Is it always your spot?
 

I read a topic on another site about a guy who took someone rabbit hunting. The next thing he new, this guy got permission from the land owner and was in there pounding rabbits behind his buddies back.

Now, I have a spot 1.5 hrs away and about 12 years ago I invited a friend along. Is he still a guest? I am the one with permission but I listed him as my buddy. We kind of had it out last year because, well lets just say I felt I had to put him back in his place.

So, whats everyones opinions on this. Should I consider this still my spot? One thing you should know is I walk in my buddies house and every deer he has ever shot, I can pin point it to my land, my stand, my hunting spot. And I am a little jealous because he has invested nothing into our hunting. We are good friends but I feel I should stand my ground.

So, back to the question. Does your spot ever really become his spot or vise versa? I am sure some of you have similar stories.

I can pin point it to my land, my stand, my hunting spot. And I am a little jealous because he has invested nothing into our hunting. We are good friends but I feel I should stand my ground.

Do you own the land? That's all that matters.

If the owner decides he likes your friend and not you, well too bad. It may suck, but owners have been making those decisions for decades. If it's public land, feel possessive, but you made the mistake of sharing it. You can't lock it down because it's public. You have to talk to everyone else who wanders into that spot.

In this case, it seems like telling the land owner that your "friend" is no longer your guest should do it. Tell your friend, tell the land owner, and it's done. If the guy is skating by on your previous approval you have to actually do something to let the landowner know he is no longer welcome.

Yeah that the chance you go to take with inviting people in.Fact is the smart ones lie as to where the shot their animals and never hunt with anybody or if they do they will take some guy up to No Deer Mountain.I hunt with a select group that help contribute to new areas and we all respect our invitational hunting grounds.We also have our own areas I'm sure we don't share.But hey don't be jelous of his mounts, all my mounts could have been anyone of my hunting buddies. I just happened to pull the trigger, and the same goes for me on some of the ones they got.My Mounts are memeries of who I shared the time with. If I was to be rotting in the ground tomorrow, just about everyone of those mounts would be at a partners house,whom I shared that time killing and gutting and roasting the animal.Not with my wife or even my kids, for that matter. Most were shot before I got married or were shot before my kids were even born.The ones I got on my own, or with my familly, I will pass on to my wife and kids.My point being is appreciate the fact he mounted them.You helped him out, you know without your help he would be empty handed. Be proud of that your apart of the kill. It's too bad things fell apart with you and your friend hopefully it works out for
the two of you but it is ultimately up to the owner as to who he let's in on private land reguardless of who let who be a guest.Maybe the owner my take him off maybe he won't.Your just gonna have to suck it up for now what's done is done.
Good Luck

Yea I see what you are saying. But here is the short version. My brother came into town to hunt and I was on the fence about taking him. The land owner has always been good to me but very strict on his "permission practices". My buddy kinda talked me out of asking for permission. A month later he actually had the balls and asked me to get permission for his father in law to go there. That was when we kinda had it out.

We are good friends, and will stay that way. I was just wondering if anyone else had a situation like this and how they handled it.

My hunting buddies don't take the chance. Every hunting spot is top secret. When I'm lucky enough to go out to their spot I enjoy my hunt and that's it. Its like a hunters code. I'd never go to their spot without thier invitation.

It should be and for the most part is an unspoken hunters code. But there are always those few that take advandage of the situation in anything, the users. I have always been protective of my honey holes. Granted I have places, as do my buddies, that I take them, but monster buck ground is for my stand only.

I am fortunate that I have multiple areas, a lot of land, to hunt, some of it private via permission. I learned the hard way a few years ago, don't carry anybody else to your honey holes. I had a relatives property that was loaded with deer, you could kill a buck almost every time you went there. I invited a friend that I had known all his life to hunt there with the strict understanding that it was only us that would hunt there. I caught him carrying another guy in there, thought I had corrected the situation, only to catch him carrying several people out there a year later. It ended a friendship I had had with his father and him of over 30 years.

I am also lucky enough to have permission to hunt some private land. I have a firm rule with myself to not bring a friend out with me, it may be great to spend the day hunting with a buddy but with the time and effort to get permission for one day is not worth it for me. I can only be responsible for myself and my kids.

I do not want to be responsible for a friends action.

That would make it uncomfortable for the landowner. If you brought the guy in and the landowner gave him permission, you can't ask the landowner to confront the guy and tell him he's no longer welcome. I think you'd have to be the one who does it. I might not even tell the landowner. He might get irritated at the whole situation and kick you both out and not permit anyone anymore.

ive had that kind of problem with one of my best friends..i located a very nice buck on a pc of land and put out my camera,,got picks and everything.. i told my friend i call dad,,opening morning i go there and he has 5 guys going in to the woods...after that if he asks if i know of any deer i just say no a few small does...and i point out the fact that he may invite the whole town to go,,i cant prove it of corse but hes done this to me a couple times ,,,so no more,,,motto of the story ;;;keep your friends close,your family closer...lol

This is why I do 95% of all my hunting alone. Even beyond this, I prefer to hunt alone anyway, so it kills 2 birds with 1 stone.

