Hello. My name is Stephen. I am 1 39 year old hunter from Central New York. I am writing in hopes of getting suggestions, advice, or, even, understanding. Has anyone else seen a trend in the amount of land available to hunting diminish? I unfortunately don't own land. My Father, Brother, and I used to hunt a piece (300 acres) of land all our lives...until it was sold. Which is probably a good thing since the surrounding landowners/hunters disregard each other which such a sense of selfishness and competition! But, that's another story. It seems so hard to find private owners willing to let you access. I usually introduce myself months in advance, offer weekend help, give a business card with my personal information, and stress my unwavering commitment to respect their land and "house" rules. Even if the answer is no, I follow up with a covert 12 pack drop off. You usually are answered with a quick (often terse) no. Either they hunt the land themselves, don't believe in hunting (growing), or don't trust you and hunters in general (my guess). I understand they do not know me, but I really try to emphasize myself as respectful and ethical (Hell, I even offer that I am an ICU nurse...who doesn't trust a nurse?! LOL. On second thought.....). I even try the following year or two, with the same early greeting and offers. No go! I am offered, at times, to hunt on a coworker's or friend's land. But, they too hunt with an inner circle of family and friends and the offer is not open, usually only for specific days. I always express my appreciation, but never push more. If they wanted me to hunt their land, they would say so. So, It's left at that. Public land? I can't begin to list the issues with public land around me! I now hunt a small (10 acre area) surrounded by closed, private land that is hunted very lightly. I have saw 3 does in all of last season (bow and gun). I live in central NY! And, I think I am forced to drive hours away to find land or pay a guide (which I don't have or else in would be offered to "lease" a deal with a farmer)! I am actually losing interest in the upcoming bow season because of the lack of good land. I know that is a terrible attitude to have but, it's honest. I am losing a valuable tradition.
Is Hunting Becoming "Pay-Per-View"?
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
Joined
·
8,784 Posts
Your not the only person who is struggling with losing land. Way to many poeple have way to much money and want to lease up land so they are garunteed an animal or a place to hunt. For the average hunter he/she cannot afford to lease up land for hunting. So whats left public land? Yes, but some of that gets hit way to hard and way to much. Keep your head, keep asking some day something good will happen.
Joined
·
1,556 Posts
Well ya pushed some of my buttons.
As a land owner I don't want you ever to step foot on my property for any reason. A 12 pack isn't looked upon as good stuff by everyone.
Who dosn't trust a nurse. Not everybody for sure, me included.
And yes the amount of hunting land is getting smaller. It isn't any wonder either. People don't respect fences, gates, leave trash and beer cans on the ground where a land owner didn't want them to park and had told them that.
Really ****** me off one morning to take my dogs back to the woods and find half the woods covered with TP. Told that clown not to bother coming back again.
Neighbour posted his property after a hunter he gave permission too showed up with a couple buddes and then tresspassed on my place with out permission.
Al
As a land owner I don't want you ever to step foot on my property for any reason. A 12 pack isn't looked upon as good stuff by everyone.
Who dosn't trust a nurse. Not everybody for sure, me included.
And yes the amount of hunting land is getting smaller. It isn't any wonder either. People don't respect fences, gates, leave trash and beer cans on the ground where a land owner didn't want them to park and had told them that.
Really ****** me off one morning to take my dogs back to the woods and find half the woods covered with TP. Told that clown not to bother coming back again.
Neighbour posted his property after a hunter he gave permission too showed up with a couple buddes and then tresspassed on my place with out permission.
AlWow, all that over the offer of a 12 pack??? Seems like the guy was just offering a little "thank you" to the people for taking the time to even consider letting him hunt. He didn't say it was God forbid.....beer. :beer:
Also, what about the respect for the land and property he was talking about?
As an income challenged fellow who will never have a chance to own land I have to say I feel for the guy.
Maybe a little harsh there alley. Remember, he's not the one who disrespected your land. And what's wrong with politely asking permission to hunt? Just because you had one bad experience doesn't mean that everyone is the same way as those morons...
