Bought a 4 acre plot/house in June. This is my first season EVER hunting. Killed my first deer on Thursday evening. Back in June I needed help cutting down 5 large pine trees. Wife friends husband agreed to help if I let him hunt come gun season. He hasn't helped me bait, pay for bait, and didnt help me prep my woods (trails, stands, tents, etc) AT ALL. I don't wanna back out on my word but what are some appropriate stipulations/rules I can tell him for hunting my land come November 15th. I have 6 different decent sized bucks on my trail cams and I don't want him shooting them at all. Please help. Any advice is appreciated.

If you discussed paying for bait, baiting and building stands with the guy before hand and he has not held up his end I would tell him the deal is off. Pay him an appropriate amount of money and move on. There are lots of people willing to take but not willing to give, you don't need them. Four acres really isn't big enough to have guests.

Sounds to me, according to what the poster said, that the deal was he helps cut trees and he gets to hunt. Unless you told him you wanted help on the rest, then you need to stick to your word. Four acres is not holding six bucks. So you may potentially lose them to neighbors as well. If you made the deal with them (Trees for hunting) then man up and stick to your word. If the deal was Trees and he help with bait etc, then you have a foot to stand on. But don't back out on your word. Count it as a lesson learned and don't invite him back. I don't know what kind of hunter he is, but even if you had six bucks coming in regularly, I would not be interested in hunting on just 4 acres. I like room to roam in gun season. So maybe he won't even show up. Good job on taking your first deer though, hopefully many more to come!
-Jake

That's the only part of the "deal" that I am reading into it. Did he help you cut down the 5 large pines trees? If the answer is yes then it sounds to me like he has kept his end of the bargain that you had together.
That doesn't mean he doesn't have to hunt by your rules or stipulations. But to go back and start weighing in circumstances that you didn't take into account before the trees hit the ground is pretty much crawfishing in my book.

And congratulations of the house purchase as well as your first deer. I hope you kill many more.

Other than cutting down the trees, you give no mention of what else might have been discussed. If trees were the only thing mentioned to him and he followed through on that then you have to equalize the agreement. Four acres is rather small for multiple people and he is likely going to want to hunt again at some point, even if it's next season. You need to tell him the offer is not open ended if that's the way you intend it.I would give him maybe 5 days of hunting or 1 kill. Ending w/whichever comes first. I would also have him sign an agreement stating that he hunts at his own risk and you aren't liable for any injury that could be suffered.
OK, they were large. You know the effort each of you put into clearing them, so negtotiate well. Good luck.

You say you agreed to let him hunt. But did you say when or what he could hunt? Seems reasonable to me if you let him hunt maybe a couple of weekends and limit him to taking a doe or two if legal if you don't want him shooting off the bucks. It's your land so you can make up the rules. Also tell him to check in at the house when he comes and goes and that you want to see any deer taken off the property. This will make it hard for him to sneak out one of the bucks.

I think you would be honor bound to whatever your agreement was with him.

That would only be for this year though.

People complain about lawyers, but we wouldn't have nearly the business we have if people were just willing to do the right thing.

Problem is we do not know what was discussed in the deal. If no discussion was done on preparing the land for hunting such as baiting and stands and payment for bait and only cutting the trees was mentioned, then he has to man up and let the guy hunt. However, was it one time, twice or for the season, was it where the guy wants to hunt or where the op tells him he can hunt, was there a stipulation on what the guy can shoot or was it open ended? Lots of things we should know before any informed advice can be given.

That's why I said "whatever your agreement was."

My response wasn't directed at you cr, it was directed at all of us who posted. There just isn't enough information.