crop damage

    For the sake of keeping things alive for the Summer slow season have decided to post a very controversial issue with some folks- Crop damage permits.
   Here in Ct a landowner can get them with a proper application and inspection process with the State DEP. The owner can then name specific Hunters who get a couple of permits each to fill and then the permits can be reissued depending on the number of deer permitted by the DEP on that property.
  I had them for a couple of years on a X-Mass tree/ horse  farm that was located next to a Watershed of a few thousand acres of posted land.. The Bucks tore up the young trees in large numbers each year marking territory and many trees were damaged beyond repair in winter when very young.
    Even though the intent of permits is to shoot any deer I remained VERY selective during the Summer months trying to keep my harvest to just the initial permit offering and bucks only. That was NOT the way the landowner or the State wanted it but it was the way I did. The other selected Hunter on the property had similar views. We both took a flathead or two late in the Summer before regular rifle season and every one stayed  happy.

And now for the usual Urban/rural thing from me----

Typical of the Urban Hunting difficulties a neighbor whos kid rode an ATV all over the Farm without permission tearing up fields and woodlands and against the wishes of the property owner had parents who made a number of Police Complaints of 'hunters in the woods" and of course the DANGER to the trespassing kid.
   Police checked with the Farmer VERY often and to my knowledge did little or nothing to stop the ATV violation but ultimately made it quite difficult for we legal Hunters- including in the regular hunting season.
   I opted OUT after having to place a magnet on a map exactly where I would be sitting so the Police could come and see where I had been in the case of any " complaints or issues". This also meant No still hunting or a trip back to the map in the barn each time one wanted to move around the property a bit.
The Cops of course had to respond each time they got a complaint and it started to happen way too often.
The landowner had been in a real bind here and I understood it, with the complaints coming in very regularly-  most often when the other Hunter and I were not even around- any shots in the area were immediately called into the the PD with another visit to the landowner by them.
   Got to be a real pain as another neighbor had a range and shot often. It also became quite clear that if anything bad ever did happen we hunters were gonna be in a bind even if were were not there that day.
AHHH now you may get it- URBAN ANTIS working the system- the neighbor with the range had no problem - just the place with the nasty 'HUNTERS<  got harassed to death.

Someday the only 'hunters left' may  be guys with silent crossbows wearing 'gillie suits' and hunting anywhere and whenever they want. Might be a little 'Robin Hood' in those who will still hunt.

   Our Game wardens would do that upon request and complaint - they pinch them often for 'harassing game' , trespass and such..
This particular owner is very low key and really didnt want any intrusions whatsoever. To have taken the issue further simply was not in thier  nature- they are really good decent people.
Thats why the complaints bout hunters probably went as far as they did cause they got to 'pile on' a bit too much.
  Although the Deer were there it was mostly a night thing with few being around the property during the daytime. Too much activity with the horse folks.  Was a real long term effort to harvest there any time of year and the added harassment just made it far too aggravating to be a nice hunt anymore.
  ATVs have become a real problem here with the high population and limited forest areas. Lots of damage with washed out trails and hay fields being torn up.
  They were bringing them in on flatbeds half doz. at a time by me and absolutely chewing up the woods and fields. Many arrests, special Police patrols by an ATV unit  as well as DEP activity not to mention locked gates and huge rock walls eventually brought it under control. Took a couple of years.