Property Line Hunters

[ericrm2005]

In my state this is probably more of a problem than others, as my state is quickly becoming overcrowded, and there are a lot of small parcels out there that are crammed with hunters. I think you should try and convince the neighboring land owners that they should give you some space, and definately keep their friends off your property. I do, however, think a litle kindness goes a long way. I have seen guys come onto our land to track a deer they shot, and I have gone onto others for this same reason. If you go to war with your your neighbors or their friends, you may be out a deer at some point, especially if your only on 40 acres. Luckily for me, im hunting on more than 200 so the problem is a bit diminished, but i hear of people having similar problems all the time. Good luck with it.

 

[Missouri Pioneer]

I have the same problem. We acquired the farm this past spring and found a tree stand exactly on the property line out in the middle of the woods. Still haven't decided what to do about it.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I know of some who shoot guns on their land and make a racket when it's deer season. Get your tractor out, bush hog, cut timber, fix fences. Do anything and everything to make their time out there a total waste of time.

That's not how it works. When you are working outside, you become just another animal going about its business. I have plowed fields through thousands of Canadian geese, and all they would do is honk, hiss and waddle out of the way, then waddle back to peck in the furrow. Planting trees I have been within stones throw of turkeys, bobcats and deer. As long as I mind my business they mind theirs.

 

[strum456]

Wouldn't it benifit all of us to spend more time developing good relationships with our neighbors rather than marking and patroling property lines? What does it really matter if some decides to hunt your property line? Maybe you would like to hunt thier property line sometime.

 

[300UGUY]

I've got the same problem. My neighbor has a guy hunting on his place, the guy set up a tree stand just inside the line, overlooking my property. I've talked to the guy, I try to be reasonable, but he denies hunting on my property. Hunters will cheat every darn chance they get.

 

[300UGUY]

Wouldn't it benifit all of us to spend more time developing good relationships with our neighbors rather than marking and patroling property lines? What does it really matter if some decides to hunt your property line? Maybe you would like to hunt thier property line sometime.

It's not my neighbor's that are causing me problems. It's the people who hunt their property or their guests, or simply tresspassers. Not to mention poachers. After I woke up one morning and found my horses in the front yard because some idiot cut my fence so he could retrieve a deer that he shot in my pasture, I have been very sceptical of folks claiming that "only a few hunters" give the rest a bad name. Most hunters have very little respect for private property rights - If they don't have their own property to hunt on.

 

[NorTracNY]

I'm not a hunter yet, but I'm trying to understand this. I understand the 4 wheeler issue, but the stand location one I don't get. Obviously, the stands shouldn't be on your property if you didn't give permission. For stands that are near the line, why does it matter? These people aren't actually shooting deer that are on your property when the shot is fired, are they?

 

[Professor Marvel]

I would say it is more typical for a hunter to set up a stand on a property line to look for deer on the other side of the line than within the boundaries of the land it is set up in.
Many of my friends are hunters but to be honest it seems to me that they lose their ethics during hunting season. JUST IMHO

 

[JerryK]

I had my land surveyed and put T-posts in here and there around the property. I walk the perimeter each fall and either paint the tops of the posts orange or put some orange tape on each post. When the leaves are off you can sight down the posts and clearly see a 'property line'. Most hunters will notice this and stay on their side of the lines. I also move stumps and fallen trees to this line to block off areas that are more wide open. I never have had hunter problems, but the tree harversters sure don't care who's trees they are cutting down when they are in cutting. They see a nice straight vernier sugar maple they cut it first and argue second. Having the lines marked clearly makes good neighbors.....can't really put a fence in the woods.

 

[two_bit_score]

Small tracts of less than a few hundred acres, I just don't understand why they wouldn't be fenced. That is if you care about keeping people off.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

People hunting just off your property line is just part of life. There is nothing you can do about it and you shouldn't even think about trying to tell others where they can hunt on theirs or someone elses property. I know it sucks from a hunter/land owner stand point but how would you like it if someone told you where your allowed to hunt on your own property? Now if they are trespassing then you can say something.

We have hunters trying to get as tight to our ground as possible. They do all sorts of silly things trying to get on the edges of our property. Its just part of the joy of being a land owner. Its easier to just smile at things then to lose sleep or to stress over something you have no control over.

 

[Fixemall]

Ha !!!! I have two stands I aquired that way. Each time I took them ( right out of my apple orchard ) I left notes for them that if they wanted their treestands back to give me a call and the sheriff and I will gladly discuss the trespassing fine and compenstaion for the damage caused to my apple trees.
For some reason neither owner has yet to call to get them back.... lol.



BTW- you got a link to that Deer repellent????

