Thread: What would you do?

Ok so i have access to some land for hunting....... I have someone asking if i would take them up with me, trouble is i dont know this person particually well (i did many years ago) but through a conversation had awhile back they mentioned they had been poaching before.........

Needless to say i went menal at him, told him poachers are the reason that people like me dont often get access to land blah blah blah, he returned with that was when he was younger and he hasnt done it in years...

Now like i say i dont know him that well anymore, been a good 5+ years since we had spoken (we had been friends at school but now he is now a friend through my brother), do i trust him.. expalin my concerns and make sure we are crystal clear before we go out there

Or

Just say no?

I dont want to loose access to the land becuase he goes back there poaching, I have inlaws who live on part of the land, dont want them in trouble, Would hate to think what the land owner would do if he caught this fella up there

simple if in doubt , no dont take him .. take some you would trust 100%

Take him to check out some new country (public land)... see if he has changed before you make the decision to take him to spot X. It won't take you long to work out if he is someone you can trust.

I've been asked a few times to take people out who I dont know and/or know through a mate of a mate etc. I always like to meet them first and work out what they are like around firearms, and whether or not I can trust them to keep their mouth shut. Most of the people I have taken out have been good bastards, there has been only one that mouthed off and for this reason I won't be taking out again.

Go with your gut on this. You want to be able to enjoy the hunting so if in doubt then leave him out.

Has he asked to go on the land, or have you offered?
If you have offered then you have dug yourself a hole.
If he has asked just explain that there are restrictions on the place and you are unable to take him at this time.
Many years ago I adjusted who i shoot with, typically taking a first time campanion somewhere neutral to see if I was happy this their attitude.
You can never stop someone slipping back and poaching a block if they want to do it.

Now excuse me while I go outside and finish painting my new STEEL no entry/shooting signs.

Great stuff guys, good advice, confirms what i was thinking (im not that keen to take him)

There are somethings that are an advantage to this land, only access to this place is through a commercial logging firm, locked gates etc, the land owner lives not far (in line of sight) from the river that must be crossed to get there. The river can only be crossed by 4x4.

The poachers that have ended up there in the past have come from a loooong way down the river when you can cross it on foot.

And i have now found out that my aweosme brother has already told him where the land is so regardless if i take him or not he knows where to go..

Ill still think on it though ... if he does poach and im not connected in any way then i shouldnt loose my access

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Has he asked to go on the land, or have you offered?
If you have offered then you have dug yourself a hole.
If he has asked just explain that there are restrictions on the place and you are unable to take him at this time.
Many years ago I adjusted who i shoot with, typically taking a first time campanion somewhere neutral to see if I was happy this their attitude.
You can never stop someone slipping back and poaching a block if they want to do it.

Now excuse me while I go outside and finish painting my new STEEL no entry/shooting signs.

hahaha no i have not offered, he asked

He is already an established hunter so he has his own spots but this is nice and close to home thus he would like to come with us

Sounds like if he wants to hunt the land then it has to be through you anyway. You place the restrictions on when he can go with you. If he plays up the first time then it will be his last time.
If he wants to poach then he will have to go the long way round then take all the risks.

Originally Posted by sako75

Sounds like if he wants to hunt the land then it has to be through you anyway. You place the restrictions on when he can go with you. If he plays up the first time then it will be his last time.
If he wants to poach then he will have to go the long way round then take all the risks.

Yeah, they have had quite afew poachers up there in recent times, even the bloody neighbour has been out there ...

I guess there is not much i can do to stop him but i can think of many places it would be easier to poach than this wee block... Ill give him the very hard word and see how the first trip goes

In my opinion hunting blocks are like gold. Not worth the risk of someone else stuffing it up for you

Access to good private land is not easily come by and I know that you don't need any convincing about how damned precious that access is. Loosing it do some dickhead would suck! Probably not worth the risk, man. I reckon go out hunting on public land with him if he is really still keen to hunt with you, and get to know him and rethink it when you have or don't have his trust; you never know, out of all this you could make a good hunting buddy

Originally Posted by phillipgr

Access to good private land is not easily come by and I know that you don't need any convincing about how damned precious that access is. Loosing it do some dickhead would suck! Probably not worth the risk, man. I reckon go out hunting on public land with him if he is really still keen to hunt with you, and get to know him and rethink it when you have or don't have his trust; you never know, out of all this you could make a good hunting buddy

This is true, dont want to shoot myself in the foot (in any meaning of the phrase) as he could turn out to be a good bastard.

Numerous people have now said it, Public land first (or one of his spots ahahah) before i consider taking him to mine.

Thanks everyone for their input,

You don't need to take him to THE "spot X" first time around.
I've had guys that want to hunt with me that I haven't been keen to take out for fear of poaching or going back. My answer was to invite them to a "spot X" that was on public land, had a little bit of sign but not a spot that I would protect or care if they went back to. This piece of land would usually be a right C%^t of a place that would turn most people away from ever wanting to go back. After a trip or two they will probably pass up on the next invite.
Leave your meat fridge as your own.

I have taken unknowns to favorite places in the past only to find that when they go back without me (which I actually don't mind) the messy pricks leave crap all over the campsite that I have left pristine for decades ( which I do fucking well mind).

I'd err on the side of caution with this one personally. Might just be easier to say "no", particularly if you don't really want to be friends with him.