Bad hunters

[Dave H (MI)]

I leased the farm for 2017. Included a lot of terms in the lease suggested here. Nice young guy with two teenage sons. Friends of the family so I know everyone well enough to be comfortable. For the last several years I have had hunters on neighboring properties setting up just across the lot line and hunting my fields. I don't know what Michigan law says about that, there have been signs of trespassing but I have only caught one hunter and that was the kid who stole my equipment last year. THIS year (2016) the story is a little different. The neighbor behind me called me and said he found a 12 point buck dead in his woods. He had 6' of fence wire wrapped in his antlers (a tree protector from my property) and had been shot in the gut. Last week I was in my woodlot and found an 8 pt buck dead. Likewise he had been shot. Sometime in November I estimate, the snow had covered him and critters had been at him. I took the head. So I figure what happens is these perimeter guys are shooting, the deer runs into the fields and out the other side. They don't want to follow and deal with me...so wait for the next one to come along. Getting to where I dread deer season. Hope this guy and his kids help keep the riff raff on the other side of the lines!

 

[glennster]

It's unfortunate that a few ruin it for many. Farmers around me, and myself included have our property posted and do not allow anyone hunting on their property. A few of the farmers do hunt their own property.

 

[Steve in VA]

Good luck. Around here, if no one hunts the land then everyone hunts the property. I have two brothers that I trust explicitly and they keep my land clear of poachers. A good friend gives exclusive rights to the local Sheriff and that works famously well.

 

[300jk]

About ten years ago I had two tree stands stolen off of my parents farm I grew up on. At the same time the neighbor who we had al age been friends with and let me hunt their property had grandsons who were starting to hunt also and we're bringing their city friends. I got pretty ticked off and went over and talked to the grandparents. They said they would ask and see if anyone knew what happened. No surprise ! Nobody said anything. They were on our property and we're stolen. I am sure it was them but never had proof other than they were the only other hunters in the area. I also had a folding camp chair in some brush overlooking our property on opening day. Left to go have lunch and came back within an hour and it was gone. Once again on a day when all the pi++ pots were out hunting next door. Went over fuming mad and again nobody said anything. Nothing worse than a thief. Sorry I was just talking about hunting ethics. As far as the deer you talked about they seemed like great animals. I can't believe they wouldnt have tracked them. Very poor sportsmanship. People like that should not hunt.

 

[Stephen Newell]

Be sure to wear loud clothes when you go out there. You don't know just how bad the hunters are. Some of them will shoot at anything that moves and then take a better look.

 

[Donald Lehman]

Have you talked to a game warden about it? Do you allow the neighbors to follow up on wounded deer if they cross your line before they drop? Are they shooting the deer on their side or shooting them on your side just to be spiteful? If the latter is true they are not hunters. They are trash, pure and simple and the game warden may be able to put a stop to it.

It's sort of an unwritten rule with all the neighbors that you go after a wounded deer where ever they go. I usually notify the neighbors anyway if I am looking for a deer on their property. Most of the time they will help look.

 

[Dave H (MI)]

Pretty much how it is here. I don't deny my neighbors much. I like a friendly peaceful neighborhood.

 

[rrlund]

Is this where I jump in and say stop being such a PITA and let them go get the ones they shoot?

 

[Dave H (MI)]

Loud clothes and in my old pu. It has no muffler!

 

[Eldon (WA)]

(quoted from post at 14:10:02 02/05/17) I leased the farm for 2017. Included a lot of terms in the lease suggested here. Nice young guy with two teenage sons. Friends of the family so I know everyone well enough to be comfortable. For the last several years I have had hunters on neighboring properties setting up just across the lot line and hunting my fields. I don't know what Michigan law says about that, there have been signs of trespassing but I have only caught one hunter and that was the kid who stole my equipment last year. THIS year (2016) the story is a little different. The neighbor behind me called me and said he found a 12 point buck dead in his woods. He had 6' of fence wire wrapped in his antlers (a tree protector from my property) and had been shot in the gut. Last week I was in my woodlot and found an 8 pt buck dead. Likewise he had been shot. Sometime in November I estimate, the snow had covered him and critters had been at him. I took the head. So I figure what happens is these perimeter guys are shooting, the deer runs into the fields and out the other side. They don't want to follow and deal with me...so wait for the next one to come along. Getting to where I dread deer season. Hope this guy and his kids help keep the riff raff on the other side of the lines!

Just think of it as 2 less deer eating your crops or hitting your car....might as well look on the positive side as there is little you can do.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

A family hunts my woods, one of them is here much of the time, and it's great! Used to be lots of problems here, but not any more. It sounds like the pressure has moved west, a LONG way west!

 

[TomH in PA]

Slobs are going to be slobs. I have a few like that, sit in their lawn chairs drinking beer and shooting at whatever happens past. If it doesn't drop right there they wait for the next one.

 

[Dave H (MI)]

You would be misunderstanding. Not saying I'm not a PITA, but I let all my neighbors retrieve what belongs to them. Fella two doors down rides his horses across the back so he isn't on the road. Couple down the road has their grandson all summer...he hangs around the barn driving me nuts. Never shuts up. Guy next door hunts mushrooms in my fence own. The doctor who owns the land behind me uses my lanes to access his tree stand, as does the guy to the east. Doc just called me, there is some fresh walleye he caught out there in my mailbox. I'm running out tonight to pick it up. You find a better neighbor...let me know.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

How far is the field from the road,there is a major deer crossing on my farm just before my house and I find several deer up in the woods up to 150 yards from the road that were hit by vehicles and then ran off and died every year.Also a deer thats been hit in a not too lethal spot can run for a couple miles before they give it up.I think its the law here that a hunter can go on posted property to retrieve a dead deer as long as they do not carry a firearm with them.

