[buck460XVR]

Originally posted bytahunua001:

that is very true, I probably should have taken the extra half hour and banged out an extra sentence to that effect.

Since I have a few minutes before football I got time to bang out an extra sentence or two.....

I have been very fortunate over the years to hunt many different parcels of private land, during both deer hunting season and Turkey season. Some have been thanks to friends and acquaintances, and some because my brother buys and sells land like many here buy and sell firearms. Over the last 20 years I have hunted probably 40 or so parcels of land where I and/or my hunting party was the "new neighbor next door". Here's my experience from the other side. Sometimes, there is no reaction at all from land owners next door as the parcel has been hunted before and they had no negative experiences from those that previously hunted it. Sometimes they come over and talk and are relieved that the "slob" hunters that used to hunt it are gone or because the previous land owner allowed everyone and their brother to hunt it. Then there is the last reaction. This generally is the reaction when the land has not been previously hunted or was hunted very little. These folks have had another place to hunt or a sanctuary for deer that they haven't had to pay for, pay taxes on or pay a lease fee. This is now gone. You find their stands on your side of the fence, even tho they never asked to hunt there, because no one ever said anything before. You find their stands on the fence-line with the only clear areas to shoot across the fence onto the land they do not own.....because no one was there to say anything as they dragged the deer back under the fence. They suspect you will shoot across the fence or make pushes on their property because they've been doing the same for years, without permission, because no one was there. I've had them come up to me and try to kick me off for trespassing on land I had permission to be on, when they themselves did not have permission to be there, because they've been doing it for years and other trespassers believed them. When you tell them you have permission and they don't.... it's always the same story....my brother or brother in law said it was okay. When they tell you the previous owner always gave them permission, you ask them the last time they asked permission and they say 5 years ago. Then there are the ones you catch trespassing and then they are mad at you because they have been hunting there for years and have no other place to hunt....or the ones that call you or knock on your door @ 10:00 at night scream at you and accuse you of being the one that shot the dead buck they found on their side of the fence, when you haven't discharged your weapon all season.

As I said....there are two sides to the fence. Odds that the guys on one side or the other are dirtballs is exactly the same. What proper new neighbors or hunters on neighboring lands do is contact each other, politely BEFORE the season starts if possible and try and create a positive relationship. Tell them what your goals for your land are and assure them that you will respect their property line and their safety. Assure them that within reason wounded deer can be followed across the fence if they are willing to reciprocate. Starting out on the right foot will get you a lot farther in the end than assuming they are unsafe, and unethical while announcing the same to the whole world.