Hunting close to property lines and homes

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  • jmastffp

    Plinker
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    Jul 15, 2016
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    Cicero
    Wanted to see if you all could help me with a question. I have a residence and small 2.5 acre wooded area that buts up to a neighbors woods that is very large. Both our families hunt. Recently I've noticed them hunting during gun season right up on the property line. This puts them approximately 300 yards or less from my house with a clear line of sight across an open field. I completely support their right to be out there enjoying the sport on their own property, but feel their being so close to my residence presents a potential danger to my kids if they shoot in our direction and miss. I've tried to talk to them about the issue and have had no success. Is there any legal ground I can stand on at all? I know some states have legal limits concerning how close you can be to someone's house while hunting with a firearm. I don't believe Indiana has any. I'm not really a fan of non-sence laws, but feel my concerns have some real merrit given the situation
     

    Winamac

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    Sep 11, 2011
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    Logansport
    I had a similar problem a few years back, except I did not own the land I was hunting on but I did have written permission. The guys that were hunting the property that backed up to mine did not own that land either.I had permission on their property as well though. However, they literally had put one of their tree stand 50 yards from mine on the fence row in a tree which was technically on the their hunting property, but was so close to my property that the fence between the properties touched their tree and the tree was actually growing in to the fence. But wait it gets better. They actually had the "balls" to cut out young sapling trees on my side of the fence in order to make shooting lanes on my wooded property.
    I did call them out on all the above and they tried to play the "DUH...I didn't see your stand there and we thought this was all one property" Hey "Gump" shouldn't the fence have been a dead giveaway that these are two separate properties, and Hey "Gump" shouldn't you know the boundaries of the property you are hunting? Then I informed them that as per the local DNR officer they can be held liable for 2X the cost of those saplings once they were full grown.
    This all happened about two weeks before the opening of deer shotgun season. Once I laid into them with the above, I never saw them again and their stand disappeared. I never said anything to either property owner because I was afraid they might say "you know what I don't need this trouble, so no one gets to hunt". Now the property has been taken over by some land manager who moved here from Kansas and wants me to pay him and the land owner $1500.00 a season to hunt there. Needless to say I no longer deer hunt.
     

    phylodog

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    Mar 7, 2008
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    Arcadia
    What they're doing thus far is legal. All you can do is talk to them, express your concerns and hope they'll decide to be considerate and respect your wishes. I don't think your concerns are unrealistic but it is a situation where it isn't a problem until it is. If they sit on the property line and never shoot onto your property you have nothing to worry about and no recourse, as soon as they shoot onto your property you have options but providing proof will be challenging.

    That said, if it is that much of a concern you have the right to do what you want to on your property just like they do. It might just so happen that you really really like the spot on your land right across the fence and love to go out on fall and winter days, spread a blanket out on the ground, listen to some nice death metal music and eat grapes and cheese until dark.
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
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    Dec 7, 2011
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    Speedway area
    What they're doing thus far is legal. All you can do is talk to them, express your concerns and hope they'll decide to be considerate and respect your wishes. I don't think your concerns are unrealistic but it is a situation where it isn't a problem until it is. If they sit on the property line and never shoot onto your property you have nothing to worry about and no recourse, as soon as they shoot onto your property you have options but providing proof will be challenging.

    That said, if it is that much of a concern you have the right to do what you want to on your property just like they do. It might just so happen that you really really like the spot on your land right across the fence and love to go out on fall and winter days, spread a blanket out on the ground, listen to some nice death metal music and eat grapes and cheese until dark.

    Winner.
     

    MrsGungho

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    Nov 18, 2008
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    East Side
    What they're doing thus far is legal. All you can do is talk to them, express your concerns and hope they'll decide to be considerate and respect your wishes. I don't think your concerns are unrealistic but it is a situation where it isn't a problem until it is. If they sit on the property line and never shoot onto your property you have nothing to worry about and no recourse, as soon as they shoot onto your property you have options but providing proof will be challenging.

    That said, if it is that much of a concern you have the right to do what you want to on your property just like they do. It might just so happen that you really really like the spot on your land right across the fence and love to go out on fall and winter days, spread a blanket out on the ground, listen to some nice death metal music and eat grapes and cheese until dark.

    INGO always delivers.
     

    Hookeye

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    Dec 19, 2011
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    armpit of the midwest
    First off, there could be a danger even if they don't miss the deer (bullets can go through ya know).
    Up against the fence, as long as they are shooting them on their side that's legally cool.
    If they are in stands, that should up the safety aspect, as shots should be toward the ground.

    Neighbor drive car to fence line to clean it one gun season weekend. Shed, car vac.........chain smoking, yelling back to leaf blowing relative by garage.
    Nice house, hillbillys must have hit the lottery.

    BTW, shooting and houses, think some states have a 100 yard min rule.
     
