I Miss August Land Reposting.

[blackbeltbill]

    Back when,I was in the Monroe-Chester Sportsman's Club- each Mid August there would be a " Work Party" Day usually on a Saturday  to last around 4 Hours or so.Each Hour worked would bring your Yearly Dues down and the Chairman of this Work Party would Sign off on Index Cards to be sent in with the Yearly Dues- which in my last year in the Club was $320 Dollars. I had to drop out after 36 Years because it got too expensive and the Yearly Dues are undoubtedly much higher now in 2022- but,I digress.

   There was all kinds of Cleanup Work on the Pheasant Preserve. I believe  the acreage  was over 700 Acres. My Duty each August which,I Looked forward to was to Repost the Entire Posted Line. Only a few Men knew the whole interior Posted Line. I had 1 other Man to make a Team of 2. Hammer,Roofing Nails, and at least 25 New Posted Signs apiece.

   Each year,I had a new partner as parts of the Line was Steep. All kinds of Terain.  You needed to be in Shape for this Work Duty on the Preserve. 2010 was my last year in the Club.

   And we Needed many of these New Posted Signs. Where a Woodsroad continued on into the Hardwoods from the Preserve- those Posted Signs would always be Ripped Down or Shot to Pieces- ( Monroe- Chester Members- any reading this?-- Take Heed!)

  Always in this one area of open Hardwoods leading up a Ridge to a Beautiful Large Flat chock full of different  Hickory Trees- the Posted Signs would be Carefully  Removed. A good 5 or 6. Anyone who has posted knows not to Slam those Roofing Nails all the way in. This area was in a more Secluded area of the Preserve. Deer and Wild Turkey loved this area.

  Unfortunately-- there were some Houses a short distance from the Posted Line. This area also had Safety Buffer signs to keep members on the Safe Legal side of the Preserve.

   One Fall Day as,I was Fall Turkey Hunting this area as there were " Dinner Plates" everywhere,I caught a Trespasser Red Handed crossing a area of the Posted Line where a Rockwall was the Border. I was up Top on the Flat and observed him unseen as he Walked uphill with Shotgun in Hand looking for Fall Wild Turkeys. 

  Was he Surprised  to see me!  This Guy had a Circular Camo Hat with Turkey Spurs all the way around the Brim.  I did not have to say much. This Guy- mid 60s or so reversed his path and not Happy about it.  Fall Turkey Fanatics- even then were becoming rare- but he ran into another-- only,I was Legal to be there. Digressing again.

    Eventually  the Posted Line would run Through a Area with plenty of Conifers. Usually  the Posted Line here would be ok. The Signs- not messed with as there was a somewhat Rocky and Steep Drop.

 Eventually, I would make it to a Side Road and Check the Sign there. Some were Down- but most were up. Off the main road- the signs were always up.

  And back across the Preserve we would go on a Woodsroad that went from the 2nd smaller parking area to the main one on the other side. Usually this Reposting took over 3 Hours .

   This Preserve really has " Hunter Tresspasser" problems. There was too much Gobbler Poaching in April.  Once while Scouting and walking a Fieldline,I heard Loud Yelping in the Wetlands and BOOM. More Yelping- Diaphragm  without a doubt and BOOM.  After,I yelled HEY as loud as,I could - there was silence. There had to be 4+ Gobblers all together  sounding off. At least,I save #3 from being Killed. ATVs in April too and one Dude in May crossed over the Woodsroad Posted Line area with Shotgun and Ran hunched over and Shotgun at Port Arms. Complete with Bluejeans he was was.  He saw me and it made no difference  to this Young guy- maybe 20 at the most.

 Hope Y'ALL enjoyed my Reposting Experiences. This Poaching over there in April might still be going on. Members probably  have no clue.

 Wish,I was still in Monroe- Chester- but,I am on the poorer side and Public is it now.

 

 

[blackbeltbill]

Here is a good pic of part of the huge Preserve of Monroe- Chester Sportsman's  Club.

 Note the Rooster Pheasant in the Dead Tree and also note the Hunter in the Lower Right. That is my Father going to flush that ol Rooster Pheasant out.

   I can say from being in 4 Gun Clubs that the Hunting Land is more Crowded then the Public option. 

[blackbeltbill]

 Here is another  picture of the Preserve. Some of these 6 or 7 Fields are Huge.

 Now you can get an idea of a 3 Hour+ Reposting each August.

 I took alot of Pheasants in this area.

[blackbeltbill]

The very end of the Preserve is high up at the Treeline in this particular  area.

 That is BEN- Hot on a Pheasant Scent. Around 2004.

[blackbeltbill]

  I remember  one Day in Spring- since,I knew the whole Border better then anyone,I was in a perfect Spot to call a Gobbler in from the Private Land beyond.

  Took about 1 Hour and with the Help of a " Cutting Hen" in my area- that Private Land Tom became a Gun Club Leased Land Gobbler and,I dropped him.

 Great Memory There!!

[kpkot]

52 minutes ago, blackbeltbill said:

  I remember  one Day in Spring- since,I knew the whole Border better then anyone,I was in a perfect Spot to call a Gobbler in from the Private Land beyond.

  Took about 1 Hour and with the Help of a " Cutting Hen" in my area- that Private Land Tom became a Gun Club Leased Land Gobbler and,I dropped him.

 Great Memory There!!

Isn't a "leased land gobbler" that's not on public, essentially a "private land tom" as well? Asking for a friend.

[blackbeltbill]

49 minutes ago, kpkot said:

Isn't a "leased land gobbler" that's not on public, essentially a "private land tom" as well? Asking for a friend.

HA! - Hunting Club Lands are--( MUCH MORE CROWDED) then Public Lands...  

  This could be a future Topic.