Closing pond access

[Swamp Girl]

You might remember that I bought 4.5 acres of waterfront last spring. I didn't want to be one of those landowners who keeps hunters and anglers away from water. Well, I gave two guys permission to trap beaver, two permission to hunt ducks, three to hunt deer, and two to hunt coyotes. I've also given more than a dozen permission to fish, but I'm not giving anyone else permission to hunt or fish. There are so many using my land already and I'm dizzy trying to keep track of them all. All who already have permission are free to continue hunting and fishing. Just no newbies. 

 

What instigated this change is a guy who approached me and said, "I've heard there's a path you can walk down to the water."

 

And I replied, "There is. It's on my land. I took a chunk out of my retirement savings to buy that land. And I paid to have the driveway built. And I paid for the gravel that coats the path beyond the driveway. And I pay the taxes on the land. And I fetched the dozens of pallets that built the boardwalk. And I paid to have the dead wood cleared on the shoreline."

 

The guy wants to take his two grandkids fishing and I gave him permission, but he's the last. It irked me that there's an idea out there that my path is open to the public. I cross private land to reach a couple ponds and whenever I do that, I arrive with all due gratitude in the form of wine, beer, cashews, pecans, or chocolates. I have zero sense of entitlement.

[WRB]

No good deed goes unpunished.

No access, Private Property,  Beware of Swamp Creature! A few signs that may deter a few folks.

Hope everything works out for you Katy.

Tom

[JHoss]

It's a shame our country is coming to it. Far too many people feel entitled to things they have no claim to. I live on 4.5 acres as well, and it's mind boggling to me how some neighbors feel entitled to let their pets and livestock roam and forage on my land. 

 

I can confidently say, I would not have been as generous as you've been if I owned your place. 

 

Do you know if any of the hunters have had success? Seems like a lot of people on a small tract unless they're just using it to access another piece. 

[Jar11591]

Give somebody an inch, and them and all their friends will take a mile. 

[A-Jay]

 

Good Luck.

A-Jay

 

[padlin]

It’ll take a toll on your fishery too.

 

There’s a pond I went to once, just a few cottages on it, has a small area that’s state owned but unmarked and undeveloped. Portaged the canoe in, beautiful place though lackluster fishing. Next time went there was a pole with a no trespassing sign, on public land. Can’t say I blame them, doesn’t take long to mess up a good thing.

[Fishlegs]

I don't think you're being unreasonable. It sounds like people are assuming that you're ok with them using your property because they see others use it, or the ones you've given permission to use it are telling others that you're OK with it. Maybe you should make it clear to the ones you've given permission to that they do not have permission to let others use your property.

 

I have permission to fish a few private spots, but I would never tell anyone else that it was OK for them to fish there without talking to the owners.

[Rockhopper]

You can do as you please with your land.  My personal opinion...shut all of that down immediately.  Like yesterday immediately.  That is honestly not that much land and you just described WAY too many people wanting to use it.  Signs, cameras, authorities.  I would also make sure to have a camera wherever these people park to access your land to get plate numbers.  Just don't point it at another's private property.  But you can photo anything you want from a public road (even private property).

[Swamp Girl]

1 hour ago, JHoss said:

Do you know if any of the hunters have had success?

 

Just the duck hunters. 

 

23 minutes ago, Rockhopper said:

That is honestly not that much land and you just described WAY too many people wanting to use it. 

 

Yep, that's my thinking. It's full.

 

35 minutes ago, Fishlegs said:

I don't think you're being unreasonable. It sounds like people are assuming that you're ok with them using your property because they see others use it, or the ones you've given permission to use it are telling others that you're OK with it.

 

Yeah, that's what bugs me, people thinking that they're entitled. 

 

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

You've worked hard and earned your little piece of heaven.

Sharing it is admirable but may not end up being what you thought it was going to be.

 

I have worked hard. I'm thinking of putting a chain up and a "No Trespassing" sign. I'll tell the people who've been given permission to duck under the chain and keep using it, but only after they've called me for permission to use it on a specific date. I don't want any surprises when I'm coming through the woods in the dark.

[GreenPig]

Dang! I was just about to PM you about fishing.😆

I agree with the old guys above. NO TRESPASSING signs are needed.

[Darth-Baiter]

I think I would hit the reset button.  send out a polite letter or email rescinding permission.    I had permission on a ranch growing up to chase ducks and deer in El Paso.  this ranch had ponds that pulled in ducks.  

 

we had to get an annual renewal.  one year, we were denied.  (the reset button).  never got it again.  we were not mad.  sad?  a bit. but I will cherish the memories and fun we had...and be grateful we had permission at all.  

 

do an annual thing!!!

[padlin]

How about painting purple stripes on the trees towards the road, or a by permission only. Not as harsh as “keep out”.

[Bankbeater]

I hate to say this, but with the amount of traffic you are describing, a fence may be necessary.

[Bazoo]

Guess I won't expect to have a private and exclusive guided fishing expedition when I visit...

 

I own 18 acres. I let 1 friend hunt, and I let 1 shoot on my private range. Actual friends, and not just folks I met through others.

