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Attention Hunters!
Attention Hunters!
When the rural fashion scene is dominated by neon orange and camouflage, you know its hunting season.
I’ve been lucky – I have a good relationship with the people who hunt our woodlots. For the most part, they’re respectful of my family, our privacy and our property. But I’ve noticed that as hunting becomes more popular, the people knocking at my door asking for permission to hunt are less in tune with the fact that I’m trying to make a living from these properties. They are also more aggressive and pushy in their efforts to gain access to our property, and this is a turn-off for me. I call it the Rambo factor. Have gun – must shoot.
We need responsible hunters to keep the deer and wild turkey population at a reasonable level. We also need hunters to understand that they should not: put nails in trees when installing tree stands, knock down more corn than a herd of deer in pursuit of that mega-rack, leave their garbage behind, or park vehicles in appropriate places (blocking field access). I don’t think this is asking for much.
Some farmers think it would be fair to charge hunters a fee to access the game on the property. I’d be interested to hear if anyone has explored or undertaken these kinds of arrangements and what’s involved. The word “liability” leaps to mind.
Hunters like to think they are really helping me by harvesting the deer on my farms. I guess this is true, but it’s the hordes of dog-sized raccoons that are really hurting my bottom line. In fields that border woodlots, I give up the first 12 rows to these corn-gobbling vermin. Deer are dainty nibblers – raccoons are gluttons. To add insult to injury, if you leave the combine in the field overnight, they use the engine compartment as their porta-potty. Man, that makes me mad.
When I tell hunters that if they really want to endear themselves to farmers, they’ll take out some raccoons, they look at me like I just asked them to clean a truck-stop bathroom. The indignity of the request is written all over their faces – they did not buy $10,000 worth of gun/scope/GPS/camo-wear to hunt the lowly raccoon. Ever seen a raccoon head mounted over a basement bar? There is no such thing as a “trophy” raccoon. One hunter said shooting raccoons was against his morals as he did not eat raccoon meat. I asked him what he did if he had mice in the house.
Maybe we need to ask the boys in the biotech lab to genetically engineer a raccoon that has antlers so we can get the big game hunters to help us out. We could even change the name to RACK-coons to generate some interest from the wall-mounting set.
What do you think? Do you have a positive relationship with hunters? Should we ask hunters to help us with vermin in return for access to trophy animals?
We’ve got a good discussion going on this topic at our chat. Click here to join the discussion.
Peter Gredig
Farms.com
Peter.Gredig@Farms.com
When the rural fashion scene is dominated by neon orange and camouflage, you know its hunting season.
I’ve been lucky – I have a good relationship with the people who hunt our woodlots. For the most part, they’re respectful of my family, our privacy and our property. But I’ve noticed that as hunting becomes more popular, the people knocking at my door asking for permission to hunt are less in tune with the fact that I’m trying to make a living from these properties. They are also more aggressive and pushy in their efforts to gain access to our property, and this is a turn-off for me. I call it the Rambo factor. Have gun – must shoot.
We need responsible hunters to keep the deer and wild turkey population at a reasonable level. We also need hunters to understand that they should not: put nails in trees when installing tree stands, knock down more corn than a herd of deer in pursuit of that mega-rack, leave their garbage behind, or park vehicles in appropriate places (blocking field access). I don’t think this is asking for much.
Some farmers think it would be fair to charge hunters a fee to access the game on the property. I’d be interested to hear if anyone has explored or undertaken these kinds of arrangements and what’s involved. The word “liability” leaps to mind.
Hunters like to think they are really helping me by harvesting the deer on my farms. I guess this is true, but it’s the hordes of dog-sized raccoons that are really hurting my bottom line. In fields that border woodlots, I give up the first 12 rows to these corn-gobbling vermin. Deer are dainty nibblers – raccoons are gluttons. To add insult to injury, if you leave the combine in the field overnight, they use the engine compartment as their porta-potty. Man, that makes me mad.
