Well according to Kurtr, we've GOT to keep this going until we PISS OFF everyone in the state, so here's my contribution to the Butthurt. Hunting is important to me, everyone knows this and as such I make a point to KNOW where the game is and where I can and can not hunt. It's called SCOUTING. In my experience, a large portion of these types of situations occur when hunters just go hunting and when they get to wherever they are going they discover posted signs on everything they want to hunt. Then, after burning a tank of gas driving around and getting more and more frustrated at seeing the signs, they start debating "Is this legally posted" or "We can just jump out, blast a couple, and be gone before anyone notices" or "Well I didn't drive all this way to not shoot something, so F the signs". When the reality is that all it takes is a couple of trips to find locations to hunt, make the effort to locate the landowner, and just ask to hunt. From what I've encountered, 90% of the posted signs are for DEER. Another 5% is for pheasants, and the remainder are just to keep folks out. I have only been turned down to hunt waterfowl a handful of times and those were because family was going to hunt. Late season pheasants (after rifle season) is fairly easy as well. It's the advice of this greybeard, that a couple of cruises to an area and a handshake or two BEFORE, BEFORE, BEFORE the season opens will do wonders for the relationships between hunters and landowners. I am a landowner as well as a hunter so I've been on both sides of the fence on this deal and I can say without reservation that PISS POOR PLANNING on the hunters part causes the majority of these issues. I say this because landowners are landowners 24/7/365. Hunters are hunters three to 5 weekends a year. Bash me if you want, but this is what I've come to know. Carry On!!!
