Lanse couche couche

Here's the deal. I know someone who owns hundreds of acres of good hunting land. However, every inch of it is posted and he will not even allow people on his land to track wounded deer. He even tries to keep people off of land that he rents for farming even though he doesn't rent the hunting rights. But, whenever he or his son hear about a big buck hanging out on someone else's land, he will get permission and put up a stand there, often pretty close to the stands of people who have been hunting there for years. Under these circumstances, how much respect do you think that people should have for his No Tresspassing signs?

PKnTX

Nothing in your scenario gives reason to violate his
no trespass signs. Sounds like he may be a bit of a
jerk but that too is his right. Anyone who trespasses
is in the wrong.

God bless & good hunting

davidmor

First off let me say that you ethically and legally must have respect for his no trespassing signs. With that said, I think it is downright nasty of someone to post his property for nobody to hunt period, and then have the nerve to go hunt someone elses property unless there is a safety issue involved with hunting his own property.

As far as tracking a wounded animal, I am a firm believer that you must do everyting possible to retrieve the deer. If that means you get the game warden to have a "friendly talk" with the land owner, you do it. I have met very few land owners that will not allow you to track a wounded deer on their posted property as long as you can prove that you are tracking one and not just trespassing in disguise. Those few can usually be persuaded by a game warden and in some states, the game warden had the authority to grant the necessary permission evenif the landowner is particularly stubborn. It is un-ethical and in-humane to allow a wounded animal to suffer a painful death because a land owner wants to keep you off of his or her precious property.

Lanse couche couche

I respect your opinion. However, when people ask me why I don't post my land, I offer them this perspective. I hunt on my land but also on a lot of other folks's land. If I post my land, but then people always see me tromping around on other people's land, Idon't have any great expectation that they will respect any posted signs that I would put up.
Maybe it sounds strange, but that is the perspective that I was raised with.

I think that this is an interesting issue. A lot of people argue from a purely "letter of the law" perspective (which is fine by me) whereas others seem to operate more according to tradition.

By the way, just for the record, I have never tresspassed on the jerk's land to hunt deer. But then again, I have never tried to call back the beagles or coonhounds if they started to cut across the corner of his property.

jepcho

The guy does sound like a jerk, but that still doesn't give you the right to go on his land illegally.

Spiffy

If him and his son hunt they must hunt their own property if it is good enough for other people to want to go on it.

My family owns land which we hunt and we keep it for our selves yet we also hunt on other peoples property were we have permission. What's wrong with keeping the land for himself?

rich e

You say that whenever he hunts some one elses land HE GETS PERMISSION, sounds like he does the right thing, so whats the problem??Sounds like he respects other property owners rights.

Lanse couche couche

Just my opinion, but I think that it is pretty selfish to post one's own land, but then consistently go elsewhere, even with permission, and take game. If the idea of posting land is tohoard game for oneself, then why not stay on your own place and huntrather than going out and competing with folkswho don't own land.But again, it just my opinion.

The whole issue of tresspassing is interesting, too. If entering someone's land without permission is wrong and criminal, then I have never meet someone who runs beagles and coonhounds who didn't belong behing bars.
In densely populated rural areas, there are just too many property lines that can be crossed in a short time. Fortunately, deer hunting (without dogs) is a much more controllable activity.

kevin1

There's no mystery what "No Trespassing" means , the man can post his land and hunt elsewhere if he wants to . Don't lose any sleep over it .

Lanse couche couche

I believe in sportsmanship and promoting hunting, especially to a new generation of hunters. How are you doing either if you post your 200 acres of land and then lock-up another 40 acres of your neighbors land by getting permission toput upstands there?Because of this mentality there are a lot of Fathers who literally have no place to take their sons hunting. So I would certainly hope that there are people out there losing sleep over situations like this. I certainly believe in landowner rights, but I also believe that sometimes their actions may be perfectly legal, but totally unethical according to some ofthe principles promoted on this site.