I get it from Gemplers...I must warn you though they seem to have a lot of other stuff you might want, every time I think I'm placing a small order I end up going overboard.

 

[strum456]

There are a couple new neighbors in my area that have recently moved in and purchased sizable tracts of land. The first thing they did was mark their lines and put up signs about every 20 yards. To me, the message they are sending out by doing this is not friendly. What ever happened to offering your neighbor a helping hand?

I don't waste time posting my land or marking property lines. I have found that this only keeps out the honest people.

In fact, I know of a guy that put up a stand, feeder and trail cam on the back corner of my propery without asking permission. Should he have asked permission - yes. Am I going to take his stand down or make a big deal about it - no. I hardly ever hunt back there, and the guy probably doens't have anywhere else to hunt.

 

[Rocksprings]

Good fences make good neighbors, However I do not tolerate any one hunting my fence line. I will go out of my way to make sure you don't see a bird much less one deer. Every one always thinks all the deer are on their neighbor's property. Stay off my fence line and you will have no problems from me.

 

[300UGUY]

I would say it is more typical for a hunter to set up a stand on a property line to look for deer on the other side of the line than within the boundaries of the land it is set up in.
Many of my friends are hunters but to be honest it seems to me that they lose their ethics during hunting season. JUST IMHO

Yup!!

 

[DwightD123]

I appreciate the insight both in practical and mental exercise. Some of this I am sure I should just accept as part of being a landowner and some I will push back on. My decision should be based on how blatant and obvious the issue is. For instance if a stand shows up 60 yds from my stand I'm going to ask them to move it first for safety and general decency reasons. Then if not I will probably do what I can to persuade deer not to go that direction. Others I will just have to live with understanding it as part of land ownership.
I was pretty disheartened when I was reading on another site's forum for ideas on this issue (turkey hunter forum) how many of those guys say they will go across property lines in an instant and if they get caught just apologize. It's a side of the hunter community that I don't like and quite honestly has caused me to raise my dander a bit. I still refuse to believe most of us are like that.
Again thanks for the responses and I will keep reading for other thoughts and insight.

 

[DwightD123]

I'm not a hunter yet, but I'm trying to understand this. I understand the 4 wheeler issue, but the stand location one I don't get. Obviously, the stands shouldn't be on your property if you didn't give permission. For stands that are near the line, why does it matter? These people aren't actually shooting deer that are on your property when the shot is fired, are they?

It's more of a decency thing. Imagine you have a ladder stand that your dad hunts out of. You can't easily move it like a climber because he is too old to use a climber. 3 weeks before season someone sets up a stand on the property line 60 yds facing your dad's stand. Is it illegal? no...Inconsiderate? I would say yes.
Scenario 2 neighbors have 150 acres to hunt. You have 40..they (or guests) come set up on the property line eliminating most of the places you can safely hunt. If by simply setting back 40- yds you could both be able to hunt a much larger area safer why wouldn't you think of the other guy and do that?

Now I am trying to give some benefit of the doubt and that's why I want to go about it in a tactful way and not get ignorant. Sure I could run a chainsaw opening morning real close to their stand...not my style. I would prefer to manage my land in a way that dissuades others from crowding me. From what others have said 40 acres may just not be big enough to do that though...so I may just have to wave at the guy and forget about it.

 

[nybirdman]

There is not a thing you can do about anyone not on your property.I think its human nature to get as close as you can to somewhere you can't hunt.You are the small dog in this fight with only forty acres.I would advise to have a meeting with all the land owners and set some boundaries and rules.If you hunt you may have to go on their land to track/retrieve.
Deer home range may be two square miles,bucks maybe five during the rut.
Our land is well posted and watched;we have more problems with road hunters and non-land owners who trespass.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence. Is your father's stand visible?

As for the trespassers, the oft heard rule from hunters is "I'd rather ask for forgiveness then ask for permission."

On the other hand, the size of the neighbor's tract, relative to yours, has no bearing on where they should set up a stand.

 

[dodge man]

As a land surveyor, and working in a area that is known for having a lot of big dear, this comes up a few times a year. People can get pretty worked up over this issue. Hunting near the line? That doesn't seem very nice to me, but if they stay on there side of the fence. I can almost promise you, if a hunter sees a big deer on your side of the fence, they will shoot it.

I've seen situations where someone is hunting on someone elses property on purpose. In my opinion, they should be arrested and get a large fine. I've also seen people that don't have a clue where the boundary line is take down other peoples tree stands.

My advice would be to make sure you really know where your boundaries are, and unless you can prove someone is hunting on you, don't worry about it. In Illinois it is illegal to do anything to ruin another persons hunt. There used to be someone in this area that would play music really loud through loudspeakers to scare deer away and ruin peoples hunt. They finally shut that down and fined them for it.