Dilemma

[Jackalope]

About March Jessica's aunt told me about a guy who had a sheep farm. I asked if he had a problem with coyotes and mentioned I would trap them for hunting permission. She talked to him about it the next time she saw him and he said to come out and meet him. I did and we talked a while. I asked if he had anyone deer hunting and he had 7 guys hunting 150 acres. I just left it at that and didn't even bring up trapping for hunting permission as that's too many people for me.

Fast forward to today, he called her and got my number then left me a voicemail. He said he's lost 7 lambs to yotes in the last two weeks and wanted to know if I still wanted to come trap.

Never getting around to asking about deer hunting because too many people hunt there already I think he's under the impression I just like to trap yotes.

The dilemma is, now I feel like I need to call him and let him know the only reason I was going to trap was to get hunting permission but decided against it as too many guys hunt it already.

Not being a people person I need to come up with a polite way to say. "I'm not busting my ass to trap your yotes so I can wave at other yahoos from my stand"

Then comes a bigger dilemma. I'm a business man. Always have been. Half of me says make him an offer. "Give me sole permission to hunt and I'll guarantee you never lose another lamb, and if you do, I'll pay you for it"

However, along with that comes 7 guys getting the boot. Half of me feels bad about that. Half of me says screw em as I think they should be putting in the work to help him out.

Decisions.

 

[MK111]

That's the request I would make also. I don't see a need or reason to trap the coyotes if his deer hunters haven't done it.
May be a tough way to go but it's life in the slow lane.

 

[RedCloud]

Your a stats and numbers guy. Take the amount for your time(trips to check traps,set traps,find trails), the traps, and cost recovery of the pelt(if you choose to mess with it) and gas and give him the amount it would cost you to trap them. Just about bet he would be fine with loosing a few lambs.

On the other hand, if it's good hunting then I would ask for sole permission to hunt the property in exchange for the cost of trapping the yote. Most he can say is NO right? He says no then your out of the trapping game. Easy out.

Not family and not a close friend so there should be no feel of obligation on your end IMO.

Most places would charge about $40 per trap and then add in a per day use charge and then add in disposal fees of any animal removed and the larger the animal the bigger the amount. Just sayin lol.

 

[yotehunter]

You can't do something for nothing. Gas isn't cheap these days. I would just tell him coyotes for sole permission. It sounds like you have him at your mercy right now. The others hunters I'm sure have the opportunity to help him out too. If you don't ask for sole permission they might. Like Red said the most he could tell you is no. And then it would make you decision easy.

 

[Bigslam51]

You can't do something for nothing. Gas isn't cheap these days. I would just tell him coyotes for sole permission. It sounds like you have him at your mercy right now. The others hunters I'm sure have the opportunity to help him out too. If you don't ask for sole permission they might. Like Red said the most he could tell you is no. And then it would make you decision easy.

X2. I'm assuming the other hunters already know about his lambs and haven't done or offered to do anything about it. Now is your chance to show him you'll actually help out in exchange for permission.

 

[xbowguy]

Nothing wrong with such a trade. You could always prove yourself on the coyotes before the sole permission was given. I trade my time and equipment to hunt.
Makes more sense to let someone hunt that helps the farm than basic freebies who think it is owed "Because we hunt here every year". I will never feel bad for earning anything.....you should. TOO!

 

[finelyshedded]

I agree with all the above posts. Go for sole, if u get a no then no biggie. Tell him to offer the other 7 the same deal and see what answer he gets from them.

 

[CJD3]

I would just call him back and say that since March, things have changed and you have committed the time you would have used on his place elsewhere. (Helping out some other land owner or something like that...)

Possibly ask if any of the other 7 are helping him out and if not, target the arrangement for the following year.

Keep use posted on how this one plays out.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Sounds like we are all on the same page here. My first thought is: "How good is the hunting?" With some of the stuff you have to hunt, is this place even worth the effort? Or is it something special that would be worth the time/effort/money? If that's the case, then pitch is much the way Adam suggested. I'd use those numbers to back up what you are promising in regards to not losing lambs and that'l you pay for the ones that do die. That's a good ass deal for both. It'll take a couple years to deal with the 7 fucktards, but I know you and you'll handle it like a coon ass! lmao

 

[5Cent]

How bad do you need 150acres to hunt? Do you know the current hunters? Sounds like a lot of trouble/commitment for something that may or may not pan out. I am a gambling man most days, but this just does not have enough reward for me given the burden. I'm not sure I would want 7 guys ticked at me for getting the boot. Put yourself in their shoes......I'd be hot!

