I hunt on ground that my family owns. They have pretty much said its up to me who can hunt and not hunt. Have had a few extended family members ask. For the most part I have said no. Reasoning this hunting area isnt to big. Plus I have neigbors that butt up to my property they let everyone and his brother in there. So I feel thats more then enough people hunting in such a small area. Whats your input?

I totally agree with you. These days it seems that there is more of a need for hunter management than deer management. A small property can only support X-number of hunters per acre.

We also have our own property and despite having numeros folks ask, I have to say no and then simply explain that between my Dad and now all 3 of my kids being old enough to do some limited gun hunting, there simply isnt any more room for any additional hunting pressure and still make the experience an enjoyable one.

I have about 200 acres of family land and it is only myself and my two grandsons that hunt there. I don't invite anybody else there.

If it's a small acreage, then there's barely enough room for just you, so letting others besides yourself hunt there, decreases your odds every time someone enters the woods regardless of what they're doing.

Since there's so much hunting activity on the neighbors, then you have a honey hole on your side if you don't disturb it too much. It's the deer's safe haven... or they think it is anyway. LOL!

iSnipe

I agree with your decision. I would have told them no too. I would not let anybody else hunt the properties that I have permission to hunt on. They are all small acreage properties.

One thing you may consider doing is letting more family hunt but with strict rules etc...

ie absolutely no button bucks killed,
no bucks under 140"
under 3.5yo...and so on

if that's what you're holding out for.
personally if a family member takes a great buck I'm just about as excited as I would be if I took one myself, but when someone takes a dink and we have standards/goals that gets me mad.

so my thing would probably be, sure you can hunt, but you have to follow the rules, or that'll be the last time you can hunt...

Sometimes owning property has more disadvantages than rewards. "You own the property, now we have a place to hunt."

I had a friend years ago. He always liked me. Shot at his practice range, once, on invitation. Would share hunting stories, but I never asked to hunt his land. I don't know how often he was asked, probably numerous times, but our friendship had nothing to do with his hunting land.

He always knew I'd ask about his hunting; never about his hunting land.

Don't do that at all IMO!!!!!!!! Hey I follow the same rules in my backyard hunting grounds so I don't have an issue with the rules.(other than than the 140. it's about age not size for me.) What I think is wrong is telling someone else how they can fill thier tag. It's wildlife and belongs to no one, including the person who's the landowner. If you want those rules followed then stick with what you're doing. The only guys I invite to hunt WITH me are ones I know I don't have to worry about as far as following the "rules". If they decide to shoot a spike however, who am I to tell them they can't. That spike is no more "mine" than it is his.

If I'm your relative and I know you hunt I am not insulted when you tell me no. Don't worry about that. They expect it but figure no harm in asking a family member.

Easy call. If you indeed have sole permission to hunt that property, and "permission" control keep it that way so that you can indeed control who hunts and who does not. The smaller the area the more important I would think restricting would be, if for no other reason than a safety consideration.

All of u guys disgust me thats the problem these days, 2 many greedy hunters, thats why our hunting indusry has become what it has. now a days its all about money or who killed the biggest buck, its funny how our ancestors hunted strategicaly for food & now we hunt for score, obviously none of u guys have ever taken a buddy hunting & let me tell u i take a friend or a fam. member every chance i get & to see the glow & excitement in their faces after they have jus harvested an animal & to know that it was because of me is priceless so share with your friends & fam. what you love to do & you will be happier doing that than shooting an animal that really is'nt yours to begin with