Minnesota QDM Inc.

Illegal Hunting and Trespassing

By Annette VonEnde

Once you have established food plots and are aggressively protecting the young bucks and the word gets out, what can you do about the road hunters? These guys are usually riding the roads a month or two before season opens. They are looking for deer sign, well guess what, if you are doing any kind of deer management there will be all kinds of deer sign by your property. The road hunter now thinks he has found the perfect hunting opportunity.

Property access is about two things, making access easy for the legitimate users and denying it to everyone else. Both are vital to managing habitat and quality deer hunting. The issue of denying access arises most often in conversations with landowners. Get the no Trespassing Message out Quickly. It is important to send the message that you are reasonable, but insist on ground rules. Let the locals know that you will not tolerate illegal hunting or trespassing. Aggressive posting discourages all but the most obnoxious trespassers. Gate all of your access lanes with a visible signal of ownership. Gating and posting access roads is a must if you’re to manage your property. You can’t afford to have trespassers running deer from your property or harvesting deer without your permission. Getting your property posted well in advance of season leaves no doubt in the illegal hunters mind that you will not tolerate trespassing or unethical hunting. They will be turned in and prosecuted.

As a general guide make sure potential trespassers cannot cross a property line without seeing a sign. In thick areas you might place one every 30 yards, but you might get by with spacing them 70 yards apart in a more open area.

If you don’t think posting signs is enough to discourage trespassers, run a strand of wire along your boundary. Better yet put up a fence. A poster in the trespassers face and a wire behind it is difficult to ignore.

If you are uncomfortable about encountering trespassers, hire someone to do it for you. Go to your local law enforcement officer and explain your needs. Ask for recommendations on how to hire a security person. They will probably know of one or two officers willing to help you out for exchange in pay or hunting privileges. Prosecuting Trespassers is a must

If you encounter a trespasser give them the opportunity to leave your property, explain to them if they are caught again that you will press charges. Fines will solve 99 percent of trespassing problems. Without prosecution trespassing becomes a game. When encountering a trespasser, it’s easy to get angry and lose your cool. Trespassers use up valuable hunting time, steal game and endanger everyone. But you must remain calm and in control. If the person is still not convinced try this one: “If you really have to hunt here, maybe we can work out a business agreement where you share expenses. For 50 percent of our expenses, maybe we can talk. We put thousands of dollars into this place each year, and some financial help might be welcomed”. That usually sends them packing. MN QDM will have property signs available to anyone interested. Contact Clyde or Annette Stephens for further information at 218-782-2881

MINNESOTA QDM INC.

Illegal Hunting and Trespassing By Annette VonEnde Once you have established food plots and are aggressively protecting the young bucks and the word gets out, what can you do about the road hunters? These guys are usually riding the roads a month or two before season opens. They are looking for deer sign, well guess what, if you are doing any kind of deer management there will be all kinds of deer sign by your property. The road hunter now thinks he has found the perfect hunting opportunity. Property access is about two things, making access easy for the legitimate users and denying it to everyone else. Both are vital to managing habitat and quality deer hunting. The issue of denying access arises most often in conversations with landowners. Get the no Trespassing Message out Quickly. It is important to send the message that you are reasonable, but insist on ground rules. Let the locals know that you will not tolerate illegal hunting or trespassing. Aggressive posting discourages all but the most obnoxious trespassers. Gate all of your access lanes with a visible signal of ownership. Gating and posting access roads is a must if you’re to manage your property. You can’t afford to have trespassers running deer from your property or harvesting deer without your permission. Getting your property posted well in advance of season leaves no doubt in the illegal hunters mind that you will not tolerate trespassing or unethical hunting. They will be turned in and prosecuted. As a general guide make sure potential trespassers cannot cross a property line without seeing a sign. In thick areas you might place one every 30 yards, but you might get by with spacing them 70 yards apart in a more open area. If you don’t think posting signs is enough to discourage trespassers, run a strand of wire along your boundary. Better yet put up a fence. A poster in the trespassers face and a wire behind it is difficult to ignore. If you are uncomfortable about encountering trespassers, hire someone to do it for you. Go to your local law enforcement officer and explain your needs. Ask for recommendations on how to hire a security person. They will probably know of one or two officers willing to help you out for exchange in pay or hunting privileges. Prosecuting Trespassers is a must If you encounter a trespasser give them the opportunity to leave your property, explain to them if they are caught again that you will press charges. Fines will solve 99 percent of trespassing problems. Without prosecution trespassing becomes a game. When encountering a trespasser, it’s easy to get angry and lose your cool. Trespassers use up valuable hunting time, steal game and endanger everyone. But you must remain calm and in control. If the person is still not convinced try this one: “If you really have to hunt here, maybe we can work out a business agreement where you share expenses. For 50 percent of our expenses, maybe we can talk. We put thousands of dollars into this place each year, and some financial help might be welcomed”. That usually sends them packing. MN QDM will have property signs available to anyone interested. Contact Clyde or Annette Stephens for further information at 218-782-2881