 

[Jackalope]

Sounds like we are all on the same page here. My first thought is: "How good is the hunting?" With some of the stuff you have to hunt, is this place even worth the effort? Or is it something special that would be worth the time/effort/money? If that's the case, then pitch is much the way Adam suggested. I'd use those numbers to back up what you are promising in regards to not losing lambs and that'l you pay for the ones that do die. That's a good ass deal for both. It'll take a couple years to deal with the 7 fucktards, but I know you and you'll handle it like a coon ass! lmao

Oh it's prime. And would be probably my best property. It has it all. A deep hollow, which is rare around here. A thick swamp, hay and winter wheat in the summer, half late beans, half corn in the winter. Good mature oaks and thick honeysuckle. Neighbors a dentist that doesn't allow hunting. Good genetics. And that area is mostly chocolate bucks. It's also the winter yard up property. Something I don't have now. My deer all vacate after first snow.

I'll stop by today and talk to him, see if we can't settle on a deal. Anyone know anything about trapping yotes. I sure as fugg don't. lmao.

 

[finelyshedded]

Rotflmao Joe!!!

I just imagined you trapping the neighbor(dentist) registered breed of whatever dog and you bringing it up to the dudes front door holding it up by its back legs saying, "How's them apples for starters!"

 

[Jackalope]

I'm not sure I would want 7 guys ticked at me for getting the boot. Put yourself in their shoes......I'd be hot!

I agree with that. I think my plan is to tell him to call those guys and make em earn it. Tell them you need help and they need to step up. Then tell him if that doesn't work out and they don't pull their weight give me a call in September. If it goes down that way they have nobody to blame but themselves.

 

[finelyshedded]

I agree with that. I think my plan is to tell him to call those guys and make em earn it. Tell them you need help and they need to step up. Then tell him if that doesn't work out and they don't pull their weight give me a call in September. If it goes down that way they have nobody to blame but themselves.

That sounds like the best way to handle it IMO.

 

[Jackalope]

Rotflmao Joe!!!

I just imagined you trapping the neighbor(dentist) registered breed of whatever dog and you bringing it up to the dudes front door holding it up by its back legs saying, "How's them apples for starters!"

Nah. He already shot it himself! Lol. Got in his sheep pen one evening and he busted it. He told me when I was out there that he doesn't care what dog it is, knock it in the head and throw it in the swamp. He has problems with strays or dropped off dogs chasing his sheep.

 

[xbowguy]

I'll come over and share what little I know about snaring.
Don Rice has my trapping DVDS you can use as well.

 

[Diablo54]

I would not do the trapping for sole permission. Your trapping will be turned into an expectation from him every year. Trapping is a lot more work than most people think. Especially when it is done the right way.

 

[Big_Holla]

Everyone pretty much covered it. I'd say just tell him you were going to propose hunting rights for guaranteeing no losses due to yotes until he mentioned the other hunters. Just be honest and say you weren't sure at the time if you wanted to propose that to him and risk having 7 guys lose hunting rights because of a deal. Let him know that is what you are interested in doing first, otherwise if you were to help him out you would have to charge him and have some numbers ready.

This is exactly what we are up against down there. On one hand we have a coyote problem, on the other we know any decent pressure on our land can send the deer packing so giving out deer hunting rights is out of the question. So, we may have to pay one day or learn how to do it effectively whenever we are down.

 

[Spencie]

Very interesting thread. I'm betting some of the 7 are family members. Or at least family friends of the farmer. That makes it difficult for him to give them the boot.

 

[hickslawns]

Risk versus reward. If the reward is big enough, I find honesty the best policy. Tell him your initial thoughts. Tell him your changed opinion after learning of 7 other hunters. Tell him why the hesitation now. Let him decide. How many times have you found what should be prime property that for some reason just doesn't pan out? There are few "perfect properties" out there in my opinion. The grass is always greener on the other side once you get in there. Lol