Anyway...it really sucks that landowners over there are like that, ALL of the ones around grand forks i've asked have given me permission to hunt. The only thing you can really do is keep tryin...maybe try some different landowners if possible.
Anyway...it really sucks that landowners over there are like that, ALL of the ones around grand forks i've asked have given me permission to hunt. The only thing you can really do is keep tryin...maybe try some different landowners if possible.
Joined
·
1,556 Posts
Not harsh at all just fact. Every body knows that a implied 12 pack is beer. Who in there right mind would even offer a 12 pack of soda.
Many older people who are the land owners just do not drink anything stronger than water. they/I think if they are giveing permission to this person they will be drinking on our property and people these days are sue happy so best not let some one tresspass for the drinking reason.
Ya they must drink showing up at the door with a 12 pack just to ask for permission to hunt.
It isn't just one time some one had disrespect for my land or my neighbours land. It is pretty much every year that some one just parks on the road and walks into the pines and is found with their rifle with in 25 yards of my house that is 400 feet off the road. Isn't one time some road hunter stops in the road and shoots at deer in the neighbours hay field either.
Isn't just one time a person asked to hunt squrriels in my woods and comes with 3 or 4 buddies who I don't know from Adam, and shoot deer.
Remember that old atage that one rotten apple spoils the barrel. Well it is that way with people. One slob hunter spoils it for the rest.
I worked a city job for years to buy my property.
I spent the better part of two years looking for the right property. Now I have no tresspassing signs on both sides of the driveway so I don't have to try to figure out is this a good person asking or is it just another slob I'll have to run off latter.
As for the one who is income challanged there are ways to find a life time hunting spot and it isn't showing up at the land owners door with a 12 pack of any thing.
Dress like you were going on a job interview. Be polite and don't be cussing. Explain just what you want to hunt and if you are going to bring a buddy best have him/her with you right then not spring him/her on the land owner latter.
Once you get permission write in a little note book what the land owner says about where you can park. what fields he doesn't want you tramping on remember to shut all gates you open. Always use a gate to get into another field or crawl under a fence, never push a fence down so you can cross.
Once the land owner sees you have respect for his/her property you will have a place to hunt for a very long time.
My dad has a fellow that is still hunting his farm now for over 40 years. That fellows son has hunter there close to 20 years now too. One of his grand sons has hunter there for 5 years and the other one for a year now.
I have a grand father who started muzzle loading hunting my place with his grand daughter 12 years ago. When he wanted to bring his grandson to hunt he came and asked me if it was OK didn't just bring him.
I no longer consider than hunters on my property they are friends.
Al
Many older people who are the land owners just do not drink anything stronger than water. they/I think if they are giveing permission to this person they will be drinking on our property and people these days are sue happy so best not let some one tresspass for the drinking reason.
Ya they must drink showing up at the door with a 12 pack just to ask for permission to hunt.
It isn't just one time some one had disrespect for my land or my neighbours land. It is pretty much every year that some one just parks on the road and walks into the pines and is found with their rifle with in 25 yards of my house that is 400 feet off the road. Isn't one time some road hunter stops in the road and shoots at deer in the neighbours hay field either.
Isn't just one time a person asked to hunt squrriels in my woods and comes with 3 or 4 buddies who I don't know from Adam, and shoot deer.
Remember that old atage that one rotten apple spoils the barrel. Well it is that way with people. One slob hunter spoils it for the rest.
I worked a city job for years to buy my property.
I spent the better part of two years looking for the right property. Now I have no tresspassing signs on both sides of the driveway so I don't have to try to figure out is this a good person asking or is it just another slob I'll have to run off latter.
As for the one who is income challanged there are ways to find a life time hunting spot and it isn't showing up at the land owners door with a 12 pack of any thing.
Dress like you were going on a job interview. Be polite and don't be cussing. Explain just what you want to hunt and if you are going to bring a buddy best have him/her with you right then not spring him/her on the land owner latter.
