quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:
State Wildlife Officer Mike Reed apprehended the three men on the opening day of deer-gun season, November 27. Officer Reed has received several complaints about these individuals engaging in illegal activity involving wildlife over the past several years. The men appeared yesterday in the Muskingum County Court before Judge Eric Martin.

I think the punishment fit the crime. These guys were no angels.

quote:

Originally posted by molar1:
Originally posted by Redhawk1

quote:

My laze comment is directed to people to laze to get off there asses to look for boundary lines and signatures to get permission to hunt. But if you took my comment that I think you are laze because you don't have land to hunt on, you has misinterpreted my posts. My post about working my ass off was about just that. I worked for what I have and it should be my prerogative to do with my land as I see fit. Now I ask you, show me where I said anyone was a lazy bum because they don't own there own land to hunt.

Redhawk, looks like you need to take spelling lessons from gumboot458

I did not know I was in a spelling bee mister F**king spell check. If I misspelled a word and you knew what I was saying, I guess I still made my point. Don't you have anything better to do then spell check everyone's posts?

I find it amusing when someone is to stupid to make a knowledgeable post, they resort to trying to point out some kind of flaw other then what the topic is at hand. Whatever you are doing to make yourself look stupid it worked!

quote:

to stupid

Redhawk1,

Suck it up and take it like a man. Why such hostility? I've been following you and your yankee friend George Roof's posts on several different threads and it seems like you two never have anything nice to say. However, you all are ready to disagree with anyone who doesn't share your point of view. Yeah, I was probably being a prick, but then again I was intentionally trying to be. I see you don't care for it either, so stop being a prick to others. One final piece of advice. If you are going to successfully imply that someone is "to stupid", make sure you use the correct form of TOO.

quote:

The kid should have a responsible adult helping them in their hunting endeavor and not just wandering around by themselves on private land with a gun hunting.

This is where hunting has really changed. When I was a kid, we could legally hunt by ourselves at 16, but I don't know if that age was ever enforced. My friends and I would get home from school, grab our shotguns and head out the back door. If a landowner was encountered, he would ask if we had any luck and perhaps remind us to stay away from the cows and close any gates (something we always did). I was never kicked off of any property. It went both ways, as I remember one hunt that was "ruined" because we had to round up some cows and do a temporary repair on a broken fence. Back then, it was just being neighborly.
I can't say we were always safe and we did tend to extend the legal shooting hours. However, these are my some of my fondest memories growing up, and if you didn't have like memories, I feel sorry for you.
Now days, kids aren't getting into the sport for whatever reason. As us old timers die off, the anti's will eventually out number us and the sport will be banned. With the way the sport is evolving, with canned hunting and such, perhaps it will be time.

Geez, Guys, I didn't mean to start such a heated debate. I just find it very curious and a little worrisome that access to hunting is disappearing for many people without a lot of resources to go hunting. I can understand both sides of the debate but I definitely think it's getting increasingly difficult for the average guy to go hunting and it's nearly impossible for someone who wasn't raised around it get started.

It's even more difficult for someone who wants to hunt but doesn't have any friends or family that do it. I'm afraid that maybe we really are a dying breed and that it's a slow suicide that's doing all the damage.

Slug,
Simply put, move west. Way west.

Ok, not too far west, stay out of Calif.

Way north is good also.

All western states with the exception of CA have excellent hunting on public land, and having hunted many of the western states, I feel comfortable saying that permission to hunt on private land isn't an issue. I've been back less than a month from a Montana/ North Dakota bird hunt, and gaining permission was as easy as asking.

quote:

Originally posted by Scott King:
Slug,
Simply put, move west. Way west.

Ok, not too far west, stay out of Calif.

Way north is good also.

All western states with the exception of CA have excellent hunting on public land, and having hunted many of the western states, I feel comfortable saying that permission to hunt on private land isn't an issue. I've been back less than a month from a Montana/ North Dakota bird hunt, and gaining permission was as easy as asking.

You are right about getting permission in North Dakota is easy, I was stationed there for 4 years and never had a problem. But the main reason is the size of the farm lands available. There are farms that go on for miles and miles. You don't find farm's that big on the eastern shore.

Even thought access was easy in North Dakota, I help the farmers with work on the farm, I never expected a free ride. I fixed fences, worked with live stock and shoveled shit. I wanted to show them I was willing to earn my privilege to hunt there.

But not all States in the Midwest do you find such easy access. I was also stationed in South Dakota and Nebraska. I did not find it as easy to gain access hunting on privet land. I hunted State land. But there was a lot of State land available.

quote:

Redhawk1

quote:

I help the farmers with work on the farm, I never expected a free ride. I fixed fences, worked with live stock and shoveled shit. I wanted to show them I was willing to earn my privilege to hunt there.