When I tell hunters that if they really want to endear themselves to farmers, they’ll take out some raccoons, they look at me like I just asked them to clean a truck-stop bathroom. The indignity of the request is written all over their faces – they did not buy $10,000 worth of gun/scope/GPS/camo-wear to hunt the lowly raccoon. Ever seen a raccoon head mounted over a basement bar? There is no such thing as a “trophy” raccoon. One hunter said shooting raccoons was against his morals as he did not eat raccoon meat. I asked him what he did if he had mice in the house.
Maybe we need to ask the boys in the biotech lab to genetically engineer a raccoon that has antlers so we can get the big game hunters to help us out. We could even change the name to RACK-coons to generate some interest from the wall-mounting set.
What do you think? Do you have a positive relationship with hunters? Should we ask hunters to help us with vermin in return for access to trophy animals?
We’ve got a good discussion going on this topic at our chat. Click here to join the discussion.
Peter Gredig
Farms.com
Peter.Gredig@Farms.com
Views: 7894
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Peter Gredig on
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Here are some of the comments from our other chat forum.
Love your commentary Peter! I know of several farmers in our area who charge a fee for hunting. In fact one guy has a family from St. Louis who pays a substantial amount (enough, in fact, to cover the taxes on the farm) for exclusive rights. Especially if you're spending time cleaning up after people, it seems a small thing to ask.
Raccoons are a problem around here too - perhaps we could have a massive trapping party and send them all, dead or alive, to the HSUS.
Date Posted : 11/6/2009 11:21:29 AM
Re:Attention Hunters!
If the tree huggers want to maintain excess wild life on my farm I strongly beleive I should receive
payments from them per animal unit. They should also pay for any disease that are transmitted to my farm animals and crop damage
Re: Attention Hunters!
Makes me proud to me a Raccoon Hunter with hounds. Been doing this for the past 53 years and am proud to say, I have been welcomed with open arms by the same bunch of farmers. Some are now the 3rd generation of the land, but the same families. In fact, one farmer has told others that they have to get the OK from me to hunt----I told him to please not do that, he pays the taxes and he is the owner, thanks but no thanks if you know what I mean.
As far as being a hunter and getting the permission to hunt, if your a butt hole and think you have the RIGHT to hunt, forget it----you are fighting a battle that you will lose.
Relationships are earned, not free.
Re: Attention Hunters!
I bet it would not take much to find some coon hunter who would love to come in with his hounds and help you out. My son coon hunts and is always looking for places to hunt. Just ask around I am sure you can find some help.
Re:Attention Hunters!
Your post definitely makes me upset. As a hunter, I cannot believe someone that got permission to hunt on your land would be so disrespectful. The things that you list as grievances seem like common sense to me. But as the saying goes, "common sense is not so common" and that certainly seems to be the case. I have always asked the property owner about any special conditions, where I should hunt and where I should not, are there any livestock I should stay clear from, etc. I always offer a share of the game should my hunt be successful and if you asked me to shoot raccoons, I certainly would do so without hesitation. Perhaps giving the hunters a list of "dos and don'ts" is a good idea. And I would definitely charge them something. Putting a value on it sometimes tends to make people appreciate it more.
Re:Attention Hunters!
I think a fee is definitely warranted. You can't shoot a deer on Main Street in a city and farmers are in need of any help they can get to keep them from selling to the development companies. If these folks aren't willing to follow some do's and don'ts from the landowner, as well as plinking some destructive vermon, the trees and cornfields may just be taken over by townhouses.
Follow the rules set by the landowner! HE is letting YOU use HIS land for YOUR recreation. We have had great guys and some real slobs who will not be back. These slobs left garbage, beer cans, went across places they were told to avoid with 4 wheelers because they were too lazy to drag a deer, drilled steps into valuable cherries and still acted as if I had 3 heads when I told them to not come back. "Hey man, we're reducing your deer damage." All the deer shot on this property in in the past 50 years did not make near that kind of mess.
However, we have had gentlemen who are willing to share some of their harvest, pay a fee and even help around the place.
They will always be welcome.
Link/URL: http://buffalobrian.tripod.com/
Re:Attention Hunters!
We have hunters from the States who are very respectful. The racoons are pests here also, but the hunters are looking for geese and deer. For those looking to turn raccoons into saleable items, get them mounted, and then market them. We used a mounted raccoon this summer for our VBS program that needing decorating like a bayou...get creative with recycling those critters !
