Monday, June 05, 2006
Fighting The Ugly Battle Of Trespass
Trespass is one of the most troubling problems that landowners face. Many folks are troubled by the invasion of strange people on their land.
My land is high-fenced, and closed to the public, but some of my friends have had people sneak in on their land, cuss them out, litter, and wonder why people refuse to let them hunt. I’ve had a few try to sneak onto my land, and it is not a nice situation. Prosecuting people is not fun, but it’s the only way some folks learn their lesson.
I intensely dislike arrogant, loud and rude people. I have problems with those who take my friendship for granted, and come to hunt when not invited. I dislike people who know me and who think because we speak occasionally that they can hunt my land, even that lying outside of the fence.
Hunters now have a tougher time finding a place to hunt, and for many reasons. One is that more deer are found on private land than public land. Landowners do not owe anyone the right to hunt their land, and when permission is granted, hunters must honor that privilege. Permission, in most cases, is given on a day-to-day basis. One-time granting of permission doesn’t mean people can hunt other times without asking.
If hunters haven’t figured it out yet, if you snooze you lose in this game. Gaining permission to hunt is a time consuming process, and it’s certainly not getting easier. Rude people can hunt on federal or state land because most property owners won’t allow them on their land.
Here are a number of tips to follow when trying to obtain hunting permission. If one or more of these tips apply to you, it may be time to rethink your methodology. Enough “no’s” means there is something wrong with you or your presentation.
Ask for permission, even if the land is not posted against hunting or trespassing. State law requires verbal permission.
One thing that turns many landowners off from granting permission is a dirty looking or unkempt person. A beard is fine if trimmed. People judge others by their cleanliness and their attitude. Someone who is as tidy as an unmade bed seldom gets to hunt. Screaming kids, barking dogs, loud music, and rude behavior are things that will tip the scales against hunters gaining legitimate access to private land.
Respect another person’s space. Don’t crowd someone you don’t know. Be soft spoken, don’t cuss, act well mannered, and be well spoken. Show landowners proof of identification, and if they want to copy this information as a way of knowing your identity, allow them to do so. People who claim a landowner doesn’t need to know their name and address will probably not be welcome.
Look the landowner in the eye and shake hands, and introduce yourself. Ask for a few minutes of their time. People who can’t look a landowner in the eye won’t go very far toward getting permission.
Seek hunting permission long before you wish to hunt, and preferably before hunting season begins. Never wait until the last minute. Plan visits to the owner right after lunch or early in the evening when the landowner is likely to be home or not busy. Be willing to return at a prearranged time when it is convenient for the farmer to talk.
Ask for permission by yourself or with only one other person. Never take a crowd of people to the door, and never carry a firearm when asking permission. Keep any hunting dog in the car or truck.
Try to arrange for hunting permission on several widely-spaced farms. This may assure you of a place to hunt if the landowner is not home or if others are using the property.
Ask the farmer if there are crop lands or other farm areas that are off limits. This is a major landowner complaint: people trample all over the farm and go where they shouldn’t be hunting.
Leave gates the way you find them. If a gate is open when you arrive, leave it open. If it is close, close it after you pass through the area.
Never shoot near farm buildings where people and livestock are living. Observe all safety zone areas, and know that it is illegal to discharge a firearm within 450 feet of dwellings and out-buildings.
Leave no trash behind. If you find litter, pick it up and tell the landowner where you found it. Courteous hunters often are invited back. Those who leave litter behind are never welcome again, and such slobs don’t deserve to hunt another man’s property.
When the hunt ends, thank the landowner for the opportunity to hunt their property. They will then know you have left the farm, and will not worry about you being lost or stuck on a farm trail or in a field.
It is polite and wise to offer the landowner a piece of game or to promise some venison after it has been cut up and frozen. This goodwill gesture can go a long way toward keeping the hunting door open, and improving the image of hunting.