Salt lick

[chiefbkt]

So a new couple moved in up the road from us in the spring of 2014. Guy stopped by introduced himself and we shot the crap for a while. Turns out he's a hardcore bowhunter like myself and has some nice deer on the wall to show for it. He only has 3 acres of property and it butts up to mine (field edge) and my other neighbors (woods). He got permission to hunt a small portion of my neighbors property and gave him permission to track a wounded animal or retrieve a dead one. On my afternoon walk today I walked down my field edge passed his property and noticed something oddly colored amongst the greenery about 30 yards from the property line. After looking through the binocs I could tell it was a salt lick under the apple trees with a camera set up on it. I was tempted to trespass and remove the block and then clear the camera but opted not to. I'm not sure how to approach the situation with him as I don't know too great. Do I just confront him and see what he says? See if he plays the ignorant roll of I didn't know it was illegal...or do I call my local ENCON and let him handle it? I'm generally the kinda guy that would rather confront the person and hope they make the right choice. He seems like a decent guy so I'm hoping a talk will resolve the issue. I'm just curious if it would, or if he'd just move the block out sight from my property...

[Slaynbux]

Do you want to make enemies with your neighbor. If you do call the game warden. If you don't mind your own business. It's on his property. Probably trying to get some pics.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

Do you want to make enemies with your neighbor. If you do call the game warden. If you don't mind your own business. It's on his property. Probably trying to get some pics.

Yup even if it is against a stupid Ny law, I would leave it be and carry on with your own thing,  Ny has some stupid laws on the books and this is one of them, Myself...Let it go.

 

Im sure you will get the other side of the coin also with the..A law is a law reply and you should turn him in.  He is hurting nothing and should be left alone.  IMO

[Jason118]

Is there a game trail going from your property to the lick? ;-). I would consider stealing someone else's property a much higher offence than the salt lick itself. In fact I would have you arrested and I'll take the fine for the lick. Sounds like from the position of it if you called the authorities he will know it's you anyways so why bother??But if it bothers you that much I would personally ask him to remove it. You won't have a friendly neighbor anymore but that's your choice.

[Doc]

That is a tough situation. You do have to worry about maintaining good neighbor relations after all you may have to live next to this guy for a lot of years. On the other hand, if this guy is blatantly breaking one law, it could be that he has no respect for any of them. However, that is not always the case.

 

I had a similar problem with one of my neighbors, and simply maneuvered a conversation with him around to the subject of baiting. What I found out was that he was from some place down south where such tactics are legal, and had just moved into the state and really didn't have any idea that it was illegal. Yes, ignorance of the law is no legal excuse, but we also know that even the encon officers don't know the law either so we know how realistic that crap really is. The salt block disappeared, and it turns out that the guy really is a very ethical hunter who does his best to do things right.

 

 

[GreeneHunter]

Leave it alone !

[First-light]

Bring it up in conversation that you saw his setup. Be nice and explain ti him to be careful because it is illegal to use the salt lick for deer. Don't make it sound like you will turn him in or anything like that. I can see people using these things for pictures but when season roles around and a nice deer is hitting the thing it will be hard to take away. 

[Jaeger]

I agree with Doc and First-light.  Give him the benifit of the doubt.  You said he asked for and negotiated permission to hunt a portion of neighboring property.  On the surface it sounds like a decent guy.

 

If he isn't I wouldnt get into a war, unless it turns out he violates your place while pretending to be friendly.  I had that happen with a neighbor of mine.  Not pretty.

 

As far as a stupid law, there are many.  This one is not.  Chronic wasting disease is I believe spread from slaiva to saliva (and snot) contact.  The point against salt blocks is to prevent an infected deer from passing it on to others by forcing them into tasting the exact same spot.  A concentrated salt block is a little different than feeding in a food plot which is legal.

[DeerDuck]

Tell him you saw an ECO parked near the property. Maybe he was checking things out? If your neighbor has any brains , he'll remove it before the season starts. Now you know why he's got some nice racks on the wall..

[chiefbkt]

I've talked with him on several occasions and know he grew up here in NY and moved here so his wife could be closer to her job. With that being said he should know the "law". I'm not known for being a jerk and don't want to start being one. He really seems harmless but has stated he doesn't get much time to hunt and tries to take advantage of the time he gets. I'm just wondering if he is aware that what he is doing is wrong, and if he is, is there where it stops? Or is it only the tip of the iceberg? I think I'll try to bring it up in casual conversation and see what his opinions are. Thanks for the input fellas.

[Vinny Tagalucci]

Call the DEC.I never understood this mind your business/turn a blind eye mentality when it comes to game violations.It effects you.Why would you ignore it?

It also explains his woodmanship and hunting skills as far as the deer on his wall.

[Paula]

You think he should know the law but still might not have any clue. There have been people on here posting pictures with salt licks or apples, they thought it was ok because they were not hunting over it at the time. They were only taking inventory of the deer.

Buck up and ask him if he is aware of the law

[landtracdeerhunter]

You have a larger problem here. Under NYS. law, you can be ticketed for baiting and or feeding deer, even though you didn't place the salt lick there. It applies even if you didn't know it was there during season. As long as your hunting within a certain distance of it, ECO's can nail ya. I would dam well inform my neighbor of it. 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2015 by landtracdeerhunter

[wooly]

Deer (especially nice bucks) wont hit a salt lick with any regularity durring daylight this time of year through late winter...

I wouldn't sweat it.

