I had an interesting night on Thursday and decided to take a little time to clear my head before posting it. I hunt a property owned by a long time friend who recently lost his wife in a tragic accident on the property, needless to say this could be our last season hunting as he wants to move and put the past behind him. There are four of us with permission to hunt the property, a natural funnel from a forest preserve area to Private land that consists of 5 acres. We also have a neighboring property that is 13 acres and has a lot of mid day activity, we supposedly can go on the property; however I have never talked to the land owner or gotten his permission to hunt it. Out of the four of us, three hunt together or communicate and work together. The fourth is a guy that comes out and always questions our ethics, hunting styles, approaches, etc. etc. I have hunted this property for 6 years and take a buck or two every year, I am by far the most successful but I also hunt the hardest. I came out Thursday night and could tell by the dogs barking earlier that someone else was hunting. I figured it might be the guy we don't care for since nobody came to the area I was hunting which the three of us usually hunt. While putting my gear in the truck I see a shadow in the dark coming from the woods so I made sure to stop him and politely ask how his hunt was. First words out of his mouth was "Hey, why did you put a ladder stand in the tree next to the big oak I have been hunting for the last four years". I quickly snapped back and said "Hey ******, that ladder stand is Bert's and the big Oak tree has had MY stand in it for 6 years now and if I'm not mistaken you have my bow hook on your stand you are hiding by the little pond in the back 13 acres that we don't officially have permission to hunt". He quickly backs off and I advise Bert put that up so he can bring his daughter out to see deer. The jerk then asks how many of us are hunting, I advise three plus him have permission. He then goes on to tell me that only two people are supposed to have permission according to the land owner. By now I am getting pissed, this idiot is trying to push us off and starts saying we need to decide who will hunt when so we aren't over hunting, if he comes out he expects me to stay off property. This idiot has never taken a deer in four years, both of his sons haven't either. I then advise him that Larry was the first out and still hunts, I came second and still have permission and Bert came last but keeps the Gravel Roadway on the property graded and is going nowhere. I advised him we all work together and have even hunted together without issue. I then advise we will hunt whenever the hell we want and advised him that I didn't see his sorry ass at the funeral for the property owners wife, haven't seen him out when we get together and haven't seen him stop by to check on the property owner like the rest of us. I reminded him that the rest of us help take care of the property and advise that the owner could be losing it due to all the funeral costs and the fact that the vehicle insurance and homeowners policy isn't covering the death benefits due to loopholes in the policies. He then gives me a sob story that construction is slow and he is out of work. He asks what I do and I give him a general answer which to he replies "At least you have a steady job, I need to hunt to feed my family due to the economy". He then asks if I know anyone looking for a brick layer or handy man so he can get some work. I am at this point wondering how much LSD and Weed he has smoked to kill his brain cells to this magnitude. I advise I don't and tell him to have a good night and advise I will be there at 5:30AM in my usual spot and then leave. I am not one to run people off of property but I called the landowner. I told him that I ran into the Brick guy and he advised only two people should have permission and advised he was trying to tell me who could hunt and when. Needless to say the landowner blew up and said he was tired of the guys ****. Apparentl
I would have done the same. I didn't see anything wrong with how you handled it. I use to have permission to hunt private land a long time ago and there was a guy, similar to your 'brickie' that caused the property-owner so much head-ache that we all got kicked out and noone has permission to hunt there any more. I know the area up that way and I envy you that you can hunt there. I had permission given to me to hunt a place in Pingree Grove, but when I called the guy to see if it still stood, he never called back. I've heard stories about big bucks in that area. Hopefully, I'll find a place like that again, but I also hope I''m the only one that gets to hunt it, for fear of having to deal with someone like your guy. Good luck this season, and in the future with a good place to hunt.
Sounds like the stuff I run into all the time.... Competition for hunting land in my area is fierce.... People are always trying to throw other people under the bus in an attempt to run them out. I don't blame you for taking it to the land owner.... I do everything in my power to solve these problems with out bringing the land owner in if at all possible.... They will only take so much grief before they say that's it and end it for everyone. I have lost land over hunters crying a river to the land owner over what other hunters are legaly doing.... I don't want it to happen again if I can help it.
absolutely not! he ran himself off! i am glad you value your hunting spot so much will "fight" for it! rest easy you did the correct thing and im sure the landowner is thankful for your insite that broke the brickie's back and got him off the prop.
