WY Land Hunting Etiquette

[JAG]

This is an insightful and informative article written as a letter from a landowner to hunters. I never knew about guardian dogs and the impact on them while hunting private/public land boundaries. If you happen to feel somewhat thin-skinned, it becomes easier to read if you put yourself in the rancher's boots:

Dear Hunters | Cowboy State Daily

I am happy that you’re out having adventures, and hopefully getting some tasty meat for the freezer. I know that you look forward to hunting season all year long, and it’s a big part of why you are in this great state, whether as a resident or a visitor. And I appreciate that so far this year...

cowboystatedaily.com

 

[seeth07]

Thanks for sharing @JAG . Good article to read as a reminder that whether we are hunting on that private land or right adjacent to it, that our choices do have impacts on the landowners and we should all strive to do our best to keep those impacts positive rather than negative!

 

[Johnny Bravo]

LOL, talk about a passive aggressive article...the way I read it....If I was this rancher I would stop letting people in...

 

[Mallardsx2]

Always amazes me that people wont stop to thank the ranchers and people who don't leave gates as they find them also blows my mind. Its an everyone it out for themselves kid of world. No wonder hunter access is getting harder to get.

PS: Dear rancher I hope you enjoy the check that the WGF is paying you for hunters to use your land. Because I know that your not doing it out of the goodness of your heart. That ship sailed many years ago....lol

 

[RyGuy]

Yeah it came across as passive aggressive to me, too. But honestly I can understand why ranchers don’t want hunters on their land. It’s a shame that the actions of a few can ruin a good thing for the many

 

[perma]

Very strong article. We easily forget that sometimes, and that although there are bad landowners, there are bad hunters. Sadly this won’t get enough publicity as it should.

 

[Djfan]

I didn't think it was PA or any such thing. He's right. Be kind, and beyond that.

 

[Bullshot]

Ranchers are smart enough to know that most (not all) hunters they meet or allow in are decent people just like most (not all) landowners. We are both equally dismayed by the bad apples, no matter their origin. Let cool heads prevail when impulse and aggravation encourages painting with a broad brush. The author of the article sounds like a fine gentleman and avoids disparaging all hunters even though that would be the easy path following some of the idiotic crap people do. He also provided some great examples of how respectful hunters could ocassionally do a bit more to show some appreciation which if we all took such monents, could go a long way to counteracting the damage done by the a-holes.

 

[Treeshark]

It doesn’t matter towards the message at all, but point of clarity for the writer- I believe it’s a she, not a he.

Looks like she has written several books, in addition to running a sheep ranch.

 

[HONEYBADGER]

Good that she is taking the time to air grievances instead of just locking things up. Hope people listen.

 

[EastTNHunter]

I don’t agree on all points, but do agree on most. I appreciate the perspective, and it is a few proverbial bad apples that ruin the whole bunch when it comes to hunters. I wish that all hunters could read this and try to understand how they hurt themselves and other hunters if/when they act a fool.

I feel that as we become more urbanized, we often become more oblivious to how our actions affect others in an outdoor setting. I’ll admit to feeling like a “city slicker” when I visit friends and family on a farm, even though I’m very much so a suburbanite in a mostly rural county that is adjacent to a much more urban county. But I also try to listen and learn so that I can be helpful and courteous to the farmers. I coach youth shooting sports for 4H, right next to the barn that is used for cows, chickens, and pig shows.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I have actually been known to repair broken fences when I find the wire down. ALWAYS stop hunting and find the rancher if cattle are out. However, I rarely go back to the house to thank them after a hunt. Some want their private family time after a hard day. But I ALWAYS stop to chat when I find them out and about working. Or at least wave. Drive on through the gate and leave the rancher gal to close it on her own? Don't even wave hi? My dad would have kicked my ass. Man, stay the hell away from the guardian dogs! Those are often Greater Pyranese and not to be trusted. Definitely do NOT go anywhere near those sheep if you have bird dogs!

Getting her nose out of joint because a hunter ground pounded a sage grouse seemed to be odd behavior for someone from Wyoming. Most ranchers I know we're raised shooting grouse with a .22 and not out of the air either. I generally leave gut piles on the ranch property but I can certainly understand her frustration about having to pick up "gutless method" bone piles, especially if she's running sheep. Coyotes aren't much risk for range cattle by hunting season but they are hell on sheep year round. Sheep or cattle, I'm never leaving a mess like that on someone else's property. It is as UNNECESSARY as coffee cup litter. Birds will clean up a gut pile before dark. A boned skeleton will be there for days, maybe months.