Tell him throw some corn out with it for extra appeal.

[DeerDuck]

I was in Dicks last season, and this guy was buying 3 or 4 bags of that deer attractant powder stuff. That is also illegal to use. I guess some people don't care how they get a buck? I've called up on guys using corn before, and would again. I don't know how you can feel any pride in getting a deer that you shot illegally.

[Hock3y24]

I'd personally leave it, not worth pissing a neighbor

Off for me.

[skully]

Figure out how to use it to your advantage.  Last thing you wanna do is piss off your neighbor over a salt lick because if your dec officer is some clown now that decides he is gonna walk in the woods every day at 730 am to see if this guy is hunting over feed. Trust me if I was him I would figure out a way to piss you off.

 

Leave it alone 

[Vinny Tagalucci]

Wait until you start finding the apples and other snacks that come out.

Wait until he's tresspassing all over the area.

Wait until he wacks a giant-illegally.

Wait until he ruins what was probably a good area.

Then sit back and wonder why you didn't call the DEC.

If he played by the rules he wouldn't need to worry about someone calling up on him.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

I agree with Doc and First-light.  Give him the benifit of the doubt.  You said he asked for and negotiated permission to hunt a portion of neighboring property.  On the surface it sounds like a decent guy.

 

If he isn't I wouldnt get into a war, unless it turns out he violates your place while pretending to be friendly.  I had that happen with a neighbor of mine.  Not pretty.

 

As far as a stupid law, there are many.  This one is not.  Chronic wasting disease is I believe spread from slaiva to saliva (and snot) contact.  The point against salt blocks is to prevent an infected deer from passing it on to others by forcing them into tasting the exact same spot.  A concentrated salt block is a little different than feeding in a food plot which is legal.

LOL...Like one way is any different than another?  Better cut all those apple trees down and wipe out the acorn drop. One is legal and one is not, and that will change anything when it comes to disease?  I think not....

[ELMER J. FUDD]

Tell him it's all good so long as he keeps salt licks under his trophies too.

[wooly]

Wait until he wacks a giant-illegally.

 

 

That's usually the one that sends most guys off the deep end, and comes with the highest penalty.(risk)

 

All that other stuff you posted just builds up to this point and then it all comes out.

Everything else is just a slap on the wrist, and most violations you can simply plead guilty and mail in a minimal fine.

Just an inconvienience to the offender.

[Vinny Tagalucci]

That's usually the one that sends most guys off the deep end, and comes with the highest penalty.(risk)

All that other stuff you posted just builds up to this point and then it all comes out.

Everything else is just a slap on the wrist, and most violations you can simply plead guilty and mail in a minimal fine.

Just an inconvienience to the offender.

Absolutely.Mainly because it is similar to when greed is involved in financial schemes,etc. a couple of bucks not too bad......millions and billions......may as well step in front of a train.

[Nomad]

Talk to him first . I'd tell him I saw the salt lick and what's up with that ? we don't hunt like that around here, and it's so close to my property I could get in trouble by hunting to close to it . I hope it's just out by your camera for pics ( giving him an out) .

Then keep a close eye on him.

If your first move is to call the cops well expect the same when your kid drives to fast down the street , or you play your music a bit loud, build a shed or pool deck without a permit, you dog barks, grass is to high , camper is parked to long in your yard, maybe you like to have a camp fire some nights hope it meets all the code requirements because he'll be calling .even if you're right in everything you do he'll still call and the cops / code enforcement will respond.

We have friends who's neighbor called on them dozens of time. When they cut the grass he'd call the Sheriff because the clippings crossed the property line......

Talk to him, watch him , you'll know after a season how he rolls.

[skully]

Talk to him first . I'd tell him I saw the salt lick and what's up with that ? we don't hunt like that around here, and it's so close to my property I could get in trouble by hunting to close to it . I hope it's just out by your camera for pics ( giving him an out) .

Then keep a close eye on him.

If your first move is to call the cops well expect the same when your kid drives to fast down the street , or you play your music a bit loud, build a shed or pool deck without a permit, you dog barks, grass is to high , camper is parked to long in your yard, maybe you like to have a camp fire some nights hope it meets all the code requirements because he'll be calling .even if you're right in everything you do he'll still call and the cops / code enforcement will respond.

We have friends who's neighbor called on them dozens of time. When they cut the grass he'd call the Sheriff because the clippings crossed the property line......

Talk to him, watch him , you'll know after a season how he rolls.

 

well said

[Jaeger]

LOL...Like one way is any different than another?  Better cut all those apple trees down and wipe out the acorn drop. One is legal and one is not, and that will change anything when it comes to disease?  I think not....

You missed my point. Like Paula stated many people just dont know the law.

 

We are on this site and talk about it all the time but we all know people who have been hunting forever and haven't read the regs. in the past 20yrs.  People who get the "rules" from others who supposedly read them.  The "that's the way it's always been" crowd.

 

The point is, if he asked permission for another property he may not be a bad apple, then again he might.  Why jump all over him before he finds out.

 

Then if he is runing afoul of the law, deal with it in a progressive manner.  Let him know he can't do it.  As stated above, let him  know you don't want it near you as it puts you at risk. Then let him know that the loca ECO is always welcome on your property.  That one has worked for me in the past.  I play by the rules and have no reason to fear the ECO's.

 

My hunts have been more disturbed by joy riding atv'ers than eco's on patrol.

 

To jump and scream ridiculous stuff (some of it above) is not productive.