Bowman5- The land isn't in Pingree Grove but it is north of Spring Hill Mall by the county border. Where were you going to hunt in Pingree? I used to hunt the four corners of Damish and Highland until one of our group screwed it up by having a stand on the neighbors property and then going off on him when he was advised he was trespassing. There was a 240 class non typical hit by a car out here last year and a 196" Typical that was taken; however the hunter claims it was taken in another area. Since I am loosing my spot possibly I am working to get property around here for the future. I am the godfather of our towns youngest son and he knows a lot of the farmers so I am working on getting him to get me some introductions. Which property were you trying to get on out here?
Sorry Raceway, I assumed you hunted in Pingree. The guy's name is Brian Jenkner. He is a farmer, but I think he also sat on the village board in Marengo. He is a work-a-holic. He had tons of stuff going on all the time. He didn't hunt, but his brother is a huge bowhunter. I just realized this guy's property wasn't in Pingree. His was west of Marengo. I think I got a couple different memories mixed up. I was trying to get permission to hunt in Pingree through a third-party. That's where that one came from. Jeeze, I've got to wake up a little more before I start typing! The person's property I was trying to get permission to hunt in Pingree was a daughter of some big builder that had a ton of property up that way. It was very near Damish, and it was 750-acres. That's all I remember. Does Mill Creek in Batavia ring a bell? Either way, I never got the call, so I'm still stuck on public-land.
Shodeen, that's it. I was told she/they didn't allow hunting on any of their properties, but I was lead to believe I might have been the exception. I live in Sandwich, almost an hour south Pingree, 15 miles west of Yorkville. I just called Mr. Jenkner again and he said he didn't even get my last message, so I may still have an opportunity up there. I'll keep you all posted.
The Shodeens won't let you on unless it is Kent himself, we tried to get Beth to convince him and we failed, she is also very anti hunt. I grew up in Sugar Grove, not sure if you know anyone around that area but there are some slammers out there. My step brother used to live on Jericho road and they had absolute monsters out there near Big Rock area. All the property he hunted was Woody Ray's and another guy, I think my step brothers son is still allowed out there. Good luck with Mr. Jenker, not sure where he is at in Marengo and it gets hunted hard in shotgun but if he doesn't allow shotguns you could have a great spot. Keep us posted on how things are looking for ya and I'd be glad to shed hunt out there with you as would a few others in here I am sure after the season ends.
I heard that about the Shodeens. It really sucks that the people with alot of land are the ones who don't utilize it, or let others. I work out of Sugar Grove. Our shop is right next to the airport. I wish I knew someone there that would let me hunt. I've seen some real bruisers on my way to work in the mornings in that golf-course. Yes, I'll keep you posted. I've really got my hopes up now. I love the place I'm hunting, and I'm getting it figured out as far as finding deer, but there's nothing there in numbers that compares to a decent private piece of property. And throw in a clueless hunter or 2 (or a dozen) and all you bring home is a big bunch of frustration.
I wish that I was able to get access to land out by where you are talking. I drove through that are on Wednesday and it just looks awsome! I might be able to get some access to some land out in Kingston. Still waiting to hear back from the owner about it. But from what I have heard the property is mostly doe's. But I wouldn't be surprised if he is just saying that to discourage me from hunting it.
Kingston has a lot of shotgun pressure as well. One of the guys that hunts at the property with me is trying to get a line on a few spots out there. There are some nice deer out there if you can get on them, good luck Fergus.
I am hoping to hear from the guy next week. I tried calling him the other day but he is out of town camping with his family this weekend. Nice part is if I can get access to it I will be able to crash at my buddies house in Kingston so I won't have to drive back and forth every day!
Nah, you're in the right. I would do the same. When someone trys to stick it to you, you just giving it back, w/o confrontation, which is good.
