Ideas to discourage trespassers

[Shaun]

The shotgun season is here in Iowa and that means no bow hunting until after the close of the boom stick season on December 21. We can then take to the woods again with bow and arrow until January 10. (We Iowans can continue to bow hunt in city doe hunts - no guns allowed in town.)

Most of our brother hunters respect private property and trespass laws, but to keep the few bad apples out of our favorite bow hunting spots can be a challenge. Signs help but here is one of the other methods I employ on my little 40 acres.

Before:

 

After:

 

Telephoto view:

 

[Shaun]

This idea was passed on to me by a friend. Gun hunters are required to wear orange afield and a cheap vest stapled to a hanger...

 

and hung on a branch about 100 yards into the woods...

 

Looks like a person is already in the spot. A quick glimpse of color will deter or at least make them think twice.

Another spot on my place seen from the popular access field:

 

Share your ideas and/or experience?

[longbowben]

Good one i hate gun season.

[Fletcher]

I've done much the same thing here in IL, except I put a vest and hat in a tree stand, visible from the road, but far enuf in to make it hard to see that it is fake.  Seems to work fairly well.

[Lefty]

Shaun,
  That is an excellent tactic.  One that my friend also uses of his farm.  He and his wife are great deer hunters and manage their farm for it.  They have a few orange vests that they move around the property lines to discourage people sneaking in and pushing their timber out.  They move them to different locations and just like a padlock, it doesn't keep out a thief, but does help the honest people stay honest.
Chris

[mike g]

A Guard tower and a nice 300 yd Kill zone works....

[Pat B]

We discovered this a few years ago on our club when one of the members inadvertently left his orange vest wrapped around the tree his tree stand was in. We noticed it by accident when we thought a poacher was out there and went to investigate. Has worked well for us over the last few years.    Pat

[Bradd]

Set your signs out clearly, and then lay charges on the first one you catch.  Don't threaten...charge but be nice about it, and describe why you have to do it...come out as the good guy.  The word will spread quickly.

[JESSE69]

I have an old pair of coveralls that I stuffed with hay and put orange on, that I set up.I move it around,works very well.I absoulutely loathe trespassers on my place!!!!Found people will tread on you for morel mushrooms too.    :mad:

[sswv]

I've been using them cheap blaze oragne vest to re-route others for years. Works most of the time BUT, some guys just don't care and will walk in anyway.

best afield

[L. E. Carroll]

Shaun,
 
Having dial up and waiting for the pictures, I imagined a mound of dirt about a foot high and six feet long with a cross at one end and the words "Traspasser" on it.  I think it just might have the "Desired Effect".

However, what you came up with was great.

[ by the way, I treaded the Cherokee you were interested in for a Morrison Dakota and a little cash. ] Hope you'll forgive me.
Gene

[Lindsay]

CLAYMORE  

[SteveB]

Good idea - but add prosecution each and every time. Word gets out fast.

Steve

[GrnMtnTradNut]

Talk to your local game warden such as we did and have him on speed dial in your cell, have 1 person escorted off the property with a big fine and no hunting for a year and the word gets out quick not to go there, we hated to do it but, nobody takes the chance now, we pay the taxes and we want it to ourselves give my dad and uncle the 9000 dollars taxes and 1200 dollars for our lease and you can hunt it all you want!!

[overbo]

Also use that tactic to direct deer to where  YOU  WANT THEM TO GO .Great ideal

[woodchucker]

Sign that says.....

Can you see your truck from where your hunting?????

[leatherneck]

I've found claymores with a trip wire to be somewhat effective.  

[D. Key]

Post the following sign:

TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT ON SIGHT

SURVIVORS WILL BE SHOT AGAIN

AND AGAIN IF NECESSARY

[Gaff]

a friend of mine lives on a farm in eastern NY. its 1000 acres of probably the best deer woods i have ever seen. they manage the heard and grow food plots. and only shoot deer 8 pts or larger, and must be wider than its ears.
there is signs every 50-75 ft along the road that say, "you shoot, i'll shoot back!" and they take the first week off of rifle season to walk the border and patrol it.
people are scared to go near that farm! because of the "crazy landowner"!!! hey, it works...

[Wary Buck]

The places I've hunted in IA feature some of the worst trespassing I've ever seen.  Just blatant, in-your-face, no apology, ATV-driving, let the dogs loose, kid in the back of the pickup with a rifle, etc.  Seriously.  Sometimes every third or fourth hunt I had to deal with something like this on land that was heavily posted.

Carrying a video camera helps them find their manners usually, but my brother-in-law struggles with these arseholes.  Unfortunately, he's too nice a guy.  If it was me, I'd call the cops every single time.

Another thing you can count on, is that if you get permission to hunt a place that didn't allow hunting before...you will find out that place was being trespassed on, and all the locals who've been doing it will scream bloody murder that you got permission on this ground, or "leased" it, etc.  When all you did was actually develop a relationship with the owner, and he let you hunt, and now you have to deal with all the idiots who have been cheating for years and their jealousy.

I find some of this to be true in my home state of NE, but especially so in western IA.