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

[HankBuck]

We are lucky that one of my classmates became a game warden, but I noticed an uptick in random people on the property by placing trail cameras on common travel areas. People are easier to pattern than mature deer it seems. Signs will help if you want to avoid people coming to your house. It doesn’t mean they will stay off of 600 acres of your property.

@DillonG - I agree with you that Signs alone will Not prevent people from hunting your property - but without signs you can be “certain” people will trespass and No signage almost equals an “Invitation”. Bow Hunters are especially notorious for Trespassing. Good Signage is the foundation of controlling & reducing Trespassers (Nothing eliminates them 100%). Prosecuting Every Trespasser caught is essential if you want to do the most possible within the law to protect your property. Obviously, You being friends with the local Game Warden is a BIG help !

 

[Rifleman97]

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

 

[deewayne2003]

Some get downright rude! Especially the 20 somethings. Like that is going to get them anywhere. They act like they are entitled... yea. NO... go work 80 hours a week for 40 years and buy your own dream hunting place.

The Communist State of Minnesota is complicit in this. Want a land owner tag. Sure just open your land to others to hunt it and we'll let you have an extra doe tag. Want priority to get an early season turkey tag, sure you can have that but the State then publishes your address for any and all turkey hunters to help themselves and you just gave up your right to say no!

This stuff pisses me off to no end. Gotta love the Republic of Texas where land owners rights still mean just that

To the OP, put up a sign that clearly states you don't even want to be asked. Be a bit rude, they are.

I've had the opposite experience on my land, the 20's and under crowd is willing to help me mend fences and clear brush for the ability to hunt and fish on my place; the boomer crowd on the other hand like to inform me that they have been and WILL continue hunting/fishing on my place..... especially those who have coon hounds they want to run all over a week before deer season.

How I love to hear....."We've been hunting this place since before you we're born!"

As for the issue, I would simply put a sign at the gate that says......

"We have leased the hunting to this property - Please don't ask to hunt"

And make damn sure you have no trespassing signs up in accordance with local law.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Unless you actually need to shoot someone someday. That sign will be front and center at your trial. That your a trigger happy nut job.

I have had to testify in court on that very subject. I was coached to say I was very afraid for myself and others. When in court you want to appear to be Clark Kent not Superman. Any custom trigger or performance work on the firearm will be seen as being a fanatic just itching to shoot someone.

Too clarify for those asking. I did not shoot someone on my property. This situation had nothing to do with trespassing it was out in the community on public property. A certain person was pointing a revolver and threatening a woman with it. I stupidly intervened and did NOT have to shoot him.But during the police interview, I said I was very close. and was coached not to say that in court. But to come from an angle of being completely afraid for my life and hers.

He was locked up and I’m not sure where he is now.

 

[pilar]

I've had the opposite experience on my land, the 20's and under crowd is willing to help me mend fences and clear brush for the ability to hunt and fish on my place; the boomer crowd on the other hand like to inform me that they have been and WILL continue hunting/fishing on my place..... especially those who have coon hounds they want to run all over a week before deer season.

How I love to hear....."We've been hunting this place since before you we're born!"

As for the issue, I would simply put a sign at the gate that says......

"We have leased the hunting to this property - Please don't ask to hunt"

And make damn sure you have no trespassing signs up in accordance with local law.

We had a couple hundred acres on a lake , and the number of times I had guys running
Hogs & dogs coming in by boat , and heard we have been hunting here for years
Just ask Mr what’s his name
We had yellow no hunting no trespassing signs and purple paint on almost every tree and fence posts
Old people , 20-35 years old people, teenagers, only way to stop them is have a speed dial with the game warden

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

Plus one on the sign idea.

 

[cajunchefray]

View attachment 686714

Plus one on the sign idea.

I’m getting old, I don’t understand the slang?
I live 2 hours away from my place.

I’ve posted No Trespassing signs years ago on my 112 acre property.
It has a long road frontage, a few ways to get in. Posted them every 100’. In South Louisiana, in rural areas, used to be very common to trespass.
The signs minimized some renegades but after a few years they were all torn down.
Reposting signs is my next project.

Three Belgian Malinois would be the most effective. I have friends that train them as security guards. Just can’t justify $30K right now.

 

[BourbonTrail]

I’m getting old, I don’t understand the slang?
…

It’s a reference to the movie “Deliverance” from 1972.