Once you get permission write in a little note book what the land owner says about where you can park. what fields he doesn't want you tramping on remember to shut all gates you open. Always use a gate to get into another field or crawl under a fence, never push a fence down so you can cross.
Once the land owner sees you have respect for his/her property you will have a place to hunt for a very long time.
My dad has a fellow that is still hunting his farm now for over 40 years. That fellows son has hunter there close to 20 years now too. One of his grand sons has hunter there for 5 years and the other one for a year now.
I have a grand father who started muzzle loading hunting my place with his grand daughter 12 years ago. When he wanted to bring his grandson to hunt he came and asked me if it was OK didn't just bring him.
I no longer consider than hunters on my property they are friends.
Al
Joined
·
71 Posts
I'm closer to you, in Pennsylvania. Public land is not ideal. The National Forrest is still OK. Not many landowners that welcome you to hunt their property. I, like you, am very respectful of the landowner, and even clean up when others leave a mess when I have that opportunity. I keep asking and being polite, and get enough permission to be able to hunt. Certainly would like to purchase my own property but that isn't in the cards for a few years. I know we have many NR's from NY that come to hunt deer here. It has been getting tougher in recent years and there are a lot of small farms that are selling and then homes are being built there. I think it will continue to get more difficult but certainly not impossible. It's a shame, but there are always a few that will ruin it for the rest. Seems like the landowners that say no always have had a bad experience with a hunter.
alleyyooper, I respect your right to own land and do what you wish with that land, but I hope if I ever make enough money to buy some hunting land many years from now I don't post it up tighter than a tick because then I will be no better than the people I complain about now.
Since I don't own land I have not experienced jerks messing up my property like you have. I can't say what I would do, but I am sure if I had enough of it I would feel a lot like you do.
I think the 12 pack thing is not some thing to be looked down on. This guy is obviously respectful, and also thoughtful. Even when he is turned down he still drops off a "Thank you". I guess it is one of the "it's the thought that counts" things. If some one cares enough to say thanks for your time does it really matter if it is beer, milk, or.........honey?
I am glad the people who let me hunt their land know me by more than just a one time "job interview". I see them quite often and they live in the same community as I do, so they know I will respect their property and the animals on that property. On that note, if you let some of these people on your land it doesn't seem that your "interviews" are working too well.
Since I don't own land I have not experienced jerks messing up my property like you have. I can't say what I would do, but I am sure if I had enough of it I would feel a lot like you do.
I think the 12 pack thing is not some thing to be looked down on. This guy is obviously respectful, and also thoughtful. Even when he is turned down he still drops off a "Thank you". I guess it is one of the "it's the thought that counts" things. If some one cares enough to say thanks for your time does it really matter if it is beer, milk, or.........honey?
I am glad the people who let me hunt their land know me by more than just a one time "job interview". I see them quite often and they live in the same community as I do, so they know I will respect their property and the animals on that property. On that note, if you let some of these people on your land it doesn't seem that your "interviews" are working too well.
Are these people being charged with any wrong doing? I would hope your wildlife management agency would help you out if it is an ongoing thing. That would get old in a hurry.
Joined
·
1,556 Posts
Yes the people going into the pines were first turned to the county sherrif who was afraid to go in and arrest them. We then called the state police who aressted them. There was also a complaint files with the prosicuting attorny over the depies actions and he was let go for not doing his job.
The ones turned in for shooting deer in the neighbours pasture and hay field lost their car in one case in another their truck guns and paid nice healthy fines along with their right to hunt in the state for 5 years.
Once you own your own hunting land I am sure your attude will change. I know it will over time.
Like employers we land owners are not flawless in our judgement when we are interviewing people who what to hunt our land.
People are hired all the time to do a job and fired because they don't preform.
Same with us with our land, we allow people who turn out not to respect the right they were given so in turn they are no longer allowed to use our land.
Since we have had enough of the bad apples we just plain do not even allow people to ask any more. We have the 12x18 inch signs private property no tresspassing on both sides of the drive way( keeps out sales persons and church people too.). If they are so bold to by pass them your told you are tresspassing and if you do not leave we do press charges.
