farm hunter

Try to know your neighbors in advance of hunting season - come to an understanding on what to do if you can.

Otherwise - you have to do the Game Warden thing - and that usually SUCKS!

benhuntin

I always have the name and numbers of all the adjoining landowners surrounding my hunting area. I ran into the same problem a few years ago when helping a buddy of mine track a 6 pt. he shot on 140 acres. The deer crossed the property line and so we left our bows on his property and continued to track the buck. Another hunter walked up on us and we told him what had happened. He was a real jerk about it and told us to get off the property. I asked him if he owned the land and he said no. I told him I was getting the deer and if he had a problem to go get the landowner. He left and that gave us just enough time to find the deer and drag it back to our property. Since then I visited every surrounding landowner, (including the one in the previous story), and introduced myself. Since that time I have had to call two of the landowners when a deer crossed the line.
They were both very nice about it.
If that guy you ran into wouldnt give you the name of the landowner I would have continued to track the deer and tell him if he didnt want to tell me the mans name
then he must not mind if I track my buck. Im a very reasonable person but very stubborn. Worse case scenerio, misdemeanor trespassing charge.

tazimna

had same issue here last fall. Fortunately I knew the surrounding land owners. In Minnesota it is legal I believe to cross a property line to " retrieve" an animal. Most will let you cross, but the wise thing is not to have your weapon with, then they know your not hunting. Tazimna

NorthernHunter

Interesting posts. Thankfully I have never found myself in this situation before, but I have learned some things from all your posts.

JeramyK

I stand corrected. Thanks for the info Buckshot.

I confirmed this by calling the local game commission office. I could have swore it was legal but obviously I was wrong or must have been confused with something else.

I did gather some other information. I was told that the game commission will NOT retreive the deer. I was told that if the landowner does not allow the hunter to retreive the animal there is nothing they can do. The animal must be left to rot. The landowner is NOT allowed to take the animal or move it since he/she was not the person who shot it. If they do then the game commission should be notified and the landowner should be fined.

Rack-attack

Its a shame, but I agree with that 100%

Private property is private property - period.

SW Iowa Hunter

Not familar with your area at all but in Iowa we have what is called a plat book which lists each land owners name. I would see if there is something like that around. I would also inquire to the person whose land you are hunting on. Most land owners can tell you who owns the land around them.

Red Hawk

I would call the game warden.

jpman2112

Luckily here in Minnesota you have the right to follow a wounded deer.I personally have never had to do it but i would try to get the owners permission before I went on his land.Also I have seen in the last few years it' s been getting harder and harder to get people to let you hunt on there land.

mez

In South Dakota you can follow wounded game across property lines but you can not take your weapon if you do not have permission. I personally, would contact the landowner prior to entering his propterty, irregardless that the law says I can.