Any advice to keep poachers off your land?

[thunnus]

It's posted, 1/2 is patrolled (a slower w/ Age ex and great deer hunter and ex marine).

There just doesn't seem to be any respect for people's property.

Land we purchased, maintain, finance, insure and pay an exorbitant amount of tax on.

It's posted, they tare it down.

People Spotlight our fields then spread the word of the bucks they see.

I've spent 10 years pushing people off land, paying to keep habitat right/mixed, and culling bucks w/ bad genetics.

The dividends are paying off, but the more monsters they see the more of a problem the poachers become.

Separate thought, why is spotlighting legal at all, let alone on someone else's private property?

Any advice much appreciated. It's just gotta stop, it's literally theft.

Edited October 30, 2014 by thunnus

[phade]

Save yourself some time on culling the bucks with bad genetics and use that saved time to keep the poachers out.

[stoneam2006]

Gotta catch one and get him In trouble to get the word out that your serious...just make sure all legal posted so he can't fight it

[bubba]

Law enforcement.  If you own land, you will spend the rest of your life chasing people off.  A whole lot of cameras to catch anyone coming on or going off and prosecute all you can.  If there is no consequences for their actions, the actions will not stop. 

[Caveman]

Geez, sounds like the land I hunt.  I agree with Bubba, do your best to make sure there are consequences to their actions and word will (hopefully) spread.  

[ATbuckhunter]

Well you could always invite a DEC officer to hunt with you on your land. I doubt you'll see another poacher/trespasser with in 10 miles. I would also suggest you put switch grass or some type of very very tall grass around your fields so people cant see the deer in the fields. 

[NFA-ADK]

Plant bushes and trees on your property line or just let it overgrow so no one can see into it.  If they can not see into the land they can not spotlight it.

[growalot]

A constant battle...I planted pines and corn along the road of feed feilds and installed fencing against the worst offenders I had...now I'll be working on other areas like the hunting lease next door..but the best I did was make sure I have lots of green feed(plots) and mast ..acorns...persimmons apples berries ect ect right in the middle of the property...also feeding trails that lead in and out of that center area.

[bubba]

How many deer have the actually poached off the land or is it just spotlighters driving by?  If they are taking deer illegally, get all the information you can and turn them in.  After reading the post again, I get the impression it is about spot lights more than poaching.  Have you actually caught people on the property? 

[G-Man]

Screen your fields with trees shrubs abd tall grasses.or log brush piles giving trees time to grow(spruce do well and grow fast. You say patroled but is the driveway chained? that is a sure sign no one is there.your better off getting someone to drive in and out leaving tracks, timers on lights in windows. tv is good as it causes flickering, i winter junk car in driveway, motion lights set to go off if some one is spotting or a good flood light right back at them. i love to pull up in a car behind them and have highbeams on and write plate numbers down. And i agree spot lighting should be illegal there is no need or benifit from it. (and there are distance its not allowed by buildings already.)

[thunnus]

I really appreciate all the responses.

Due to the amount of road frontage and the slope of the land screening is not practical

Spotlighting is how they find them and there's really no reason they should be doing that

I'm less concerned with that than with someone shooting me in my own woods, taking deer we manage or simply the liability associated with poachers hurting themselves or eachother.

I was shot by the careless guest of a friend on a pheasant hunting trip in Northern California back in 07 from 5 feet with a 20 gauge believe me it's no fun I got to get them off my land

You can only prosecute if you post and all they do is tear down the posted signs.

Metal signs are expensive, almost willing to give someone access to the land for a year if they post it and patrol it.

When I say patrol it I mean be stern with those that need to be Sternly and get them prosecuted

Edited October 30, 2014 by thunnus

[phade]

I really appreciate all the responses.

Do you to the amount of road frontage and the slope of the land screening is not practical

Spotlighting is how they find them and there's really no reason they should be doing that

I'm less concerned with that and someone shooting me in my own woods, taking deer we manage or simply the liability associated with poachers hurting themselves or eachother.

You can only prosecute if you post and all they do is tear down the posted signs.

Metal signs are expensive, almost willing to give someone access to the land for a year if they post it and patrol it.

When I say patrol it I mean be stern with those that need to be Sternly and get them prosecuted

 

Find an honest/approachable hunting county sheriff or state trooper. Let him know your situation and give him access. Word gets out fast.

[stoneam2006]

Where are you located. ...and as far as them tearing down the signs as long as you can prove they were up the dec have rules about that too...plus if you catch them tearing it down that's a whole different charge....good luck to you.