You sir, are a rare breed. I've never had one volunteer for manual labor. Lots, however, who are super eager to ride the tractor! I did have one grateful fella offer me one of his 2 pheasants. But from all outward appearances, like his clothes, worn shotgun and car, he looked worse off than me, so I told him it was a thoughtful gesture, but go ahead and keep it.

onefunzr2,
that was the least I could do for the privilege. I think if more people offered to help on farms, they might have the opportunity to hunt on some prime land. I have the utmost respect for farmers, they have a tough job and put in a lot of hours on the farm.

quote:

I think if more people offered to help on farms, they might have the opportunity to hunt on some prime land.

It's a noble idea but the problem is that most hunters - myself included - have no real "hands on" farming experience. Working around livestock and equipment is dangerous enough even for those who know what they are doing.

The chances of a well-intentioned - but inexperienced - greenhorn (like me) getting hurt or damaging something are pretty high.

Being a middle aged desk jockey with a bum knee, I'd more likely get in the way than be of any real help with simple tasks like shoveling s#!t.

I have gained access to a small (but productive) hunting spot by repairing several electric fence chargers for a local farmer. Now that the farmer has a lifetime supply of fencers, I've thought of offering to help with equipment maintnance such as oil changes, greasing and such.

A couple of the bow hunters I let on my property offered to put up the no tresspassing signs for me. That was benerficial both for them and for me. One of them was also a hair dresser (and he wasn't a girlie man) and gave me a few free haircuts. I didn't particularly want to bow hunt. They were in my woods in full camo and would report anyone there illegally. That was kind of a win win situation. I got out of some work and they got exclusive use of the place during bow season.

Some hints on how to get and keep permission to hunt:

1. Don't come fairly early in the morning when unexpected to the back door (which also happened to be a bedroom door) in camo asking to hunt. Likewise, a call late in the evening or during mealtime will probably not be welcomed by the owner.

2. Come during daylight well ahead of hunting season acceptably groomed and not looking like some slum dweller when asking for permission to hunt. An early introduction and avoiding asking for an immediate decision may be the best approach. A friend or aquaintance known by the owner would also be a big help. The owner may want to do some research on you before letting you on the property. If you want an immediate answer, it will probably be no.

3. If given permission to hunt, bring only yourself and not Bubba, Joe, etc. without permission.

4. Hunt only what you were given permission to hunt and don't damage trees, etc. Maybe that box turtle you thought your kid would like was also desired by the land owner. The owner may want his coyotes left alone.

5. If you tramp on or drag game through crops, you won't be invited back.

6. If you open a gate then also shut it.

7. Offer to call or otherwise contact the owner before coming on the property. My wife, for instance, does not want unidentified cars and people around and she has a gun.

Even if you do all these things, you may not get permission to hunt. The owner, owner's friends or family members may already be using the property. It may be nothing against you, just reality.

Land is expensive to keep even if it is paid for (taxes, roads,fences,fields,tractors etc).So letting someone hunt for free on your property is being very nice, to say the least. I have always tried to take many people to my place every year,and also try to add new hunters to our group every year. When we find someone who refuses to ask and follow the most basic rules, they are dealt with harshly. Also teaching kids poor respect for others shows very crappy parenting skills.

Anyone who has owned farm land knows the score on being taken advantage of by unethical hunters. I would certainly not feel like I should have to post my land to keep people from hunting it any more than someone in the city would have to post a sign in their driveway to keep me from parking my car in their driveway. I've done numerous good favors to give people a very good place to hunt and mostly got repaid by being shit on. Several years back I worked with a guy who had lost a place to hunt as a farm sold just before deer season. We had a farm we never hunted much, but it was good, I let them hunt there, as well as let them stay in an old camper trailer my dad left on the farm to stay in while he was calving. They shot several good bucks and then moved in and leased my neighbor's land across the fence which I had permission to hunt for twenty years. I've had people attempt to run me off my family's land, argue with me when I had written permission from the landowner in my hand, shoot deer within 50 yards of my brother's house from the highway, drive across alfalfa fields when it was muddy and then be pissed when I asked them to fill in the ruts. I wonder why there isn't as much access for people to hunt as there used to be! Open your eyes, offer to help, use common sense, you may find a place to hunt. Unfortunately the same people who rut up farms in their trucks, shoot game next to a farmer's yard, trespass knowingly are the same ones who would want to raise hell if you threw a branch into their manicured lawn. Treat landowners like you would want to be treated if the tables were turned and you'll gain access. As a guy who grew up on a family farm, I seldom have trouble getting access, a lot of landowners know that a fellow landowner will treat their property with respect as we've been on both sides of the fence, literally. B&C scoring and selling of antlers have also been a big help to closing off access. It was a mistake to ever measure a rack, leave hunting as a non-competitive sport and a lot of this would take care of itself.