more bad luck, without words

[smitty55]

Is it not cheaper to buy your meat at the store than hunting it.? With all the gear , atv's , guns (most have more than a couple), shells , decoys, duck boats, etc. I know lots of people who already view hunting as a rich persons sport.

That has to be about the dumbest comment I've ever read on a hunting forum. Are you really a hunter???? Please tell us all where we can go and buy fresh moose, deer, bear, elk, caribou, ducks, geese etc.
Also many hunters aren't rich and just hunt with minimal equipment. Makes me wonder about all these people you know with their ill conceived perceptions about hunting and hunters.

I could go on, but that would just add to the attention you seem to be looking for...

[buckluck_9pt]

Well if that happens, I can host you and your son once or twice on a farm down here...(Brant)

that is amazing.. thank you so much... I will definitely keep that in mind, once we figure out what is going to happen with these spots we hunt.. really hoping we can figure it all out and come to an understanding.. but like said earlier by someone else, it's their land and I will respect their decision and that is exactly what I am going to say if they stick to the " you can't hunt " decision... just means my son and I get to bond a little more when I show him how much work is involved knocking on doors for permission... lol

[buckluck_9pt]

Is it not cheaper to buy your meat at the store than hunting it.? With all the gear , atv's , guns (most have more than a couple), shells , decoys, duck boats, etc. I know lots of people who already view hunting as a rich persons sport.

everything can be a "rich man's" hobby or sport if you want to indulge in every gimmick available.. would it not be cheaper to just not fish at all, or hunt, or play golf, or do any sort of hobby that would involve any sort of monetary commitment? but like said, where is the fun in that? if you wish to be a person that chooses that lifestyle, by all means, have at it.. but I will NEVER give up my hunting and fishing... I work far too hard and that is something I enjoy.. I have shot many deer, turkey, geese and I have also passed on many of them as I just enjoyed watching them ... just being out there is so therapeutic and such a stress relief.. it's also a great privilege that putting a little extra money into it is alright... would you not spend a little extra $$ on a nicer truck because it's nicer, has more safety features, will last longer than an older used model?? to each their own, but coming on here and saying something like you did , well it's just plain ridiculous..

[Shinerboy]

When good land is iin the $1000's of dollars an acre, an monthly payment on that land may be between $5-900 a month plus taxes and maintenance, and insurance....to insure keeping a spot every year the least could offer money to hunt. Or time to help on thhe property and always notify when coming onto and off the property even if they don't care....get s they wouldn't want t go out on their own property if not sure if bullets may be travelling around or spoil your hunt.

[Horridfiber101]

Maybe you hunted the free land too much? You hunted and left your case and then your Dad was back there with a buddy....
How many free hunts on a piece of property is reasonable ?

As land becomes more expensive to buy/own; many landowners may not wish to offer "free access" to their property.
So, why complain; or call out someone else for paying cash and leasing the land that you have enjoyed for free.
Offering some of your own cash to lease the property for the year seems like cheap insurance for your hunting season.
Find out what he gets for an annual lease rate costs and divide it by the number of hunters and # of hunts; and beat the rate, or.
Or make your own bid.........
4 guys, 10 hunts ( turkey, quackers, deer ) @ say $ 50 bucks a crack per hunt works out to be $ 2000; seems fair.
For $1500 each, the same four guys can buy 100 acres near Tweed, and hunt Elk, ducks, geese, deer, cut firewood and hold an asset that increases in value.

Or, put $100 bucks of gas in your truck and drive further afield to access free crown land.

No sense grousing about having had free access for years in the good ole days. Life moves forward....

[buckluck_9pt]

yeah, it's possible to offer money to hunt, but money is tight.. if money was an issue, it would have been brought up over the past 11 years.. we had exclusive rights and never had any issues, so I am curious how many people will bring up the whole attitude of " how many free hunts" issue? do you lease all your land? I actually drive by crown land to get to these bushes, it's a matter of safety and knowing we're the only ones on the property.. we leave our stands up year round and spend money on all our landowners at the end of the year in appreciation of access to their land...
what I am saying, is that I want to talk to them and find out if it's possible to keep hunting the land if we don't use our guns..
what does it matter if we hunt 2 or 3 days a week? we already had permission to come and go as we please without having let them know.. we always talked to them on the way in or way out and made trips out to see them with the kids and let them play with the dogs, etc.
in terms of "calling " someone out on paying cash to hunt where we hunt for "free"? my "beef" with that is that some people who have the cash to spend, are leasing up all the land in the area.. how much land do you really need to hunt? makes it tough when you have fewer and fewer spots to hunt.. would you hunt crown land if you had 100 other guys in there as well?
I am just tired of hearing all the negativity.. I came here to say it sucks we lost a great spot after 11 years and that we either have to knock on more doors or work something out with the land owner.. I bust my off to provide for my kids and my family and don't have extra $2000 - 3000 to spend on hunting property that I make it out to 5-10 times in an entire year..

