Property Line Hunters

[strum456]

We have more problems with road hunters and non-land owners who trespass.

We have the same thing with people who come off the road (especially poachers). Unfortunately, not much of anything is going to stop these ignorant jerks. Neighbors should be friends. If you have a breakdown, who's equipment are you going to borrow? In the grand scheme of things, is a deer worth making your neighbors mad at you?

 

[studor]

In my younger years I used to get really twisted about such things and concerned that it would ruin my hunt or that running dogs (legal in my area) would scare away the deer etc. As time has gone on I have discovered that having a bad hunter close by can be of great advantage . I have 143 acres and one of my stands is right on the fenceline with my neighbour. My neighbour has a stand about 100 yards away on the same fenceline (facing the other way of course ) that is seldom used -- I can always tell when it has been used because the deer then change their route slightly and go literally 10 yards in front of my stand:thumbsup:
Once in a while the dogs from neighbours not even adjoining my property will chase deer right by me in a stand. :thumbsup:
It might be annoying but wait and see how much of a problem it really creates before making it an issue -- as others have said if they truly trespass then a polite warning usually fixes it. JMHO
I do know of a case in my area where one of my neighbours went out and tagged the twelve pointer that someone had shot from the road in his meadow before they could get to it. When they came onto his property later and he intercepted them they told him they were chasing a wounded deer -- he told them that he had called the police because someone had shot a deer in his meadow and he had seen it happen but they were welcome to chase the wounded one if they just left their names and addresses -- I understand they were reluctant to do so

 

[Redbug]

I also read the QDM forums, and there are quite a few threads about this subject. When it comes to hunting it seems that logic and manners go out the window. I think what a lot of those guys do takes a lot of gall and no manners. But then, it's on their own land, too. I think a fence would be the way to go if you can afford it. Even if it's T posts and barb wire. I like the idea of riding the property line with the atv during the morning and evenings. You have your property and it goes both ways. Give them a hearty smile and big wave. That's what I would do. Enough of that and they will get the hint.

The pic and caption are from the QDM site. I thought this is great. These guys nailed a plywood board to the nearby trees with "No Trespassing" on it. I think about it and laugh. You gotta do what you gotta do...

Caption: "We had a guy build right on the line, the orange coat is on the fence row. The kicker was him cutting down about 6 cedars on our side to improve his view into our field. The back of the board says "No Trespassing" of course."

 

[lockhaven]

I am a bit confused..... as long as the hunter is on his side of the line what is the problem?

 

[Redbug]

Lock...Most of them are hunting the other person's property. Whether they will admit it or not.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I also read the QDM forums, and there are quite a few threads about this subject. When it comes to hunting it seems that logic and manners go out the window.

The pic and caption are from the QDM site. I thought this is great. These guys nailed a plywood board to the nearby trees with "No Trespassing" on it. I think about it and laugh.

I like the idea of riding the property line with the atv during the morning and evenings. You have your property and it goes both ways. Give them a hearty smile and big wave. That's what I would do. Enough of that and they will get the hint.

Caption: "We had a guy build right on the line, the orange coat is on the fence row. The kicker was him cutting down about 6 cedars on our side to improve his view into our field. The back of the board says "No Trespassing" of course."

I like that pic, thats one way to address that problem.

As for riding ATV's and such, back before we bought the neighbors 15 acres that bordered up to our 85 acres (we own from road to road(Front to back) so theres only two neighbors) we had issues with people hunting that property. They were given permission by the land owner which was fine. However, we had a 20 yard wide field down that edge before the red brush starts that we owned. The last row of grapes was the property line there. Well, the guys hunting there wanted to get onto our property and were told no. I didn't bother them but I did ride my atv that way once which I do occasionally to see what tracks I find. Well, because I rode my atv on my land he went and told my neighbor we were running the atv all over the place and were trying to ruin his hunting. So I had to tell the neighbor we didn't do anything like that and I had to explain what I did and what I was doing on my own land (I use to work for this neighbor and he was a friend).

