Many "access notes" are simply a list of creeks, trails, or parking pullouts. The crucial detail is the condition under which one can use that route (e.g. closed gate, have to stay on marked trail, etc.). So while a good record of access information helps one avoid losing time or even trespassing, it also serves to record details of past conversations and thus transform vague memory into a practical check list which one can go over before leaving for the hunt.
Start with the route, not just the water
Remember that you recorded the route that you took to get to the water. Note the name of the approach road, the path that you took through the woods, any gates or barriers that you had to open, the parking area, and the location where public access is supposed to begin. If you had to cross any private property, make sure that you note that fact prominently.
Remember that every access point is different and should be noted separately. Two pullouts along the same stream for example could have completely different conditions for accessing the water. A short walk-in could be possible at one but not the other and may require permission to access. Parking for vehicles may be limited at one location. Also a landowner may have closed access at one of the locations due to various reasons.
A note on a phone or a hand drawn map on a piece of paper is fine for a note on how to access a spot for hunting. The format of the note does not matter so long as another hunter can read and understand the note and know where to go.
Record landowner conditions in plain language
Conditions need to be written down as specific instructions or statements and not just as good principles or good ideas. Instead of 'be respectful' for example, 'Use the marked entry, keep vehicles at the pullout and do not cross the hay meadow' is a lot better for a hunter to read than the first statement. It gives the hunter something to check and to follow.
Make note of who told you the information and when the conversation took place. Remember that old conversations can be wrong or no longer applicable. A change in the landowner's preference or an access agreement can occur at any time and you need to find out about these before you head off.
A landowner's conditions can relate to the route taken, the activity undertaken, time of day and/or where a hunter parks on the accesser's property. These conditions must not be overextended by the hunter, even though they may seem logical to the hunter.
Watch for symptoms of a weak access record
You should be able to identify some of the warning signs of weak access recording in the list below. If you find any of these present in your own access recording, it could stop a trip plan in its tracks. A pin near some water for example doesn't tell you how you got there as a member of the public. A gate with no status recorded, a note that says 'usually open' – which doesn't tell you if it is open today or not – and an old photo used as current evidence of a point are all examples of weak access recording.
A second indicator of poor access information is conflicting information. For example where a map suggests a boundary to be somewhere, but signs posted by the landowner on the boundary suggest a different boundary then you must note that there is conflicting information and seek current information from appropriate official or landowner sources before using that access.
Unclear access to land for a hunting trip is not something to be taken lightly and can result in a number of negative situations including trespassing, a vehicle being blocked and having to return in the dark, and being put in an uncomfortable situation and having to make a difficult decision whilst in the field.
Check maps, signs, and the ground together
None of these sources of information should be used as the sole means for determining public-land access. Verify the latest legal and regulatory requirements for use of public lands for recreational purposes before each use of public lands for hunting.
Be aware of changes to gates, fences, posted information, washed out crossings, work in progress and closed parking areas etc. that may not be visible on your map. Take photos of signs to reference later but remember a photo of a sign does not confirm permission to access land and does not settle a boundary dispute.
When a recorded agreement and reality on the ground conflict it is best to investigate further and either go or leave the area. It is not wise to assume the agreement was more than it actually was and risk offending the landowner and/or having your hunt spoiled.
Build a pre-trip check that takes minutes
Before heading out, read through the note to understand all of the requirements and conditions for the desired activity on the noted location. Verify if there are any dates listed and make sure there have been no changes to the location in the days/weeks prior to your hunt.
Ask four practical questions:
– Do I know exactly where I may enter and where I may not?
– Does the note state where one will park with the vehicle and can it leave when needed without blocking others?
– Are the conditions written clearly enough for a hunting partner to follow?
– What is my alternative if the route is closed, unclear, or unsafe?
Most important, though, is to identify an alternative for when things do not go as planned and to make sure that public-land hunting opportunities are available that do not depend on private access. That may be another entry point to the same property or even a different parcel of land on public lands.
Keep the record useful after the trip
While still at the location update notes to reflect any observations. Do not use your access record for the purpose of criticizing a landowner or spreading sensitive information that could get over-used by other public-land hunters. A simple record of conditions as they are found is the best type of record of access.
A practical record of your observations as to what you have found will help to distinguish between what you have actually observed and your interpretation of what you have found. For example 'Gate closed, sign posted, no entry observed' is stronger than 'access probably lost'.
Hunter ethics require us to be visible in our best behavior on the land and all matters related to our use of it. They require us to respect posted conditions and to seek alternative routes around closed access areas. And they require us to leave, and to report that a closed area has been found, rather than to seek to find a way around closed access. Reviewing the route to a potential hunt as if someone else were going to use your notes for that hunt, and finding that the access information has not been completed (or that it has grown stale) is not finished – and neither is your access plan.