[thunnus]

How many deer have the actually poached off the land or is it just spotlighters driving by? If they are taking deer illegally, get all the information you can and turn them in. After reading the post again, I get the impression it is about spot lights more than poaching. Have you actually caught people on the property?

Well Bubba it's gotten to the point that I see more deer on state land in Suffolk County then I seen 200 private acres upstate of hardwoods swamp ponds and streams fields conifer including hemlock Groves

[hunter49]

Shoot out the spot light! We run into ppl on our posted (with boundry lines marked) property a lot, they say they get turned around? & we tell them to get/stay off. I figure when we aren't there someone else is, I guess there is not much we can do about it if we are not there 24/7. Land is 30 mi. away tough to patrol every day.

[growalot]

We got 100 metal signs with our name and # printed on them and it was like 100 and some change..I took a step ladder with me when I put up many of them  and used PT plywood and long screws(much harder to pull out)...signs are only 12 so any construction sight that is doing outside sheathing or form work could have PT scraps that you could ask to scroung for backing board...

Edited October 30, 2014 by growalot

[Sudzy8]

People spotlight to see what bucks are in an area just like people put trail cams out. Just because a buck is feeding in your field one night does not mean it couldnt be a mile away the next night. Poachers need to be prosecuted. Everyone that spotlights is not a poacher though.

[bubba]

You need to get aggressive and go after them legally.  If they tear down signs, you can have them arrested for that as well as trespassing. Just because someone tears down posted signs does not negate them from prosecution for trespassing or poaching.  And if not posted they get one warning.  I assume you are not close to the property.  Hire someone to patrol it.  200 acres is not that much.  I have 450 and can keep people off pretty well.  that may be because when some guys leased property next to mine they put their stands 50 yards onto my property to watch the field they leased.  When the stands were tore down and thrown in the field and they got a visit from law enforcement they got the word out.  I live 18 miles from my property and go over quite regularly.  I would not be so worried about getting shot while hunting.  Spotlighters and poachers work under the disguise of dark.   Plus I would think with the amount you pay for taxes upkeep and the rest the cost of the posters would be small.  I am going to guess it is someone who used to hunt there and is disgruntled about not being able to hunt there anymore.  Find out who used to and see what you can find out about them such as where they live etc.  That information could be useful in the future

[bubba]

Shoot out the spot light! We run into ppl on our posted (with boundry lines marked) property a lot, they say they get turned around? & we tell them to get/stay off. I figure when we aren't there someone else is, I guess there is not much we can do about it if we are not there 24/7. Land is 30 mi. away tough to patrol every day.

 

 

yeah there is some good advice.  Become an outlaw by shooting at them when they are not breaking any laws by spotlighting.  

[Elmo]

Sometimes I'll spotlight into an adjacent private property when I'm leaving at night off of public land because I want to get an idea where the deer are going/coming from at night.  I don't do this if the house is within view as to not disturb the home owners but if the home owners were out for a early evening stroll, they might see my light.

[growalot]

 

8/1/2014 7:35:53 PM

By James Rowley

On 7/31/14 James Hettinger was issued a criminal summons to appear in Canadice town court to answer to a charge of spotlighting deer within 500 feet of a home, in violation of NYS Environmental Conservation Law after a neighbor complained about the incident.

Persons Involved:

James Hettinger 54yrs old

 

 So someone else didn't like spot lighters either...there are laws about it...

[thunnus]

Called the state police in town, a bunch like to hunt. Will see if one is willing to post and patrol in return for being the only person not escorted by me to hunt it.

Again I appreciate all the perspectives even the ones I really do not agree with

(I'm only looking in his car to see what kind of radio, bags, keys he has you know if something falls out of the car out of their property).

Don't walk on my land, don't disturb my game, you can shoot it or shine it when it's on your land, not mine.

[thunnus]

So someone else didn't like spot lighters either...there are laws about it...

Thanks state police and dec told me it was legal as long as they weren't shooting. I'll look up that article and law, thank you!

[LuckyPickle123]

Unfortunately you can't take action into your own hands in today's world.  Everyone is out there to get the next guy and they are just hoping you mess up by doing something illegal to them (even if it is on your own land).  Believe me, I would love to prosecute a few guys I've met along the way personally, but you can't.  Contact DEC or police.... best bet.

[growalot]

I all depends on whos on duty when you call...sad but true..thats when you have to tell them..BTW I do now the regulations and make sure you have them and the #'s forthem and press the issue...

That posted news article actually torqued me...they'll come out and issue here for spotting but not when ppl are nearly shot out of a stand on there own land...nice guys real nice!