing, watching movies, making meals, and generally just enjoying our time on the ice.  The floor is kept completely clear of bags, boots, or any other items, as walking around gets tricky with everyone’s items scattered about.  Each person has a place for their personal items, clothes, etc. already picked out ahead of time, and the boys store their phones out of the way to avoid the possibility of dropping them down the hole. 

The same goes for the fishing side of things.  We have tool holders where pliers and forceps go, specific drawers for tackle, and a place the bait bucket hangs out.  Each person gets a portion of the house to jig from if they want, with rods being stowed out of the way when not in use, and in rod holders when taking a short break.  The electronics are broken out by-person too, and if we’re using an underwater camera, that’s got a spot too.  It keeps expensive items from being broken or lost down a hole, and while it may seem a bit rigid, actually makes it easier to relax once everything is in place.

Rattle reels are used quite often in favor of jigging, especially when the bite is slow.  It’s a way to fish without actively fishing, and once lines are set and everything is setup, it’s now time to have some fun.  Of course, with kids, that changes from moment to moment and for my boys, depends on the fishing.  I really like getting everything setup, then turning them loose.  My wife likes to read, I like to tend lines, and make sure we’re always in the game, and my kids are total wild-cards.

For that reason, it’s nice to have a bunch of things ready for them.  Inside, that involves having food and snacks at the ready.  Fish-house time is special time, and maybe that means they get more treats than they normally would, which I’m just fine with.  Sometimes they like fishing while watching TV, so we’ve always got a good stock of movies at the ready if signal prevents over-the-air TV-watching.  At night we usually play a few card games while we wait for rattle reels to go off.  At any time, the clock stops and fishing ensues fast and furious.  It’s amazing how excited my kids can get by seeing a single fish come topside, and they’ll jig for up to an hour if they feel like the bite might be on.

I’ve learned it’s important to get them outside the wheelhouse too, a thought not lost on a good buddy of mine who on the last trip, cleared off a big portion of snow to have his kids ice skate on.  My boys have gone on ice hikes, played “boot hockey” (boots, sticks, and pucks, no skates), and even built snow forts in pushed up piles from lake plows.  Of course, they’ve also explored fishing outside of the house.  That includes drilling out new areas to move to, fishing in a portable to have their own experience, and setting up tip-ups to cover more ice. 

One favorite activity is to give them an ice auger and underwater camera and tell them to go find some fish!  More often than not, they’ll come running back into the house to have us see a cool boulder they found or some big pike they saw swim through.  In some respects, it’s about fishing, but in many, it’s not.  Balancing the wish to fish needs to be met with indulging their sense of wonderment.  It’s important to note that for them, so many of the experiences are new.  While it can be hard to miss the night bite because we’re entranced with small baitfish herding up along a weedline, it’s fun to see them light up when they see something they’ve never encountered before.

All of which might be the secret to having a good time on the ice with your family.  I’ve been guilty of making it too much about fishing before, and there’s usually some recoil when that’s been the case.  My family is happiest when it’s a home away from home, and they can carry on with whatever suits them at the moment, with just a bit of fishing mixed in.  That way, they can dive in and fish as hard as they want, when they want, and relax the rest of the time. 

Mid-Winter Panfish Tips

It’s getting harder out there.  Both to find fish and especially to catch them as we get deeper into winter.  Most anglers have graduated from boot-traffic to wheeled transport of many kinds, which dramatically changes the winter fish-scape.  Overhead noise and pressure can relocate fish, but it’s also important to note that pressure can take them directly from the lake.  That’s why for mid-winter, you need a few more tricks up your sleeve to keep the bite going.

Community Hole Edges – It is inevitable that you’ll often be forced to fish in areas where other people are.  Lots of folks know to fish the edges of the community spots, but you can be strategic about which edge based on ice traffic patterns.  Usually, the access-side of a community hole sees the most on-ice traffic, so I will seek the back-side of a group.  I’ll also be ready to relocate should a few groups be making constant noise or otherwise disturbing fish, especially in shallow water.  For gills, I’d rather go shallower than the rest of the group to escape pressure, and in most instances for crappies I’d rather go deeper – all else being equal.

Fish Secondary Structure or Cover – Now is the time to find fish on less-than-fishy looking spots.  That can be a sand-flat surrounded by mud bottom you side-imaged during the summer, or a secondary point at the base of a big main-lake one which is getting less attention.  I also like fishing weeds during this time of the year, as you can find weeds in lots of places and don’t have to concentrate on only a few areas in the lake where people are colonizing.

Be Organized – Bite windows are the name of the game come mid-winter, with fish feeding at times in only 15-30 minute intervals.  It’s imperative that you have multiple rods rigged, with different baits tied on and at the ready.  Drop on the same fish with different baits until you find the winning combination.  I like to have an attractor style spoon like a Forage minnow, then a horizontal presentation like the Forage Minnow Fry, to something that hangs a little more vertical, like the Tungsten Punch Fly.  Have plastics and bait handy and at the ready and be ready to focus.  If you break off, tangle, or otherwise can’t drop on the school, abandon that setup for another and fix the mess later.

Travel to Fish – Mid-winter is the perfect time to explore new bodies of water and hit trophy destinations.  The bite can be challenging on famous lakes too but can be comparatively better than what’s going on in your backyard.  Even if you strike out, I’m reminded that every trip like that makes you a better angler in the long run.