The mounted raccoon was donated by a local hunter, and returned with thanks.
Link/URL: http://www.elainefroese.com
Author :
Date Posted : 11/6/2009 11:58:46 PM Delete
Re:Attention Hunters!
I agree that there are more hunters that are pushy about deer hunting than before. We have allowed people to hunt for years and it seems the newer generation does not appreciate the hospitality. Anytime you need them coons killed get in touch, love to turn the hounds lose. Take care.
Re: Attention Hunters!
I have grown to like the idea of a fee or lease to get exclusive rights to hunt a property. I have several farmers that have allowed me to hunt their ground and I am grateful for that. BUt on the same side of the issue I also have mentioned to them that if they ever want to go to a fee based or lease type arrangement, count me in! I want to be completely fair with the landowners as well as respect the property they own. Treat it as if it was your own and they will welcome you back.
Date Posted : 11/9/2009 9:57:55 AM Delete
Re:Attention Hunters!
I have grown up three generations deep in farming in rural eastern Iowa where the north fork and the south fork Maquoketa River meet and soon merge into the mighty Mississippi. My insight to leasing hunting rights and property strongly differentiate to views of most in this article. Where I am from it is becoming nearly impossible for a farm kids to find a place to hunt anymore. We cannot compete with the price that these high end doctors and lawyers are paying just to lease farm ground to shoot one deer. I remember as a kid everyone hunted everyone’s ground in our area and all of us enjoyed it greatly. There wasn’t just one deer or one turkey being harvested on somebody’s property but often several. Not to mention that a very large portion of us hunted for much more than just a trophy it was something we enjoyed and respected. Coon hunting was a past time found by my friends and me as something much more affordable on a Friday night than driving forty miles into the city and catching a movie or whatever else you might find there. The stories that come to mind from nights we spent along the river bluffs would be hard to capture in ones imagination. We hunted everything we could squirrel, deer, turkey, coyote, pheasant, rabbit, and crows. Trapping was also a part of it and was a way for us to make a few extra dollars. Hunting was part of our roots and I see our roots being stripped away every day. As I grow closer to raising my own children and farming the soils that my family has for generations it scares me to think of what might become of this wonderful life lesson and hobby many of us have enjoyed in our lives. When my kids grow up will they even be able to find a place to hunt? I do think that it is wonderful America in general has come to see this as a wonderful sport, don’t get me wrong. But, as a sibling born to a farming family that has been upheld by generations after generation I find it very difficult to understand some of the farmers in my area complaining about the crop damage sustained by wildlife when they let just one fat wallet sit in there timber all hunting season. Revoking the locals who run their dogs to hunt coon and coyote for we might scare MR big moneys trophy buck off the farm. We never use to have to worry about this type of scenario because it was a hidden secret known only to the local population. We hunted each other’s property and we all hunted. We harvested allot of fine animals and property was respected because we knew what it was like to mind the fence, fix the roads that ran thru our acreage, and plant the crops that we harvested. It wasn’t about putting a trophy on the wall in a high-rise office in downtown Chicago or making a movie about shooting the biggest buck. Hunting was a second nature, it was a way of life, and it was a legacy. One of which is being smothered by greed and wealth.
I hope that a few other farmers will take a look at this and think a little bit the next time that sixteen year old boy pulls in the driveway in his 94 Ford Ranger with four different tires on it and ask for your permission to go shot a couple squirrels for the afternoon. He does not have that fat wallet to hand you the Bingaman’s for a life time of memories to be made, but I can guarantee he is not going to forget you, or disrespect the soil that you depend to keep a roof over your family’s head.
Date Posted : 11/9/2009 3:09:40 PM Delete
Re:Attention Hunters!
We have had illegal trespassing/hunters on our property, it's not a good thing. We have kids running around our property and worry about them taking a stray bullet from illegal animal poachers and hunters who trespass. We have posted a fish and wildlife poster on each one of our fencelines, bordering our property. People wilfully choose to ignore this too.
I say, if these hunters want to play 'Rambo' no problem....., why don't we send them off to Iraq where they can do some good. This otta get rid of this desire to fire off 'rounds', rather than trespassing on home ground and endangering locals.
