Ethics question.
Wisconsin
Contributors to this thread:
If you could hunt private land that you knew other hunters hunted and you would be moving in on them, would you?
Most likely I would not. It would depend on the exact situation and the amount of encroachment I would be doing. How great of a presence would my being there be? How would they affect my hunting? Could I get along with them? How many hunters? How many acres? Do I have another place to hunt? Etc., Etc., Etc.
There are many variables to this situation and I don't believe I could answer it without more knowledge of the situation. At first glance, probably not.
I have had quite a few opportunities in the past to hunt private land that others were hunting. It's usually a case where I see a good spot to hunt and just ask permission. A lot of the time when I get a yes it's the type of landowner that pretty much doesn't say no. I scout see I am encroaching and never hunt it. A few other times I have been invited by landowners through church, friends, etc. Again I find other hunters and do not encroach.
If I were invited I would try and make an attempt to hunt there amicably with the others who had permission. If it was a place where the landowner gave permission to all, I may hunt there if I could find a place where I was not intruding on those who had been there ahead of me.
I wouldn’t. I can find public land less crowded if needed. But as stated need to know more about the land to be sure. If it’s several hundred acres and only a couple guys hunting I might change my mind.
It's certainly ethical to do so, but it might not be very courteous. As mentioned above it would depend on the circumstances. If I was invited, probably. The landowner may even be hoping others leave if he invites someone specifically.
In the case of the landowner that lets anyone hunt, it depends. Odds are the number of hunters is more than I want to be around.
I wouldnt say it has anything to do with ethics. The landowner is in charge of who and how many he lets hunt his land. Its up to each individual hunter to decide if he accepts the circumstances.
I think it's common courtesy to not hunt within a couple hundred yards of anyone. I would decide whether I would hunt there based on hunter #s and # of acres.
I would not but that's just me.
I think the bigger question is WHY would you want to??
Anyway, no I wouldn't.
I've been on both sides of this same question.
If the landowner gave you permission you are good to go.
It's not the property of the hunters who were there first. It's ultimately the landowner's prerogative.
In my own personal situation with two little ones at home I am extremely limited in my ability to go hunt all the time.
If this property was close to me I would say yes and hunt the property if there were other hunters hunting it or not.
I wouldn't encroach at all. I've had the opposite happen on property where I hunted for years mostly by myself. The landowner gave permission to two other guys to whom I spoke with and let them know where my stands were and they said they will stay away from that area. That was the biggest mistake telling them where my two ladder stands were. The next time I went to hunt one of these a-holes was sitting in my ladder stand and then it was Katie bar the door.
I would take him up on it depending on how big it was, how many others were hunting, and what the parcel's potential looked like. I would probably not put up stands but just hunt from the ground to maintain a light footprint until I had things figured out related to the land's potential and the ethics/methods of the others using it.
I had an interesting conversation yesterday at the post office where I bumped into the owner of land I used to hunt until he started to lease it. He said he wished he had never leased it. Said that the guys just don't shoot enough deer and it is affecting his crop profits. Sounds like I should take a look at possibly getting permission on neighboring properties.
Other factors to consider, are those others using his property gun or bow hunting, or both. Are they the kind that just want some meat or looking for big bucks. Gonna be harder for trophy hunters to accept having more competition.
In any case I guess I would want to meet the others in person before I decide if we could co-exist.
I'll probably just not hunt it. I've had too many similar situations where people moved in on me. I do wish others would show the same common courtesy. Oh well, tis the world we live in now.
When you stop to think about it, we all have probably done this,...i.e., hunted property that someone else was already hunting. If it was a public piece, almost no matter how large you can bet there were hunters there before you and there are others there now. Maybe it's your relative's farm, if there's a population of deer, then you are probably encroaching on your uncles, cousins, nephews, relative's friends, etc. My point is, I think today it is very difficult to locate good hunting property that is not already being hunted by someone. Maybe in northern WI or in a deep swamp in southern WI, or in a central WI spot where access is difficult,...maybe then we'll actually be Columbus and in this day and age among the first to hunt it. It is chancy though, most of us are following someone else and to a greater or lessor degree sharing the woods with others. If you do find a spot where no one else is near to you and hunting, congratulations! Shut up about it and enjoy! Good for you!
