Courtesy, planning keys to hunting success

American poet Robert Frost said “Good fences make good neighbors.” Bob Staton acknowledges the importance of fences in maintaining neighborly relations. But he said fences alone aren’t enough to keep hunters and landowners on friendly terms. That requires responsibility and courtesy.

“Missouri hunters have a wealth of public land where they can hunt,” said Staton, protection program supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation. “However, even in Missouri nine-tenths of the land is privately owned. That makes good relations with landowners indispensable to hunters.” Even hunters who use public land need to be considerate of private landowners, according to Staton. When pursuing game, it is easy to cross boundaries and trespass unwittingly. That is no excuse in the eyes of the law.

“Hunters need to learn the boundaries of the areas where they hunt,” said Staton. “Property lines aren’t always clearly marked, and there’s nothing worse than walking in unexpectedly on another hunter or a landowner at work. It makes everybody nervous.” Staton said unintentional trespassing exposes hunters to several experiences that can ruin the enjoyment of hunting. No one needs a chewing-out from a farmer, legal hassles or the increased chance of a hunting accident.

To avoid those unpleasantries, Staton suggests studying the boundaries of your hunting area on a map before heading out. “Make this a part of your preseason scouting routine,” he says.

Fence lines are a help, too. When you encounter a fence, it is a good idea to consider whose land lies on the other side. When in doubt, check ownership before crossing the fence.

“There are times when you might need to go on someone else’s property,” said Staton. “If you shoot a deer and track it to a property line, you’ve got conflicting obligations. You have an ethical obligation to find the deer, but you are legally obligated to get permission before going on private property. Most landowners are glad to give permission to go after a wounded deer, but they don’t like finding someone with a gun roaming around their back 40 unannounced.” Staton acknowledged that most hunters would find it difficult to leave a hot deer trail to hunt up a landowner. That’s why he suggests spending time before deer season visiting the owners of land around your hunting spot. Most landowners will appreciate your obvious respect for their property rights and give you prior permission to trespass if the need arises.

If you work things right, you even might get permission to hunt some extra land. That’s a much more pleasant way to meet the lord of the manor than having him investigate a rifle shot and find you field-dressing a deer in his backyard.

Landowners also can tell you if anyone will be hunting on their property. This can help you better plan your hunt and make for a safer situation.

“A lot of needless friction between hunters and landowners arises because people were in too much of a hurry to show common courtesy,” said Staton. “Hunting season should be fun. Why chance getting into a squabble that will make you tense and waste precious hunting time? It’s just easier and more pleasant to be a good neighbor.”