DO NOT ASK sign

[John_M52]

Hunting season coming up. Property is well posed plus additional signage at all entrances. Still get lots of people driving up and knocking on doors, looking in windows to see who is home. Getting pretty tired of stopping a guy in a pickup after he drives a mile up my driveway to ask to hunt or to offer to shoot coyotes. Usually something like "Hey I wanted to ask if I can hunt here." I say did you see the no trespass and no hunting signs? Yeah, but I wanted to talk to the owner. We've been hunting this land for generations (usually lies). Prosecuted a few poachers but they still keep coming. Always the same story - I know the owner and he said I can hunt/fish here. What's his name, what does he drive? I don't remember... Only been here a few years but the old manager was here for 30+ and never allowed any hunting other than him and his buddies. Thinking about adding DO NOT ASK signs but I assume I'll get, Yeah I saw the sign but I figured I'd ask anyway. Actually stopped the Porta John driver who was wandering around and he said I'm gonna get to know the owner here so I can hunt this land. Cattle farm in Virginia for reference. Yes, we have cameras. Thoughts?

 

[LittleAugieMo]

At least some have the common courtesy to ask. The ones that "walk on" because they "have for years" are generaly the ass-hats&entitle crowd also they will state "I ask so-n-so awhile back an they said it was ok" = lie or 15-20 yrs ago. Good luck

 

[WR Moore]

I'd add the tag. Maybe a pole gate on the main drive, consider gates/chains on the other entrances-also with signs. And concealed game cameras. Won't stop the walk ins, meeting them with appropriate accessories might.

30 odd years ago ran into that mindset too. Summary: "My ancestors owned that land, they hunted it, I'm a gonna hunt it." Uh, dude the family sold that land in 18/19XX. "Don't matter, my great grandaddy etc. hunted that land, I'm a gonna hunt it."

About where in Virginia are you?

 

[Smoke]

I worked as a security guard for 15 years and believe it or not there is a connection to this discussion. Dealing with trespassers is the main thing I did. Everybody I ran into had a reason why it was okay for them to be there. In my experience they tended to try to extend the discussion long enough for me to break down and not make them leave.

I know cops have the saying ask them once, tell them once, then make them.
I wasn't allowed to "make" them. So, I would explain that the property was posted no trespassing and asked them to leave once. When they ignored me I would explain again that's property is posted no trespassing and tell them if they didn't leave I was going to call the police. And there was no third time if they didn't start heading for the gate I will pull out my phone put it on speaker and dial CSPD. I can only think of twice that didn't work. I'm not sure what you can take from that.

The bottom line is the only thing that's going to keep them out is a fence

A real fence, not three strands of barbed wire and even that won't be 100% effective.

This is my opinion and it's probably wrong but at least if somebody's walking up to your door and asking politely, that shows good intentions. It's the ones that you just catch out there hunting anyway regardless of the signs that you have to worry about

 

[Erich]

Great post, Smoke; thanks.

 

[GypsmJim]

Dad had almost no vacation time. Thus, no time to do scouting, and I didn't have a car. So, the first Saturday of deer season we would drive in darkness to a spot where he used to hunt before the war. Sometimes we got to hunt. Other times we drove around looking for a spot with no posted signs. As the years went buy it was getting harder and harder.

Only once did we hunt on state land - wall-to-wall hunters and most of them idiots.

Dad always said once you can buy a place all your neighbors will let you hunt.

At the ripe old age of 40 (after having hunted for 24 years) I finally found a 10 acre parcel I could afford. I got a tax map and personally contacted every single neighbor. None of the lands were posted. EVERY single one said no.

A few years later we bought the 40 acre adjacent lot at auction. Now, with 50 acres, our whole family is secure forever.

I posted everything. Never had anyone ask permission. There is an old logging trail that is used by the snowmobilers and 4 wheelers, and of course they believe they don't NEED permission.

 

[ameridaddy]

Can your sheriff be of any help? After all, it's not like they can't see the signs, unless they came in through the woods or a pasture. In posted urban areas, trespassers ignoring the signs can be arrested.
Maybe some more serious signs along the driveway -

IT'S POSTED. NO TRESPASSING. NO HUNTING.
DON'T EVEN ASK. IT'S A WASTE OF TIME.
GO BACK
VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED​