Risks & rewards from allowing hunters on property

[stevenf]

HappyCPE, Absolutely the idea in every hunter thats worth his salt is to put the animal down as quickly and painlessly as possible and in a perfect world that is the case but in hunting especially with a bow its not unusual to have to track a dead deer or almost dead deer for a hundred yards or more. When I say or more it can be a mile or more and still be a dead or dying animal, their will to live is unlike anything human, you shoot a man in the gut with a 3006 and he's going down right now we'll say every time although there are some conditions where he might continue for a bit but odds are down, you shoot a deer in the gut and it can run for miles with its inards dragging behind it and live for hours or days. I realize you'll probably get some archery guy responding that he's never lost a deer and that they always fall within yards of where he's shot them, he's either lying or only shot one deer and got lucky. I'm not saying I wouldn't be comfortable with a bow on 13+ acres but I am saying sooner or later the deer will leave your property and die you'll want to be prepared for that and I'd also say 99% of the hunters I've ever hunted with or had hunt on our property if they have a good visual of the shot placement and a blood trail they will follow it until they find their game regardless of fencelines, If you could have an understanding with your neighbors to always call first or something before they cross property lines it would be in your best interest and have it in your contract that they must. If they "can't" cross property lines to retrieve their game you'll want to be prepared for ugliness with the neighbors because most hunters will ignore the can't cross property lines if they have a blood trail or maybe even a visual of the deer laying just on the other side of the fence.
Steve

 

[stevenf]

HappyCPE, Absolutely the idea in every hunter thats worth his salt is to put the animal down as quickly and painlessly as possible and in a perfect world that is the case but in hunting especially with a bow its not unusual to have to track a dead deer or almost dead deer for a hundred yards or more. When I say or more it can be a mile or more and still be a dead or dying animal, their will to live is unlike anything human, you shoot a man in the gut with a 3006 and he's going down right now we'll say every time although there are some conditions where he might continue for a bit but odds are down, you shoot a deer in the gut and it can run for miles with its inards dragging behind it and live for hours or days. I realize you'll probably get some archery guy responding that he's never lost a deer and that they always fall within yards of where he's shot them, he's either lying or only shot one deer and got lucky. I'm not saying I wouldn't be comfortable with a bow on 13+ acres but I am saying sooner or later the deer will leave your property and die you'll want to be prepared for that and I'd also say 99% of the hunters I've ever hunted with or had hunt on our property if they have a good visual of the shot placement and a blood trail they will follow it until they find their game regardless of fencelines, If you could have an understanding with your neighbors to always call first or something before they cross property lines it would be in your best interest and have it in your contract that they must. If they "can't" cross property lines to retrieve their game you'll want to be prepared for ugliness with the neighbors because most hunters will ignore the can't cross property lines if they have a blood trail or maybe even a visual of the deer laying just on the other side of the fence.
Steve

 

[Unclebuck257]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Uncle Buck, people are individuals and I can only hope to be able to pick the right kind of person. There are all kinds here, but most folks in Hunterdon agree that the biggest arses hail from New York City. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )</font>

Happy,

I'm originally from Philly, and the Philly area. I worked both north and south Jersey, along with Philly and New York City for 9 years before I came to Texas 34 years ago. I know what you mean.

 

[Unclebuck257]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Uncle Buck, people are individuals and I can only hope to be able to pick the right kind of person. There are all kinds here, but most folks in Hunterdon agree that the biggest arses hail from New York City. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )</font>

Happy,

I'm originally from Philly, and the Philly area. I worked both north and south Jersey, along with Philly and New York City for 9 years before I came to Texas 34 years ago. I know what you mean.

 

[BamaRob]

stevenf,

I think your post is dead on. Most (in a perfect world, all) deer hunters, gun or archery, care enough about their game and their sport to attempt to make quick, clean kills. However, as you point out, we don't live in a perfect world. I've killed deer with both gun and bow that have dropped in their tracks. I've also killed deer with both gun and bow that have travelled a long distance before dropping. In every case, I attempt to make that perfect shot that drops them in their tracks. On average, my bow killed deer travel less than 50 yards before dropping. But, having one travel hundreds of yards, even after a "perfect" heart or double-lung shot, is not uncommon.

I feel that 13+/- acres is just too small for deer hunting unless you have an understanding (verbal/written/etc) with your neighbors.

BR

 

[BamaRob]

stevenf,

I think your post is dead on. Most (in a perfect world, all) deer hunters, gun or archery, care enough about their game and their sport to attempt to make quick, clean kills. However, as you point out, we don't live in a perfect world. I've killed deer with both gun and bow that have dropped in their tracks. I've also killed deer with both gun and bow that have travelled a long distance before dropping. In every case, I attempt to make that perfect shot that drops them in their tracks. On average, my bow killed deer travel less than 50 yards before dropping. But, having one travel hundreds of yards, even after a "perfect" heart or double-lung shot, is not uncommon.

