I recently purchased a large tract of land with the intent to dedicate it to wildlife protection and land conservation. The problem is that it is right in the middle of a heavily hunted area, and the prior owner even allowed hunting on this particular property. I don’t want so much as a fly to be swatted on this land. Does anyone have any ideas how to keep hunters off? Here are the ideas I have considered so far:
Fencing = unacceptable. There is a large pond on the property which serves all the wildlife in the area. If I were to put a fence around the property, it would severely impact the local ecosystem.
Posting signs = already done. But from what I understand, many hunters ignore posted signs if they think they can get away with it. Add to that the fact that local hunters think they have the right to hunt there (due to the prior owner’s permission). There’s no way I can contact every hunter in the county to inform them otherwise.
Surveillance cameras = possible but very expensive and would require someone to monitor the video 24h/day.
Hire rangers to patrol the perimeter = expensive but it would do the trick. (Anybody want a job?)
Me patrol the perimiter = not possible. I have a day job, unfortunately.
What are your thoughts? So far there have been no incidents, but hunting season just started. I have heard gunshots quite frequently on neighbouring properties, and it’s just a matter of time before they come to mine. Also what do you think: should I get a rifle for protection/defence/intimidation?
Hello there Frugivore! You have a very good intention for your land. You have almost all the ideas that may help you solve your problem… I will help you think of some some and I will post it as soon as I got 1
Hi meign, thanks for your reply & thanks for the encouragement
If you come up with anything, I’d love to hear it. I hope I’m just being paranoid, but I really want to keep the place safe if I can. The more I think about it, cameras might be my best bet. I can’t afford professional surveillance equipment, but maybe a bunch of cheap weatherproof webcams might work.
Hey guys! I think the answer may depend on where you live and the kind of hunting that takes place: In the UK hunters have to ask to use your land. When fox-hunting on horseback was legal, the standard reply was “get off my land: and return by the route you came!”
If people are hunting with dogs, you can use aniseed to confuse/lure the dogs. People used to sabotage fox hunts by dragging a bag of aniseed across the countryside to lay a trail away from any animal populations.
You could also plant a traditional hedgerow or build an old-fashioned dry-stone wall, instead of the fence? This would be a refuge for wildlife and rare wild plants
You have a very resourceful advice there Becka… So sad I don’t have a vast land to use those ideas but that will surely help Frugivore…
Frugivore you are not paranoid, it is normal, protecting what you own and what you love… Becka’s advices will surely help you, The aniseed seems to be effective
Haha, here in the US there’s a good one: “Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be prosecuted.”
Thanks Becka, that’s a great idea about the hedgerow. I might even plant some kind of thorny bushes, low enough for deer to jump over but high enough to repel humans. (And low critters would have no problem going underneath) I really like the idea!
I think it might be tricky to keep the hunters off your land. I have a similar problem in that my cottage is at the edge of a forest where hunting is allowed. They shouldn’t come in my garden but they do. They also stand in the forest and shot at pheasants that have wandered into my garden. They once came to the door and apologised for shooting my cat. (They hadn’t, just thought they had, as though any life is more or less valuable than another). There’s no stopping them and dirty looks and shouting at them doesn’t seem to work. It makes me so angry to think of them preying on these beautiful birds.
I don’t mean to sound negative but I do think you have your work cut out for you. Best of luck with it.
As a rancher on a large tract of land, and having dealt with unwanted hunters, I would advise erecting a fence first. The animals can go over,under or thru a simple four or five strand barbed wire fence. This will let hunters know that you are aware of exactly where your property boundaries are and they cant use the excuse of being lost. Second, dont even think about buying a firearm for intimidation. Keep in mind that the hunters will have guns too and they know how to use them. Good luck.
Patrol the land and let every hunter that they are murderers and should stop their acts of violance for the good of mankind! And make sure you telll all hunters that you find on your land that they are hunting YOUR animals because they are on YOUR land.
You can patrol your land against trespassers as well as post signs. In most states I believe that “NO TRESPASSING” signs are supposed to be posted on a perimeter fence every 150 feet to be legal. Check for your state. As far as what veggieboy said about the wildlife being yours because it is on your land, that is incorrect. The wildlife belongs to the state in which you reside. That is why the state issues hunting licenses. The wildlife is free to move from private to public land at will. In some states, if wildlife jumps a fence on to posted property after being shot, the hunter has the right to enter said property to retrieve his game. Other states require written permission and the hunter may be required to pay a trespass fee to the landowner. If game should enter your property after being shot I would advise you to let the hunter enter and get his game. If you dont and the game cant be retrieved this is called wanton waste. The hunter could get the game warden involved and if you still refuse entry it will definetly cause you problems in the future. You dont want the game wardens to blow you off when you call to report a trespasser or an illegal hunter, and I promise that if you dont give in a little as far letting a legal hunter retrieve game, the game wardens will put you at the bottom of the priority list when you call. Goodluck.
We have a problem with this at our small lake property in the Ozarks. We have a about 10 acres right along the Lake of the Ozarks and come fall, we have a problem with those duck hunters setting up right right next to the shore! Granted it is public property and they are allowed to hunt, it just ticks me off when they shoot the pretty ducks that come up to feed on our bank (we like to throw grain and corn out for them). I have found that if I simply get up and sit on the bank wearing bright colored clothing and listen to John Denver through my stereo seems to ward them away from my property. Maybe if you go out during hunting season and walk around your property (wearing blaze orange of course!) every few days, then that will ward them off.
What veggiegal said is right, but while you are letting the hunters know you are there, you will also be scaring the game and causing them to leave your property where they could be shot. You could plant a food plot for the deer to draw them in and make sure you have your land posted and then keep a lookout for trespassers.
