# Hunting property/ Family and Friends



## PTNTEXAS (Mar 15, 2006)

Extended Season ended last Sunday in Edwards County in Texas for white tail, really its year round hunting with free roaming exotics and hogs. Id like suggestions and thoughts about how to deal with all the invites we get to use the property, what would be reasonable limits to set for each visitor in regards to animals being taken off the property. I have a brother in law who took three deer and an axis in one trip I just find that rude but would like to ask the other hunters out there . Its 101 acres six and half hour drive for most of us, usually this particular person is broke, once or twice over the years he has paid half the fuel, none of the driving and in our vehicle. In the last three years he has taken two trophy Axis and a nice doe multiple white tail and hogs. There are many deer there not as many exotics. Im starting to be resentful about this we put a lot of money, the notes and year around feed upkeep of the stands and feeders. I know we need to say somthing now because it is a year round place. We are thinking of setting some kind of fee and limits so we aren't footing the bill for everyone's fun. Keep in mind its touchy because he is family. My husband has more than once wanted to handle it but Iv held him back for my sisters sake, but I think if we can set limits for everone it would handle the problem with him. Thanks


----------



## brownegg (Jan 5, 2006)

It's your property and your rules...kinda sounds like you don't have any? I would put a stop to this problem now. I would tell him and others that things have changed and you need to find another place to hunt. If that seems harsh, then how does it feel to have rude hunters on your property? Be a man and stand up for what you own...relatives are over rated in my opinion...we don't play that I'm related game here.

brownegg


----------



## Steve L. (Feb 23, 2004)

brownegg said:


> It's your property and your rules...kinda sounds like you don't have any? I would put a stop to this problem now. I would tell him and others that things have changed and you need to find another place to hunt. If that seems harsh, then how does it feel to have rude hunters on your property? Be a man and stand up for what you own...relatives are over rated in my opinion...we don't play that I'm related game here.
> 
> brownegg


I agree with the above post. Don't let anybody hunt there. You're just asking for trouble.

The same thing is happening to me.


----------



## dkhern (Nov 30, 2012)

investigate what the commercial places are doing bag limits and prices and then go commercial. transportation should be the guest expense. dont go with him or go with a full veichel kin folks imo are the worst about taking advantage


----------



## PTNTEXAS (Mar 15, 2006)

Its a great feeling to be able to give people a chance to enjoy the place, hiking and camping the hunting keeps our freezers full. Iv wanted my Father to get one of those axis, he is 80 and I dont know how much longer he will be able to go. The brother in law went with my Father we couldnt make it thats why he felt comfortable taking so many I suppose. My Father did get to hunt and got two whitetail we were thrilled, he hasnt been in good health. I will look up the commercial places and try to get some tips thanks for the suggestions. As long as my Dad is alive I wont cause any major conflict but bil wont be going without my husband anymore and definitely there will be some major changes. I understand about just telling people no but we really dont mind sharing just dont want to get taking advantage of.


----------



## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

You mention in your post - upkeep (costs) of maintaining the prop.... I would think that now is a good time to say to all - hey your share of the cost is $______ if'n you want to keep "enjoying" the place; or at least an equivalent "work-in-kind" type of arrangement.


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

As a youngster I watched this kind of mess with family. Aunt and Uncle had worked real hard and saved to buy a place on a small lake. They gave keeys to sons and daughters instead of having them ask to use the cabin. Ended up every summer week end when Aunt and uncle went up there theyu had no place to stay as a son and his family or a daughter and her family would be there. They sold the place and bought a vacant chunk of land and put a mobile home on it. That didn't solve the problem as the same kids used the trailer every week end to get to near by lakes to fish, near by land to hunt and near by trails to snomobile on. 

They finally gave up and would stay in a motel on week ends they wanted to go north and fish or hunt.

Put a price on the game and stick to it. REASON: is to recover up keep cost and pay taxes. Don't get kind hearted, if you can't pay you can't kill.
No one gets a key to our cabin on the bay. No amount of begging or pleading will change that. We want to use our cabin any time of the year. We bought it worked our butts off to pay for it and the taxs too. We worked our butts off building the cabin and paid the people who did what we couldn't. 

 Al


----------



## Steve L. (Feb 23, 2004)

Micheal said:


> You mention in your post - upkeep (costs) of maintaining the prop.... I would think that now is a good time to say to all - hey your share of the cost is $______ if'n you want to keep "enjoying" the place; or at least an equivalent "work-in-kind" type of arrangement.


In my experience, when you let the kind of person that your BIL seems to be share in the cost, they tend to start thinking they 'own' the place.

If he's not being considerate and appreciative now, he'll be worse after he starts paying. Just tell him NO.


----------



## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Your BIL was a horses behind and a few other things for not helping your father get a trophy animal and taking one him self. Set rules and priorities as far as who has rights to what.


----------



## Pugnacious (May 17, 2012)

How about a little communication, before hand. Just saying. Let everyone know in advance whats expected. Money wise and harvest wise. Some people are blissfully ignorant. They just need to be taught.


----------



## foxfiredidit (Apr 15, 2003)

I would give him a reason to be accepting of the new circumstances. Tell him anything you want, but being realistic about the herd comes to mind. Management of the herd "might" indicate that fewer white tail bucks be taken, or fewer doe, fewer exotics, and that if meat is needed for the family...go for the hogs. Many ways to be tactful and still keep his attitude in check. Tell him y'all have decided to give the herd a break for a couple years to maintain a healthy population.


