Tresspass Laws--everywhere

[Dave K]

It is up to you to know the laws of the state or providence in which you are hunting. In Ohio, it is NOT legal to go on to any ground, that is privately owned, without written permission. It doesn't matter that you wounded game, you are in violation of trespassing, if you do not have that permission slip. The CO, can go to the landowner and plead you case, but he himself, in the state of Ohio, cannot retrieve wounded or dead game unless a game violation has occurred. The landowner does not have to give ANYONE permission to be on their ground, unless a violation has occurred.The game is owned by the state, the land is owned by the landowner. The state will not pursue the game unless there has been a violation. Wounding game is not a violation. Check the laws where you hunt, they maybe very different from where you are from or even what you perceive is legal. Round table talk, will not defend you in the court system, nor can I imagine any ideas you get from an internet forum. Ignorance of your laws in your area, will not defend you either. Know your laws and if you don't know or understand them, go to a law officer to do that for you and even then, get his name, date and time, to defend yourself if you need to when you get to court. :surrender:

 

[BrownBear]

In my long experience access to private land anywhere boils down to a healthy dose of respect for the landowners, mixed with a tradition of good neighbors. Some neighbors get to hunt our property and some don't. Just as I get to hunt some neighbors' property and not others.

Tradition holds too, as some weeks or weekends are set aside for folks that have been using the land in that period for decades, and they have first call on it and everyone else has to wait. Even me on my own land- I respect their tradition and won't hunt then, or allow anyone else to hunt.

All of us feel our lands are getting about all the hunting pressure they need or can stand. Unlike public land, there's only so much pressure the land can take and still be quality hunting.

It's tough for a stranger to "break into" a lash-up like that. Being polite, respecting the land owner and waiting for years are about the only entry tickets I know of.

Nothing wrong with another polite, respectful and careful hunter getting in line for a chance to hunt someday. But getting pizzed when you don't get immediate hunting access before anyone gets to know you is going to put you on a list you don't want to be on. A big part of the land access problems I see today are the result of too many people on that particular list, spoiling it for the next stranger to come along.

 

[Vaino]

We're lucky that in Wisconsin there's a lot of federal, state, county and corporate lands that are open to hunting, aren't crowded and contain goodly numbers of wildlife. Early on I hunted private land but when posting became popular and I was refused permission most of the time, took to the public and corporate lands and never looked back and didn't have to know the "trespassing laws".... just had a plat book for boundary info and finding corporate lands....Fred

 

[KHickam]

Brown Bear - There is alot of public land to hunt in Alaska as I understand it - same as much of the West - here in Texas not so much

 

[BrownBear]

Yeah, but a lot of native corporation lands, too. We pay annual "trespass" fees to the corporations as well as hunting the public lands. Suits me, because lots of folks resist paying the fees, and that means lots less people there than on public lands.

My post has more to to with other states. We're in the fortunate position to own land in 4 states, and each state has very different laws. But the points I make hold true in all of them.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Yer right, Texas is 97.99% private property. If you dont own land, or know someone that owns land its up to state draws or leasing. Some leases are crazy high, some are affordable. There are some specie that can be hunted 24/7/365 that belong to the land owner, the game animals, whitetail, mule deer, prong horn, turkey, big horn sheep, and a few others belong to the state however the land belongs to the land owner.

Texas Penal Code Chapter 30.05, criminal tresspass applies to anyone that enters onto property with out the permission of the owner or the owners agent commits an offense. The offense is elevated one degree if the person commiting the offense is carrying a firearm. In hunting situations writen permission has to be with the person at all times.

There are only two people that can give permission to tresspass on private property, the owner or the owners agent. A peace officer, ie, Game Warden, Deputy, Police officer, etc., can not lawfully give permission for anyone to enter onto private property with out the lawful consent of the owner or the owners agent.

In Texas the property should be posted with a fence, designated purple markings, posted signs, or other notice, however it is not required by law, prima facia, (face value), is that the land belongs to some one and it is the duty of the individual to obtain writen permission prior to entering onto the private property.

Pretty cut and dry here.