DoorKnob's Link
When you say ethics, you mean above and beyone the law, right?
(a) No person may interfere or attempt to interfere with lawful hunting, fishing, or trapping with the intent to prevent the taking of a wild animal, or intentionally interfere with or intentionally attempt to interfere with an activity associated with lawful hunting, fishing, or trapping, by doing any of the following:
1. Harassing a wild animal or by engaging in an activity that tends to harass wild animals.
2. Impeding or obstructing a person who is engaged in lawful hunting, fishing or trapping.
3. Impeding or obstructing a person who is engaged in an activity associated with lawful hunting, fishing or trapping.
4. Disturbing the personal property of a person engaged in lawful hunting, fishing or trapping.
5. Disturbing a lawfully placed hunting blind or stand.
6. Disturbing lawfully placed bait or other material used to feed or attract a wild animal.
7. Engaging in a series of 2 or more acts carried out over time, however short or long, that show a continuity of purpose and that are intended to impede or obstruct a person who is engaged in lawful hunting, fishing, or trapping, or an activity associated with lawful hunting, fishing, or trapping, including any of the following:
a. Maintaining a visual or physical proximity to the person.
b. Approaching or confronting the person.
c. Photographing, videotaping, audiotaping, or through other electronic means, monitoring or recording the activities of the person. This subd. 7. c. applies regardless of where the act occurs.
d. Causing a person to engage in any of the acts described in subd. 7. a. to c.
8. Using a drone, as defined in s. 941.292(1), to conduct any activity prohibited under subds. 1. to 7.
Crowded 20 acres
Crowded 20 acres
If it's a productive parcel, I'd hunt it. Other hunters create funnels kinda sorta. Around here being a few hundred yards away from other hunters is not generally possible. Pic attached is a 20 acre mfl parcel I looked at last week. I marked hang on stands that where certainly used this past year. Countless old wood stands I didn't Mark. Based on deer sign the SE corner looks productive and am amazed there was no human sign there. Next season I'll set up there evenings and hope those other guys just created a longer funnel.
Seeing humans while hunting is frustrating.. however many many times I can use them to narrow down where deer will still travel come fall. Scout the other hunters just as much as you scout the deer
Granted I'll also sit in someone else stand if on public land and in a good spot (not on mfl without owners permission) so my ethics may differ from yours.
I'd talk to the ones hunting there and get to meet them . They might not even care . If it was a big problem with them I wouldn't hunt it .
Hey north,...on the photo you posted with the stand locations marked, how does the narrow neck between the two woodlots look? I'd think that would be an excellent funnel, just saying,...boots on the ground would tell ya for certain.
Would using another's stand be "5. Disturbing a lawfully placed hunting blind or stand. " ??
Case-yep that neck is a real hot spot, couldn't belive I didn't find human sign there.
Door knob- a Warden told me if on public land anyone can occupy a stand.
So, say you have a stand is on public land. Someone uses it and falls out and is hurt. Are you liable?
In todays world, it wouldn't suprise me if you were liable....
Civil law - anyone can sue anyone for anything!
Find a lawyer that's going to mess with it, is another matter all together. There's enough easier "big money" lawsuits out there to go around -
Highly unlikely in my humble opinion!
As far as getting permission and the land is occupied - Thanks - but No Thanks. I'm either screwing that guy up or he'll screw me up!
Depends on how big, how many, and is there PLENTY of space. But, for the most part, no.
I'm with most of you guys. I love to see and kill deer. But it's not the most important thing to make hunting enjoyable for me. I'll take low deer density, minimal hunter density, maximum hunt enjoyment land any day. Others can have the crowded hotspots where there's another hunter every 50 yards.
Me too, I like few deer, and even fewer hunters. As long as there are more deer than you have tags for, you should be good to go.