 

I don't let others use my land because I use it, and  it's not that much land when you consider over half of it you can't shoot safely due to neighbors. There is actually very few places I consider safe, I'll guess I have 4-5 acres that is huntable. The critters love the rest.

 

I hate to turn people away, but I tell them, I use my land and I don't want to be crowded.

 

That said, if I met someone that wanted an introduction to hunting, I'd likely invite them. But they wouldn't have a forever hunting spot, rather, they'd have a mentor that would help them find their own spots.

[IYAOYAS]

Sounds like it is time to put a gate on your access road.

[herder]

Unfortunately posted with no trespassing signs will be needed.

Growing up in and living in New Jersey my whole life I've seen so much access lost.

Between over development and slobs who leave all sorts of trash it's shameful, though apparently these slobs have no shame.

I recently lost a kayak launch due because of so called "fisherman" that just trashed the place.

We also have what we call the bucket brigade, no fish is too small to put in the bucket.

[Bird]

I've been dealing with this for 20 years, deer hunters.

We live 1/2 mile off state maintained road on a dead end road, up against national Forest......prime deer hunting.

I've given several people hunting permission but they end up fighting and being greedy and wanting it for themselves.

Plus they invite Uncle's and cousins so we had to shut it down, unbelievable.

Currently only one young boy has permission on our property, we threw in the towel.

You try to be generous but eventually taken advantage of.

[Koz]

Along with the signage I would add some strategically placed trail cameras to grab vehicle types and possibly license plates along the road.

 

I would also set up a camera or two where you expect them to park so you have photos of the occupants.

[greentrout]

Get some good dogs ...

[Swamp Girl]

12 minutes ago, greentrout said:

Get some good dogs ...

 

I don't live there. I am going to put a chain across the driveway, which will force any would-be trespassers to park in the open right between two houses, not hidden in the woods.

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, greentrout said:

Get some good dogs ...

I am a fan of this one.

Seems to be decent solution for most any challenging situation. 

I would however like to recommend adding the word Big in front of word dogs.

A-Jay

 

 

[greentrout]

^^^

In my neck of the woods when fishing a farm pond, see a lot of the Great Pyrenees.

Semper Paratus

 

[A-Jay]

11 minutes ago, greentrout said:

In my neck of the woods when fishing a farm pond, see a lot of the Great Pyrenees.

Semper Paratus

And with good reason too.

Fear the night.

A-Jay

 

[TOXIC]

I can relate in a couple of ways.  First, there was access to the Shenandoah river for wading that was 2 miles off the main road and you needed a 4wd to get to it.  No problem, I have a jeep wrangler that made it back there winter or summer.  Great place to park, great spot on the river to wade with lots of smallmouth.  I went there often to flyfish and just regular fish.  Somehow word got out and it started being used as a party spot and a weekend campsite.  Then it got to the point that it looked like a garbage dump with dirty diapers, fish carcasses, cases of beer cans, fishing line, worm boxes, grocery bag garbage and fire spots.  It was obvious that the spot was being heavily abused.  Every time I would go, I would pick up 4 or 5 garbage bags of trash.  It wasn’t long before the landowner chained the access and posted the property.  Im afraid once you let access happen, you can’t control it.  I did get access to another spot and I knew the landowner and for allowing us to use their property to camp and have access, we cleared and maintained about 3 acres of riverfront for them.  
 

Second is my daughters farm where she is hounded nonstop for access to deer hunt and coyote hunt.  To the point there have been altercations with hunters.  It’s hard to patrol +-300 acres of mixed woods and fields she has control over.  What she did was to give ONE family (father, 3 adult sons) permission to hunt and they are required to let her know when they are planning to hunt. Opening day they actually pull a camper to her farm and spend 3 or 4 days hunting.  It’s a family affair and they invite her out for barbecue and best of all when they process all the deer they all give her a portion of the harvest, along with a portion of some hogs they raise.  I’ve met them and their family’s (wives and 3 sons young kids) and handed them some Yamamoto goodie bags for which they were extremely grateful.  The best part….this family is very close to being “off grid” lifestyle and they supplement their subsistence by hunting and gardening so they truly value what my daughter allows them to do.  The property has a very robust deer population. They know they are the only ones allowed on her land and I feel sorry for anyone who they would catch trespassing.  Likewise, they are always ready to help if she needs something like fence repairs, tractor fixing, etc. That just an example of a positive as well. 

[Swamp Girl]

1 hour ago, TOXIC said:

I did get access to another spot and I knew the landowner and for allowing us to use their property to camp and have access, we cleared and maintained about 3 acres of riverfront for them.

 

That's the ticket. Don't expect something for nothing. Step up and contribute.

 

1 hour ago, TOXIC said:

It’s a family affair and they invite her out for barbecue and best of all when they process all the deer they all give her a portion of the harvest, along with a portion of some hogs they raise.

 

Yep, that's living the right way.

 

1 hour ago, TOXIC said:

They know they are the only ones allowed on her land and I feel sorry for anyone who they would catch trespassing.  Likewise, they are always ready to help if she needs something like fence repairs, tractor fixing, etc

 

More of the good stuff.