Shooting on private land...Hunting license?

[waldonbuddy]

My Uncle owns about 400 acres of land with a couple of lakes on the property.

This land is located right by land that is owned by a hunting club. A friend of mine, and his handicapped son were fishing at the lake one day when we heard his son talking to someone.

We were about 25 yards away and walked over to where his son Kevin was fishing. Kevin was approaching two men on the other side of my Uncles fence on the hunting club side.

One of the two men were asking Kevin to see his drivers license. Kevin, being mildly retarded was already starting to open his wallet to show the man his drivers license when I told him to stop.

It turns out the man asking for the drivers license was the president of the hunting club. I told the guy he didn't have the authority to see anyone's ID, and that the land we were on was not his.

Anyway, not to get too far sidelined on my question, the hunting club guy cooled off, and apologized.

Fast forward I found that my uncle had, had some trouble with this hunting club before comming onto his land and poaching deer.

Anyway, months later I was fishing by myself and was carrying a 22 rifle {which was all I owned then} for protection when I saw the same guy drive down the dirt road on the other side of the fence to observe me.

After I finished fishing I walked to my truck on the road and here comes the hunting club guy driving up in a hurry, and stops short behind my truck. I bring my 22 to bare since I did not know his intentions.

He jumps out of his truck and says "oh its you, I didn't know who was out there", then he goes on to say the game warden was on his way there since hunting club man found some people sneaking in on club land and that I'd better have my hunting license. I told him that I was not hunting, he said it didn't matter.

Now my question. I plan to go there, and do some long rang target shooting soon, but I need to know if you need a license to shoot on private land? I grew up on a farm, and hunted that 45 acres for fifteen years without a problem, but that was years ago. Anything changed since then?
I just want to make sure. thanks.

Also, we now have a key to get into the gate so I won't have to worry about someone messing with my vehicle.....

 

[NMGonzo]

Ask him to show naked pictures of his wife.

He trespassed your uncle's property.

 

[rcmodel]

No, you should not need a hunting license to target shoot on private land, or public land as long as target shooting is allowed there.
Unless of course, your state has some pretty goofy laws, which is not unheard of.

Some states do require a hunting license to hunt on your own land, or a relatives land, so don't assume it is not needed where you live.

What you need to do is go to any place that sells hunting licenses and ask for a hunting regulation pamphlet. Or look up your states F&G website and download one.

It will tell you in plain English if you need a license to hunt on private land.
But just guessing, unless you are the actual land-owner or immediate family, you probably do.

rc

 

[Black Knight]

Do you have a friend who is a county deputy sheriff or county police officer? If so ask your uncle if you could bring him/her out for some target shooting. Let the "wise" hunt club guy show up. See who gets told what. Have your uncle come out with as well. Invite the game warden. The more the merrier. Get your uncle to have his attorney send the hunt club a legal notice barring any of them from setting foot on his property for any reason. If they are found on the property depending on how the trespass laws are writen they may be be subject to arrest.

 

[DagoRed]

Video cameras are neat little tools that make fools think twice about their actions.

It wouldn't hurt to pick up a hunting license to prevent any issues, and in many states at least some of the money is used for things like conservation and game management, so it goes to a good cause anyway. Pick one up for both reasons and don't worry.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

A hunting license is required here (Al) to hunt on ANYBODY'S land,public or private. If you are out "shooting" make certain it doesn't appear that you are hunting. I agree to get a hunting license just in case a coyote or such wanders by.

 

[deadin]

I think the bottom line is even though you may own the land, you don't own any of the wildlife that may be on it. They belong to the State and the State decides the requirements for hunting them.

 

[cartman308]

Check with your states DNR. They may require you to have a hunting license to be afield with a firearm. In WV the way the law reads it seems that way. During Whitetail seasons you have to have a license to be afield REGARDLESS of whether armed or not. My wife wanted to go to the blind with me and the way the Regs read, she would have to be a licensed hunter to do so.

 

[ms6852]

Bottom line the man is trespassing, he has no business in your uncles land. He must be made aware of this and must respect and adhere to his boundaries as you do theirs. I go hunting in West Texas with a friend who has permission from a lot of land owners. He is allowed to bring his friends to hunt. We have gotten stopped by the game wardens on several occasions and always they are courteous and ask us for our hunting license and my friend shows them the permits allowing us to hunt. On occasion other people try to be sneaky about this and use my friends name without his permission. When the game wardens check with my friend he states that they are not with him and consequently the other hunters get ticketed and lose their hunting privileges and weapons as well.

 

[hammerklavier]

Be sure signs are up along your Uncle's property line that say private property, posted, no hunting, etc. Then, if your Uncle is worried about all the trespassing have his attorney send the club a lawyer letter warning them to cease trespassing on his land.

 

[22-rimfire]

Many of the clubs like to extend their influence outside their leased boundary. They probably don't like it that your uncle has not leased his 400 acres to them.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I don't know what state the OP is in but here ALL land is posted by the state and requires a written permit or be accompanied by the landowner or his agent so posted signs are not needed.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Your post asks whether you need a hunting license to SHOOT on private land. The answer is no. But depending on the state, you may or may not need other licenses.

