Property lines and shooting game......

[Landowner]

I have a stand on the edge of my property line. Where my stand is located is upland my neighbors land in a swampy. I try to catch deer going onto his land. This only happened once. One other time I called a very large brown antlered deer from his land to mine, no success. I would not shoot a deer from his property. He is good people don't want to ruin our friend ship. He let me track deer that my cousin shot onto his land. He also lets me hunt coyote.

Landowner.

(stay off my land)

[nyslowhand]

This whole situation with others infringing of someone's hunting property is just the tip of the iceberg.

Wait a few years, it's going to get ugly.

Available hunting locations for someone that does not own their own property is creating a Pandora’s Box.

I can see landowners really taking advantage of lease fees. Even to the point of bidding or auctions.

Already know several hunters that don't have access to hunting properties that strictly road hunt.

They have no regard for whose property they are shooting onto and don't bother with permission to retrieve.

Suburban hunting is really getting popular with the shooting distance restrictions being ignored.

Some hunters that have no property or privileges are becoming callous & uncaring about other's properties.

If you own a few hundred acres, neighbors hunting near the property line may not be a big deal.

If you own a much smaller "piece of heaven" it becomes much more of an infringement issue.

If you are going to hunt a property line, that's your right. But you better be facing the property you can hunt and have retrieval rights before hand. Because it's going to happen.

If property is posted, there are consequences for trespassing. Be prepared for those.

If you get along with your neighbors, that's a terrific situation for all involved. Not every one does for whatever reason.

If you do not own property, you probably are unclear as to what is required to obtain and maintain property, financially and labor.

No one owns the wildlife regardless of where they reside or roam!

[WNYBuckHunter]

I understand the issues with trespassers. The point I am trying to make is that no matter how many times you have delt with issues from other people in the past, if someone new buys land next to you, and the first thing you do is start treating them like they have done something wrong already, then there is little hope of ever getting along with them. Maybe a better approach would be to do everything you can to be friendly with them, maybe try to exchange recovery rights with one another and mix your expectations of one another into friendly conversation rather than be confrontational right off the bat. You never know, you might end up with a good neighbor instead of someone that cant stand you because you treat them like an a-hole.

When the guy bought land next door to my father's property, I made it a point to go over and talk to him as soon as I had the chance. It worked out good for me, I have recovery and hunting rights along the line of the property. He is planning on putting in a horse pasture down the road, and at that point I wont be able to hunt right by the fence or anything, but Ill still have recovery rights and hopefully the fence will work to my advantage. A little friendliness can go a long way with people. 

[nyslowhand]

Absolutely agree with that!!! But in the real world may not happen always.

Real situation "What if";

Bought my abandoned farmland property from a logger in November.

Before he resold it, he gave every neighbor & friend hunting privildges for several years.

Had brush hogged a makeshift driveway, looked like a parking lot the 1st morning of regular season when I drove in.

When I purchased it and put up the posted signs, think I was real popular?

Couple of neighbors have warmed up to me, but haven't asked to hunt there.

Couple of others won't even wave as they drive by, still spitful.

One of the later put a treestand in the back of his yard. So I waited for him to see/call me. Nothing - so I put a posted sign in front of the stand.

Was I a jerk, probably. Was he assuming too much or taking liberties, definately.

I'd love nothing better than to have health relationships with all my neighbors.

It's ugly when you don't get along with a neighbor.

So I guess the moral is; I'm going to treat you like you treat me, after I've given you the benifit of the doubt once.

[WNYBuckHunter]

In your case, I might have made the effort to go talk to the guys. They are probably all under the assumption that you are someone that would not allow them recovery rights etc even if they asked. Some of them are probably going to be upset that they lost a hunting spot, but maybe talking to them can make it a little less of a hostile situation or cut down on any animosity. You have to look at both sides of the coin.

It sucks that the timber company didnt tell you about that ahead of time.

[burmjohn]

NYslowhand, that must have been a real mess to deal with....