Then another day we heard a couple shots on the property line there. I went over to see what they got and they were on our property looking to go into the red brush (ground is all posted and they were warned). As soon as he saw me he went back to the neighbors side. I asked him what they got and he said they shot a big buck and it ran onto our property and he wanted permission to go after it. I asked to see the blood trail and he couldn't find one. He showed me where he "supposedly" shot the deer and there was no blood or hair. No sign of any hit at all so I told him no. Again, he went to my neighbor saying we were interfering with his hunt and again I had to explain my own actions on my own property.

The final straw came when my father and I were just out walking. We were on our own property just taking a walk, talking and looking at tracks and other signs. As we come up to the back side of the two properties and clear the red brush to the open field there is a shotgun pointed at us. This idiot was right on the boundry where he was allowed (and we didn't care) but he was going to shoot anything that came out of our brush into our field. Thankfully he didn't pull the trigger at the sight of our carhartts but I was not happy. At that point I went to our neighbor, told him what just happened and how I was not happy and they were tossed out. We bought that property a few years later.

And I should mention, my neighbor was a good guy. He wanted the deer shot because of his orchard. But he also knew we hunted and he made it clear to anyone that came to hunt his property that they needed to stay on the other side of his ground opposite of ours. He never gave anyone permission to hunt the boundry to our properties out of respect for us. But the land owner doesn't always know what the people who he gives permission to actually do. My neighbors nephew actually built a tree stand on our property (about 200 yards in on our property). He never asked permission and cut down some large trees that were in his way (again, without permission). This nephew didn't own anything or any land. He had no respect for other peoples property or land either.

 

[westcliffe01]

I have been scouting a local sheep farm for Coyotes, to help the land owner (he loses at least 5 sheep a year, sometimes more). When we walked the property the first time, he showed me an area where the boundary had been contested and where a hunter had set up a tree stand right on the property like looking into his land (the fence was inside the property line about 20ft).

Sure enough, when bow season started, I was out scouting with my AR15. I spot an ATV parked right next to the fence on the neighbors property. Up in the treestand was the good old boy. He was mighty pissed with me walking down the track, but I told him he was trespassing and that the property had been surveyed and pointed out the stakes marking it. About half an hour later he was met by the property owner and his wife and kids walking the property line the opposite way to me, but he was a lot ruder to them, since they were unarmed. It turned out there was a second hunter that I had missed, who had his stand inside the fence line. These guys are leasing over 300 acres, yet they choose to trespass on the neighbors 120.

 

[lockhaven]

Ok I see the problem, I have the condition here. On one side of me is a large farm that charges people to hunt. In his greed he has far too many people each day so they migrate over to my line. It is the farthest point from his base, I have signs up saying do not even bother to ask, YOU CANNOT TRESPASS TO RETRIEVE ANY WOUNDED GAME. On the other side is a man that allows his employees to hunt just a few each day, they know that if they need to they can come on to my place. They also know that if they abuse the privilege it will be revoked. As to to the wounded game from the other side..... they are quite tasty.

 

[bullbreaker]

I am a bit confused..... as long as the hunter is on his side of the line what is the problem?

I agree but to a point,game animals deer etc rarely espiecially when shot w/bow or crossbow fall where they were hit.So if ones hit and runs onto land posted for no tresspassing or owner just does'nt want people on land then they go "retreive it" they are tresspassing. Selldom also does one hunter drag his own deer back or throw it on atv.
This senario could be reversed if op or others shot game from their propertys, and it ran and expired on someone elses land.
Then theres the issue of stray bullets or slugs during rifle/shotgun season.

Op states "Just to give some insight I have 40 acres and the other hunters have 150,230 and 80 acres " IMHO I hope during rifle season hunters around there are in stands shooting downward. and lets be honest with ourselfs what are the possibilitys of that.
Might not sound popular or rite to some of yous,but to me 40/150/230/80 acres in a box is more suited for strictly bow hunting.
It would be hard to do but it would be worth a try getting together with surrounding land owners before someone gets injured,killed or if livestock nearby the same could happen to them.

Boone

 

[scesnick]

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.

A fence isnt going to keep anyone out. unless it is a 10ft high fence. then the deer would not be free to roam on and off the property the property and that would all but kill your hunting property.

I own 76 acres and I don't know where you buy your fencing but it would cost me a fortune to fence off all my property. Especially A fence that would keep unwanted hunters out.