Well...I got some great news the other day. Since I shot my buck last November it was kind of up in the air on whether or not I would get to continue to hunt on the property. My buddy and I have hunted this property for the last two years on a handshake agreement and this buck was the first we took off of it. The landowner had gotten a few cash offers and such and wasn't sure what he wanted to do. He finally sent me a text saying that we could keep bowhunting as long as we each put in 32 hours of work on the property. I couldn't be happier with the deal. I am pretty much broke so a matching offer on a lease was out of the question but I have zero problem spilling some sweat. It just so happens a lot of the stuff he wants to do will benefit our hunting as well so its a win/win situation. Soooo...i'm pretty much in a great mood now and really can't wait until November rolls around again because this place is crawling with big mature whitetails. Here is the buck I took off the property last year. My biggest to date.
I have been sh*^%ing bricks since late November worrying about losing this great spot. To be able and breath easy and know that I can put 100% of my energy into scouting instead of trying to find new land is a load lifted.
That's awesome. Good for you and your buddy. Not many guys that will do that anymore, consider yourself lucky. I'd give him 64 hours of work just to make the point that I appreciate what he did. And good luck this fall!
It's a sweeeeeet deal! It's what we do to get to hunt good farm land here in PA. We go out in May/June with weed whackers and we just start blowing through the weeds around the barns and clear the ponds for the cows so they can drink. Good luck hunting this year!
Great deal!!! Well done on securing that property. I have a similar deal with the property owner where I hunt. I help him with mechanical jobs on his trucks, bringing supplies and parts out to him, any work he needs really. Also selectively culling deer when the season is so dry that the deer are competing with cattle for feed. This keeps him very happy as the deer number in the high hundreds on this place. The relationship has grown to where we are now close friends with him and his family. I'm hoping this relationship will last for a very long time. Rod
Looks like there are still some classy people out there. Congrats. To show how much you appreciate it, give him 40 hours of work, and an offer to help in any emergency situation (if possible). That'll go a long way with a person like him and seal up that property for you for a long time to come. Congrats
You know it is rare in the day and age to see people that are willing to put in the hard work to get something. Glad to see that there are a good portion of people on here that area willing to work for it. Sure sounds like the guy enjoys having you on the property. Keep cultivating that relationship and I am sure it will continue to be beneficial for both of you.
It shouldn't be hard to get more than 32 hours in. We have to clear brush and unwanted shrubs from in between about 8 acres of spruce plantings. We also are going to be cutting a new 4 wheeler trail so I am sure the time will add up. I like doing that kind of stuff so it should be more fun than work. I think we are going to plant clover in between the rows once we get them cleared out as well.
Great deer, as a rule I never show off a deer or even let most guys know they even have a big deer on there ground because I lost one of the best pc of river ground over my brother telling how big a buck was to a few people. No need to drive up the price or start a bidding war over loose lips.
I hear ya but I have a hard time not at least telling the land owner. Its his land and if he asks me what I shot I won't lie to him. That doesn't mean I will show him all of my trail cam pics of big deer but I would rather he heard about a big deer from me then through back channels. I'd rather have a clean rep and less properties than be known as a liar or a sneak. It is a lot easier to find new places to hunt than to fix a bad reputation in my opinion.
Congrats on The Property It's tough as a hunter to put things into perspective when it comes down to a property owner letting us down, in giving select land to others for a cash value. They need to make a bit out of it when their maybe not getting a sufficiant refund from there excisting opportunity's. But to see to a response of an owner making a response out of a working relationship, is gratitude given back two fold to you as a hunter. I'm sure you will be happy to put in the time and effort to keep up this relationship and friendship that so few of us get to have with property owners. I do the same on 2 of the 5 property's I hunt. Hat's off to you for putting in the extra effort to secure the land. Rocky
