Work at my place or be nice to the neighbors?

[RadarTech]

I hate to say it, but the Marine in me would be putting down nail strips and installing game cameras way up in the trees with line man cleats...
And busting that knot heads!

 

[LostInTheWoods]

Actually, your future relationship with your neighbors depends on what they think, not what the deer do.

Whether they have success or failure, you will be considered a "good guy" if you casually mention that you did not run the tractor opening weekend.

Now if they tell you to go ahead because the noise attracts deer, then you know. Otherwise they are going to blame any failure on your and your tractor, while any success is due to their own great skill...

Very good point.

 

[teg]

I know I'm going to regret this......

No sure why... if I was closer I would take a turn at waiting for those SOB's...

 

[crazyal]

I know I'm going to regret this...

I don't hunt, but I used to do a lot of spearfishing. I'm not against the blood sports, by any means, but some of the "sportsmen", that's another deal.

I've got about 150 acres in the dead center of nowhere where we grow trees and one of the local tribes works on fish habitat. Not long after I bought it 20 years ago someone tore down the gate during hunting season. While the gate was open!

I put in a serious gate of the kind the timber companies use. Someone took a torch to the posts, hooked up a truck to snap the concrete in the posts, and dragged the whole $1500 mess a mile up the road.

I replaced the gate and added a sign that said "if you respect the land, I'll open the gate during hunting season." You guessed it: the sign and the gate were destroyed that season.

As soon as the tribe finishes their habitat work, I'm going to just decommission the road. I'll be bleeped if I'm going to let anonymous vandals run my property for me.

I know nobody reading this would commit that kind of vandalism, and I also know there's not really any way to stop the d-bags.

It doesn't take many like that to ruin things for the landowners _and_ the responsible hunters.

There. I feel better. A little.

Z.

The second year I owned my land I had a hunter give me grief for being on my own land. The next year someone gutted a deer about 20 yards from my house. The year after I had a truck parked in the middle of the road while they spent the day hunting. Finally having had enough I took my backhoe and placed a rock about the size of small car that weighed about twice what his truck did right behind it with a note on his windshield asking him to come visit me. He was very apologetic. Since then I have a gate up near the house saying "You park here, you will be towed, here's the towing companies phone number". Only one has found out the hard way.

Granted what you've had happen is far worse but I think it's because I live on my land. What's wrong with people. I was never like this when I hunted. I would ask permission if I knew who owned the land. I never said I would post land but I have come real close.

 

[Eagle Creek]

Your concern for the neighbors shows you're a good neighbor. Maybe if you get their opinion regarding what you want to do they will say what everyone has been saying on here. Then you can do your tractor work guilt free.

As for the jerks destroying the gate multiple times, I'd have to go along with teg & take a turn at watch! Can't stand $%&*%#$'s that search & destroy like that..

.....b

 

[czechsonofagun]

I think Curly Dave got it right. No matter what the deer will do, hunters get annoyed by the noise, especially on the opening day.

And deer behavior: with my wife we rented a primitive cabin near the Skyline drive (Blue Ridge Mountains) to celebrate our 10 years anniversary. It was December and to go the the outhouse at night you literally had to kick the deer out of your way. Up on the Skyline there is no hunting for years and the deer is pretty much domesticated

 

[TripleR]

I know I'm going to regret this...

I don't hunt, but I used to do a lot of spearfishing. I'm not against the blood sports, by any means, but some of the "sportsmen", that's another deal.

I've got about 150 acres in the dead center of nowhere where we grow trees and one of the local tribes works on fish habitat. Not long after I bought it 20 years ago someone tore down the gate during hunting season. While the gate was open!

I put in a serious gate of the kind the timber companies use. Someone took a torch to the posts, hooked up a truck to snap the concrete in the posts, and dragged the whole $1500 mess a mile up the road.

I replaced the gate and added a sign that said "if you respect the land, I'll open the gate during hunting season." You guessed it: the sign and the gate were destroyed that season.

As soon as the tribe finishes their habitat work, I'm going to just decommission the road. I'll be bleeped if I'm going to let anonymous vandals run my property for me.

I know nobody reading this would commit that kind of vandalism, and I also know there's not really any way to stop the d-bags.

It doesn't take many like that to ruin things for the landowners _and_ the responsible hunters.

There. I feel better. A little.

Z.

Because of this type of stuff, we have posted all of our land. After running people off for a few years, no one comes in where we can find them, but may walk in the though it would be hard and a lot of work.

We have a lot of deer, but hunt on public land with our family. To me, hunting on our own land is not really "hunting", but harvesting as I know where they will be. We do take a deer from time to time for management, but usually let a family member who doesn't have the time to go anywhere else or who is just starting out.

 

[bikerdib]

Talking to the neighbors first is a good idea. I know it's my land but I really don't want to take the fun out of someone's much anticipated first day.
Like I said, I don't have anything against their style of harvesting the deer; I just don't do it myself.

Z, sounds like you have some really large A-holes around your area. Like others have said, I'd put up a infrared game camera and try to catch a license number or at least see if you can get some faces on record, then take legal action.

Posting my property doesn't bother me. As I was driving up to my place once, I caught a guy with his young son (both with rifles in their hands) walking off my land onto the public road but I didn't immediately identify myself as the land owner. He first told me they had permission from the land owner to be there so I played dumb and asked who owned the land because I might want to try to hunt it also. At that point he kinda hee hawed around to avoid having to produce name (I think he was catching on at that point). He then went on to tell me that he didn't need permission anyway because the land wasn't fenced and therefore he had a right to hunt it. That's when I suggested that I don't catch him on my land again. He didn't even apologize, he just gruffly told his son "let's go" and walked off.

 

[chipsndust]

other than food plots the two biggest deer attractants are bulldozers and chaisaws...

I agree.

Deer browse on small live twigs and tips of branches. The tops of trees dropped by chainsaws produces a food source.

 

[bikerdib]

I agree.

Deer browse on small live twigs and tips of branches. The tops of trees dropped by chainsaws produces a food source.

This got me thinking though. In a logging camp or at a permanent residence where the noise and activity is a daily occurrence, I can see that the wildlife gets accustomed to it. However, in my case; working maybe every other weekend or sometimes during the week (when I can), the new activity would possibly be more disruptive to the daily pattern of the deer.

I've always tried to hold off noisy activity on opening weekend, I guess I'll continue the tradition. I'd also like to go do some handgun practice but I know that would really irritate the hunters.

About running the fawn over with a shredder; the new born have a natural instinct to stay put and hide. Here in Texas where the fireants have invaded, there have been instances of the fawn just lying there while fire ants stung it to death. From the many times I've had just a few bites, that had to have been a HORRIBLY painful death. They also theorize that other wildlife is being greatly reduced by fireants invading bird nests, wild rabbit population and pretty much any other animal the ants can get to.

Fireants and mosquito's, two of the things I hate most in the world.