I learned a long time ago that easterners have their own way of thinking. Like spending tens of thousands of dollars for forty pounds of deer meat and antlers to brag about

Heck, you easterners are still fighting the civil war

When people have enjoyed free access to someone’s property and then it is posted, they are slow to accept change. Happens when property is sold or divided among heirs.

very true. I own what i think is a small chunk other think it's a lot. I still spend more time on state ground. I think that stems from having about 3 counties to hunt as a kid once I had wheels so I seldom hit the same tracks more than 3 times a year. it was not where can I hunt but what place do I want to. 96 acres gets boring and feels very limiting now.. But the few 25k acre public land spots have some room to stretch your legs. It's just best to hit them during the week, youth seasons, and early season. It's also the best way I found to teach the kids to hunt instead of it being walk out back and shoot the deer when they come through a 715am you see every day . Hunting vs shooting.

I often think moving west and having all that area sounds very nice. But it's all bases on romantic ideas in my head and zero boots on the ground experience. Next year we are looking at a western trip to yellow stone and other places probably may or early June. I have a feeling I won't want to come back.

It's the southerners always talking about Yankees and such. Never hear that out of the northerners. Oddly younwould think the winner would be the one bringing it up all the time not the loosers.

Many people spend lots of money on golf. I don’t understand that either.

very true. I quit hunting deer mostly taking the kids all the time. They wanted to see dad shoot some as they got older so I bought som tags now and then. Tags have gone up so much I won't deer hunt on ground I need them. Now I spend a lot of cash during hunting season mostly on gas and food stops getting to places and feeding us that if added up and = to price per pound of meat it may be as cheap to buy a cow. But it about taking the kids and being outdoors with them not economics. I will spend the cash to take the kids but if it were for me to hunt I think I would just move to small game and not deal with the hassle and expense of shooting deer not on my farm. it would make more since to put in fence and raise cows with a few years worth of the money spent chasing deer.

I'm very conservative with my hunting spending. What some people pay/ spend blows me away. Got to be the most expensive meat in the world when they get done.

Guess I should also say I admire a nice buck I don't get to worked up about antlers any more. Let one bigger than I have ever killed walk last year on the farm. Had two the boys shot hanging I had to get processed in the barn and it was going to warm up that day and the rack didn't get me excited and rushing to get 3 processed was not appealing so I let him walk.

Southerners (beginning in Texas) began the concept of deer management thru land management and voluntary harvest restrictions several decades ago. In the South, this really caught ahold in the 80s along with leasing hunting rights. This was ALL based on whitetail deer. It has evolved into what we see today over half the Country.

I personally don't own any land, but lease 2300 acres in three tracts. I enjoy the land management aspect much more than killing a deer or gobbler. It is therapeutic for me to get on my tractor and mow the loogging roads, small plots, amd access paths. I do my best scouting from the seat of my tractor. I truly enjoy planting plots and feeding game....makes me feel like I'm giving back instead of always just taking from the resource.

I'm blessed and very fortunate to have acquired access to some of the best property in my home area. I spend a few grand annually on leases, diesel, feed, seed, fertilizer, camera batteries, etc. But, I don't have any other outdoor interests other than hunting (and a little trapping, which pays for all the above and then some.)

I put in a lot of sweat equity on my leases. I take offense to anyone that thinks they (or their dogs) should have the "right" to trespass or hunt w/o permission on these properties. It is akin to stealing...pure and simple!!!

If I'd grew up in the western US (with all the public land)....it would be totally different 4 sure. There'd be no need for anything but a good pickup truck and a flat shooting rifle. Public land is just that ....public....all take....no give back....entitlement mentality.

well stated Swamp. I feel connected deeply to my land. I'm working the same farm my great grandfather did on the same tractor. It really hits me watching my boys doing the same as their great great grandfather did on the same tractor and same land. I Love the land dearly and don't feel like that's descriptive enough to describe how deeply I feel connected to it. It's not necessarily just the land but connection to my ancestors that come with it.

Well i would be the guilty one a good pair of hounds and a bear treed and the excitement of the hunt yep that would be me.

That's awesome that you own generational land. I envy anyone a little bit that owns their own hunting land. I'm too old to ever be in that great situation....unless I hit the lottery.

Swamp, you brought up what most are missing. This isn’t just public land, this is managed land. Feeding, mowing, harrowing, burning, trapping, etc all to promote great habitat and game. It’s year round work with a lot of man hours in the process. So yeah, some might get a little upset when someone decides to take advantage of that.
There’s a lot of Socialist on this site. They think because you own it or maintain it, they still should have access to it. You wouldn’t think hunters/trappers would be that way, but comments confirm it…

Hounds do not have that right.

If I see them "chasing my cows", adios.

×10,000

You can not pass up the opportunity to say something dumb. Hounds are afforded the same protection as wildlife. Nobody said anything about chasing livestock troll.

Not sure how many cows you own, but if they are on my place I will presume they are chasing mine. And that means there is a decent chance of......adios little doggie. If someone loses track of one of their pits (either from running hogs or just the yard of their single wide) on my place, it's a definite gonner regardless of circumstances. If I see a cute cocker spaniel with bows in its fur chasing a cow or a deer, gonner.

And, no, in Oklahoma some dog is not the same as a deer. I doubt they are in Wisconsin either. If you have a law stating that for any state in this country, please post it. Let's see who is saying something dumb.

I rest my case!!!

Where is your super special law about hounds? And, do you even own land other than maybe a house?

I wonder if anyone considered if it was maybe an honest mistake? Maybe they honestly still thought they were on the property they had permission to be on? Probably not but before you bust into their house and shoot their pets, maybe you could consider it? No one is perfect.