 

[Idaho Ron]

In Idaho you can't access ANY land that has crops or CRP without permission. The CRP is a tough call. We have had so many fires that almost ALL of our rangeland looks like CRP. CO's here cannot cross private land without permission. So following a wounded animal in Idaho is a permission only thing and land owners don’t have to allow you to go get your animal. I will NOT hunt private land unless I am invited. I don't ask for permission and don't want to hunt there. I don't care how good the hunting is. Now I do know a couple of landowners that call me and ask me to come hunt once and a while. That does not happen often but those guys are wanting me to hunt because they want to hunt with my dog.
I won’t bow down to a landowner and kiss his hind end for permission. I will hunt public land and take what I get. Landowners are like every one else. They deserve no more respect than they earn. Just because they have enough money to own land does not require me or anyone else to "respect" Them. Ron

 

[BrownBear]

Just because they have enough money to own land does not require me or anyone else to "respect" Them.

Nope. You just have to recognize their rights.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Just because they have enough money to own land does not require me or anyone else to "respect" Them.

Nope. You just have to recognize their rights.

You are 100% right :thumbsup: Recognize their private property rights and respect that right. :hatsoff:
Ron

 

[Dave K]

Gee Ron, I am sure your land owning neighbors are more friendly than you. They ask you to hunt, so they can use your dog. You may ask to hunt, if you are inclined, because you want to able to hunt their property. It is a real simple manner of respect. They don't come using your dog without asking, you should know better than to use their land without asking. Remember the word "their" property and then they ask to use someone else if they can use "their" dog.It is only respect, that ownership is due. If you own a house, it is yours to permit people in, same as your mode of transportation. It is yours, to grant permission. Landowners are not the bad people you make them to be, many just want others to ask, before taking it for granted that "their" property can be used by anyone. It is the same thing as illegal aliens. People who came here to take what you have worked for,unemployment,medical assistance, national security, education. You are a citizen that has earned the right to do as what is entitled to you. To receive the benefits of working for ownership and then paying the taxes that help fund the schools, roads you travel on, plus many of the other benefits mentioned before. Why would anyone have disrespect for anyone that owns something. Leave your gun, where I can find it, shouldn't it be OK for me to use it, just by picking it up?

Opps, you posted faster than me.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I think Ron is a little upset he doesn't own more land. :wink:

 

[Dave K]

Well, he is not alone. :grin:

 

[Idaho Ron]

Gee Ron, I am sure your land owning neighbors are more friendly than you. They ask you to hunt, so they can use your dog. You may ask to hunt, if you are inclined, because you want to able to hunt their property. It is a real simple manner of respect. They don't come using your dog without asking, you should know better than to use their land without asking. Remember the word "their" property and then they ask to use someone else if they can use "their" dog.It is only respect, that ownership is due. If you own a house, it is yours to permit people in, same as your mode of transportation. It is yours, to grant permission. Landowners are not the bad people you make them to be, many just want others to ask, before taking it for granted that "their" property can be used by anyone. It is the same thing as illegal aliens. People who came here to take what you have worked for,unemployment,medical assistance, national security, education. You are a citizen that has earned the right to do as what is entitled to you. To receive the benefits of working for ownership and then paying the taxes that help fund the schools, roads you travel on, plus many of the other benefits mentioned before. Why would anyone have disrespect for anyone that owns something. Leave your gun, where I can find it, shouldn't it be OK for me to use it, just by picking it up?

Opps, you posted faster than me.

You guys didn't read the post right or I didn't get my point across. I don't own ANY land and me and my land owning neighbors get along GREAT. I don't ask to hunt and I DON'T hunt ANY private land unless the landowner asks if I want to hunt with them. Over the last 5 years I have not hunted ANY private land at all. I won't ask and I don't need their land to go hunting. Some old friends of mine ask ME to go with them on THEIR land because they want to hunt with me and my dog (he was a very skilled dog) So I would go with them once and a while. The fact is I don't need their land to have a hunt so I don't ask. Yes I could go around begging for landowners to give me permission but I won't. For years I went to land owners and kissed a$$ and begged for permission. I worked for some to help me to get into their farms. What I usually heard was someone shot a cow or shot a sprinkler line so since someone else did it I will make you pay by chewing you out and dressing you down. I would tell them it was not me. I am telling you my name and letting you know who I am. Why would someone giving you his name shoot a cow or a sprinkler. Then they would start all over chewing again. I finally got sick of it and quit hunting private land all together. Goose hunting here is a private land deal ONLY. I was working with a farmer and his family giving my time so I could EARN permission to hunt. Then when the season was on I would call him to set up a day. NO I can’t let you because I got family coming. He would say come on Tuesday. I would say I can’t I have to work Mon-Fri I need access Sat or Sun. Well my family hunts so you can’t use those days. I worked for a summer for nothing. I won’t do that again. I will never lift a finger to help a landowner for hunting permission. Now when my landowning neighbors need a hand I am glad to help but I did them a favor. I don’t expect ANYTHING in return. I hunt PUBLIC land ONLY now and have for years. That way I can go when I want, start when I want, end when I want, and go as many times as I want. I don’t have to ask or answer to anyone.
Again I get along great with my landowner friends and neighbors. They know I am not their friend for hunting. If we are friends we are friends. I am not just trying to get something from them. Ron

