Liability for landowners

[nbadger23]

I was talking to a landowner tonight that may give me permission to hunt on his land next week and he talked about possible liability on his end. He was tying it in to the fact he didn't know me. I told him I understood that he may be reluctant to give permission over the phone to someone he didn't know and I would gladly stop over and introduce myself. He was agreeable to that but I was thinking it would be good to try to ease his mind about any liability on his part.

I am not entirely sure what liability a landowner has or if there's any type of paperwork I could give him to lessen his possible liability?

[Cheetah]

If you get hurt on his land, his insurance will likely be involved. I've seen on various hunting forums people have posted templates for a waiver that both parties sign so that the landowner has no liability and such. I googled it just now "hunting liability waiver" and saw quite a few hits that look good. Check it out.

[Scoot]

You definitely could got that route if the landowner is persistant about that topic. Personally, I'd skip that entirely and just go shake his hand, introduce yourself in person, be very polite and thankful for his time, and see what happens. If he brings up liability I'd point out that you are careful and will not do anything foolish (make sure you do exactly that when in the field if you offer it) and that you understand his concern, but have never had a relevant problem in the past and don't anticipate one in the future. If it were me, if that wasn't enough to get him to give permission, I'd probably just move on. If a handshake, intro, and a guy's word isn't enough to make it happen, it's probably not meant to happen (at least not for me). Others will totally diagree with this take, but that's my opinion on the matter.

Good luck!

[jentz]

In the DNR hand book Hunting??One I think, there is a paragraph Stating any land owner who gives permission to use his land Is exempt from any liability.Look that up get written permission and maybe that will ease the owners mind when you show that rule? law? to him in the handbook.

Not many read the whole handbook!!

[nofishfisherman]

In the DNR hand book Hunting??One I think, there is a paragraph Stating any land owner who gives permission to use his land Is exempt from any liability.Look that up get written permission and maybe that will ease the owners mind when you show that rule? law? to him in the handbook.

Not many read the whole handbook!!

[harvey lee]

You definitely could got that route if the landowner is persistant about that topic. Personally, I'd skip that entirely and just go shake his hand, introduce yourself in person, be very polite and thankful for his time, and see what happens. If he brings up liability I'd point out that you are careful and will not do anything foolish (make sure you do exactly that when in the field if you offer it) and that you understand his concern, but have never had a relevant problem in the past and don't anticipate one in the future. If it were me, if that wasn't enough to get him to give permission, I'd probably just move on. If a handshake, intro, and a guy's word isn't enough to make it happen, it's probably not meant to happen (at least not for me). Others will totally diagree with this take, but that's my opinion on the matter.

Good luck!

I would agree 100% Scoot, I have given many people permission to hunt but I do it only when in person so I can get a feel for what that person is like, how he presents himself and so on. I have never let anyone hunt without meeting them first. I guess I feel if someone wants to use the land for hunting, the least they could do is come over, introduce themselves and ask. This is what I do when I want to hunt someone else's land and it seem's to work pretty darn good. Not saying a phone call won't work but it won't with me.

I remember the first time you came down to the ranch years ago and we went together so I could show you the land boundries, keep's the neighbor's happy also that I am not letting someone into hunt and they have no clue where the land ends and anothers starts.

As far as liabilltiy, one can have all the papers signed about this or that but if someone gets injured badly, it's almost a guarantee that attoreny's will be invloved and someone may or will sue ones insurance company. Ther are no guarantee's what a person will or will not do if they are injured while hunting on anothers land. If you get to meet them and talk, one can get a good feel for that person, no guarantee about that but I do feel much better when I can talk with them.

There are people who will call days into a hunt and ask to hunt, no way. if they do not have the consideration to ask in advance, then I really do not care if they do. Maybe that is being a harda$$ but is seems to work very well.

[nbadger23]

Thanks guys, appreciate the input. Normally I'd always approach someone in person to get their permission but this was through a friend of a friend and the only contact point was a phone number to start with. I appreciate the reference to the item in the handbook as that could come in handy as needed.

I will be calling him next week, after I get back from Wisconsin, to meet with him and hopefully I make a good impression :-)

[1eyeReD]

I asked a guy in the SE if I could get permission to use his private road to get to state land behind his property and he told me he'd be ok with it if I can come up with a release form of some sort. I eventually found a different spot to enter further down the public road which equates to a longer walk to where I want to be, but still am planning to go back. I still see him sometimes when I drive by and he always waves back so little things like that are a start. Now that I think of it, I really should go back with a form. I did type one up, but am wondering how I can make it more of a legal form?