Allow hunting. . . very inclined to say no.

[japody]

My FIL allowed anybody and everybody to hunt on his property. The farm was noted for being an excellent place to hunt for large bucks. He got very ill and none of his good hunting buddies offered any help during his illness. The last straw was when one of these buddies knocked on the door one day and said that he could not get to the back of the farm because there was a tree across the road. I told him that I would fix it the next day. That's when I put locked gates up at all of the access points. Haven't allowed anyone to hunt since.

 

[ljjhouser]

When we bought our property - a few acres, I spent a year dynamiting the water line. One day a neighbor came up to visit us. She informed us that some of their friends were mad at us because of dynamiting was keeping them from hunting that property like they had in years past. Informed me that they had been hunting the property for many years. It was like they had that right and I better keep out of the way. Told her to tell her friends I was ok with them being mad. Stay off the property - I am dynamiting and it is not the place for them anyway. Things change and they have changed here so keep off. This is a purple paint state. I painted border trees. It is much safer in the house during the fall now. Not hunted.

 

[marhar]

Your land/Your rules. How big's your property? You could set up a gun zone/bow zone if big enough & that's what bothers you, hard to justify a letter stating Bow then an aside as he's leaving of "we'll be here with shotguns & construction equipment" if you agreed to bows. "I'd like permission to fish your pond. It's ok? Great! Me and the guys'll be back with dynamite this weekend." I got nothing against guns or hunting, just seems a bit disingenuous to write a letter asking for one thing then wanting to do something else. What did the references say?

100% correct, your land you rules! While you want to be nice, you owe the hunter nothing. I allow a couple of men to hunt and in return they pay me by doing yard work. Our relationship is mutually beneficial. I want these men to keep helping me and to be content hunting the property.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

Found a large caliber hole in my garage (in the copper weathervane), so I let everyone know via e-mail and phone calls that there would be no hunting allowed anymore.
Unknown to me, one guy decided he would hunt anyway. Evidently he had shot a buck at dusk and while retrieving it, his lights tip off the neighbors to suspicious activity and they called 911. He was visted by a couple police cars and the game department. Got caught with 2 deer and one tag.
An Officer came to talk to me about him having permission to hunt and I gave them a copy of an e-mail to said person that hunting would no longer be allowed on my property. In Washington State this is called poaching.
It has been 5 years since the last person hunted here. It is much more peaceful during hunting season.

 

[JethroB]

Over the years I have allowed hunters on my property. I can remember the two or three times it went well. Otherwise - it was the hunter and friends and their 4WD rigs and not staying on my property. Leaving their garbage - coming on the property at times other than agreed to - telling friends that they could come on the property and hunt.

Unfortunately - loooong ago I decided - no more hunters.

I just do not understand people like this. They have no respect for anything.

Pretty much the same for me except it’s to fish in my ponds or pick up pecans from underneath my trees. One time a fellow brought a commercial tree shaker.

Only close friends and family allowed now.

 

[Rustyiron]

I allow 4 guys to hunt here, my situation is different than most as we have over 700 acres. They all are respectful and text me when they plan on coming in. Each has an area and they all know each other and are "neighbors" in our very rural area. I don't need to ask for meat, they just drop it off. They also kinda are my eyes in the woods and will send off a guy not in my little exclusive group.
I didn't want to be another guy "from away" that cut off the locals from a place that all of them grew up hunting. 2 of that group is a father/son and now occasionally a 8 yo grand son. It works for us.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I used to allow hunting on my land until a fellow hunting club member had a bad experience. A guy he allowed to hunt on his property was injured when he fell out of his tree stand and sued. The lawsuit was eventually thrown out of court but the legal fees ran into the thousands!

Even though my land is now posted, previous hunters still think they have a right to hunt here. I find it pretty unnerving to have to tell a bunch of guys with guns they have to leave!

 

[ljjhouser]

It seems like if you say maybe or I'll think about it, some people take it as "That would be ok." We have a shooting range on our property. One time my son-in-law and a friend were shooting (100 yd). My neighbor called to ask me to come down and talk to someone. I did. It was two guys I didn't know on a side by side...The wanted to go up see the range.

The conversation was like this - I'm going up to see your shooting range. Me - No you're not. Too dangerous, might get shot. You don't know where it is and they don't know you are there.

I never like to invite any stranger onto my property. They think the invitation is permanent. And THEY invite others. A simple conversation turns into "It's ok, I know that guy - He won't care." Past that point, you have no idea what is going to happen.

It was here on TBN I learned about the "Purple Paint Law." My state has that law. I use it now. It is not only a "no hunting, but a NO Trespass sign that can't be removed. It is a great addition if you ever have to go to court regarding someone getting hurt on your land without permission.

I went online and found that Lowes had that paint. Went to get it and there were none on the shelf nor a place for one. They found them (2 case on the very top of the shelves. There was not even a place for it on the shelf. Bought 5 cans.

 

[bcp]

I've allowed people to hunt on my property in the past, but it was understood that their permission was for you, today, not whenever with whoever.

Same here.

And it was dove hunters and an alfalfa field, so it was easy to keep an eye on them.

Bruce

 

[plowhog]

Informed me that they had been hunting the property for many years. It was like they had that right and I better keep out of the way. Told her to tell her friends I was ok with them being mad. Stay off the property

Such a great example. Habits get formed, maybe a small favor here or there, and next thing you know an "entitlement mentality" has formed about "their" right to be on "your" land.

Yesterday I kicked a tree crew off my property. They were felling a hazard tree on the neighbor property. They were roping on my property, without permission, and I learned they were going to fall it my direction-- for THEIR convenience. And leave the tree and debris behind.

I could have easily said OK. In years past I probably would have. But I learned (the hard way) that if you allow the tree crews even a little access they interpret it in the future as unlimited access. I don't want to open that door.