Need a little advice...(hunting related)

[Johnny]

As most of you know from past pictures and videos, my favorite piece of property to hunt is our family owned 80 acres in Madison County. My grandmother owns it and has given me and my dad hunting rights over it. I have invested a lot of love, blood, sweat, tears and money into this property over the past couple of years. My dad and I also spent money on having JoeyAP's father do some much needed cutting on the property also a few weeks back.

With this said, now to my problem. Yesterday evening I missed a call and a voicemail popped up. I checked it and it was my first cousin who is my age who I used to hunt with before I got married. We used to be close but hardly ever talk these days. It's been like this about the past 8 years I guess. When I heard his voice I instantly thought he was going to bring up Madison County for some reason and sure enough he said he talked to my grandma and she told him that I had the key. He wanted to get the key from me so he could take his little boy up there to walk around and shoot there .22 for a bit this coming up Sunday. Of course after I heard this I got a crappy feeling in my stomach because it's not my property and I'm not the one who can tell him no. On the other hand, it's in the middle of deer season and the last thing we need up there is my cousin running around on this small acreage blasting the woods with a .22!

I have already called him back and will tell y'all how it went down in a few. I just wanted to see what y'all would of done in this situation?

[TimHicks]

I would say man I have spent alot of time and energy for deer and hog hunting can you find another place please or ask him if he would like to take his boy deer hunting

[asttbe]

I would have voiced my concerns with him just you did on here, and went from there

[GARY]

explain the deer season....an offer to take them hunting with you or put them in stand together...

bout all you can do.

[wes122984]

tough one. if the property wasnt so small i wouldnt mind. i might just ask him to stay away from your stand location as much as possible.

[maglite]

I would have suggested that he wait till after deer season and hope he understood and if he didnt then Id talk to grandma and have her tell him the same and hope he dosent get mad but if he does the worst that could happen is he stops talking to you and since you havent talked in 8 years than whats the real loss?? Just my .02 cents worth. I have a similar situation with my grandparents land that I am the Lease manager on and I do ALL of the farm work so I get hunting rights and NONE of the other family does and its ruffled a few feathers but they dont wanna pitch in so I tell them too bad!!

[purefun660]

They are relatives so I am sure that you can work something out with them, also look at it from his side and you were the one that wanted to take out your boy. Good luck and I hope everything works out for you. Also, if you and your Dad have hunting rights over the property then why are you not the one that can tell him no?

[maglite]

Its a difficult decision for sure! I just hate it when people (family included) want to get the percks without doing any work! I know its for his son and I understand that, but why not get him to a gun range to shoot his 22 and get a lease of his own or at least offer to do some work around the p[lace for rights to hunt it! Just because someone in the family has land dosent give ALL family members the rights too said land!! Not trying to be harsh but you put the time and money and labor into the place so why cant he do the same to a place of his own!!!

[Chew]

Hello? Who? Johnny? No this is Mark.

[sweldo73]

Hello? Who? Johnny? No this is Mark.

[Gringo23]

Well, at least he wants to spend time with his kid out in the woods - maybe you could get him to wait untill the end of the season - or maybe he could actually get involved and help out around there.

[BrianL]

Buy the land from Grandma and problem is over. I would not put Grandma in the middle of her grandchildrens problem. The most likely result you might not like. Rotating years.

[junior]

I would have called my grandma first and explained everything to her. Ask her if you had the right to make the final decision. If not then ask her to understand what all you've done on the land, and how you feel about them being out there shooting up the place.
Good Luck!

[Roscoe]

Hard call on this one. I know it's huntin season, but in reality, what's one Sunday afternoon? I'd be inclined to say arrange a time where you can go up there with them during the season or at the very least, make FIRM plans for for a trip as soon as deer season is over. In the end, you'd probably feel pretty good spending and afternoon with him and his son in the woods.

[TexaswBOWhunter]

If I were in your shoes and have put the time and money in on the place for hunting, this is what I would try first....I would explain to him just as you did to us your concernes and then offer to pay for a day at the range for him and his son over at the gun emporium, then after season they could go and spend some time in the woods....That or like someone said earlier, offer them to maybe go sit in a stand with you without the .22 blasting away...Hope it worked out for ya....