The landowner has the right to do what he wants but man to man with your buddy he should honor it as your spot unless you and him had an agreement otherwise. I can tell you right now anyone who would go in behind you is not your buddy. Buddies do not do that to buddies period.

Friends???
 

This second post kinda of cleared up some questions I had. It sounds to me as if "you alone" have the relationship w/ the owner and not he. Is he allowed to hunt w/o you with him? Point is, I think he is taking advantage of your good will. I would break it down w/ him, let him know about his lack of contribution to both of your good fortune. I've had friends to my place, and I at theirs, we would never take advantage of each other. "you ain't seeing anything, come on up, get some" vice versa. :sign0016: To me, you're letting it happen. If you're real good friends, he'll see the error in his ways, and will work it out for the sake of the relationship. Otherwise you'll continue to stew and lose respect for him until you become "former" friends. It's already started, you posted here.

Well I guess to sum it up for me is should I just let go of the notion that it is "my" spot. I was hunting like 8 years before him and then invited him down there. When the landowner asked me who hunts I put him on the list. Me, my kids and him. He has been down there 12-13 years now. Thats what I am getting at I guess. After this long is it still the same as day 1 when I invited him there?

Do you look at your friends trophies and actual think they came about only because of your connections . Thats sad , I don't know the value of your friendship but your I'm boss attitude could end it . Your post makes me think of my own situation , I have been hunting with the same friend off and on for close to fifty years and whom was boss has never came up .

halcon
 

but has your friend ever made you feel uncomfortable enough to make you actually post for advice? The man is reaching out for a reason. I don't think it's a who's the boss issue.

I used to hunt 100% alone...but I also hunt in a very difficult WMA..I learned that in Florida most hunters will split the game right down the middle PLUS it's easier to drag a deer out.Therefore 50% of the time I hunt with one more hunter...3 seems to be too much ..I like TWO .Most of my hunting is a mile deep . I'm very selective with my hunting partners ...and even with this ..I keep 90% of my hot spots to myself..When I hunt with a new hunter we find a new spot..or hunt one we both found the year before.

Some expectations I have finding hunting buddies..

A. Must be a flat out good quiet hunter..I prefer ones that are more experienced than me..but humble about it.

B. Must be a fellow Christian striving to walk in obedience to the Word...{ must be honest }lots claim to be a Christian and even go to church..I aint talkin about those..I'm talking about the real ones.They are a rare breed.

C. Must be willing to split gas money

D. Must cheerfully split the deer or hog harvested...even the tenderloins.{ -;

The only issue I've had with my new hunting partner..
--talks way to much
--doesn't want to leave..last year we had 2 hogs on the tail gate..He was ticked off that I wanted to go home..Hey, it's Florida I was wanting to get the meat on ice.
Summary..the man is a great hunter and scores often..so we are still hunting partners.LOL

That's BS. I can't stand disrespect. I believe seniority should always override these situations. Too bad it doesn't.

I feel your pain. I had a friend take me to his area turkey hunting (me filming) and duck hunting a couple times, and I've never returned w/out his invite. To repay him, I took the same guy duck hunting, & frog gigging, and who showed up at my honey holes? Hunting land is extremely hard to come by around here, so I learned my lesson. We're still friends, but we don't hunt together anymore. The few friends I do hunt with, we are all on the same page. From now on I just establish ahead of time the intentions, whether it's by invite only or accept the friend to show up anytime...I like to share, but I also don't want my area & way I hunt change because a selfish hunter steps on my toes.

My wifes granmother told me once that the only friend you got is your wallet... When that's empty you aint got no more friends;)

To the OP: Do you have a written agreement with the landowner? If so, then, yes, it's clearly still YOUR spot.

If you didn't have him get permission himself, tell him he's out. I might add, If a person that I let hunt on our land, let someone come with that I didn't give permission to, I would kick both of them out for good. It is a privledge to hunt on someone elses land and to bring someone with, that the land owner doesn't know about, is asking for trouble. The best way to hunt private land, is to get permission for your self only. Then you will only have to answer for yourself to the land owner.

i believe whoever gets permission it is THEIR spot, and they can bring friends or let others hunt it every once in a while at the landowners discrestion

Wow...that paints a different picture. I think you're sh*t out of luck and it's fair game now, especially after 10+years of him hunting there. That would make you look like a pretty big a**hole. It's been to long to change now in my opinion.

It's my belief if your invited to anothers spot, camp or lands you should always be considered a guest. Which means no ownership(even if the land or lease isn't in your name). The opportunity to hunt someone else spot is a priv. not a right and should always be treated that way. This goes for long standing permissions you may have with the legal landowner.

I know full well know your position... done it. In my opinion you need to set the fella straight. If nothing is said your friendship will become strained. If a true friend he will understand. If not...unfortunately he isn't the friend he once was! Crappy situation, I feel your pain and wish you all the best....again been their done that.

Good way to put it...I agree.

My opinion is that if you do not own the land, the "spot" belongs to anyopne that has permission to hunt the property.

I believe it is. Him approaching the landowner is not cool IMO.
He was right to ask you, not the landowner, about bringing someone else. But, I think you have every right to say NO.

things you don't share
 

Wives, girlfriends and tree stand locations.

The only individuals I share my stand locations with are my 14 and 11 year old sons.

Bingo!!!!!!!