 

[Idaho Ron]

As I was writing that last note a farmer from down my street stoped by and left off fudge and other goodies his wife made me and my family.
I thought that was funny that here I am writing about landowners and one stops by to give me a present. The fact is if I tried to use my "friendship" to gain hunting permission he would not think of me as a real friend.
Ron

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I'd have no problem asking a friend if I could hunt his property.

In return i'd make him some fudge. :grin:

 

[longcruise]

I'd have no problem asking a friend if I could hunt his property.

I got no problem either cause I don't have any friends!! :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I'd have no problem asking a friend if I could hunt his property.

I got no problem either cause I don't have any friends!! :rotf: :rotf:

I have one. My dog.

 

[Dave K]

I am sure it all depends where you live. I would have to drive MANY hours miles, to find any public hunting area. In other words, it would be impractical to hunt, period. I don't have to do any kissing at all, all I have to do is ask. Now, as a
"multi" season hunter. I may be told that they want to hunt the gun seasons, but they don't care about the bow seasons and I can hunt that season anytime. I guess it is just ones idea about how they feel about hunting and their neighbors. On another thought, I used to hunt in another state, allot. I introduced myself to one landowner, who was not a hunter, but a farmer, and received permission to hunt. Once I had made it as a "good guy" with that farmer, I soon had all the permission I needed from all of his neighbors. For me the answer is clear, ask or be prepared to drive another 100+miles to get to public hunting and time on the road is money. Nothing wrong with public hunting grounds either. Used to drive 5 hrs. to spend a week hunting on it. Oh yes, I did give to all my landowner "friends" a simple Christmas gift in appreciation.They seemed to appreciate it and I appreciated hunting there and not spending time and gas money going up and down the road. I bet between me and my friend who hunted on these farms we spent a total of $50 a head to do so. This was for out of state hunting. Locally as a neighbor and a person I probably want to school with, am related to, know the whole family, worked with them, married to their cousin,etc, you get the picture. I just ask. Just thought about it, can't remember getting turned down, but I have been asked to come back anytime to hunt their groundhogs and coyotes as well. I am not their friend, so I can hunt, I am their friend because I am. Even as friends, if they turned me down, that is fine, it is their ground. Now, there are some farms I "may" be able to hunt. I used to hunt there, but as the years roll by, their kids became hunters. Every landowner should have the ability to hunt their own ground, when they want to. So I don't bother to ask those farmers. But, I probably could and probably would get permission. I just ask the non-hunting landowners, so I don't intrude on their families hunting.

 

[Poor Private]

Now lets turn it around. I don't let anyone hunt on my land but me. I post the snot out of it. Signs every 50 feet or so costs me a fortune in signs. I renew weathered signs every year. In the past we have had pouchers practically clean out our woods and the neighbors. We and the neighbors only allow our families on our property. You would have to trace a wounded animal through thiers before you get to mine, so if your asking for permission from me, your a liar. Most of the people who come to our area to hunt are from the big city north and south of us, have NO respect for private property. I/we got tired of picking up trash, repairing fences, quads and snow mobiles running through the yard, and fields. Fire pits in the woods left unattended, and smoldering. Carcasses left, pot shots at farm animals when their hunt was unsuccessful.
If your from the city go back home and hit the butcher shop. I don't need the aggrevation.

 

[Idaho Ron]

And there it is :thumbsup:
Ron