Sometimes it's the rancher's fault a gate gets left open. I have encountered countless barb wire gates that were strung so tight it would challenge Hulk Hogan to close them. And yes, it is always easier to open a barb wire gate than closing it. At least once a year it seems I have to dig out the tools to take apart and re-engineer a gate closure. Either that or leave the damn thing down ... which I will not do. Last year I had to rebuild a gate that wouldn't stay up ... right after the rancher drove through and left the droopy thing barely off the ground. And yes, there were cattle behind it. Did it for the poor cows, not the rancher. And for the neighbors who drive the adjacent county road at night and don't want their truck mated to a black angus.

The most important thing we hunters can do to show our appreciation to ranchers is help police their property. See some asshole driving where he's not supposed to be, at the very least get in his face about it. Call the rancher or block management officer if that doesn't work. Report any potential management issues to the rancher: cows out, fences down (they will worship you for that!), etc. If you think a gate is open that should be closed, get off your butt and close it. If the rancher wanted it open he will be fine with reopening. When a rancher wants a gate left open, it's usually hung up in the barb wire fence. If on the ground, some slob hunter was probably too lazy to close it. So you close it.

 

[wytex]

Passive /aggressive, lol.

Guess what mallards not all ranchers get paid by WG&F to allow hunting, in fact most do not. You make it sound like a bad program.

 

[treedagain]

Alot of BS in that article.
Parked in the 2track? Would have complained if they parked in the sage.
Kept an eye on the hunter? She said her truck had a flat tire, how did she do all that "work" with no truck?
Etc....etc....etc...
No offense but it all came clear when at the end it was explained Cat was a she?

 

[JAG]

Passive aggresive or not, it's the rancher's land and the author wrote courteously and asked politely for us to respect legal boundaries and be kind. They want to do the same for us in support of our priveleged rights to hunt public land and navigate private boundaries.

I sympathize with the pull to cut corners on etiquitte when I'm tired, sense that no one's looking, or that my choice won't impact anyone else. Character is what we do in the dark and no one's looking; I want it and I know deep down I can always improve as long as I look for ways to do it.

 

[mtmiller]

Alot of BS in that article.
Parked in the 2track? Would have complained if they parked in the sage.

Find a good place to pull off and park. Parking on a two-track is moronic.

 

[mtmiller]

Sometimes it's the rancher's fault a gate gets left open. I have encountered countless barb wire gates that were strung so tight it would challenge Hulk Hogan to close them. And yes, it is always easier to open a barb wire gate than closing it. At least once a year it seems I have to dig out the tools to take apart and re-engineer a gate closure.

Carry a fence stretcher or a rope. No reason to dismantle a gate.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Carry a fence stretcher or a rope. No reason to dismantle a gate.

Right. So the next guy who comes along is going to have a fence stretcher to close the gate? And the next guy? I fix the problem to ensure there's no reason for gate to be left open by anyone. Duh!

 

[mtmiller]

Right. So the next guy who comes along is going to have a fence stretcher to close the gate? And the next guy? I fix the problem to ensure there's no reason for gate to be left open by anyone. Duh!

Maybe you should let that rancher know he has a "problem" and doesn't know how to build a gate. Let me know how that works out for you.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Maybe you should let that rancher know he has a "problem" and doesn't know how to build a gate. Let me know how that works out for you.

I'm sure the rancher knows the gate has a "problem." This is almost always a gate with access to state or BLM land. Guess why the gate is a pain in the ass to deal with? I did let one rancher I know well that I loosened a tight gate. He hires out his fencing. "Those kids can sure make the wire sing!" The lady rancher that drove through and closed the droopy gate has wire down all over her property. I just tell the neighbors when I find a hole in the fence. Neighbors may fix the border fence but no one is going to fix a gate that borders a county road if that rancher doesn't do it. That outfit is a mess. Nice folks but horrible rancher/farmers.

I'm not sure how a fence stretcher would close a gate even if I had one in the vehicle. Or a piece of rope. What's that supposed to do?