Don't get me wrong, I have a WIN ticket to hunt too, however you don't fnd me trespassing or poaching.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Ollerr on
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Don't know if this will help but I am looking for a location to hunt coyote and raccoon as I do eat raccoon and enjoy hunting them. If you would like to contact me maybe we can help each other.
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I am on the other side of this dilemna, being a responsible hunter that is finding it extremely difficult to gain access to private properties to hunt. The "problem" hunters are definitely out there, and it has ruined relationships with so many farmers that unless you are friends or family you have no chance at obtaining permission. I have gone so far as to post want ads to put myself forward to assist around the farm in any way possible, with the hopes of developing relationships that could potentially translate into a trust that would allow me to demonstrate that an ethical, responsible hunter would be an asset rather than a hindrance to the farm. I am not financially able to pay a fee for access, however I am more than willing to put in some sweat equity in return for the opportunity to obtain it, be that predator control or just general labour.
Mike
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Hi my name is chad kilmer i live in broome county ny. I had lost all hope, for around here me and my family lost all the land we had to hunt. Other people were going on the farmers land and riping it up with bikes. I wont to say sorry for my spelling it is my down fall. Me and my family have been around farms all are lives but we naver had money to bye are own. We by trade are meat cutters. But we love the land and love hunting . It makes me sad to see how people are, i am the youngest of 7 and seeing its the last year my dad will ever hunt it kills me. All i can say is my family and i are some of the last good ones. We would love the land like are own and help the farmer in any way we could. We have no money but we do have backs to do work with haying or work you name it we have down all most every thing. And as for coons we have dogs and will get more, calls, traps what ever is giveing you a hard time we can give it a hard time for you. if there is a farmer out there that is in ny and can use the real old tip good people that just say what do you wont down please call 607- 217-9647
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Good Day Peter
Did you ever find that coon hunters you ha dtalked about ?
where is you farm .
I was rasied on a farm up North and have moved to the city of Guelph
And it is hard to find a place to hunt down here becouse of all the damage done in the past from the citidoits
I hope one day that farmers and hunters will get along again
Take care
MIKE F
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I have a very good relationship with the hunters that use my farm; (the are deer hunters) in exchange for hunting on our property we get to graze their farm next door. It has worked out very well for us for the last 36 years. We have had people come to the door askig to hunt, not many as some think it is ok just to hunt on your property with asking; the ones coming to the door I have turned down as of the the great relationship with our neighbours. I have also met up with strangers on our farm, and been told by them that they had premission to hunt, there. They seem so surprised when I told them I was the owner. One guy even argued with me that I didn't own the property. (I did admit that the bank and I were working on that but, the deed was in my name and as long I paid the morgage the bank lets me keep it that way)
At the Leeds community pasture we do have two groups of hunter that hunt on the pastures they pay us a mininal amount, but, then we know who is there.
Our biggest problem both on the community pasture and o n our home farm are people with 4-wheelers who think it is their god-given right to ride the things any and every where.
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city hunters that never grew up farming
they are just assholes that want to kill something
they dont want to hunt they just want to get away from their wives and hunting is a great week long excuse
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Don't know if this will help but I am looking for a location to hunt coyote and raccoon as I do eat raccoon and enjoy hunting them. If you would like to contact me maybe we can help each other.
I am fully licenced and insured to hunt on your property and be willing to explain my insurance coverage with you
and provide documentation apon request.
Please feel free to contact me and we can discuss hunting opportunities that will benefit us both.
mikeollett@sympatico.ca
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I can see this discussion is pretty old but maybe its time to resurrect it.
I have been hunting family farm property my entire life and just recently the farm was sold and I find myself looking for new land to hunt. I understand the reservations farmers have about letting strangers on their land. We had frequent problems with trespassers stealing things, planting "illegal" crops, etc. I would respect whatever rules were laid down.
I own a business and I know that time spent cleaning up after someone or repairing damage to property has a cost attached. And as a business owner I respect the "pay per use" model and would be willing to trade services or pay cash as the land owner sees fit. I own and manage a computer services company located in SW Ontario and I'm looking for land to hunt in the London area. Maybe we can work out a trade.
I can be contacted at reliablerick@outlook.com
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