----------



## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

Put on your big girl panties and put a stop to it. If the BIL wants to hunt, he'll have to cough up the $$ to do it. It costs a lot of money for upkeep. You can't be taken advantage of unless you let someone do it to you.

It seems like family is the hardest to deal with in this type of problem....beating around the bush doesn't work. Laying out the rules does.


----------



## coup (Feb 28, 2007)

we have a new management plan,,,no does,only bucks(trophy)will be taken...
hogs will be divided evenly between family......father can kill whatever he wants.!!!!!
only folks that are sportsman and understand what that means will be invited back next year..... 

my son and i do food plots and brush-management here,,pay for seed'fertilizer ,own the land....
we are the only ones that hunt here,,,,except a late rabbit hunt for extended family........


----------



## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

I lease land for hunting. I set rules to be adhered to by all hunters. Violate the rules and I become aware and you will no longer hunt. If a hunter does not agree with the rules I want him gone so I haven't lost anything. I have a date set for the deposit on the right to hunt the coming year and I have a set date of when the dues are due. If the dues are late I lease the land to others. If the property were mine I would in your situation "convert" the hunting to a self sustaining operation. Those that want to participate pay their fair share. Failing to pay the fair share on time would create a space for someone else to fill the void. Those that do not want to hunt need to locate another location if they want to freeload. My hunting lease income pays all my property taxes and I have a list of people wanting to hunt. My renewal rate is close to 100%. 
PS...the people that remain with you after implementing the changes will better appreciate what they have and will work to make the hunting experience more enjoyable. It is your place, take charge. Being it is a new year, now is the time to start. Set dates for hog hunts and possibly implement a drawing as to whom can kill what and limits on the quantity. Establish a fine for violators. These animals being harvested are a resource. Manage this resource to its best use, somewhat like you would manage a limited size kitchen garden. Good luck.


----------



## Lilith (Dec 29, 2012)

You might take this relative's financial situation into consideration. If he is taking that much game each year, can it be because his family needs the meat? 
It may be prudent to charge each hunter a reasonable "membership" fee to hunt on the property, and if his financial situation would prevent him from paying it, offer him the chance to work it off by working x number of days on the projects YOU decide need done for each animal he takes.


----------



## PTNTEXAS (Mar 15, 2006)

Thanks for all the replies! The BIL has all the latest gadgets and has a very nice jeep, so he can pitch in if he wants to keep hunting at our place. I think its just a matter of getting it said, Im sure he will be insulted being family and all he just expects it, truth is there are plenty of deer and pig. Were gonna call a halt for him on the exotics, he can shoot all the pigs he wants. We will tell him now so he can start saving up his money, havent figured exactly what to charge but kicking around 370.00 that would be all the pig year round and some white tail , maybe three for the whole season. Basically thats what our note is monthly, taxs are low we have an exemption, we havent put as much into it last couple of years feeders and stands already up just keeping them filled set for a small amount of corn. Anyway we will feel better about it once he starts contributing. My family are a nice lot, Im not even concerned with any one else, I feel sorry for the bil not growing up with all the support we had.


----------



## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

Check your local laws. In MN you can not be sued if you give someone permission to hunt your land and they get hurt, provided that you don't charge them for the priviledge. If you are charging them, and they get hurt, you could lose everything you own. Is your insurance paid up?

I understand that BIL is being a pig and taking more than his fair share. It sounds like you plan to charge only him to hunt. This is sure to cause bad feelings in the family. Why not charge all the relatives to hunt and limit what they can take?


----------



## PTNTEXAS (Mar 15, 2006)

I will check on the insurance thanks. We wont ever charge my father, my husband has two people that have hunted there, they would also be charged the same. One is a business friend who pays for everything when they have gone, but he did take his son by himself this year we found a dead hog they couldnt retrieve that he did not mention. So with the money we could buy the nice game cams you can see through your computer at your house. Thanks


----------



## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

_PTNTEXAS_

_Insurance is cheap. It will cost around $150 total per year and will cover the land owner as well as the hunters._ At that premium rate it would also cover a lot more acreage should you decide to lease additional property to hunt. I collect the insurance money and then I provide a copy of the policy to the hunters. By doing this I KNOW the policy is in effect. For deer and turkey hunting I would receive from a low of $6 per acre to a high of $12/acre. For land that has bear the rate could go up to $16/acre. I specify what wildlife can be harvested. This gives the animals a break between the various hunting seasons here. I do not permit recreational ATV riding.


----------



## PTNTEXAS (Mar 15, 2006)

Insurance sounds good, rattlesnakes, slipping on wet rocks(when it rains) just twisting your ankle on all the rock, lots can happen out there. We have a rv and a container cabin so its not a rough trip very enjoyable, no one should have problem with that price. Only a hundred acres so no one else can be added. We just love the place, when we first got it saw a black mountain lion or panther, couple years latter in the paper somebody had shot one. Black bear are making there way over from Mexico cant shoot those, never saw one except in the local paper getting into some ones feeder and dont want too. Hunting is the biggest part for the guys but I love the hills we searched a long time to find it which of course was great, now prices are up out there atleast we wouldnt be able to afford a place like that now but if the hunting interferes with the recreational use then itll just go to Husband and me and my mom and dad, my husband likes to be their because of the possibility of a fall and over exertion by my folks , he was a saint taking care of them this last season they didnt get anything on that trip though, so it was wonderful that he did on the last trip with bil course bil was the one who suggested going out and my Dad payed the fuel and used his truck bil did help with driving this time I heard,suppose bitter about this guy in all areas so Im going to leave it at that . We dont take the atv and we dont use the generators very much at all. I have some good ideas how to go forward so thanks.


----------

