I am going to be banging on a lot of doors next spring. I want (need) to find better pieces of property and closer to home. I have a bunch of spots that are just OK. None one of them are great. They all have major drawbacks. I'm not saying I won't (can't) harvest a nice buck or a doe this year. The properties I hunt have deer and have deer moving through them. I'll say it again, they all have MAJOR drawbacks from a hunting perspective. It may be access, pressure, cover, etc they all have major drawbacks. I want to find something that I have confidence that I am able to access the stand undetected, play the right wind and leave undetected. I made a promise to myself that next spring to bang on door after door after door until I get permission on a better piece of hunting property.
This may be true but I am having trouble finding time to hunt right now much more less bang on doors. Also, from my experience, banging on doors in spring is a lot more effective than just before or during the season. I think the reason is people feel you probably are serious and responsible if you are searching for hunting property 6 months in advance. Rather than the run of the mill guy that shows up 1 week before the season and asks to hunt on their land. I have my current properties pretty nailed down at this point and I am confident I am using them to the best of their ability.
I'm working on a new parcel as well. 5 Minutes from the place where the farmer lets his dogs run over all the properties!
I found my little spot last year after knocking on over 50 doors in one day. I had given up and was headed home when I said one more try and pulled in the farm drive. They said yes so that's where I have been ever since. A 40 acre farm w/ a 2 acre wood lot on one end and a old over grown cow pasture on the other. I see very and I mean very few deer there( 5 in two years on stand of which I shot 3). It's hard to get rejected over and over or they want money. I'm not rich, can't afford a lease, and this hobby/sport is expensive enough. I give them some meat when I get a deer and they like to see me out there knowing that I'm using it pretty often. Maybe next year I'll try to find a better spot. I know how hard it is to find a good one.
