Giving Up

Little Elvis Said:
Jokostel,

Since when does it matter why a person posts his property??  And why should you care...maybe you need to grow up a bit??

i12fish Said:
Not sure If I've ever started a thread but I've been reading some of the others and it just confirms how I feel about the rifle season. The replies from some will be predictable no doubt as the divide is large in many areas, especially landowners/non-landowners. I'll start by saying I am not a landowner and understand that side very well. I very much appreciate the ability to hunt on ground that is not posted. I've made good friends meeting landowners and happen to have a best friend with a lot of ground. Being from Colorado where everything is assumed private really gave me an appreciation for being here. It was amazing several years ago and between that and the great people, I'm proud to call this home.

The last several years I've watched the steady decline in this relationship, and I'm afraid that the snowball is rolling down the hill, gaining momentum, speed, and size. As the divide grows, more land is posted and with the things I've seen, I can't blame them one bit. As more land is posted, more people like myself and many others, are forced to drive around looking for those few places available racing the rest of the crowd. A portion of those folks then push the boundaries in all the ways we hear about every day. The landownders get more angry and post more ground and so it goes.

My best friend had never turned anyone in until this year. It just plain got to be too much, and now he is calling every time. The unfortunate thing is that in this case, which is not unlike many I think, he only posts 5 quarters that several of us hunt on, out of several full sections that are wide open. This season alone, I've personally seen 2 cases of people driving in the middle of the CRP(that we caught), 3 does laid on the approach right by posted signs, with just the hind quarters gone, no tags and didn't even take the backstraps. Multiple signs down, including the wooden posts that were broken off that we spent Sunday re-planting. The deer I personally was stalking to within 400 yds shot from the road and thrown in the truck in record time. At least 3 times people driving in the field shooting out of the window. Multiple shots from truck windows right by us. 2 guys pushing the one set of trees the landowner has never walked and shooting at the deer running past his one tower blind while he and his 3 year old were in it.

This is not exaggeration, this is what I've seen just this season. Now, what's the natural progression? He starts calling the game warden, people get turned in, and of course, he posts everything else, and so the cycle continues. I feel so bad just watching it all. It's like watching a car accident where everyone is hurt but in slow motion and with perfect clarity. It just plain sucks.

I'll tell ya, the main point of my post was to say that I don't have the answer for this. I'm afraid this relationship will never get fixed and will only get worse. I also know that this is not the majority of hunters but boy do the bad ones really stand out. The only thing I can think of is huge fines. Anyway, I for one have put the rifle away with a tag yet in my pocket. Rifle season just isn't any fun anymore, at least it sure wasn't this year. This isn't how it's supposed to be. Stick to the bow and enjoy the quiet from now on for me. sorry for the long rant.

What really is happening -   Price of crops went up, CRP went down, Deer numbers went down, trees and sloughs are being taken out so that more crops can be planted (tree rows), sloughs are being burnt, the G&F reduce tags slightly, greed, property becomes posted:

I dont remember the year - but I hunt north of jamestown -- -one year our farmer friend told us ---look at my neighbor he went to AZ and left his land posted - big mistake.  Herds of deer were taking refuge on his land over 100 deer.     Deer season was snowy.  It was back when the WT balooned.  Many stretches of land were unposted --- why because land owners didnt want the deer to ruin property, crops etc.  It definetly was golden.    

Herds dont exist any more. 

We had some tough winters coupled with commodity prices going up -- hence my first paragraph ----- What does this all do --- puts more pressure on the resource.   Its not like the resource doesnt exist - it does --- however the pressure comes in the form of what this thread is all about.   

   Like the recession we need it to get worse before it will get better.   Come on    La nina     
 

Little Elvis Said:
Jokostel,

Since when does it matter why a person posts his property??  And why should you care...maybe you need to grow up a bit??

Go Bears Said:

Little Elvis Said:
Jokostel,

Since when does it matter why a person posts his property??  And why should you care...maybe you need to grow up a bit??

Tim,
why don't you stop stuff like this right away.  No reason for these threads to get out of control with comments like this.

i12fish Said:
Not sure If I've ever started a thread but I've been reading some of the others and it just confirms how I feel about the rifle season. The replies from some will be predictable no doubt as the divide is large in many areas, especially landowners/non-landowners. I'll start by saying I am not a landowner and understand that side very well. I very much appreciate the ability to hunt on ground that is not posted. I've made good friends meeting landowners and happen to have a best friend with a lot of ground. Being from Colorado where everything is assumed private really gave me an appreciation for being here. It was amazing several years ago and between that and the great people, I'm proud to call this home.

The last several years I've watched the steady decline in this relationship, and I'm afraid that the snowball is rolling down the hill, gaining momentum, speed, and size. As the divide grows, more land is posted and with the things I've seen, I can't blame them one bit. As more land is posted, more people like myself and many others, are forced to drive around looking for those few places available racing the rest of the crowd. A portion of those folks then push the boundaries in all the ways we hear about every day. The landownders get more angry and post more ground and so it goes.

My best friend had never turned anyone in until this year. It just plain got to be too much, and now he is calling every time. The unfortunate thing is that in this case, which is not unlike many I think, he only posts 5 quarters that several of us hunt on, out of several full sections that are wide open. This season alone, I've personally seen 2 cases of people driving in the middle of the CRP(that we caught), 3 does laid on the approach right by posted signs, with just the hind quarters gone, no tags and didn't even take the backstraps. Multiple signs down, including the wooden posts that were broken off that we spent Sunday re-planting. The deer I personally was stalking to within 400 yds shot from the road and thrown in the truck in record time. At least 3 times people driving in the field shooting out of the window. Multiple shots from truck windows right by us. 2 guys pushing the one set of trees the landowner has never walked and shooting at the deer running past his one tower blind while he and his 3 year old were in it.

This is not exaggeration, this is what I've seen just this season. Now, what's the natural progression? He starts calling the game warden, people get turned in, and of course, he posts everything else, and so the cycle continues. I feel so bad just watching it all. It's like watching a car accident where everyone is hurt but in slow motion and with perfect clarity. It just plain sucks.

I'll tell ya, the main point of my post was to say that I don't have the answer for this. I'm afraid this relationship will never get fixed and will only get worse. I also know that this is not the majority of hunters but boy do the bad ones really stand out. The only thing I can think of is huge fines. Anyway, I for one have put the rifle away with a tag yet in my pocket. Rifle season just isn't any fun anymore, at least it sure wasn't this year. This isn't how it's supposed to be. Stick to the bow and enjoy the quiet from now on for me. sorry for the long rant.