How does it work?
For instance if you owned a ranch/property that had deer/elk/bear or what ever, could you just grab your rifle and go hunting? or could your mates hunt on your land at your invitation?
Bakes

In many states, the State owns the game animals.

Typically you need a license to hunt but many states allow land owner's to hunt on their own land without a license.

Some areas allow land owners to "cull" or shoot animals through "depredation permits" either during the official season or outside the season(s). Land owners in some areas can designate a "shooter" for these depredation permits.

Many land owners allow their friends and other to hunt but some states require that this hunting permission be recorded on paper.

For some game species there is a Federal requirement, this is more often for migratory birds. There are special "stamps" required for migratory "Federal" birds.

There is a lot of "public" land and it's most often open to hunting by anyone.

Bakes, the U.S. ranges from the Arctic to the tropics. 50 states, 50 sets of rules, plus Federal rules on top of that. Throw into the mix the hunting opportunities offered by the Native Americans on their reservations (under yet again different sets of rules), it gets a little hard to cover in one sentence.

Unless you are in a fenced, canned hunt settings, game animals are not considered property of the individual, and all are bound by the prevailing rules on seasons, methods and bag limits. In many western states, if you own property, you still have to put in for the lottery on most species, which can include elk, several kinds of deer, black bear, moose, antelope, sheep, goat, etc.

On the other hand, several Southern states essentially do not manage their game, leaving it up to the individual property owners, or their assigns. There, public land is uncommon (unlike my state, which is nearly 3/4ths Federally owned). Most large land owners lease their hunting rights to hunting clubs, who essentially impose their own seasons, bag limits, and hunting regulations. They are still subject to the federal regulations, where applicable. Most of these Southern States have much denser game populations than the western states, due to climate, but also less variation in game species due to unregulated hunting in the last two centuries.

On the other hand, varmints (coyotes, prairy dogs, skunks, badgers, etc), are not game animals, and can be hunted at will with land-owner's permission. HTH, Dutch.

The above two posters pretty much covered it, but in some states, varmints are considered "game" animals in that you need a small game license to hunt them. I'm thinking particularly of coyotes.

Bakes,

To answer your question briefly.

In most cases you and your mates would at least have to have the proper license or permits for that particular state, and hunt within the respective season's and or management units (if applicable). As others have already stated, some states do not require land owners to obtain a license or permit to hunt their own property. But most states do require the proper license / permits.

That being said, yes your mates can hunt on your property with your permission. Some states would require proof of that permission to be in writing if you do not accompany them in the field.

In most cases the game belongs to the state, and the land to the landowner (private land). In the case of Public land both the land and the game belong to the state. No trophy fees, only license / permit fees, and you may hunt within the prescribed season's.

Mark.

[This message has been edited by gundog (edited 02-15-2002).]

WOW!!! that sounds like a lot of red tape and stuffing around to go hunting!
Down this way as long as you have a current gun license, the owners permission and stay away from protected species your good to go!
There are exceptions to this, mainly in Victoria where they hunt Sambar on crown land and some national parks, These deer require a permit.
Thanks for you replies
Bakes

Bakes, only if you look at it from over there.

From over here, it looks like this: for $124 per year, I am free to hunt elk, deer, black bear, cougar, wild turkeys, four kinds of grouse, pheasant, chuckar, two kinds of quail, hungarian partridge, and three kinds of rabbits (not counting Jack Rabbits); this also allows me fish for trout, and various and sundry other fish. All this in an area twice the size of England.

In addition, for a small fee, I can try to draw for moose, two kinds of sheep, goats, and antelope. I can hunt several kinds of varmints, such as marmots, ground squirrels, coyotes, and furbearers such as beavers, bobcats and such stuff.

Populated by about 1 million people.

What do you get to hunt for $124? FWIW, Dutch.