Kind of a Rant.

[Skeet 028]

Yesterday was the 2nd day of deer season locally. Actually the 3rd. Monday I had a local gal out hunting. She asked permission 3 weeks ago.(she got a nice Whitetail too). Then Tuesday at O dark 30 Someone just drove up and parked and walked off hunting on the ranch..Never had seen them before. Got that straight as I asked 'em to leave..while I was doing that another one drove up and just went across the place. Never had seen them before either. Asked them to leave..They were PO'd that I did so. 3 hours later I was standing at my mail box when another car drove past me parked up on my irrigation canal road..in plain sight of me and he and his young'un got out and started walking down the road. I was a bit annoyed by now and I think they knew it. My neighbor(1/2 mile away) had evidently guven 'em permission to hunt. I told the fellow that common courtesy of asking permission was required to trespass. I kinda handled the situation a little abruptly and may have belittled the fellow in front of his young'un. I kinda think I handled the situation badly. Should I get in touch with the young fellow to maybe apologize or just let it go? If they had asked permission I would have probably told 'em where to sit to shoot a deer. I do have waaayyy too many. And I do like to see young hunters starting out to do it in the right way. I was always made to ask permission. It WAS common courtesy. What do y'all think?

 

[SW MP15]

I personally feel you were right. It's also a matter of safety! I've always asked permission even if Billy Bob the neighbor told me it was OK and 9 out of 10 times the land owner would tell/show me what part of the property to hunt on. Because of his/her cattle or dogs or what have you. Or as not to trample a garden etc. It's just common sense to ask! It can be dangerous!! Not to ask!! And where I come from, trespassing could get you shot!!

 

[Maddog 521]

Your lesson might make that young hunter be a better sportsman later in life.

 

[Watchdog]

I think you did the right thing. Sometimes "abruptness" is called for. Showing up on someone's property carrying guns without so much as a how-dee-do or a by-your-leave can get someone hurt.

 

[chaparrito]

You did right. I don't believe politeness needs to be wasted on trespassers. Every gate on my property has a sign on it that says "Don't even think about it."

 

[Retired LTC USAR]

You did the right thing.

 

[M29since14]

One 28 gauge guy to another, I believe your idea has merit. You've made your point and it was a good one. Now if you choose to show a little benevolence, you may have both reinforced the need for ordinary decency in both the Dad and the son, but you may make a valuable impression on the youngster about hunting, private land ownership, and a few other things, too. Give it a whirl... for the kid's sake. We need young hunters and shooters. And remember, the kid wasn't controlling that situation.

 

[Bill Bates]

Hmmm sounds like you need to talk to your neighbor and ask him to make sure he tells the people he gives permission to hunt where the property lines run. I assume you're fine with him allowing people to hunt on his land but not yours. Sounds like he may have told them to access his property through yours which is unreasonable; unless there is a public easement or access across your property.

Either way it seems you may have more of a neighbor problem than a trespasser problem.

 

[Mickey D]

People with rural property know when hunting season begins. Here in Idaho owners post their land a few weeks before with either "Posted" signs or 100 sq" (10"x10") of blaze orange paint on posts or trees.

It's difficult for many to approach a grumpy land owner to request permission to hunt. A property owner has to have an open mind and treat each contact with a hunter in a unique fashion.

As for your dilemma, contacting the man and his kids would be a nice gesture, and educate them to proper hunting protocol.
Scaring off or youth that don't know better might be a turnoff to the future of hunting.

 

[hoc9sw]

Let's see. You did not run them off at gunpoint, and you did not have them arrested for trespassing.

They got off easy.

 

[joeintexas]

Your land, your rules. If he was indeed on your property without permission you have every right to ask them either politely or otherwise to leave. If on the other hand he was on the neighbors land with permission...that's a different story. Sounds like maybe a visit to the neighbor might be in order if he is telling folks they can hunt your land.

 

[RobertJ.]

You were nicer than I probably would have been!

 

[Skeet 028]

Well being a hunter and not owning land when I was a kid esp.. I had to ask permission to hunt someone else's place. I do understand that there are people who have to do it that way today. As stated I do allow some hunting. My neighbor gave the fellow and his son permission to hunt his place. They just decided to access his place through mine. He had nothing to do with it. I may contact the fellow today. On another note I had a fellow earlier this year who wanted to search out snakes(rattlers). I didn't allow him to do that either. Not cause I like rattle snakes...I just figured if he got himself bitten.... he'd want to sue me for allowing said snake bite. I also figure a guy that wants to hunt up rattle snakes to be a little short on certain stuff 'tween the ears.

Thanks for the replies y'all. I just figure that if you want to do something on someone else's place you should ask first

 

[timn8er]

I feel you handled it correctly. Wouldn't have done it any different myself. I don't own any land myself, but the idea of people just showing up & making use of your land would steam me up pretty good. To say nothing of having all those random fools wandering your property with deer rifles. You might be doing a little brush hogging & be mistaken for a deer!

 

[cowart]

I kinda think I handled the situation badly.

Put up "no trespassing" signs where they can't be missed by city folks. Now there will be no need to have an impulse to be polite.

 

[Jack Flash]

I used to work with a guy whose Dad was a farmer. Apparently, one day he went out and someone had parked their truck right in front of a gate into his property.

He caught the guy leaving and politely told him that he didn't have a problem with him hunting there, but not to block his gate as he needed to be able to get in and out.

Well, the next day there is the same damn truck in the same damn spot. The farmer just happened to have a full load on his manure spreader so he drove back and forth and around the truck till it was "fully coated". By the time the hunter came back, it had dried to a hard, durable coating.

The farmer never saw that truck again.

So yeah, you let those guys off easy.

 

[SAFireman]

We have barbed wire fencing on all sides. If you are caught on the wrong side, you may be presumed to be a cattle rustler/horse thief and treated appropriately

Texas law has a provision for 'Armed trespass' that makes the offense a Felony these days.

I am not polite to trespassers. They had to jump a fence to enter, so there is no excuse for ignorance of the boundary.

 

[ragman]

I was taught to always ask every time I went hunting. It did not matter whose land it was or if the owner had told me to hunt anytime I wanted. I was required to ask every time by my father. You were always to show respect for the owner and treat the land as if it were yours.

I wish things were still this way but they are not. I had to stop letting people hunt some years ago due to pure bad manners and disregard for my farm. I fight a constant battle with poacher's ,trash dumpers,drug dealers and four wheeler's . I tried to be nice to people and let a few hunt but the next I know I have all there friends and relatives every where without asking.

I am now known in my part of the country as a "mean old ***" who will not let you on his land. I do not like it this way but it is what I had to do.

 

[Skeet 028]

I had some pheasant hunters come in once. Being a bird shooter I understand the sport. Supposed to be 3 or maybe 4 people...ended up it was 7. They came one day..kilt a limit and were back the next day to do it again.... with 9 people. I had them leave. A bird population just can't take that kind of pressure. In fact I told the person that asked permission he hadn't lived by his original agreement and to not come back. He was a bit PO'd. BTW... he was a LEO... and IMO should have known better.

 

[Watchdog]

I had them leave. A bird population just can't take that kind of pressure.

There you go. You did right. And it's good to see a land owner/hunter looking out for the good of the overall game population.