But to answer a different question you didn't ask: Whether you need a hunting license to HUNT on private land. The answer is most assuredly yes (except some states make limited exceptions for nuisance species). Ditto for fishing.

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

what about canned hunts? my understanding was its a show up and shoot deal no license

 

[22-rimfire]

Canned hunt = "high fence"?? I believe that you still need a license to hunt state big game species, but there is no requirement for exotics that I am aware of.

 

[billybobjoe]

Always tell a stranger "Hit the road!" Tell him that the hunting rights are leased out to somebody.

 

[billybobjoe]

I own 300 acres and I tell people that all the time. If the ask who the leasor is tell them none of their business. Act like you don't like your time being wasted by them. The sterner you act, the less trouble you'll ever have with people. If they don't like you or staying off your land. "Well, you should have bought it then. $5,500 an acre and it's all yours. 400 acres that's two point two million. What fool goes and pisses some guy off worth maybe a few million.

 

[Pyzon]

Has your uncle had a recent conversation with this guy that likes to run the show on somebody else's side of the fence ? I don't care what problems the hunting club has with poachers or whatever on their land, that is not something you need to deal with. These dudes complain of trespassers after they have already crossed your fence ! Amazing. I'm wondering what goes on on your uncle's land when you are not there.

 

[allank]

Using Kansas as an example (check your own state DNR regs) you need an annual hunting license to hunt or fish on public land or on private land, even if you own it. You may also need a specific hunting permit to hunt certain animals eg deer. However deer permits are priced differently if you are only hunting your own land (lowest cost), are a landowner of more than 80 acres, or are a non-landowner (highest cost). Other animals do not require a permit, just the license.

You do not need a license to shoot on your own land. But you might have problems depending on your local Natural Resources officer if you are shooting during certain seasons eg target shooting a center fire rifle in deer season.

See also my other post about carrying appropriate firearms if you are hunting:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=484392

 

[oneounceload]

Whether you need a hunting license to HUNT on private land. The answer is most assuredly yes

Not necessarily so - depends on whether the game being hunted was raised or wild. For example - here in FL, hunt clubs release their pen-raised birds on their property - no license required as the birds are not wild game birds

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

according to this link the only thing you need a license for is bear and whitetail are native to pa
http://www.hunt-tioga.com/

it appears in ohio you need a license for native species

 

[SSN Vet]

Here in Maine, you need a license to hunt, whether on your own land or not.

The only exception I'm aware of is that farmers may kill animals that are destroying their crops/livestock.

You don't need a license to shoot on your own land, but each town has their own regs. Where I live, you must be 300 feet from any house, and high power rifles are banned in certain areas. The acception being on an active range with burms, etc...

The problem is, however, that if a game warden sees you in the woods with a rifle during hunting season, he's going to assume you are hunting and want to see a license.

I'd want it to be very obvious that I was target shooting..... target boards set up, etc...

The wardens get away with a LOT. To much in my opinion. If they think your hunting and you don't have a license, they's impound your firearm, your ATV, even your vehicle, and issue you a summons. Then you'll be stuck fighting to get your property back.

My BIL is a state trooper and even he says the wardens get away with to much.

 

[waldonbuddy]

"Has your uncle had a recent conversation with this guy that likes to run the show on somebody else's side of the fence ? I don't care what problems the hunting club has with poachers or whatever on their land, that is not something you need to deal with. These dudes complain of trespassers after they have already crossed your fence ! Amazing. I'm wondering what goes on on your uncle's land when you are not there."

Well, my wife and I went fishing there for the first time, and was approached by an older gentleman carrying a shotgun!!! We talked, it turned out that he was renting the land, and thought WE were from the hunting club. He told us that he had been having problems with them, and since he didn't know who we were {my wife and I} was the reason he had the scatter gun.

After telling him who my uncle was he turned out to be a good guy. I did make my uncle aware of the hunting club, but he is in his mid 80's, and dying of cancer.

I did think it was funny that the hunting club guy mentioned that he was helping keep watch on the land for the guy who was renting it. {The same guy that approached me, and my wife with a shotgun who also told us about having trouble with the club...lol}.

Anyway, the reason I needed the info was that if its against the law then HC guy might actually call the game warden on us if we were sighting in, or shooting our rifles.

Thanks for the replies......

 

[The Gunman]

In Illinois, hunting is defined as a certain activity. Target shooting or sighting in would not fall in to that activity. So the answer would be no in Illinois.

On a side note:

Why are so many on here ready to make a certain enemy of a fellow group of hunters and sportsmen?

Maybe the uncle has had friction with these guys, but why get offensive with them?

No the hunt club president has no authority or reason to question what anyone is doing on private property. Sure, if he saw someone poaching I can see him calling the authorities. That gives no cause to start a war with the hunting club. I suspect this guy will not be the president for long.

 

[MarineOne]

I will second the idea of inviting the local sheriff and game warden out to your uncle's place for some target practice, and perhaps open it to some "others with influence" as well. It's obvious the guy running the hunting preserve thinks he might hold some power over your uncle and those he allowed on your uncle's land, so maybe he needs help in changing his prespective.




Kris