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    Hookeye

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    Dec 19, 2011
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    armpit of the midwest
    Actually, doing the death metal picnic would probably fall under hunter harassment, even if on your side.
    Unless of course you have a history of doing this, on that date.....some sort of documented ritual.
    Then the hunters got permission for that place after.
     

    yetti462

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    May 18, 2016
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    Unglaciated heaven
    Actually, doing the death metal picnic would probably fall under hunter harassment, even if on your side.
    Unless of course you have a history of doing this, on that date.....some sort of documented ritual.
    Then the hunters got permission for that place after.

    Cutting firewood would be a better option.
     

    mom45

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    Nov 10, 2013
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    I like to take my daily walk and check our stands and cameras. Sometimes I drive the truck if my legs are tired. I do it nearly every day starting at least a month before hunting season. It's amazing how many stands we have on the border of our property facing into our woods. Each and every one has a no trespassing sign directly in front of it on the property line so there is no confusion about where that line is.

    With regard to them shooting toward your house, I would attempt to discuss your concerns with them. If they are shooting in your direction and their bullets leave their property and cause any damage on yours, they can be charged with criminal recklessness. You would have to be able to prove there was damage or injury. This conviction, since it involves a firearm, would also cause them to lose their LTCH if they have one. Those are points you could share with them if they seem unwilling to cooperate with your request for them to hunt farther from your home.
     

    singlesix

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    May 13, 2008
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    Indianapolis, In
    Actually, doing the death metal picnic would probably fall under hunter harassment, even if on your side.
    Unless of course you have a history of doing this, on that date.....some sort of documented ritual.
    Then the hunters got permission for that place after.

    Have the holy spirit come upon you and go full gospel holy ghost praise and worship. Freedom of religion
     

    natdscott

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    What they're doing thus far is legal. All you can do is talk to them, express your concerns and hope they'll decide to be considerate and respect your wishes. I don't think your concerns are unrealistic but it is a situation where it isn't a problem until it is. If they sit on the property line and never shoot onto your property you have nothing to worry about and no recourse, as soon as they shoot onto your property you have options but providing proof will be challenging.

    That said, if it is that much of a concern you have the right to do what you want to on your property just like they do. It might just so happen that you really really like the spot on your land right across the fence and love to go out on fall and winter days, spread a blanket out on the ground, listen to some nice death metal music and eat grapes and cheese until dark.

    I like your style, sir. :rockwoot:
     

    Leadeye

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    I have this problem with stands/blinds 10 feet from the fence. Sometime during season I'll go out and talk if I catch them there so they know where I have my stands. Being friendly and informative so that people don't get shot at by mistake. There's really nothing you can do legally, but I do post a camera to see if they shoot anything on my ground and drag it back.
     

    Hookeye

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    Dec 19, 2011
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    Hunt about a 20 acre thicket. House right off corner owns 4 acres adjacent.

    Any deer shot in that 24 acres could cross the line.
    Esp those shot on the 4 acre patch (they have hunters).

    I found one the neighbor kid lost, knocked on the door and told him where she was.

    Here's the way I look at it.............as long as your stand is on your side, and shots are on your side..............good enough.
    Want that spot? Be the first to put up a stand.

    Don't be a jerk and hang one right across the line from another. Yeah you could do that legally. But unless the other guy is cool with it, that's just being a jerk.

    Small parcel hunting, stuff happens, and it's nice to get along with other landowners/hunters.
    That means give and take.
     

    Hookeye

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    Dec 19, 2011
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    Hunted a bigger place yrs ago.
    Guy hunting next door worked for neighboring landowner.

    Cool guy, we talked. Said he saw a nice buck on my side of the fence.
    I told him next time shoot it.

    He was shocked.

    Uh, they cross from property to property.........often walk the fence. One minute it's on his side, the next mine.
    Who cares?

    If he has a clean shot, take it.

    He thought that was cool and told me if I saw a deer out in his field, could blast it from my side- do it.

    Saw a 145" running off a 6 pt, keeping him from a doe................30 mins one day in gun. Coulda dumped him.

    Two things:

    seen that deer in bow and wanted him by bow.

    the other............would have felt bad dropping it 150 yards out in the field. Even though he said I could, it didn't feel right.
    My side wooded, his open..........I could shoot farther out into his property than he could mine.

    So...............no shot.
     
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    Hookeye

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    Dec 19, 2011
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    armpit of the midwest
    Another time I dropped a deer just after she crossed the neighbors fence. Boom, plop, there she was.
    Went to field dress and here comes a truck. Its next door landowner and his buddy, wanting to know WTH is going on.

    He saw orange across his field, from his house, so came to investigate.

    Never met him before, he just bought the place.
    I knew the old owner though, nice guy.

    New guy was nice too, said he shot an 8 pt along the fence opening day.
    He asked why I wasn't hunting my stand at top of field opening day.

    Told him his was so close to the fence I figured I'd be crowding him, and I had other stands.

    I dropped that deer down a big hill. It was gonna suck hauling it out.
    He had a field (easy access) below the ridge.....he and his buddy put the deer in his truck and hauled it over to mine.
    :)
     
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