How to deter hunters from asking me to hunt on my land

[Hunt anything]

I’ve found pretty much nothing works at deterring trespassing. I have had people go as far as cutting my lock off of the gate and replacing it with another. If they don’t come in off of the road where they have to pass by 9 no trespassing signs, they come around by water on the bay where they go by another 3 signs.
The few people that I have caught trespassing have usually come up with an excuse such as “so and so gave me permission” and I have never recognized any of the names or the person has passed away.
The people that have asked have honored the rejection pretty well.

 

[steve white]

I used to offer to do odd chores, mend fences, throw hay bales, cut/split firewood all the time for permission when I lived up north. Once I moved to the southeast it rarely worked, everyone wanted to lease the land for money. My current lease in Texas we got a reduced rate by offering to help the owners with odds and ends.

As for the boomers, have you spoken to a game warden? Not that you want to do it because it's not the dogs fault, but I bet those boomers would think twice after the first hound that gets peppered with a shotgun or the owner hears a bunch of rifle rounds shot at their dogs.

Well, now you introduced another variable--dogs trespassing/running deer. My uncle has only about 50 acres of river bottom. His neighbor's dogs kill deer and leave them laying. He has finally had to have the game warden investigate, but they only got serious after the dogs killed some of his goats and chickens.

 

[deewayne2003]

I used to offer to do odd chores, mend fences, throw hay bales, cut/split firewood all the time for permission when I lived up north. Once I moved to the southeast it rarely worked, everyone wanted to lease the land for money. My current lease in Texas we got a reduced rate by offering to help the owners with odds and ends.

As for the boomers, have you spoken to a game warden? Not that you want to do it because it's not the dogs fault, but I bet those boomers would think twice after the first hound that gets peppered with a shotgun or the owner hears a bunch of rifle rounds shot at their dogs.

@Mtn_Infantry

I once loaded up a couple of friendly Beagles wearing Garmin collars into the back of my truck and proceeded to the county animal shelter and dropped them off as abandoned.

I then called the game warden, told him what I had done and the warden just started laughing and congratulated me; you see the county has a 14 day quarantine on all stray dogs before they can be picked up or adopted.

So yeah, taking that boomers prized and registered beagles out of action for 14 days of prime hunting season got my point across.

 

[HankBuck]

A clear and firm "No Hunting – Private Property – No Trespassing" sign at the driveway entrance usually helps deter most people. Adding that permission is required or that violators will be prosecuted can make it even more effective. You might also consider including your contact info with a note like “By appointment only” to reduce unwanted visits. Position the sign so it’s easily visible from the road. This way, most hunters will know right away that they aren’t allowed and hopefully won’t drive down or knock on your door.

@wiyofa - Nothing deters Trespassers better then Prosecuting them, First time and everytime….Never give them a Warning. Word gets out fast

 

[Scott4030]

I don’t have an issue with folks asking at all. I’m often perfectly willing to take someone out to my ranch for pigs and the kids for pigs and deer. My rule is no one hunts on my ranch without me being present. You have to pass through several locked gates to get to my gate and I never share combinations with anyone. All the ranches around me know that if they see someone on my place to call me. If I’m not with them, they are trespassing. I live about an hour from my gate so can’t get there very quickly but some of my neighbors live on their properties and they are perfectly willing to go run someone off. I periodically have a little trouble, but it is very rare.

 

[ActionBob]

A clear and firm "No Hunting – Private Property – No Trespassing" sign at the driveway entrance usually helps deter most people. Adding that permission is required or that violators will be prosecuted can make it even more effective. You might also consider including your contact info with a note like “By appointment only” to reduce unwanted visits. Position the sign so it’s easily visible from the road. This way, most hunters will know right away that they aren’t allowed and hopefully won’t drive down or knock on your door.

Yea I've got all that.

 

[CBH Australia]

Most successful sign a hunting friend of mine had put up was a “I’m vegan, you should be too” or something like that sign. No hunter wants to talk to a vegan about permission to kill animals on their property. Number of requests went from dozens a year to 0

I met up with an AH member for a public land hunt.
This was all planned via messages we had never met etc.
When we set up and unpacked etc ready for hunting camp I noticed a sticker on the back of his car.
It simply said “Vegan Pride” that had me stumped as he claimed to be a meat hunter, came with guns and knives.
He said, oh that, I just put that on there so people don’t think I’m hunting. What’s the worst they are going to do if I’m a Vegan? Scratch my car.

 

[John the Electrician]

 

[PCC600]

A lot of the responses are very similar to my experience . I had 10,000 acres in Tasmania in partnership with a couple of mates . A commercial cattle , sheep ( wool/ meat ) and forestry operation . It also had the best trout fishing in Australia . But we were plagued with fallow deer . They eat as much as a sheep . We were constantly culling - I had permits for 1200 deer yearly . Originally it was 400. We were plagued by uninvited hunters who felt entitled to wander about - generally on Friday and Saturday nights . They only shot stags so the absolute deer numbers continued to increase . ( I only shot does and young deer ). I once approached a fellow who was shooting within 100 metres of the house . He told me he had the owner’s permission . Did not believe me when I said I was the owner ! Also had one take a pot shot at me in daylight when I decided to lock the access gates - a warning shot but unnerving . Locks , no shooting signs - nothing worked until I turned the poachers into the game keepers . We struck an arrangement with a local shooting group . They could have access to the property for deer but they had to police shooters on the land and contribute to maintenance . They responded brilliantly . The local policeman was part of the group who were all licensed firearm owners . They also helped fix fences / gates after floods. It worked really well - but they still only shot stags .

