Posted land ?
 

This week while grouse hunting I was amazed at the amount of posted land I came across.
While I read on here how happy so many of you are with the reduction of the deer herd and the best hunting is yet to come.
I guess you believe these land owners posted their land so that they & only they could shoot all of thesedeer themselves.
Iam wondering if its not that they posted their land to keep you from killing the deer they have left ?
Any land owners or others with ideas out there that want to say why they think the land is posted?

RE: Posted land ?
 

There are so many reasons.I've heard the following,
1-trash
2-not asking permission
3-atv's
4-lawsuits
5-overcrowding
6-unsafe behavior/hunting in the safety zone shooting toward the house
5-and yes some want to protect from overharvesting.
6-some landowners are getting into Q.D.M which requires participation by hunters whether it's shooting bucks only to their program and or not shooting button bucks,etc.

RE: Posted land ?
 

Why I asked was of the three posted lands that I asked to bird hunt on all gave me permission .When I asked why they posted their land all said that there were no deer left.

Each of these places were bordering state game lands and the cover was better on the private land do to timbering in the past.

RE: Posted land ?
 

That is happening in places that's why I think some changes are needed in deer management and in some cases public/private land managed differently.

RE: Posted land ?
 

I talked to one of my landowners yesterday and she was dissapointed when I told her I had killed 4 does on her property (5 acres)and my buddy had killed 4 nearby. we are the only two that have permission because she doesnt trust anyone else to be safe. I guess it depends on where you are.

Near my camp, some of the landowners post because they have enough ground for their friends and family and not much more. With them, it's not the deer numbers it's merely a matter of being able to hunt their own ground without interference. Most other posted property I know of is accessable by merely asking well before the season. Archery is better recieved aroundsouthwestern PAthan gun hunting but it is more populated around here.

RE: Posted land ?
 

alot of land is NOW being posted due to lack of deer. im seeing guys posting "NO DOE HUNTING" signs now...if they ARENT posted signs. i know one guy that sends a letter out to everyone he allows to hunt his land(hes got a huge chunk) reminding them not to shot any does on his property.

thats what its come down to. the hunters and landowners know what is going on in the area and know what they want. PA had an out of whack deer herd in terms of buck to doe ratio..AREAS of the state had too many deer...but they took it tooooo far in most areas IMO. we will see what the future brings.....the PGC needs funds...if i were them id do whatever it takes to make hunters happy...not make them angry...i know lots of guys that quit hunting or are going to quit hunting because of the deer situation. im sure thats going on across the state...license sales are going to drop...weather they admit it or show the TRUE statistics or not we will see....probably an ESTIMATED number...just like how they ESTIMATE how many deer are killed each year. how do they expect to manage a deer herd in a state where they ESTIMATE the number of deer killed EVERY year?!?!?!!? impossible...simply impossible

RE: Posted land ?
 

I fear that PA will become like Texas in the near future.

Guys will start leasing property to insure they have a good place to hunt.

Property owners will realize they have a gold mine. Charging tresspass feesor offering their land for lease. Especially if they realize hunters will pay to hunt. Big antlered bucks could mean big bucks in the farmer's pocket.

It would be easier for the property owner to regulate who hunts his land and make some extra cash at the same time.

RE: Posted land ?
 

We posted our land because we have8 hunters in our camp, and it's less than 90 acres. There is also a bunch of state land near by as well. But we keep getting people, who think it's OK to hunt where ever they feel like, posted or not!! Well, starting this year, anyone caught hunting on our land will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The jerk that was taking a shot opening day on our land, not 70 yards away from me, was the last straw!! Then some people wonder why others "post" their land!! We do all the work maintaining the place, pay the taxes, and then others think come deer season that they can use your land???? I think not!![:@]

RE: Posted land ?
 

I do think trespassing is a big problem. Of the places I asked to hunt all were shocked that I would even bother to ask for permission.

RE: Posted land ?
 

So you really think if PGC should please the hunters, even if the general hunting public is a moron and would manage the deer improperly? I feel that if someone quits cause there are a few less deer around in some areas, then we didn't need them to start with.

