Interesting Week -owning land troubles

[at1010]

Well I will be honest, I am beyond blessed to own what I consider to be a larger chunk of ground in a beautiful part of the State of Ohio. However, I have to say that Gun Season brings on my most anxious feelings due to the problems that tend to occur during that week.

Here is an example of how the week went -
Day One - saw a lot of deer, nothing major to report, did see some trucks driving awful slow down the road

Day Two - caught guys on back of a truck, driving down road with loaded guns - next to my property (only place they could go was through my farm to where they had permission to hunt). Once they saw me they turned truck around and went over to their adjacent farm where they have permission to hunt. I talked to them, and they asked if they could drive a oak ridge out on my farm - I told them know and I watched them respect the property line. I actually saw the Game Wardens drive by that day and had a great conversation with them, they have been great to me over the years in any issues I have had - major respect for those folks. Did notice same truck driving by very slow at dark.

Day Three - Uncle was hunting where I was that evening and saw same truck driving slow down road. Guy gets out of truck and shoots at a small doe 2 times, second shot benching the gun on the hood of the truck. He missed twice before taking off down the dirt road. We got a description of truck but that was it. That truck never made another appearance the rest of the week.

The rest of the week was fairly uneventful. Saw deer but no shooter bucks.

I used to get TORE UP inside about guys trespassing, and poaching. However, even if I am at the farm 100% of my time, I cant watch every inch of it and that stuff will/can happen. I learned this week to really just enjoy my time off and in the woods. If AHOLES present themselves handle it but dont let it ruin your time. You can get to the point where you can barley hunt without wondering if that show was just over the line, or if that truck was coming to poach a deer.

I write this to tell any of you all who are on the fence about buying land someday, do it! I can promise you it will be the most annoying, fun, frustrating, exciting, experience of your life but it is all well worth.

Ill end lyric from a song I dont care for much, but I always enjoyed this line:

"Now you can drag him from the country every now and then
But you can't drag them forty acres outta him"

till the day I leave this earth, the bond I have with MY land will be one no one can take!

Hunt safe, hunt hard, hunt often!

AT

 

[cspot]

Anymore I don't have near the issues that I used to. In Ohio I have had zero issues thankfully since we bought it 2 years ago. As far as tresspassers, I will run them off if I encounter them, but I won't go chasing after them ruining my hunt. Like you said it just isn't worth it. You would drive yourself crazy.

 

[Smawgunner]

Man I totally agree. I've got 80+ and over the years I've run most of the riff raff out. One year there were at least 5 doe half ass butchered and tossed over the road. I try to keep people honest around there but it'll eat you alive if you stress about it 24/7. I used to literally lose sleep at night back home thinking about who's on my property. For the last 5 years, I've only got one dude on my trail cams...and I ran his ass off (coon hunter).

 

[Sgt Fury]

I’ve had people tear down posted signs and caught two people on trail cams trespassing for ginseng and yellow root. They stole one of my neighbors cameras but he was able to post their pics on Facebook and identify them. He got his cam back along with a promise that they would never return. So far they haven’t. Also have a problem with a red pickup truck driving on our fields to glass into the woods line. Game warden was called and he is setting up a robo deer. Hope he catches them. Fortunately, we haven’t caught anyone actually hunting....just road hunting for now.

 

[giles]

I can’t wait to have a bigger chunk of earth!

 

[ericD]

I have been lucky, I rent my land to people who reach out to me and they have been good to me. One couple who came on the land because he thought it was unowned but I stopped them and they haven't been back so lucky me but I set up WIFI cameras that connect to my phone, so far 300 deer and only the people who are supposed to be there. Credit to Northeast Ohio, good character!

 

[cspot]

I have been lucky, I rent my land to people who reach out to me and they have been good to me. One couple who came on the land because he thought it was unowned but I stopped them and they haven't been back so lucky me but I set up WIFI cameras that connect to my phone, so far 300 deer and only the people who are supposed to be there. Credit to Northeast Ohio, good character!

What WIFI cameras do you have?

 

[ericD]

I set up a system with 28 cameras throughout the property since I am not around my property much and I set up a strong network at all four ends of the property to amplify the signal. Each camera also acts as its own hot-spot whereby increasing the strength of the signal. It seems like a lot but it wasn't that expensive or hard to do either. The cameras are made by Yi. It records about 3 days footage at a time.

 

[cspot]

I set up a system with 28 cameras throughout the property since I am not around my property much and I set up a strong network at all four ends of the property to amplify the signal. Each camera also acts as its own hot-spot whereby increasing the strength of the signal. It seems like a lot but it wasn't that expensive or hard to do either. The cameras are made by Yi. It records about 3 days footage at a time.

Gotcha. I was thinking wifi trail cams. You have a wifi security system.

 

[ericD]

Yes. They do have WIFI trail cameras now but I found the set up I have is even better as I can do everything remotely and the image is superb

 

[Clay Showalter]

I feel your pain, I don’t live near my farm, but my aunt lives across the street and keeps an eye out on things. Also the property has been in our family for 83 years and we know the neighbors and I allow them to ride horses and hike on my property so they keep an eye out for trespassers. We have been blessed for years to have no known problems.

 

[Bigslam51]

Hopefully the amish don't move near any of you guys.

 

[CJD3]

Years ago I got the bright idea to put orange vests on hangers and put em just inside the tree line .
The road hunters, seeing the appearance of a line of deer hunters, just keep going. 3-5 orange spots as seen from the road was enough to keep em driving on by.
Hang them far enough in that they can see them but not enough to realize they aren’t manned.

Collect em up at the end of the week.

 

[Dustinb80]

Genius

 

[at1010]

I have a lot of Amish near me, they aren’t next door but close enough. Never had any major problem with them, other than pounding beer and throwing them in the creeks (youngins are wild).

Although you kind of hit on a main point of my post bud. Would you avoid purchasing land because you had an Amish near? I know a lot of guys who complain about Amish, yet a lot of these same guys seem to shoot studs year in and out.

Lots of great points and suggestions. I wanted to share my feelings and thoughts in this because at the end of the day, no matter what, where and how you’ll have thoughts about your property, who is around, are they casing the place, etc.

Always be aware, try to prevent, but don’t let your mind drive you insane. I know I lost s lot of sleep over the years, worrying over nothing.

Hopefully this helps someone.