madhunter00

Ok men and women i NEED advice in the worst way. Ok so I am an avid deer hunter but don't have much land to hunt. The land I have rights to hunt is only a 3 acre plot of timber surrounded by ag fields with bigger sets of timber around. This spot is my grandparents and I used to be the only one who hunted it. My spot is really good because it is used as a bedding, traveling spot, and food plot for deer. I have always seen big big deer. Well when I was in highschool I had a friend who wanted to hunt around our area because his spot to hunt which is an even better spot to hunt is several hours away. Well his mom asked my mom if he could hunt with me and I was brought up in a good family and couldnt say no. He was a year younger than me and so when I graduated I went off to college and one day he asked if he could go out there. Well I didnt want him to at all. but like I said I was brought up in a good family so I couldnt just say no. So I just took a deep breath and said I guess. It didnt matter because he is the type of person that if I said no he would of went and asked my grandpa who would have said yes. anyway he was good about it he always called me before he would go out and after to report. Then the next year I was out of town and he went out without calling and shot a deer that I had my eye on all season out of my stand and called to brag. He knew I was mad but like always I didnt say much of anything. Now he doesnt even go to his spot anymore except for shotgun season. now 3 years later I have had enough and so I told him one day in a nice way that I thought the woods were "burnt" and that I was shuting them down for a few weeks. So he didnt hunt. I went out and hunted one day and didnt see much Corn was up. And he found out. Well My dad told me that he was going to shell the corn all around the stand this monday but I live an hour away now. So the corn is out and today I get a call from my "friend" and he told me he saw 43 and had a giant walk under MY stand and he missed it, shot over its back. I never gave him permission to go out or gave the ok to open up the woods. I never got a call asking if he could go out again. I am the only other person that hunts this spot and it is my only spot and it really erks me that the woods are prolly burnt again. So here is my delima. Other than deer season I get along with him and he is a great friend one of my few. But during deer season I absolutly hate him. I dont want to lose him as a friend by telling him to stop hunting and I actually think if I tell him to stop hunting he will go around me and ask my grandpa to hunt and my grandpa is too nice of a man to say no. So any ideas on what to do. Sorry this is so long thanks for helping.

IOWABUCKHUNTR

I would talk to your Grandpa and explain to him the situation: You do not feel you are given the priority to hunt the family land. Tell him that you would like the opportunity to harvest a mature buck before others, the best thing you can do is talk to him; after all he is family and is sure to understand.

iSnipe

I was brought up in a "good family" too and not sure what that means just because you were brought up that way, you couldn't say No! I taught my parents how to say NO! It got to the point they couldn't tell anyone NO and in some regards, affected their lives negatively. Now they've learned to say NO and have no regrets.

The land is YOUR family's property. First dibs to FAMILY! Go tell your friend to hunt on his family's property and if he don't have any, he should grow up and learn to find his own places to hunt.

Here's an idea:

Your friend is a big boy now. He can live with it and find his own places. The sooner you tell him, the quicker he can get on finding new grounds to hunt.

Sometimes situations like these are awkward, but if you were brought up in a "good family", then you know it's best to be truthful, honest and straight forward.

Good luck,

iSnipe

turkey guide

Maybe you should travel to his stand since he isn't using it. I know this is a seriously tough problem to deal with, as I have a similar problem. But going to your grandpa and asking for the sole right to hunt the land is the way to go. Explain your problem with your friend being allowed to hunt, and ask him if you could be the one in charge of hunting rights on the family property. Let your grandpa know that it's your only place to hunt and tell him that it's only fair that you should have first chance at it. Explain that your friend is being a pain during deer season. Ask if you could be the one to ask permission of. After your hunt is done then you can invite friends if there is time leftover to hunt. Offer to help him with farmwork to insure that you've paid your dues to your grandfather and the farm each year, as payment for the hunting rights. Then all he has to tell people, is that you are the one to ask.

sb220

If he is one of your few great friends, then I wouldnt block him off entirely. I think you past that point a couple years ago.

Like others have said, get the sole authority over hunting your Grandpa's land.

Next season set up some rules. Coordinate some dates that he is allowed to hunt there. If something comes up and you are going to be in town, you trump him and his date will be moved. Or better yet set up a second stand in order to film eachother hunting switching off morning/evening.
Set a bag limit. Give him a big buck or two smaller bucks and a couple does every year.
Make sure he understands the concept of "Leave no trace".
Go over trail cam pics together and try to make it a joint venture going into the season, so you two can have fun with it as friends should.

If he doesnt abide by the rules, he loses privies.

If he gives ya any lip, explain to him you are the one sharing here

timbercruiser

Get the hunting rights to the land IN WRITING from your family and then throw his butt out.....With friends like that, who needs enemies...