I may have landed a spot to hunt for free. What's a good way to stay on a landowner's good side? Send them a thank you card? Gift?

Be clean and respectful with his land, leave it better than you found it.

Offer part of the harvest, or offer to help with something.

Christmas gift, even if small, are well received

As stated, keep the place as clean or cleaner than when you came.
Let them know when you are hunting and even invite them along with you, maybe offer to provide some drinks. Let them have some of the birds if they are interested in eating them.
Donations are probably appreciated. Offer to help around the land some if they need it.

Just some general ideas, but these things won't hurt.

Yup!

Always pick up your trash and empty hulls - "leave no trace." I used to have permission to hunt two really nice private dove spots and I got some really good results taking a small Hickory Farms gift to the land owners every year around Christmas.

Bring them a couple gallon bags of white perch fillets. You will be in for life!

I hunt several places for free.

#1 Do not bring a bunch of other people. Wait till you get to know them better and then ask. Some won't care but some do. I duck hunt a place for free and the reason it's available is because some idiots decided they owned the place and brought tons of people out there. Land owner told them they weren't welcome back.

#2 Offer to do any work that might need to be done around the place.

#3 Pick up after yourself and even pick up any other trash you find.

#4 Find out if he drinks. If so buy him a case of the beer he likes.

#5 At the end of the season buy him a gift. Pocket knife or something like that.

I currently have great places to hunt deer, ducks and dove. They are all for free. I say free but it has cost us some cases of beer, a pocket knife, some fence building and a Yeti cooler over the last three years.

Yep

you're a lucky rascal!
Nacodoches? wood ducks?
pick up every shell you see..
any paper and plastic stuff, too.
treat his place like your front yard..
good whiskey or steaks helps...
as a land-owner, I've seen my share of slobs.. don't be that guy!

Yes, in Nac. I'm hoping to kill some dove. I agreed to take her 10th grade son with me, which is fine, I like seeing kids in the woods and he's a good kid. Her husband works overseas, so I'm sure they miss hunting with him. We'll start with dove and see how it goes for ducks.

Big rib eyes, spiral cut honey hams, smoked Turkey, Scotch. Not necessarily in that order. You see a fence down, fix it. You see trash, your trash or not, pick it up. In general be a good person and you will be fine.

keep the place clean and checked... keep an eye on any livestock... take him some meat if you get something....

LEAVE GATES AS YOU FOUND THEM

Money and a signed contract. Othewise, you get notice a club such as Private Waters comes in and does an offer, and you're back to hunting public.

No, I'm not bitter.

That's the thing with it being free... if someone comes in and does lease it than move on no biggy you lost nothing and had some fun hunts...

A handle of Crown is always appreciated.

Lucky Jacob654..I have not found a SPOT even after payment...Take me with you and I will make
Land owner happy..

Bingo.

slightly diff scenario here...
could be a sticky situation...
DONT be a surrogate Dad...
DONT get friendly w/kids mom...
offer yourself as a neighbor... nothing more.
unless you Really know the father, gifts may be seen as inappropriate...

Is the mom hot?

The lady works with my mother in law. I'm there for the dove, not the love.

Sig worthy!

If it rains do not drive on the roads and create ruts. I have acquired 2 places that he previous hunters would go 4 wheeling after a rain.

It's already been said once, but I think it needs to be said again. Leave gates as you find them. Not leaving gates the way you find them is the fastest way to piss off a land owner, especially if there's livestock involved.

Don't climb over any fences.

Common sence is not so common these days. Be respectful and clean up after yourself. A little gift or offer to help out goes a long way.