RE: Posted land ?
 

IN NY, its trespassing whether the land is posted or not,
posting is just a courtesy to remind people where the boundaries are,
i dont allow others to hunt my land, constantly find shells on my property and on railroad tracks, both of which is illegal to hunt from, why should i give these illegal hunters permission to hunt on my land?

RE: Posted land ?
 

Each and every landowner I know, myself included, has had problems --- not with the PGC deer policies, but with HUNTERS.
Could it be that the children who point to the PGC for all these ills could possibly be the same selfish hunters who cause these problems?
My land remained unposted for 24 years until I finally got fed up with poor conduct, beer cans and trash, shooting near the house, illegal (no tags) doe hunting and using atv's to retrieve game or ruin my hunting, while I'm on stand.
Even with posters, each year these clowns drive along the private-owned, but public access road, and shoot deer just insidemy property line.
My posters are staying up and I'm also encouraging other neighbors to post their land.

License sales reports are accurate.
And instead of criticizing the estimates, why don't you tell us how you would do an actual deer count? The PGC method has been reviewed outside of PA and determined to be scientifically accurate.
I don't know of any real hunter who thinks it is possible to actually count all the deer. Most hunters know deer well enough to know that that is what is "impossible,"
Big ideas --- not a single answer.

RE: Posted land ?
 

BailyHill...I understand your thought on this. However, I also feel that the old adage of " it only takes one rotton apple to spoil the barrel" holds some validity. I hate to see the entire hunting fraternity getting painted with the same brush just because of the immature, irresponsible and unethical actions of a few.
I'm caretaker for a 90 acre estate that borders my property. At the request of the estate exec., I posted the ground. I have kicked hunters, target shooters, and in particular, ATV riders off. I've had to kick the same people off several times, and finally threaten them with arrest. I'v had to start carrying a camera with me to get photo documentation of their acts. This has stopped a lot of the repeat offenders. People just seem to have absolutely no respect for the private land owner and his wish to treat his own property in the method he chooses. Nothing bugs me anymore than to be sitting out on my back deck and have some hotrod ATV rider roaring by, throwing dirt in the air on property he doesn't own, and is clearly posted against any and all trespassing. It's just no wonder to me why Posted signs are everywhere anymore.

RE: Posted land ?
 

There's just a total lack of respect for other's property.I belong to lease that's about 3100 acres.This area is owned by a timber company and was always open to the public.The timber company highgraded the entire property so it's basically worthless as habitat and therefore has very few deer.I've never even stepped foot on this property during deer season althoughI do hunt turkeys on it occassionally.The only reasonI even pay for this lease is have a place to take my kids riding ATV's and horseback riding.I didn't want to see this property posted but now it is and if you get caught on it,you'll be arrested.The ironic thing is,one of the guys that will have you arrested was just caught tresspassing and stealing my buddy's treestandabout two weeks ago on another piece of private property.On top of that,no doe hunting is allowed on this property but these guys have no problems killing doe everywhere else.

The percieved lack of deer has certainly contributed to more land being posted.However,lack of respect always has beenand always will be the number one reason.

RE: Posted land ?
 

I actually think the rampant and illegal use of ATV's has caused the most problems.Within a mile of my house there's thousands of acres owned by a timber company that runs in to Moshannon state forest.It's private property but open to the public for year round use so for all intensive purposes,I consider it public land..It has easy access and plenty of game but ATV's are not permitted.There's a township road that runs right through the middle of it that is open to ATV use.You can't go anywhere on that property without running in to an atv trail.During the warmer months on weekends you'll see dozens of atv's all the time.I fear that this area will eventually be leased and posted because of this.The landowner has almost no other alternative except to turn the property over to someone that will watch it.

RE: Posted land ?
 

Every hunter hates posted land, but it gets posted for a reason as many of you pointed out. People just have no respect.

I have heardmanystories about tresspassing, dangerous firearms use on private property, and irresponsible ATV use. The thing I find is the guys who violate the most seem to be the first to complain when stuff gets posted... The most common excuse "Well, we have been doing this for years" [:@]