[Horridfiber101]

That's a good point- Being able to hunt without guns might be a good compromise to your problem.
May also set you apart from the new entrant to your honey hole.
Shows you heard his concern about the dog, and if noise was the issue- that should solve the problem.

Your money argument makes no sense however.
Each year, land becomes more and more expensive; and taxes increase progressively.
Maybe 5-10 hunts a year for the past 11 years ( 50- 100 hunts ) without any compensation was also a slow burn.
Therefore; this year, after 10 prior years, the dog, land costs, lack of your cash, and a new entrant with cash, may in fact have been the tipping point for the owner.

We hunt crown land early season, and hunt private land later in the season where we pay the taxes of the land and share the catch.
No issues yet, but that can always change, as you say.

[Bushmoose]

okay, so I called the one farmer we hunt on because I thought I left my soft gun case in their field.. I saw him out discing his field yesterday and hoped if he saw it he'd pick it up.. called this morning to ask because my dad and his buddy are there hunting this morning.. told me no, didn't see anything.. " and I don't think we want you guys back there anymore, you're scaring our dog. she's getting old and yesterday she was terrified, scratching the door trying to get back into the house".. I am shocked.. we hunted 11 years there, taking many deer and turkey and geese.. always took care making sure we didn't make a mess, always was friendly with the owners, even brought the wife and kids out to visit them and the dog.. find it weird.. I know the dog is getting old, but she loved me.. always ran out to see me and lay down so I could rub her belly and play with her, even yesterday she did this when I was coming in from the field.. find it really weird.. oh well, we still got 2 spots out there plus a couple pieces of crown land.. looks like we gotta start knocking on doors again, and soon.. season is almost here..

I don't have the answer for you, except to say, the landowner may have just used that as an excuse? He may have had a reason other than what he told you, but just didn't know how to tell you? Wife? daughter/son, etc. may have put him up to it to simply rid the property of hunters? Or, they may have someone in the family who has decided they want to hunt it? Sorry for your bad luck.

[x_xeon_x]

No one was being negative, everyone is just telling you to put up some cash if you want your hunting spot back. It's very clear you wore out your welcome with the farmer. If someone was hunting my property 2-3 times a week and lighting up flocks of geese at the crack of dawn on the weekend I'd get tired of it pretty fast too. Not to mention that you, your son, your buddies, your dad and his buddies, then some of those buddies might sneak back onto the property later when you guys aren't there, are all hunting it. That might be a bit too much activity for some people to want on their property, especially if they have to wake up to it 2-3 times a week for free.

Short cash? If you can find the time to hunt 10 times in the fall on that property alone you can find the time to get a part time job in the Winter/Spring/Summer to pay for some land. If your son and dad, and his buddies, and your buddies can find the time to hunt that property 2-3 times a week they too can get part time jobs the rest of the year and save up an extra $500 bucks each if moneys that much of an issue for everyone. Pool that all up and you're well over the asking price.

[fratri]

No one was being negative, everyone is just telling you to put up some cash if you want your hunting spot back. It's very clear you wore out your welcome with the farmer. If someone was hunting my property 2-3 times a week and lighting up flocks of geese at the crack of dawn on the weekend I'd get tired of it pretty fast too. Not to mention that you, your son, your buddies, your dad and his buddies, then some of those buddies might sneak back onto the property later when you guys aren't there, are all hunting it. That might be a bit too much activity for some people to want on their property, especially if they have to wake up to it 2-3 times a week for free.

Short cash? If you can find the time to hunt 10 times in the fall on that property alone you can find the time to get a part time job in the Winter/Spring/Summer to pay for some land. If your son and dad, and his buddies, and your buddies can find the time to hunt that property 2-3 times a week they too can get part time jobs the rest of the year and save up an extra $500 bucks each if moneys that much of an issue for everyone. Pool that all up and you're well over the asking price.

Wow, that was pretty tough and I think uncalled for but hey that's just me.....
To the OP.....best of luck with the season and obviously you were doing something right if you kept the property for 10+years... all I can say is............................................ stuff happens.....