[fasteddie]

I know this thread is about Property Lines but it is a bit off track so I would add that even though someone has given you permission to hunt a property , don't assume it's okay to continue to hunt it each year . Check for permission .The property may have changed hands . And don't assume that because Posted Signs are up that the owner won't let you hunt it . Land owners want to know want to know who will be on their property .

[Doc]

Of course I have a bit of a different situation than a lot of people with my neighbors on one side being tenants of a 5 apartment old farmhouse. Most of these people don't last long enough to build any kind of agreements with. Since they don't own the land they live on, they don't worry a whole lot about property owner's rights. On the other side I have state land. What can I say about the variations of people you have to deal with there? My back boundary is a 200' vertical rock walled ravine, so we have no problems with trespassers from that end of the property.

However, even if there were permanent neighbors along side of us, sure you want to maintain friendly relations with them, but somewhere along the line it has to be made clear that your friendliness is not to be interpreted as an invitation to them and all their friends and relatives to simply take over your property. Singing the Barney song is fine as long as you still maintain a firm neighborly understanding as to what the limitations are. I have had some pretty ugly experiences with friendliness being misunderstood for being someone to be walked over. It doesn't happen any more.

Doc

[nyslowhand]

I hear ya'.

Neighbor that put up a stand in his yard on the property line previously asked:

To shoot pistols on my property for target practice,

Let his boys have their paint ball war on my property and

Occassionaly ride an ATV.

Being an understanding guy, Yes, Yes & Yes.

Then the stand pops up unannounced. Too much...

[burmjohn]

Hey doc, a 200' rock wall, that must be pretty neat.  Any pics?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

when all else fails he drives them off it like mammoths and cavemen

[Doc]

Hey doc, a 200' rock wall, that must be pretty neat.  Any pics?

LOL.... If you'll recall, all my comments on treestand topics talks about my fear of heights. I can't even get anywhere near the edge. Actually there is also a 90' waterfall that has the banks going straight up for another 200'. I have a pretty good picture of that if I can find it. There was a time when hieghts were no problem at all for me and I did get some black and white pictures but most of those were back when I was a kid and they were taken with a Kodak Brownie camera. I'm not sure any of those pictures have survived the years but I'll check.

Doc

[burmjohn]

I moved the waterfall discussions to here: http://huntingny.com/forums/index.php/topic,1627.0.html

[Doc]

Good. Now let's get back to discussing those property lines and those that like to play games with them ...... lol .

Doc

[covert]

Evening all, longtime lurker first time poster.  I've been following several of the ongoing threads regarding deer drives and ARs but this thread about sitting on the property lines encouraged me to sign up for an account. 

The username has no real meaning in case anyone wondered, I use it on a few other forums and it's just easier to remember the one. 

Anyway on the original topic:  I have a couple stands on my property lines.  I have 48 acres that is longer than it is wide.  I have permission to be on the neighbors but I don't hunt there.  I actually even sit with my back to the line.  My land is mostly open fields with an old overgrown pasture down one side.  The deer can usually be found out in the big field or moving along the property line (on my side) about 10 yds in.  I can't set in the middle of the field without being spotted so I sit in the edge of the woods on one side or in the hedgerow on the other.  I do make sure my stands are on a tree that is clearly on my side of the line though and not straddling it.

I feel it is safer that way because I can see/shoot out into my property without worrying about who may be on the neighbors property because I know who is on my land.

I post my land with frequent signs on a brand new fence so no one can "accidentally" cross the line.  I will pursue legal action against trespassers.  I don't pay $10,000 (that's right, ten-THOUSAND) a year in property taxes so every Tom Dick and Harry in the county who thinks they have a right to go wherever they want can hunt on it. 

If someone hit a deer on the County land I would be perfectly happy to help them get it out as long as the blood trail STARTS on the County.  The house is visible from anywhere on the land  so there is no excuse of "I didn't know where to find the owner".