Let me start by saying how incredibly excited I am to say I was just given permission to hunt some private land. I got a good friend of mine into archery and bow hunting. She gave me permission to hunt their family farm in return. I have hunted state land my entire hunting career and I am just happy to be able to leave a stand out with out fears of it disappearing. Any ways, I am looking for some ideas for a thank you gift. Something to show I appreciate the privilege of hunting their land. All ideas are welcome!
Definitely Thanksgiving and Christmas cards. That would be nice. Then if you do manage to shoot a deer, give the family half of the meat of the animal. Other than that Just look for any thing you can help them out with. Around the farm or around the house. If you happen to come across anything that they like or want you could get it for them. Also I do not speak entirely from experience. I helped out my youth pastor ( he was letting me hunt his land on the texas side) with a whole bunch of stuff whether that be church related or non church related. If he ever gave me a call I stopped what i was doing and helped him out. And I would have gave him half the meat but I didn't shoot anything haha
Give them all your hunting equipment to show your thanks. I give all my landowners meat from anything I harvest. If its been a tough year on the freezer I have done Honey Baked hams and giftcards. Along with a card. The card is probably the most important part. When someone takes the time to personally thank you in writing it means a lot.
Just saying thanks helps a lot but also you can offer to do some chores around the place. Like others said sharing your bounty is always nice. Make it a point to say hello and good bye when the opportunity presents itself. Just being neighborly goes along way too and never taking for granted the privilege to hunt. Take care of the land by not littering or picking up if you find it, park so as not to block them or inconvenience them. Small things add up. The fact that you are asking how to follow up is a good thing.
For myself, I have one friend that hunts my land and is welcome back EVERY year...he goes out his way to pick up and trash or junk and takes it home with him to throw away. Plus he stops by after each hunt to BS and tell me about his hunt...even if, all he saw was a chipmunk and red fox. Each year, he also helps me prep up the woods and move treestands around. I'll like that a lot more than 1 big gesture at the end of the season.
