whitetailassasin wrote:May-39 wrote:FYI, in MI landowners post WAY beyond their legal boundaries routinely. In one spot it's posted 125 yards past the legal boundry.
I double checked with the USGS-GIS map coordinates then found the old fence in the leaves last spring. But 25-50 yards is typical...So if you are concerned about a particular parcel, call the USGS field office and ask. They won't accept liability but its nice to know you aren't a line sitter despite signs stating otherwise.
Just sayin
Spot on in this statement.
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Many MANY landowners who border public land do this here too.
I avoid sitting between the actual line and the 'No Trespassing' sign when it's 100' or so. It's one reason I scout right up to the line - I'm looking for stands or other hunting evidence. I don't want to sit right near someone else. Ever.
Had one guy this season come out and tell me I was trespassing. I had paper plat map copies in my pack. He was furious...but also claimed he owned 160 acres when the county map showed I was well away from his 120 acre property...But what to do - my hunt was already over once the yelling started.
I know when that property opened and when it was surveyed. I know for a fact that some of the survey markers were moved two weeks later....on a weekend.
I know of several entire public parcels that are posted...and often neighboring landowners remove the public land signs to further cloud the boundary. Often it's the big property owners - hundreds of acres - that are "stealing" an additional 20 or 40 acres. One even told me it was because "the public" hunters would ruin a doe bedding area for gun season. He has tower stands overlooking a large redbrush-and-willow bedding area that is clearly on public - there's a river as the boundary.
I've also seen "No Hunting' signs posted along an imaginary line away from the property line. It's like bird watchers are welcome to use the land but they're trying to keep hunters away.
IMO,they're stealing public land. They use it exclusively (or try to) and they justify it by saying it's the only to keep those lowlife trespassers off their land. But - again,imo - they're as bad or worse than trespassers.
Most counties in WI have an online plat map database. I heard of a GPS/GIS phone app. but I still have a flip phone.
My personal take is to stay legal and avoid confrontation. Sometimes that means I walk past signs. Sometimes it means I give wide berth to a property line and let the neighboring landowner keep "our" public land to himself. Depends.
And it also means I go thru a lot of color printer cartridges.
THink this is a peeve of mine? lol
(edit) some counties plat/GIS maps are easier to use than others but at least here in WI,I believe 70 of our 72 counties have an online plat map database available for free. If you hunt numerous small properties learning your way around those sites is a must...I'm sure some other states also have similar databases available to the public...
And more widespread use of any GPS/GIS phone ap should greatly reduce landowners "stealing" portions of our public lands.
My uncle said he didn't even turn him in... "Why turn him in? He's keeping almost everyone else off of that prime piece of public!" pretty smart on my uncles part. He's definitely playing the game.
I am involved with both sides. I encroach and let others encroach. The way I see it, as long as everything is legal, we're all hunters trying to take a deer and have a good time doing what we love to do. Keep it legal, good luck, and wish others the same 