Use Your Camera More – Underwater viewing has changed the way we fish, perhaps more than any other technology to date.  From the use of swivels and inline reels, to learning the importance of green weeds and fish behavior within them, owning and using one simply means learning more.  On certain panfish bites, especially midwinter, using one can mean catching more fish.  I can think of more than a few finicky perch and crappie bites where seeing the fish inhale the bait every so subtly, as the only way to convert hooksets.  Of course, if fish seem camera shy or won’t approach, you can always just use the camera to learn more about the substrate, cover, and surrounding area.

Patience Can Be Your Best Play – In today’s world of Livescope, lightweight lithium augers, and enhanced outerwear, it’s easier and more comfortable than ever to go right to the fish and keep after them.  During midwinter, while it always helps to be near fish, sometimes there’s no substitute for waiting them out and fishing quietly.  That includes deadsticks for panfish and zero-jigging techniques, live-bait, and a steady approach to staying near fish without swiss-cheesing the lake and pushing them all around.  Pick your spots, ensure there’s fish there, and fish silently through a feeding window to see if staying put might outproduce running around.      

It's hard to emphasize this point enough, especially for bluegills.  While crappies tend to tolerate pressure and fast fishing a bit better, big gills are a tough customer come midwinter.  Last week I was on some shallow water fish who spooked when an ATV came within 50 yards.  Bass swam through quickly during those scenarios as well.  An underwater camera was crucial to have the patience to read these fish, jig quietly, and let them come to us.  Had I been punching holes all over, it’s clear that at least for these fish on the lake I was fishing, all I would’ve been doing was herding them elsewhere.

Hub Shelters - Not Just for Fishing Anymore

From food prep tent to full-on ice camping shelter, hubs do alot more than just fish these days.

My first hub shelter was actually a turkey hunting blind.  I’ve been a fan of them ever since trying to sneak up on a turkey with a bow and arrow.  Try as you may, without the perfect screening cover, even when the bird does exactly as you wish, rarely can you draw your bow and release an arrow.  At least with fish you don’t have to worry much about concealment.  I digress.

From an ice angling perspective, they’re better than the Double-Bull hunting blind I carried onto the ice nearly 20 years ago.  For one, the fabric is better, and in most cases, completely insulated.  It repels water rather than inviting it, and is custom designed for the ice experience.  Many manufacturers have hub fabrics with sewn-in strap pockets, rod holders, and gear compartments; even overhead netting, holes to run a propane hose through, and reflective patches for easy avoidance on ice.  Truly, a far cry from the basic hub-style hunting blinds of old.

They come in oversized bags for easy in-and-out, and ice-anchors are standard issue, rather than an add-on.  Some modern ice fishing hubs even have ice-lock anchoring systems to keep your shelter glued to the ice in the fiercest winds, along with guide-wire-style straps on all corners to help do the same.  Window systems stand up to the cold weather, to either view-through in search of a tip up flag, or remove completely during nice weather or to vent. 

Ice anglers have flocked to them in droves for the amazing space they afford an angler, both while inside-of and fishing, as well as when packed away in the bed of a truck or car-trunk.  Which makes them nice for an after-work fish, as they don’t take up much room.  It also makes them nice to drag out in a sled, with or without an ATV or snowmobile.  You can use them to sit on a pod of basin crappies, or put it up shallow and use as a spear-shack because you can effectively seal up the windows and prevent light from getting in.  Did I mention they were lightweight and rather cost effective?  Both points make them increasingly popular across the ice belt.    

Yet, with all of these ice-specific advances, it’s amazing how versatile hubs really are outside of ice fishing.  Personally speaking, even when towing my wheelhouse, I’m never without a hub shelter, as there are simply dozens of use-cases.  In the few years I’ve used them in tandem, the hub shelter has been a scout house, card-room, kids escape from the grownups, adults escape from the kids, and so much more.

I’ve cleaned and cooked fish inside of a hub on ice as well, which is a godsend when you don’t want a cooked oil smell inside the wheelhouse, yet it’s too cold or windy outside to effectively cook.  Lots of people comment on using them as an out-house, which is a logical use, but if that’s all its there for, you’re missing out on several ways to get the most out of these things.

In extreme cold, it’s the perfect place to start a heater and thaw all kinds of items.  From frozen generators, gloves, hats, and facemasks, all the way to frozen tanks of propane.  It’s also a place to run a tip-up when exceedingly cold, provided you have an alarm or flashing bite indicator.  I mentioned generators, and as it turns out, a hub is the perfect place to run your generator overnight in extreme temperatures.  Exhaust can ice-up and freeze-out your overnight power source if out in the open, but with a slight venting, the heat from the engine and exhaust allows your generator to run all night without ever skipping a beat. 

Perhaps the fastest growing use-case for hub shelters is winter camping.  A quick search on the internet, and you’ll find Facebook groups devoted to it.  There’s great advice out there on how to add portable flooring, cots, and other camping comforts to make your experience that much better.  Just like with fishing, they’re easy to pack-in, extremely spacious and warm given their insulation, and again, very cost-effective considering what you get for your money.  Effectively, it’s a winter-tent that sets up quickly and can be used in tent-sites and hunting camps alike.  Which is exactly what I’m seeing more of when I look at photos of out-west elk outposts, spring turkey hunting camps, or fall bowhunting setups. 

I’ve seen them used as ice-rink warming houses, and even on sidelines of high-school football games.  I’m continually amazed to see the varied ways people use these while fishing and doing a host of other activities.  I’ve steered friends away from much more expensive ice shelter purchases, because a hub may fit their needs better.  You just might find that like them, you use it as much for other things as you do the fishing.    

Whether fishing or not, my kids like just having a shelter to themselves. It’s their place for time away from the grown ups.