How Close is Too Close – Hunting Near Property Lines

What’s your take on the ethics of hunting near property lines? Does it make a difference for archery vs. firearms? I’m not referring to shooting across property lines which is clearly illegal. For example, setting up a tree stand 15 yards off a property line on property you have permission to hunt or even own, next to property you don’t have permission to hunt, in an attempt to take a deer moving between the properties. To be clear, no houses, barns, cattle, horses, etc. within a few hundred yards.

In my mind, this is clearly legal and ethical. The only caveat being that a hit deer may cross the property line, especially while archery hunting.

Boone

As long as you are not shooting into the other property then I don’t see anything wrong with sitting right on a line fence

I don’t deer hunt, but I see no problem with the scenario you described. I believe you have the right to go onto private property to retrieve an animal, too.

My view is that I pay taxes on my entire property and can use it as I see fit within the law, but personally, I do not encroach on my one neighbor due to the fact that she does not like hunting, and I don’t want any sour feelings. They are great neighbors and we get along well, so I want to keep it that way. Legally and ethically, I could sit on that border without issue, but I figure that good relations trump exercising my rights…..

Ralph Wiggum wrote:

I don’t deer hunt, but I see no problem with the scenario you described. I believe you have the right to go onto private property to retrieve an animal, too.

I don’t believe I can go onto private property in retrieve an animal in Wisconsin. Believe one can go unarmed to retrieve an animal in Iowa. Not sure about Minnesota.

Unfortunately the property owner adjacent to the property I have permission to hunt tries to control where people hunt on the other side of his property line. I can see his point that a wounded deer may cross onto his property, especially archery deer hunting. Even a double-lung hit deer may travel over 100 yards.

I think the reason most owners dislike others setting up on/very near property lines is that sneaking suspicion that when Mr. Big does emerge on the far side of the line, the hunter will be unable to resist and will shoot across the line. Which, of course, happens all the time.

It’s amazing how often I see stands set up right on the line of Property A that face across the fence toward Property B. Gee, I wonder why? I’ve even had an adjacent property owner cut a shooting lane on MY side of the line so he could see even further into my property.

IMO, if you want to make/keep good neighborly relations I’d make sure your shooting intentions are clear by NOT facing the stand toward the neighbor’s property. Also, putting up a stand within clear sight and gun range of another stand on private land is almost always a d!ck move. Yes, there are exceptions if you’re on the treeless prairie, etc, but again to maintain neighborly relations, I’d think real hard about this as well.

Grouse

boone wrote:

I don’t believe I can go onto private property in retrieve an animal in Wisconsin. Believe one can go unarmed to retrieve an animal in Iowa. Not sure about Minnesota.

Minnesota’s law on this is a little vague.

From Page 9 of this year’s Big Game regs…

Exceptions to Trespass Law: A person on foot may, without permission, enter land that is NOT POSTED to retrieve a wounded wild animal that was lawfully shot, but may not remain on the land after being told to leave.

The regs do not clearly state whether or not you may be armed when doing so, so presumably, you can be armed for the purposes of finishing off the animal.

Presumably, because the Trespass laws require all posting signs to have the name and phone number of the owner, anyone wishing to trail a wounded animal on posted land could get in touch with the owner for permission.

Grouse

If the land owner denies you permission to enter there land to pursue a wounded animal even if you are unarmed then I would be calling the Dnr.

We deal with this in two different scenarios. In western wi on small parcels we basically treat the property line as if it was someone in our group, if the neighbor hunts we stay back out of respect, if they don’t then we might sit near the line (we have permission, but not exclusive rights). In northern WI we have some private next to millions of public. There I have no time for fence sitters who are to lazy to find a spot on public. We have had people set up right on the line as we had plots, they have the right to do that, but I also have the right to park an Atv, trailer, hang an old shirt, or walk by at 715. I pay the taxes on mine in that situation and do as I please.

Quote “From Page 9 of this year’s Big Game regs…

Exceptions to Trespass Law: A person on foot may, without permission, enter land that is NOT POSTED to retrieve a wounded wild animal that was lawfully shot, but may not remain on the land after being told to leave. “ quote

The land must be posted legally if you don’t want anyone on it. If your land is not posted then somebody can technically show up and hunt on your land unless they are told to leave.

My father went through all this a couple years back when somebody was hunting there neighborhood associations land. He dealt with the Dnr and sheriff on it.

Also he was told that AG land is different and you cannot go on AG land even if it is not posted without permission

Coletrain27 wrote:

If the land owner denies you permission to enter there land to pursue a wounded animal even if you are unarmed then I would be calling the Dnr.

Absolutely. In fact, I would call the DNR even if the land were NOT posted and explain that I’m in pursuit of a wounded animal. Making a preemptive strike on that would go a long way toward proving you had no ill intent and hopefully prevent any confrontations with the landowner.

Grouse

I believe in Wis landowner can deny access to recover a deer . Even if contacting a warden to as a liason they could tell warden to pound sand . My thought is that not wanton waste of a game animal ?

If someone says no to you coming on their land there isn’t poop you, a conservation officer or the sherriff can do about it, even if you see the animal laying there. Right or wrong this is the law.

“treat the property line as if it was someone in our group”
I think this is an excellent statement. This is what works if both properties are being deer hunted at once. If both land owners do that there would never be any crowding on the line.

I’m moving one of my tower stands 50 yards closer to the property line next summer as the neighboring land owner told me saturday afternoon “You don’t worry about what side of the line a big buck is on, go ahead and shoot. Don’t need to bother me about asking to retrieve it either.” I have a good relationship with the 3 landowners bordering my 40 acres, which is nice as they are locals and I’m not any more.

onestout wrote:

If someone says no to you coming on their land there isn’t poop you, a conservation officer or the sherriff can do about it, even if you see the animal laying there. Right or wrong this is the law.

This is true in Wisconsin, the reason for the law is that way is large groups would use the excuse “we’re after a wounded deer” just to make a deer drive on land they had no access to. most land owner will allow 2 man party to retrieve deer if you ask them before you make any attempt to do so.

In the OP scenario, I think the situation described is ethical and legal…IF there isn’t someone doing the same thing that close to you on the other side of the property line too. It does no good if you both set up that close to each other, even if you are both on your own side. I would discuss it with the neighbor and try to both back off some from the line. A cordial diplomatic approach to that would work most of the time. Work with each other, not against.

Some land i grew up hunting, and still do hunt, we do it with our backs to the property fence.

The Habitat is on the other side of the fence…Agriculture on our side – we feed em, neighbors house them. We do have about 10 acres of habitat on our side, but often it is better to simply sit on the fence line. Morning and Evening, with the right wind – its a guarantee.

We don’t shoot across the fence.

I hunted that fence line last year Christmas morning. Had 60 deer in front of me on our side. The buck i shot, dropped dead 10′ from their fence line.

Never a complaint or argument from either side that i know of; though the other side some 10+ years ago wouldn’t let me go after a wounded deer so they may have a problem with us or me. Haven’t had one run across the fence since, but i doubt i’d ask if it happened again. They’re “Neighbors” not 2 miles from our farm, that we never socialized with in the least. Possibly a back story for that but i don’t know of it.