Good Luck, I have had to turn to public lands, which suck, ever since the landowner of some great dove property I have hunted for over 30 years sold out to a big corporate farm co. When I did have that property I always gave the landowner a big prime rib and a bottle of his favorite scotch every year. We sure miss having access to that property, I taught my sons to hunt on it.
1987 Ranger 373V 150 Yamaha proV still going strong.
I tried that once, but they got mad about the empty cans and dead hookerOriginally Posted by brushsjigs
Money. Hate to say it but that's what its coming to now a days
Offer a written release agreement which releases them from any liability by you for any and all damages you may incur on their property.
I should specify the activities they agree to allow you to conduct and any terms you agree to abide by while hunting there or scouting.
Most folks won’t bother with such but if you ask these landowners, I am sure it would make them much more comfortable and it is a considerate gesture. Good luck.
As a land owner I'm not letting anyone that is not family or a really good friend hunt, the liability is just too much if they do something wrong or stupid.
However...
You could offer to help out around the property, do trash pickups, mow, clear out underbrush, etc... or offer part of your harvest if you are successful. A farm down the road from my uncle's farm had a couple of real nice sections along the creek with trees and wild ground that always held a great pheasant population and he let me hunt it. I made sure to stop by every year and ask for that permission again, never assumed it was a perpetual permission. Also helped him on the farm in the fall, pulling wagons, etc... and I always shared my harvest with him, would drop off 3 or 4 birds around Christmas.
The law in Georgia is if a land owner gives permission for recreational purposes the land owner has no liability worries at all even in some cases if the owner is neglect. But if the owner charges for the recreational access then they can be held liable.
Landowner Liability & Hunting
Legal liability has been identified as a major concern among landowners when considering whether or not to grant access to hunters to hunt their property. Legal liability has also been offered as a reason some landowners have stopped allowing hunter access to their property. This is an important issue of concern with the increasing need of sound deer management and hunting access.
To encourage landowners to make their lands available to the public for recreational purposes, including hunting and fishing, Georgia law (OCGA 51-3-20 through 51-3-26) explicitly shields landowners from civil liability for injuries to persons who use their land for recreational purposes without charge unless the landowner willfully or maliciously fails to guard against or warn of a dangerous condition, use, structure, or activity. Landowners will not be liable unless they violate this standard of care. Georgia Courts have interpreted this standard of care as the duty of slight care, which is lower than that of ordinary care.
Georgia law (OCGA 27-3-1) further extends this same protection to landowners, lessees of land, or lessees of hunting or fishing rights who give permission to another to hunt or fish on their property with or without charge.
Great information, I'll keep that handy if/when I start hunting in GA.
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