New Hunting Property Question

I recently bought a 40 for hunting. It is not currently in any Managed Forest Land program. It is bordered on three sides by MFL-Open properties as well as some public land. These bordering properties total nearly 800 acres that are open to the public. I know that the former owner of my 40 didn’t use it much for the last 5-10 years. There is plenty of evidence in the form of ladder stands, chairs and garbage that indicate that hunters have been using the property like it is a public parcel. I’m sure since there has been no one there policing the property, people have taken liberties using it. My son, a family friend and I are going to hunt this parcel this gun deer season and I want to make it clear to the those who have been using it that the 40 is now closed to the public. I’m not going to litter the boarders with “No Trespassing” signs but plan to put a few up on the old logging roads and trails at the property lines. I also plan to place a few politely worded notes on the chairs and ladder stands stating that the property is under new ownership. I then plan to remove the chairs and stands two weeks before the season opener if they are still there and will mention that in the notes. I will give every hunter that I see on the property the benefit of the doubt the first time that I talk to them but will make it clear that any future trespassing will result in a call to the Sheriff’s Dept. I believe that ignorance is no excuse when it comes to knowing where the open and closed property boarders are, especially since you can get the GPS coordinates right off of the DNR’s website. My main goal is to not piss off my new neighbors as I would like to develop positive relationships with them but want to make it very clear to all that my 40 is not open to the public except to retrieve a wounded animal. Does this sound like a good approach? Too harsh? Too soft? What experiences have you all had?

I would personally contact my neighbors and explain to them you just bought the land and are posting the borders so your hunters know the property lines. Explain to them that the signs are not to keep them personally out of your land but rather the hunters who have access to their land via the MFL program. You could also tell them if they have any stands on the property to get them out while they can as you plan to relocate them. We posted one of our lease borders with the yellow ribbon no trespassing tape. We wrapped every tree and often ran long lengths of ribbon to connect trees together. It worked very well and was also much more affordable than buying all signs.

Post it so they know but there will be " OOOOHHH I tought dis was still Johnys land... Dis is still Johnys lan ain it Stupid face, stupid face??? Tell them sternly,,, I posted this property with X amount of signs . The first opening day may kill you but it won't be a real bad idea to walk it around 9 AM opening day . I've owned my land for 25 yrs and really don't have problems .. My BIL had a canoe stolen this summer though. A nice Bell 17', about 1,000 dollars gone.

I walked the property last weekend a few times and was pleased to find no one on any of the stands. Pops and I posted some signs Labor day weekend at the obvious accesses and apparently they are being obeyed. I found a spot with a pile of soda and beer cans next to a chair well within the boundaries of the property. I'll keep an eye close to that spot closer to the gun hunt but it appears that folks are respecting the boundaries. Thanks to all for your advice.

I didn't read all the posts in detail but one comment you made caught my attention. I would not wait until 2 weeks before rifle season to leave notes on stands. I would do it as soon as possible, provided they are in fact on yoru property. Other than that your approach seems resonable to me. Congrats on the land and good luck this season!

Once again, thanks guys for your advice. I plan to be there this coming weekend and the weekend after. With the bow opener this coming weekend, I hope to send a clear message that the property is under new ownership. I'm going to work out there mid-day so I don't disturb the neighbor's hunt. Based on advice given here, I am going to post it pretty heavily. I also plan to mow the access road as it's pretty grown up. My dad owned a 40 near where we deer hunt currently on my uncle's farm. We lived nearly 300 miles away from the area and the locals new it. They used the property like it was public 51 weeks of the year. They stayed off the week we hunted it. We ran into a bow hunter who was trespassing one year when we showed up unexpectedly a few weeks before the gun hunt. Turned out that it was the neighbor. We came to an agreement with him that we would allow him to use the property if he chased trespassers off or got their license plate or back tag numbers for us. It worked out pretty well and I hope to form a similar relationship with a neighbor if possible.

I agree with posting the heck out of it. I purchased a heavily hunted 40 from Plum Creek in Lincoln County. I let every one I ran into know I was the new owner and would not tolerate trespassers. I posted heavily on all four sides, gated off the access roads and keep the roads mowed and looking like I pay attention to what is going on there. I spoke with the neighbors and advised them that we would not shoot any small bucks and were passing on all does for now, and that if they need to access my property to recover a wounded deer to do it and notify me later. (especially if they leave a gut pile). I do go the property frequently all year long and do routine drive -bys when I'm up north. After the first year I have not had a single problem. I've had the property nine years now.

"Fresh new signs means something has changed." Good point. Keeping your signs looking that way goes a long way to eliminating trespassing as well. Don't let the signs start to fade to the point they're unreadable, replace any that are damaged/removed/blow off/whatever, trim any limbs/brush that may block the signs from being viewed.... Keep the property looking as though you are serious about not allowing trespassing and be prepared to have any who do cited. It doesn't take long at all for folks to figure out who is serious about not allowing trespassing and who is lax.

What a sad state of affairs when hound hunters can trespass with out permission to retrieve a dog (in MN at least) and a "LEO" won't write a trespassing ticket because the land wasn't posted...even though WI doesn't require it. Where is the personal responsibility of the hunter? Personally, I think the law should read, "$5000 fine, 30 days in jail and 10 years lost of all hunting, fishing, trapping, ect." Totally overboard I know, but in this nanny state of country where half the adults are standing in a line with their hand out for something free, why wouldn't they feel "entitled" to use the land you paid for...for free??!! If it isn't yours stay out! If it is too confusing for you to know the difference between private or public or MFL-open or MFL-close-open then don't hunt.

I put my name and address on the signs...nobody has ever contacted me on any of the parcels I've owned in WI or MN. WI doesn't require land to be posted, MN does (if its not ag land anyway). Still...if you don't post it, good luck getting a LEO to write somebody a ticket.

I put my name on the signs. I don't know if it is required or not, but no one called me about it.

Post it heavily, leave no doubt.

I won't be pulling any stands that are very near a property line unless I get it surveyed. So far I have only found one permanent stand near the east border. When I plot a line from the NE and SE coordinates on my GPS unit, it clearly shows that the stand is on my land. I did find one ladder stand that I plan to move to a different location. That stand is no where near the border so I'm not concerned with that one. I have another question for those of you who have posted your land. A friend of my dad's told me that I have to have my name written on all of the signs that I post. I didn't put it on any of the signs because 1) WI trespass laws do not require signage and 2) I don't want a bunch of people contacting me asking to get permission. I did do an internet search and found a website that lists, by state, signage requirements. It did state that in WI, you have to put your name and whether you are the owner or legal occupant but it wasn't any official Gov't or DNR website. Is it true that my name needs to be on the signs?

Pull the stands. Video tape the trespassers and turn them into the authorities. You will be amazed at how much better their reading abilities will be after a trespassing fine. As far as posting goes, you don't have too. Knowing whether the land you hunt that you DON'T own is public or private is the responsibility of the hunter.

I totally agree with sloshkosh, as someone who has been in the same position as you, post it heavily, or you will have visitors. I have a 60ac parcel that is surrounded by MFL on three sides and private on the south. The first year I owned it I only posted the corners. This piece was never in the MFL program, but owned by someone out of the area the never used the property. Opening weekend I was "visited" by 7 separate hunters, that all used the excuse, "Well I hunted here last fall." Amazingly they all missed the No Tresspass signs at the corners. I'd have a sign every 20 yards or so the first few years.

It most likely was marked by a forester. That is not a legal boundary marking. It is commonly used because it is cheaper, but a certified survey is the only way to truly know the boundaries.