Iffy situation, What would you do?

[Czabs]

This last fall I recently picked up a piece of property that connects to a small river. The first 100 yards or so is the private chunk and then past that is public. I used to have to canoe up the river and get on the public after I passed the private. However, now that I got permission to hunt it I just walk the edge of the river.

This past fall I have seen numerous vehicles parked and they have done the same thing, walked the edge of the river, not canoed it. This used to be a pretty good spot for me until all the traffic started to come through. I have seen a couple of people at their vehicles but I didn't want to start anything with them. I would like to post it to let them know it is private land they are walking on, but am afraid they will care less and still walk it. I want to call a warden or police but I really don't want to be a dick about things and I don't want to off the actual landowner, because the piece of private is actually pretty good.

I just would much rather see a hunter have to canoe up the river to their spot and put in the work for it if they want to hunt it LEGALLY. I had to do it for years and I guess I feel like they should have to do it as well if they want to hunt it!

What would you guys do?

[Spysar]

If those other guys don't have permission to cross the private, and you do, I would ask the landowner if you can post it. I have spots just like that, and the reason it's so good, is you can't cross the private.

This is a situation where there's not much you can do unless the landowner is involved. Talk to him about it, it's that simple.

[Czabs]

Spy, your exactly right. It is way better without all the traffic. I'm just scared to say anything to the landowner because I'm scared he'll just get pissy and kick me off too. I have a friend that had a guy trespassing on the owners land. He told the landowner and the landowner kicked him off and posted the whole area. I just am scared to do anything I guess...its a great spot.

[Spysar]

That's a common problem if you don't know the landowner well. It's easier for them to just boot everyone than for them to investigate who is tresspassing, and then call the warden.

Chances are, if you got permission to cross the land, so did those other people.

[Czabs]

I have permission to hunt it and cross it. When I got permission from him this summer he said I would be the only one allowed on his land...I will be going to give him and another owner some gift cards from fleet farm and some venison for the holidays. And then in the summer I will get to asking him about posting his property and what not. Good plan?

[rudy78]

I have permission to hunt it and cross it. When I got permission from him this summer he said I would be the only one allowed on his land...I will be going to give him and another owner some gift cards from fleet farm and some venison for the holidays. And then in the summer I will get to asking him about posting his property and what not. Good plan?

Yep a real good plan. You need to look at this not just as how can I get these others guys off, but how can I do that & not loose this piece to hunt myself as well. In order to do this you need to build some history with the guy & get the feel for how he will respond to you posting/patrolling his land. Then from there decide how much pressure you can put on the other guys.

I had a friend who had some issues with a neighbor on a lease he just picked up. He was pretty sure he knew where the line was, but didn't know for-sure. He debated about going & talking to the land owner or not, since he just picked up the lease he didn't want to cause issues for the land owner & ruin everything, but he also didn't want the neighbors hunting his lease. He ended up talking to him and having him show the lines & then mentioned about the other guys being across the line & how they thought the line was farther over. The land owner got kind of pissed at the other guys and was like you are paying me to be here & they have been on me for years now and never offered anything..... so they went out there together & put signs up. Now he was just telling me the land owner is going to get that property line surveyed and wants to even put a fence on that line, because how his neighbors reacted to the whole thing. After some of this started the neighbors then offered to lease his land & all that but the land owner wanted nothing to do with it because how they were about the whole thing.
So all of that to say it can be really beneficial to talk with the land owner & find out what type of person they are & how you feel they will respond to what you want to do & take it slow & easy.

[Czabs]

Good, thanks for the advice Rudy. I usually like it fast and rough, but I'll take er slow and easy with this particular subject

[Milk Weed Seed]

I have permission to hunt it and cross it. When I got permission from him this summer he said I would be the only one allowed on his land...I will be going to give him and another owner some gift cards from fleet farm and some venison for the holidays. And then in the summer I will get to asking him about posting his property and what not. Good plan?

Sounds like a solid plan to me. I would try to get to know the landowner better, the more he trusts you the better.

[Grunt]

The first thing I would check would be if the river is considered a navigable waterway. I had access to a prime chunk of land, but I could only get to it by walking the river's edge. A few years ago a "club" leased the ground around my river access and posted the living daylights out of it, including stretching a cable across the river with a NO Trespassing sign hanging from it. I contacted the "club" and introduced myself. I asked for permission to walk the river to the land I had access to. I was told, "absolutely not and I would be prosecuted if found." I was also told that I could apply for club membership and if selected, pay a mere $50,000.00 a year membership fee, to cross legally. I later learned that this group was harassing anyone using the river, including kids on inner tubes floating the river in the summer. I have been denied permission many times and would usually just move on, but the arrogance of the "club" rep I talked to chaffed my but. So after a little homework I found the river had been classified as a navigable waterway back in the 1800's. All the land under the river and to the rivers high water mark was owned by the citizens of the state and therefore open to access. A few years later the "club" was taken to court by a few local organizations and the law upheld. Make sure of all property rights before you decide to post the land, you could get into a long legal battle.

[tim]

not sure of the exact number but i think in the state of wisconsin you can access any river 10 ffet either side of the banks its considered public. maybe someone can clarify this if im wrong but pretty sure i have heard this.

[BackWoodsHunter]

I like that plan as well Czabs definitely a better way to break the ice on that conversation. I am in a sort of similar situation, I take care of some land for a lady who is an anti hunter and I'm slowly breaking her down to let me hunt but we deal with so many trespassing hunters she definitely has a sour taste towards hunting, the landowner loses nothing but shutting out everyone they gave permission too...less headaches for them tread lightly!

[Buckfever]

Like was mentioned, you need to find out if walking the rivers edge to the public is legal, a lot of times to the high water mark is perfectly legal.

[dan]

not sure of the exact number but i think in the state of wisconsin you can access any river 10 ffet either side of the banks its considered public. maybe someone can clarify this if im wrong but pretty sure i have heard this.

I believe its 3 feet, and I think that law got changed and now you have to be in the water...