 

[Doug3006]

I can relate to people asking permission. I used to do the same, back when hearing yes was even remotely possible. However, ignoring a sign in plain English is inexcusable.

Maybe hire this guy to sit on your front porch? Good luck.

 

[PCC600]

I can relate to people asking permission. I used to do the same, back when hearing yes was even remotely possible. However, ignoring a sign in plain English is inexcusable.

Maybe hire this guy to sit on your front porch? Good luck.

View attachment 688805

That’ll do it .

 

[Tgood1]

Put a sign at beginning of your drive" knock 3 times for entrance to the Diddy party"

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Well, now you introduced another variable--dogs trespassing/running deer. My uncle has only about 50 acres of river bottom. His neighbor's dogs kill deer and leave them laying. He has finally had to have the game warden investigate, but they only got serious after the dogs killed some of his goats and chickens.

His post clearly stated they were gonna run their dogs anyways

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

@Mtn_Infantry

I once loaded up a couple of friendly Beagles wearing Garmin collars into the back of my truck and proceeded to the county animal shelter and dropped them off as abandoned.

I then called the game warden, told him what I had done and the warden just started laughing and congratulated me; you see the county has a 14 day quarantine on all stray dogs before they can be picked up or adopted.

So yeah, taking that boomers prized and registered beagles out of action for 14 days of prime hunting season got my point across.

This is ingenious.

I’m a big dog person, and know it’s not the dogs fault. They can’t read, and they’re just doing what they were trained/bred to do, and run where their owners drop them off. It’s a tough call and if this was an option everywhere, I’d pick this COA every time.

 

[HankBuck]

I’ve found pretty much nothing works at deterring trespassing. I have had people go as far as cutting my lock off of the gate and replacing it with another. If they don’t come in off of the road where they have to pass by 9 no trespassing signs, they come around by water on the bay where they go by another 3 signs.
The few people that I have caught trespassing have usually come up with an excuse such as “so and so gave me permission” and I have never recognized any of the names or the person has passed away.
The people that have asked have honored the rejection pretty well.

@Hunt anything - Have You prosecuted any of the Trespassers you’ve caught? Especially the ones that claimed “So & So gave me permission”? If Not, you might as well Bake-them-a-Cake because they have No reason to leave….and all their buddies know You Don’t Prosecute.
Now, I realize that confrontations with Trespassers is stressful, some trespassers get aggressive, and Police or Game Wardens are Not always helpful. But, Nothing else works as well as Prosecuting and “the word gets around”.

 

[Hunt anything]

@Hunt anything - Have You prosecuted any of the Trespassers you’ve caught? Especially the ones that claimed “So & So gave me permission”? If Not, you might as well Bake-them-a-Cake because they have No reason to leave….and all their buddies know You Don’t Prosecute.
Now, I realize that confrontations with Trespassers is stressful, some trespassers get aggressive, and Police or Game Wardens are Not always helpful. But, Nothing else works as well as Prosecuting and “the word gets around”.

I did prosecute a couple and the incidents have gone down by 90% at least.
Lately I’ve had trouble with people stealing crab traps attached to our sea wall. I have to catch them in the act and a camera is useless do to the perpetual motion of the bay. This is a felony in Alabama and I can’t wait to catch one but they just float up in their boat, cut the line and they’re gone.

 

[BJH65]

Somehow missed this thread. Makes me long for a simpler time. Reminiscing back to 1981, sitting in our high school classroom, not paying attention, thoughts of pheasant hunting after school occupying my thoughts and cute girls in class, my trusty 12 gauge Remington 870 secured in the trunk of my 69 Old’s Cutlass parked in the school parking lot, anticipation of hunting a freshly cut corn field not too far away with one of my high school buddies.

All the local farmers with freshly cut corn fields, always giving us permission to hunt after a polite knock on the door and respectful request. I always left them a cleaned pheasant after we harvested a few. A bygone era, times change…I’ll shut up now.

 

[steve white]

His post clearly stated they were gonna run their dogs anyways

I didn't mean coon dogs under supervision, rather stray/let out dogs chasing and killing deer on their own accord. Happens often.

 

[Doug3006]

I worked for a seed company during high school one summer break. We traveled all over Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota collecting tassel samples for the lab. I received numerous invitations to hunt on the farms I visited. I enjoyed quite a few lunches too. Unfortunately I had no means to take them up on the offers. All that ground is leased these days. Sad.

 

[HankBuck]

I did prosecute a couple and the incidents have gone down by 90% at least.
Lately I’ve had trouble with people stealing crab traps attached to our sea wall. I have to catch them in the act and a camera is useless do to the perpetual motion of the bay. This is a felony in Alabama and I can’t wait to catch one but they just float up in their boat, cut the line and they’re gone.

@Hunt anything - good that you Prosecuted Trespassers - its effective and what they All Deserve.
Regarding those that steal from your Crap Traps - those people are NUTS, I would NEVER risk that, based on what I know about Lobster Pots off the NJ Coast —-NEVER mess with those Pots because Lobster Men will sink-your-boat (ram it) or just kill you…..they don’t bother Prosecuting and Never give warnings !!