I feel that 13+/- acres is just too small for deer hunting unless you have an understanding (verbal/written/etc) with your neighbors.

BR

 

[stevenf]

Rob, I may have sounded a little harsh for HappyCPE but I am a hunter as well as leasing our ranch to hunters that I hand pick based on their integrity and willingness to do the right thing. Its nothing against hunters maybe its even Kudos that if they make a shot and wound an animal my hunters will vacate their individual hunting areas to help track and recover a wounded animal. In larger tracks of non-farming land like ours used for hunting and grazing its not uncommon to not know your neighbors because you rarely see anyone and its not appropriate to just wander over the fence to introduce yourself besides you might leave on the run with some crazy buckshot shooting hillbilly on your heals, so even a verbal OK to cross the fence is not an option but if anybody I've ever met wounded an animal and it crosses the fenceline they go after it, there are all sorts of wives tales about being able to cross the fence as long as you leave your weapon on your property but its all hogwash your still trespassing and they still have the right to protect their property and hold you for the sheriff or worse depending on their view of trespassers so there is no good answer if you don't have permission or can't get it. I believe it was this year that they enacted a new ruling on projectiles that if it leaves your property it is now a felony with jail time mentioned so what do you do when you slip and blow a leg off, that animal is not going to die for days it'll take another round to put it down. I'm not sure what the answer is because I think all hunters will agree that if they wound an animal they will do everything they can to retrieve it and if you own property and don't allow hunting on it you shouldn't be blamed for being upset if someone wounds an animal that ends up on your property, so there are truly two sides to wounded animals on the move and I don't believe there is a good solution that makes everybody happy. Hopefully HappyCPE can get at least some sort of verbal OK to retrieve wounded animals or I'd say the idea of hunting his place for a fee or even free is out if he wants to avoid problems with his neighbors and the law at some point probably sooner then later.
Steve

 

[stevenf]

Rob, I may have sounded a little harsh for HappyCPE but I am a hunter as well as leasing our ranch to hunters that I hand pick based on their integrity and willingness to do the right thing. Its nothing against hunters maybe its even Kudos that if they make a shot and wound an animal my hunters will vacate their individual hunting areas to help track and recover a wounded animal. In larger tracks of non-farming land like ours used for hunting and grazing its not uncommon to not know your neighbors because you rarely see anyone and its not appropriate to just wander over the fence to introduce yourself besides you might leave on the run with some crazy buckshot shooting hillbilly on your heals, so even a verbal OK to cross the fence is not an option but if anybody I've ever met wounded an animal and it crosses the fenceline they go after it, there are all sorts of wives tales about being able to cross the fence as long as you leave your weapon on your property but its all hogwash your still trespassing and they still have the right to protect their property and hold you for the sheriff or worse depending on their view of trespassers so there is no good answer if you don't have permission or can't get it. I believe it was this year that they enacted a new ruling on projectiles that if it leaves your property it is now a felony with jail time mentioned so what do you do when you slip and blow a leg off, that animal is not going to die for days it'll take another round to put it down. I'm not sure what the answer is because I think all hunters will agree that if they wound an animal they will do everything they can to retrieve it and if you own property and don't allow hunting on it you shouldn't be blamed for being upset if someone wounds an animal that ends up on your property, so there are truly two sides to wounded animals on the move and I don't believe there is a good solution that makes everybody happy. Hopefully HappyCPE can get at least some sort of verbal OK to retrieve wounded animals or I'd say the idea of hunting his place for a fee or even free is out if he wants to avoid problems with his neighbors and the law at some point probably sooner then later.
Steve

 

[HappyCPE]

The odds of getting some kind of permission to cross property lines for myself is unlikely and for outside hunters zero.

I'm thinking that the liability and legal issues will outweigh any monetary incentive which nobody here mentioned so far. I have to say now that a local farmer I know offered me $2000 to "package" his land with mine and allow hunters on my property. I don't like the idea because I have no idea who will show up and I can't stop an armed bunch who paid to hunt on my land. If something bad happens lawyers will whiz thru that $2k in a blink of an eye.

I guess if I want those deer gone I'll have to take up hunting myself. I might like it? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[HappyCPE]

The odds of getting some kind of permission to cross property lines for myself is unlikely and for outside hunters zero.

I'm thinking that the liability and legal issues will outweigh any monetary incentive which nobody here mentioned so far. I have to say now that a local farmer I know offered me $2000 to "package" his land with mine and allow hunters on my property. I don't like the idea because I have no idea who will show up and I can't stop an armed bunch who paid to hunt on my land. If something bad happens lawyers will whiz thru that $2k in a blink of an eye.

I guess if I want those deer gone I'll have to take up hunting myself. I might like it? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif