Poaching or exercising my land ownership rights?

Question

Does anyone else agree with me that I should have the right to take what ever game - fish, upland, or large - during any time of the year while on MY property. By no means am I saying I currently do so, but it irritates me that the government dictates what I can do on MY PRIVATE PROPERTY. I am not referring to others on my land, but the land owner taking nutrition from his/her own land. Under current intrepretation of current laws - I'm entitled to the growth on the land - fruit, vegetables, lumber, etc - why not the game/fish? Don't get me wrong - I am in favor of, and DO support my local GC and DNR. I purchase hunting and fishing license every year- even in years when they go unused. I purchase the appropriate tags/stamps each year for all the types of fishing and hunting I enjoy, regardless of when/if used that year. This not about money. Only my rights as a land owner. Please let me know why you agree/disagree with my thinking.

Thanks

So from what I'm gathering from most of you is that we need the government to "manage the herd"....WTF! Any responsible hunter/fisherperson understands the importance of "game management". Only the chit heads out there will fish a pond dry or hunt the land bare. If we are going to let the GC/DNR dictate how we use our own land, due to a FEW *******, we have all lost. Wake up folks, it's all about the money - NOT THE GAME! If it were about the game, I and others would be allowed to take the pest deer inside the city limits. But no, our license and permit fees go to hire a sniper to cull the herd, while others are refused to right to take them on their own property. Sound right? Sound just? Is there even any resemblance of common sense in this? MOST sportsmen/women have the mental capacity and intelligence to manage their own F'n land. I most certainly do not need someone to tell me what "should" be done on my land! Don't complain to me when they take away more hunting rights

Answer 1

I agree that you should be able to harvest fish and game on your privately owned land, and I see no problem if landowners are exempt from game licensing and seasons. The land is yours and your farming analogy is compelling.

I do believe, however, that there needs to be some limitation to your activity. The minimal level of regulation that I would like to see is that endangered species be protected. But I also think it would be reasonable to have bag limits or a restriction against commercial uses, i.e. harvests would be limited to personal use.

Answer 2

This issue has cropped its head countless times over the years and both sides have valid points.

This goes back to conservation: Back in the days of unrestricted hunting and fishing.. We have all seen the photos of 20, sometimes 30 deer hanging from a post. 40 to 50 fish stacked on the banks of a river. Ducks again 30 or 40 of them. And that is just the pictures not all the countless other stuff and no record of it.

Sure, It is your land. But the Animals do not belong to you. They never have within the law of the USA. Now, Britain does or did have laws warranting this type of action. The problem is the animals never stay on your land. How would you know the animal you just killed stays and on your land?

I do disagree with all of this. It would become a kill fest like in the past. Not from you. You have a legitimate argument. But, it is not feasible. Animal populations are not unlimited. That and the breeding season for most animals is the spring. We start taking out pregnant animals and the herds, ducks, rabbits, you name it..All of us hunters will be sitting at home watching "dancing with the Stars" cause we have nothing left to hunt.

Answer 3

No, you don't. When you purchase land, you purchase the earth and usually the vegetation. You do not receive access to live animals, fish, and sometimes you don't even have logging rights or drilling rights (like for natural gas, crude, coal). Part of the problem with animals is that they move on and off of property and are a common property of everyone in the state, which means nobody can take them without common consent (license). You can usually purchase birds (we've raise pheasants), fish, and even deer and antelope if you want to have some wild stock you can hunt whenever. Just keep documentation and check to see if you need permits with the state.

Answer 4

Technically, I agree, but the problem is that the game is not restricted to your property. When they do the population checks and determine how many of what can be harvested to help and control the overall population, they don't just survey one area...the check all over. Now, would you, by yourself, disrupt the balance? Not likely, unless you are super bloodthirsty or something. But if every landowner had the right to take what he wanted, whenever he wanted it...that would screw everything up.
Now, fish wise...if it's a private pond on your property...screw'em...no conservation officer I know would say a thing about fish. Turtles and snakes, now, that's a different story...

Answer 5

I know of about a dozen landowners in Montana that cull their own deer herds. Most of which cannot get approved for "mercy hunts." These people depend on the land to provide enough forage for their cattle. The deer populations get way out of control and end up ruining their feed for cattle. Under these circumstances, I believe it's O.K. otherwise, you're pushing the limits.

Answer 6

MANY OF THE LAWS SET DOWN FOR USE WOULD MAKE OUR FOREFATHERS TURN OVER IN THEIR GRAVES AND WOULD NOT BE TOLERATED BY THEM
I DO AGREE THAT AT ONE TIME A LAND OWNER SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LEGALY TAKE GAME ON HIS OWN PROPERTY
HOWEVER THE GAME BY LAW BELONGS TO THE STATE
THE REASON IS THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT THEY CAN REGULATE THE GAME POPULATIONS
I KNOW IT GRINDS US THE WRONG WAY BUT IMAGINE IF EVERYBODY BLASTED GAME ALL YEAR ON THEIR OWN LAND
WOULD BE NOTHING TO SHOOT SOON
THERE ARE OTHER LAWS THAT DONT SEEM RIGHT AT FIRST
THINK YOUR GRANDAD WOULD USE STEEL SHOT ON WATERFOWL ?
HECK NO
BUT IT IS A GOOD THING NONE THE LESS
I SYMPATHIZE WITH YOU AS A FELLOW HUNTER
WITHOUT HERD MANAGEMENT THOUGH WE WOULD NOT PROLONG OUR HUNTING HERITAGE
PERHAPS IT WAS DIFFERENT WHEN THERE WERE FEWER PEOPLE AND MORE GAME
HOPE THIS MAKES YOU A LITTLE LESS PEEVED

Answer 7

The only thing I can say is that if you are fishing out of your own stock pond or lake, fish away. I don't know what the law states where you are, but around where I live no one has ever bought a fishing license for fishing on their own property. Hunting deer on the other hand.....If your family is starving, that is one thing, but I don't think anyone should hunt deer out of season. Wild hogs are a nuisance on your property and I think that if you are over ran with them, thin them out. Just my thoughts.

BTW.....When does one "really" own their own property or anything for that matter?.....You still pay the government for it everyday.

Answer 8

I disagree because the game is not limited to your land. The game that you harvest, or over harvest as the case may be, directly effects those who own or use the land within (in some cases) hundreds of miles of your land.

I agree that landowners should be able to unt big game on thier property even if it sits within a draw-only area, and that is already the case.

Answer 9

In princple, I agree with you 100%. But in reality it could be a problem. By that reasoning, if you can do it, why not let your buddies do it too. And if everybody was doing the same thing we might as well not have any game management.

Answer 10

To a point yes. You should be able harvest animals on your private property.Does and young bucks. Trophy hunting and sport fishing no.