 

[Leroy]

Not in Ohio. Here you have to get the law and then if you get everything done correctly and then you can only claim a road kill deer. And that is only if it is on the right of way. Not allowed to trespass for that.

 

[rrlund]

You know I'm pulling your leg. Put up signs that say "Get what you shoot". lol

 

[Bob]

The previous theft is one thing, but I am trying to figure out what your financial loss, or inconvenience has been with the oversized "rats" dying?

I have between 50 and 100 deer wintering in my farmyard, and they haven't offered to pay for a darned thing, and have crapped all over the area between the house and the shop and around my renter's hay bales.

I wouldn't miss any of 'em if they turned up as 'yote food.

Come get some of 'em, if you need more.

 

[Billy Shafer]

Couple of years ago. I had two of those idiots shoot at a tractor I was working on.There was some very nasty words traded between us. I called the sheriffs department. They came out hauled the two idiots away.

 

[teddy52food]

A friend was having problems too. He was able to buy a surplus DNR pickup. Parked it along the road opening day & no more problems!

 

[Dave H (MI)]

Yes...I know, sorry if that sounded grumpy. I was typing it on the tablet. I hate typing on the tablet...I can't be my usual eloquent self...LOL!!!!

 

[Greg1959]

Was it a Deere? LOL

 

[Billy Shafer]

No it was an older IH. If it had been a Deere I could understand. I have pulled starters from Deere's. Sure would like to talk to the person that picked location.

 

[farmerwithmutt]

It proves that a couple bad apples can ruin it for all. It seems everyone has that problem with guys that think whats mine is mine and whats yours is mine. Last year ii had kids out chasing deer with a four wheeler i did call the cops especially because one was shooting a gun less than three hundred feet from the house. The meat would have been no good and the way they were firing you know the didn't have a clear shot to kill. I am all for harvesting deere it is no more than another resource to be harvested in a sustainable way and one thing we can all agree on is no crop is profitable if harvested wasteful . I also have to contend with a neighbor who likes to mix flybait and put it out the problem with that is all the critters that die from indiscriminate poisoning seem to make it by my house and die leaving me to clean up the mess.

 

[4520BW]

I have a woods and on three sides of it is woods also. The property to the back is leased for hunting. I keep the fence line mowed and sprayed so there's no way they can not know the line. Was out a few weeks before gun season and they had placed 2 stands on the line facing my side . No way they could of shot anything on there side, so about noon on opening day I drove my gator through there and one of them yelled at me. I went home and mixed up a double batch of tannerite and set it off a couple hundred feet from the line. No way any deer came through there for a long time. If it were local people it would not bother me but these are from the big city and come down here and shot anything that moves.

 

[rrlund]

You were supposed to come back at me with a good one liner. LOL

 

[Traditional Farmer]

Thats a pretty stupid law as it would make for a lot of deer left lying around,makes sense for the hunter to be able to go get a dead deer.

 

[JOCCO]

Dave talk to your version of a game warden. There has been issues in my area where they were able to get the land owner some relief. One was hounds they were warned and continued they got a big fine by trespass from hounds. Also state law can be very specific like shooting a dear on posted land is a trespass and poaching ticket. It will make you the bad guy but from what I see after one or two incidents with the warden and some fines shall we say the rest kind of get with the program. You may have to serve papers on some of them to stay off the land than if they trespass it becomes criminal.

 

[Leroy]

You see lots of dead deer laying along the roads that evidently the drivers never even knew they hit a deer.

 

[Hay hay hay]

I have been a hunter all my life, but I am shocked at the bold and uncivilized behavior of many hunters.
They give us all a bad reputation. Many are just thieves in orange hats.

 

[9001ron]

(quoted from post at 08:18:54 02/06/17) I have been a hunter all my life, but I am shocked at the bold and uncivilized behavior of many hunters.
They give us all a bad reputation. Many are just thieves in orange hats.

Some body said there cant get any worse than thieves----- yes it can get worse . At one time I did hunt but every time I wanted to hunt on my farm there were too many hunters already there . Now that I have inherited the farm from my father I have had a policy of absolutely no hunting --- well because (most) every hunter I met was a complete a%* hole ---- nobody asks any more or even cares if you are out and about , Kind like you do the farming and then get out of the way as we bought a licence > Well like I said it has come down to an absolute ban on my part with many calls to the game warden . This has gotten me ---- lost 40% of my propane tank 300 gallon-- dry wall screw in the inner duell of the rear tractor tire ---- some body wrote a%% hole on the back wall of a church that faces my back ally ----3 or 4 tiers that mysteriously went flat with out leaks and about 6 or 7 that definitely had leaked that really shouldn't have happened. Last year the tactics change with 3 tiers having loose schrader air valves one was the inner duell of my motor home. --- which did not get spotted until it ruined the tire . This year the bleed screw for the rear brakes on the motor home got loose on its own but fortunately I found it out before it caused trouble . Heck I thought that I had a brake line rusted through till I saw where it was leaking ---- kind of relieved in a way as it was a easy fix to tighten it up on a long trip . There have been other instances that I just don't remember --- oh yeah one night some body fired a shot next to my parents bed room window just to scare them . I would consider this to be worse than thieves ---- Hunters are the worst scum on earth !