Hog problem/damage

Leave it be........

Shifty, the main problem stems from LAWYERS my friend. So many people have been sued by hunters because they twisted their ankle, or something stupid, that many landowners just simply resist anyone being on their property. Another of the problems is that some of us hunters have gotten sullied reputations because of those FEW that do not respect other peoples property. They leave trash behind, don't close gates and allow animals to get out, cut wire, bring others that were not known to the landowner, and just practice unsafe hunting methods endangering the landowners cattle, horses, sheep, whatever, as well as the landowners family as well.

We, as a group, need to work extra hard to regain that trust that a few have lost for us. More and more property is being closed off to hunters for these very reasons. You KNOW it's getting bad when someone you have known for 10 years wont allow you to come kill a pest animal that is costing HIM money on a daily basis!

Hopefully you will be able to educate your friend and show him that this reputation that we, as a group, has been thrust upon us unjustly. Educate him in the facts. Prove to him that the acts of a few do not, in ANY way, reflect on the hunting community as a whole.

As was mentioned the underlying issue isn't so much that he might not want you to come help, but that in SO MANY other cases this has opened the door up to more headaches than wanted.

If in the future you have such a conversation, simply ask that if he ever wants or needs some help with them, you would be happy to go with him to see what could be done. Not so much asking for explicit permission to go alone, or to even hunt them, might be the ticket to a more relaxed response.

I have known my farm neighbors most of my life. They own and have access to 4-5 times the property I have and see all sorts of VERY nice deer, and plenty of hogs. I have been told to come on over multitudes of times by them and get something. The thing isn't me going and doing, it is somewhere down the line when I find someone I don't know on my place and they tell me "ol Joe said it was OK since you came over month before last".

On my friends place we're always finding evidence and even catching folks there. Their first excuse is "we're just looking for our hog dog", usually followed by, "well, I have known ol so and so for 25yrs and he said to come on in when we needed to get the dogs". Problem is the three names they come up with don't have the authority to give permission, and you usually don't bring 4-9 guys and haulers to simply come over to get one lost dog.

Years ago as was mentioned it was a different situation, but the lawdogs and lowlifes have screwed it up for everyone.

i've seen both sides of the issue. We are lucky enough to own hunting properties in OK: No cattle or horses allowed. Numerous farmers have tried to lease our property for cattle grazing or hay cutting. They can't understand why folks don't want cattle on their property. i do cut some hay on shares.

One big time rancher gets $200,000 in farm subsidy money every year. He refused me permission hunt property adjacent to ours. This year he needed hay. We had a huge old barn full of hay: He paid a premium price for it. Now he wants to buy a big pile of aluminum irrigation pipe at half the scrap metal price: No way.

As for lawsuits involving hunting on farm property, i know a lot of farmers and ranchers in OK and TX. None of them have ever been sued by folks legally hunting on their property.

Problem often comes when you give a couple guys permission to hunt your property. They bring their buds who, in turn, bring their buds and control of your property is lost. Gates get left open, cattle get out, etc.

Taking care of a place was a point of pride for my bunch, back forty years ago. We leased a ranch from ex-governor Dolph Briscoe. But, not all that many deer. So, he called a rancher he knew and suggested that the guy lease to us: "They leave a place better than they found it."

Some landowners, though, just don't want any outsider on their land. I know of one ranch near Cotulla where the owner wouldn't allow any hunting except for family members, and wouldn't even allow oil exploration--even though there were wells all around his land.

Today I had a customer stop by and he mentioned a small hog problem and some damage, after some conversation he went to the truck to bring me pictures of some damage. His property is within 30 miles of my house so of course I mention that I had been looking for a place to bring my son hunting, I have a couple places to hog hunt but not this close to home. He informed me he doesn't allow hunting on his land and he was sorry......so what do you think I should do about the hogs?

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Flintknapper......I wasn't gonna push the issue, just trying to understand. It just don't make much sense to me. I'm stuck in the mud....GOD NO!!! don't try to pull me out!!!