The people who are allow to hunt our property now have been doing it for several years now. Most were from our local sportsman club and we knew them for a while before they were allow to hunt our property.
A lot (not all) of hunters are just to lazy to look for a free place to hunt. Or make no effort to hunt difficult places. Our deer camp is 37 acres and butts up to 3200 acres of fedral land. I have been hunting out of that deer camp since 1991 for 2 weeks and some times 3 weeks . I have never once seen a hunter on that 3200 acres nor have I ever seen a car or truck parked on the road or any of the parking lots there.
You want to know why. Because you have to walk across at the narrowest point over 125 yards of cramberry bog with ankle deep water when it is warm and ice that keeps breaking when it just isn't cold enough to freeze solid which is most of Michigans rifle deer season.
We have taken some dandy bucks out of there and many so so bucks.
The club care taker how ever has to chase people off that little tiny 37 acres because it is high dry hard woods and some cedar swamp really easy to access.
Al
The ones turned in for shooting deer in the neighbours pasture and hay field lost their car in one case in another their truck guns and paid nice healthy fines along with their right to hunt in the state for 5 years.
Once you own your own hunting land I am sure your attude will change. I know it will over time.
Like employers we land owners are not flawless in our judgement when we are interviewing people who what to hunt our land.
People are hired all the time to do a job and fired because they don't preform.
Same with us with our land, we allow people who turn out not to respect the right they were given so in turn they are no longer allowed to use our land.
Since we have had enough of the bad apples we just plain do not even allow people to ask any more. We have the 12x18 inch signs private property no tresspassing on both sides of the drive way( keeps out sales persons and church people too.). If they are so bold to by pass them your told you are tresspassing and if you do not leave we do press charges.
The people who are allow to hunt our property now have been doing it for several years now. Most were from our local sportsman club and we knew them for a while before they were allow to hunt our property.
A lot (not all) of hunters are just to lazy to look for a free place to hunt. Or make no effort to hunt difficult places. Our deer camp is 37 acres and butts up to 3200 acres of fedral land. I have been hunting out of that deer camp since 1991 for 2 weeks and some times 3 weeks . I have never once seen a hunter on that 3200 acres nor have I ever seen a car or truck parked on the road or any of the parking lots there.
You want to know why. Because you have to walk across at the narrowest point over 125 yards of cramberry bog with ankle deep water when it is warm and ice that keeps breaking when it just isn't cold enough to freeze solid which is most of Michigans rifle deer season.
We have taken some dandy bucks out of there and many so so bucks.
The club care taker how ever has to chase people off that little tiny 37 acres because it is high dry hard woods and some cedar swamp really easy to access.
AlI am glad you caught the idiots that have been doing the illegal hunting!
That bog and federal land sound like the best place to hunt, too bad so many people just want to shoot and go home like you say. Don't get any of the hunting experience that way. :eyeroll:
That bog and federal land sound like the best place to hunt, too bad so many people just want to shoot and go home like you say. Don't get any of the hunting experience that way. :eyeroll:
Joined
·
1,556 Posts
Here is a big reason we protect our land so much. All of the pictures are out our living room window.
In the winter picture you can see the pipe I drove in the creek to get the water in the summer to water our flower gardens as well as the pressure tank.
This happens just about every day like clock work from early December to early Apirl when the does go to have their fawns.
![]()
![]()
![]()
Mister Mom LOL.
![]()
![]()
Al
In the winter picture you can see the pipe I drove in the creek to get the water in the summer to water our flower gardens as well as the pressure tank.
This happens just about every day like clock work from early December to early Apirl when the does go to have their fawns.
Mister Mom LOL.
Al
Joined
·
1,556 Posts
Al
Joined
·
1,556 Posts
Out the back door.
Al
Joined
·
1,867 Posts
Certainly it's becoming an issue in many states, CDR, but not yet out here in God's Country. We have several million acres of public land open to hunting, and getting access to private land without using one's checkbook is still the norm. Asking civilly, thanking the owner, and treating the land with respect are pretty much all that's needed out here...
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
