Posting vs not posting

[Swamphunter]

OK, here's a question, we see a lot of people in here talking about posting their land, (my land included). I have an uncle in PA who is a farmer and a terrific man, and he is against posting. He said that back quite a few years ago, where he lives, no one posted their land and people just hunted from place to place where the owners knew them. He said recently though, as people started posting their land, it is becoming an epidemic and now almost everywhere is posted. He refuses to post his own property and to be honest with ya, I respect his way of thinking but in these days, some people just ruin it for themselves. When I bought my land, his first comment to me was "You're not gonna put all those dang posted signs up all over it are ya?". That was tough to answer.

What do you's think??? Has he got a point? I think so.

[HuntingInMaine]

Re: Posting vs not posting

I haven't said anything about this because so many on here post their land and are very emotional when it is trespassed upon. In a perfect world everyone would leave their own lands unposted so everyone can enjoy the sport of hunting! I wonder if the number of hunters would increase if there was more land close to them available for hunting?

I don't currently own land, but will soon and will NOT be posting it. I don't want to be the one responsible for posting the same land that many families have hunted on for generations. Plus I hunt on other people's land that are generous enough to not post it. The only thing I might do is put up signs saying "If your land is posted to hunting, then this land is posted to you!"

In our area it is very uncommon for the locals to post their land. It is usually people from out of state that are coming in, buying up the land, and posting it which promotes hostility against these people.

I can't count the number of people on these boards that have to drive hours just to get to a hunting spot, have lost their hunting priviledges because land has changed hands, or are confined to one small area of hunting land because everything else is posted. Everytime I read about this I thank God that I am not experiencing that here....yet.

That's just my opinion...

[wtnhunt]

Re: Posting vs not posting

Should really not have to here. By law a hunter is supposed to be responsible for knowing where they are and are not supposed to be. That said, signs are not required to prosecute someone here. I used to go to the trouble to keep signs out only for them to be shot or torn down. Even took a ladder and put some up high and some idiots shot them down.

I think if people showed more respect for landowners the problems with people finding locations to hunt would not be as bad as it is today, but many have ruined it with people by not asking and or not respecting the landowners and that makes it pretty easy to see why so many are not as willing to let people hunt as there were years back.

[Michiganbowhunter_SQ2]

Re: Posting vs not posting

if i had land i would post it...heres my reason....i didn't work my butt off to pay for the land so someone else can walk through the woods and interupt my hunting or someone who is with me.....with all these crazy people out there these days you never know when someone will be dumb enough to mistake you for a deer or one of your loved ones. if they are so hard up for land they can work hard and buy there own...my cousin has permission to hunt some land and the land is butted up against state land....he has a stand that he set up setup when he first started hunting the private land...which is over 5 years now...one day he walked out and found some guy sitting in his stand....after what they have goin on out in wisconsin...would you want strangers walking on your property without permission? i could see if you were alone and didn't hunt and no one else you know hunted your property, then yeah there is no danger. just my $0.02

[horst]

Re: Posting vs not posting

Im gonna get ripped for this Im sure but most of the land here is posted for one reason, out of state hunters.Im not saying thier all bad, but landowners have had enough trouble with them that most of them have posted thier land, mainly for that reason.

Were like a big pheasant hunting destination in my area, weve got plenty of room for everyone and plenty of birds to go around.But some weekends theres out of state plates everywhere you go, public grounds full, thier walking the road ditches, and a lot of them are walking places they have no permission for.Most of the farmers around here would be happy to let them in, if they would ask.

Im not saying locals dont tresspass but it seems to be a bigger issue with the out of state hunters.Were a small community and Ill admitt Ive walked through peoples property without asking before.But they were people I know and i knew thier feelings on it.I know some people that are very opposed to hunting and I stay clear away from thier properties, others you ask once and have permission for the rest of your life and thiers no need to find them everytime you plan to go out.

thats just my area like I said, a lotta grounds not posted yet.But when I was a kid you walk for miles in any direction cutting through any property and they just waved when they saw you.Times are changing I suppose but I think your uncles got the right attitude.

[Stinger-Hunter]

Re: Posting vs not posting

Technically it doesn't matter if its posted or not. Trespassing is trespassing. But it is easier to prosecute if it is. I hunt on land that is not posted, but I have permission. If I saw someone else hunting there and they didn't have permission, I'd kick them off.

[elkoholic]

Re: Posting vs not posting

In bygone times when neighbors knew each other and even the town folk were mostly good friends there was no real need to post your land. Times have sinse changed. While there may be less hunters these days, there is also less property for them to hunt on. Strangers from faraway towns, some with questionable ethics, arrive in ever increasing numbers, leaving garbage and destroying property. Posted or not, permission should always be obtained before hunting on private property (that's the law here in Montana). As a landowner I would like know who and when someone will be on my property. Here in Montana we are blessed with millions of acres of both public and lumber company land that is open to the general public for hunting and therefore there is no shortage of huntable land. I did not spend my money to purchase land for other people to use, and often befoul, and as my taxes continue to rise and money is invested in improvements my property means more to me. Just because someone used to be able to use the land does not give them lifetime privileges. Respect for other peoples property is one thing that is going down the toilet in this country. There should be no need to post your property, I hate seeing those ugly signs myself, but it is the right of the property owner and could well be their best insurance in a court of law.

[Missed160]

Re: Posting vs not posting

I am currently looking for land, and I will be posting it.. That does not mean I will not allow others to hunt it. I will post with sign that say "No hunting without Permission"

I know how hard it is to for people to find GOOD areas to hunt. I think it does NO ONE any good to scout & find a good spot, only to get there to hunt & find other people there.

I know it won't keep everyone out, I just want to have an idea who will be where, so everyone has a good time.

[Guest huntinsanobsession]

Re: Posting vs not posting

i understand were you are comming from i was hunting on my girlfriends parents 30+ acre lot and all of a sudden 5 guys come threw talking loud and SMOKING while hunting didn't make much sence to me so i had to relocate my hunting spot

[puffy]

Re: Posting vs not posting

My hunting buddy and I get permission from landowners every year and in return for the priveledge of hunting this land, we either help with some chores or drop off some steaks or a roast from the harvested animal. This arrangement works well, and sometimes they won't take either offer but still allow you to hunt. The only sign I would post on my land would be "HUNTING ON FOOT W/PERMISSION ONLY"

[VermontHunter]

Re: Posting vs not posting

I think the consensous would be that even if the land is posted that doesn't mean it can't be hunted. I just think the landowner would like a little respect and have that individual that intends to hunt to be big enough,polite enough and respesctful enough to ask for permission. I think a land owner has more than the right to protect his investment. Do I like posted Signs ( NO ) but i'm respectful to his wishes and when he says no I move on...and I'm 100% sure that everyone here feels the same...