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Art touched on a good perspective and your conversation seems to fit. Your buddy described a problem and the first thing you did was to let him know how you would like to take advantage of his problem and bring your son along for some father-son time. I think I would turn down that offer right off the bat as well. It is a nice gesture, but it is obvious that your goal really wasn't the resolution of his problem, but finding an easier way to spend some time hunting with your son. That pretty well set the tone for what the guy perceived as being your perspective of the situation. He probably figured that if he did let you come and set traps or whatever, that you would then keeping mentioning how you need a place to take your son. It would make him beholden to you.

Mind you, he didn't ask for your help with the problem, but asked about how HE should solve the problem.

I just don't understand why free help is turned down when the help involves access to property. Hell people would pay to help control the population.

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There are the reasons Art mentioned and more. Some folks don't want to be beholden to others for a problem that isn't life or death. They feel it is their own business/responsibility. Then there is the whole liability issue noted by FFII, although I disagree that the problem is lawyers. The problem is that far too many folks think a reason to sue is a good way to win the lottery.

Then there is the whole liability issue noted by FFII, although I disagree that the problem is lawyers. The problem is that far too many folks think a reason to sue is a good way to win the lottery.

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And if they didn't have a greedy Lawyer salivating at every turn to take the case there wouldn't be such a problem. Just sayin

If you ever have the chance to speak to him again, and the topic comes up again, I'd just tell him, "Well, I tried to offer help to you one time and you shot me down, you didn't like my ideas, so............, no, MY options of help ain't changed!"

you could always put up a rosie odonnel scarecrow

Shifty you cant fix stupid. Let him live with the problems and when he gets tired of it he will change but then again Stupid lasts a long time in some people

shiftyer1 said:

update......

I got a phone call this morning asking if I wouldn't mind stopping by this afternoon with my boy for some burgers and maybe look around a little bit. I'm taking it as a meet and greet type of thing, not jumping to conclusions but it seems we may be getting somewhere. We'll see what happens.

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He must be tired of watching hogs tear apart his land Good luck and good hunting!

Hopefully you and your boy get to hunt. I've been in FL for 4 years now, and you can't hunt private land here for less than around $200/hunter if you want to bring home ONE meat hog.

And if they didn't have a greedy Lawyer salivating at every turn to take the case there wouldn't be such a problem. Just sayin

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That is sort of like blaming a "greedy" gunsmith for people's broken guns. It isn't the lawyer's fault people are greedy. Lawyers can't sue without a client. Funny how nobody likes a lawyer until they need one.

shiftyer1, excellent news.

His property is within 30 miles of my house

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Heck, it won't be long before they are in YOUR yard... but kill 'em while they're on his land first (if he lets you of course)

I hope he let you have it "For all of your trouble!", maybe he'll have another one for your boy to wrestle soon. Ha Just kidding. Glad you and your son were able to show this guy how real folks are.

we have them on our property. live animal traps, (big ones), work great. but stalk hunting is more fun. if he don't want you hunting, he may let u set up the traps. its not too hard to move the hogs to livestock trailers, if your used to workin with animals. then you can take 'em and sell or shoot em.

Shifty, if it makes you feel any better I can offer my own similar story.

I work as a contractor in Northern California (non-construction). I have known and worked for a pretty wealthy hotel owner who also owns a 17,000 acre ranch complete with a hydro-electric damn -- that's not a typo. I've know and worked for this man for several years and have gained his respect.

Just a month ago I asked him about wild hogs on his land, and perhaps trophy deer. He could certainly read between the lines without me asking a forceful question and instead, invited me to contact his guide, and in his words, said, "I can't understand why these hunters are willing to pay such a handsome sum".

On the inside, I was certainly frustrated, but on the outside I played "business as usual" and put on an understanding smile.

While I understand the need to regulate hunting on private land, at the same time I'm frustrated at the apparent notion that we're all born on the same planet, yet are given vastly different amounts of opportunity to access land -- just on birth right.