As per all of the above, I like aerial photos, both old and new and of course, get on the ground.
As a landowner myself who meets all sorts looking to be on my land, both those who ask and those who don't, I'd add the following:
Showing up at my door, clean and presentable and asking works best for me. If your coming on, I want you to know some things about MY hunting and where YOU can/can't go. It's easy for me to brush you off over the phone.
Do what you say you'll do. Don't let me catch you deer hunting when all you SAID you wanted was to hunt a few birds.
If you like the hunting and want to continue, ask EVERY year, take nothing for granted. Come after the season with some CHOICE pieces of meat(never happened to me) and tell me some hunting stories. We'll become friends and I'll tell you (and you'll tell me) some info on movement/sightings, etc.
Report any activity that seems out of place. Part of why I don't mind some others on the property is to be another set of eyes and ears. It's somewhat difficult to be every where at once.
Be totally ethical in your hunt and leave NO garbage for me to clean up. Treat this place like your own and you'll have a hunting grounds for life.
When you put yourself in my shoes, you may have a better understanding of why some places are so hard to get on to.