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

I’m getting old, I don’t understand the slang?
I live 2 hours away from my place.

I’ve posted No Trespassing signs years ago on my 112 acre property.
It has a long road frontage, a few ways to get in. Posted them every 100’. In South Louisiana, in rural areas, used to be very common to trespass.
The signs minimized some renegades but after a few years they were all torn down.
Reposting signs is my next project.

Three Belgian Malinois would be the most effective. I have friends that train them as security guards. Just can’t justify $30K right now.

It’s just a joke in the vein of the “trespassers will be violated” one earlier in the thread. It’s from deliverance.

 

[baxterb]

Too clarify for those asking. I did not shoot someone on my property. This situation had nothing to do with trespassing it was out in the community on public property. A certain person was pointing a revolver and threatening a woman with it. I stupidly intervened and did NOT have to shoot him.But during the police interview, I said I was very close. and was coached not to say that in court. But to come from an angle of being completely afraid for my life and hers.

He was locked up and I’m not sure where he is now.

I’ve actually been shot at ON my property. Those bastids were illegally hunting turkey behind our house and when we saw them and yelled toward them we received several rounds of 3” magnum in response - the shot hit all around us. We gave chase but they made it to their truck (parked at the church(!) next door and zoomed off. It’s as close as i have ever come to wanting to shoot someone…

 

[meigsbucks]

We had leased some land (347 acres). We posted signs about every 50’. Not just along roadways, but the entire perimeter, even in the woods.
They stated something like: No trespassing. Property leased from xxxx buy xxxx Hunt Club. Violators will be prosecuted.
We initially just had a few along the roads and entrances and we encountered several people. Once we posted every 50’, I think we had three encounters in ~15 years.

 

[Sika98k]

View attachment 686565
Years ago I found this sign on a gate and it intimidated me.
Strong tobacco,isnt it?

The bottom line should read
“Survivors will be shot again”

 

[HankBuck]

We had a couple hundred acres on a lake , and the number of times I had guys running
Hogs & dogs coming in by boat , and heard we have been hunting here for years
Just ask Mr what’s his name
We had yellow no hunting no trespassing signs and purple paint on almost every tree and fence posts
Old people , 20-35 years old people, teenagers, only way to stop them is have a speed dial with the game warden

Pilar: I think in the scenario you described the only solution is Prosecute and make catching Trespassers your “Hunting Goal” for one season. Use video cameras (hide them well) and partner with Game Wardens & Cops - most Law Enforcement love to cooperate if YOU set up an easy case for them: Have posted signs all over, cell camera video footage, trail cam pictures etc,, Have a file put together and do All the leg work for Law Enforcement….then they can step in for easy arrest, summons, and convictions.

 

[WAB]

I have 600 acres at my home, we're in an area that's starting to get more and more built up. I've noticed the amount of hunters stopping at my door asking to hunt various animals has increased especially in the last year. The people I allow to hunt already know they can. I don't let anyone on my property especially to hunt. My wife works at home and doesn't appreciate strangers coming to the door when I'm not around and I'm getting quite tired of having to drive down to the house to tell people no all the time. If I was to post a sign at the end of my driveway do you guys think a general "No Hunting" sign would stop people from driving down my driveway and knocking on the door or what would you put on the sign?

Maybe a sorry this property is already leased for hunting sign?

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I've had the opposite experience on my land, the 20's and under crowd is willing to help me mend fences and clear brush for the ability to hunt and fish on my place; the boomer crowd on the other hand like to inform me that they have been and WILL continue hunting/fishing on my place..... especially those who have coon hounds they want to run all over a week before deer season.

How I love to hear....."We've been hunting this place since before you we're born!"

As for the issue, I would simply put a sign at the gate that says......

"We have leased the hunting to this property - Please don't ask to hunt"

And make damn sure you have no trespassing signs up in accordance with local law.

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’ve actually been shot at ON my property. Those bastids were illegally hunting turkey behind our house and when we saw them and yelled toward them we received several rounds of 3” magnum in response - the shot hit all around us. We gave chase but they made it to their truck (parked at the church(!) next door and zoomed off. It’s as close as i have ever come to wanting to shoot someone…

If I remember right a couple people were shot and killed not to far from y'all in the last 10 years or so as well. If I remember correctly one was a landowner and they tried to shove him down the well or something right? It's been a while since I lived/hunted out your way.