Help me know to do the right thing.

[1iagobblergetter]

If you do quit he got exactly done what he wanted to do.
The next time he came there he'd see a couple more blinds of my buddies.
If all else fails I'd talk to the new owner. Worse case he won't let either of you hunt. Oh well...Old Bully landowner is running you off anyway.

[GunRunner]

There is very little worse than dealing with an egotistical narcissist like your neighbor.

It is shameful to see such unsportsmanlike actions from a grown adult. I would guess that his behavior reflects the lack of a healthy and sound upbringing and heritage in our beloved hunting sports and also the respectful and safe use of sporting arms.

This issue and potential confrontation is all centered around sporting rights and involves firearms. I would definitely not push this issue in the field where in the heat of a disagreement or provocation either one of you in a heated argument could loose control and angrily resort to utilizing your firearms. This would be a regretful error that could ruin your lives and the lives of your family forever.  You are already very upset and aggravated now.... so definitely avoid the one-on-one confrontation in the woods with guns.

But ..... definitely get the landowner, the DNR Law Enforcement, or County Sheriff involved and address this formally. It may not be possible to resolve for this season.....hunt somewhere else.  Get it addressed legally and safely and have the peace of mind that you are taking the high road and will not allow this guy to take advantage of you.

My 2 cents worth.   

GunRunner

[Jstocks]

You weren't in the wrong. You had permission to hunt. What you do from here is on you. Everyone has their own way of dealing with issues like this. You only have to answer for you, so no matter what everyone on here says they'd do, we aren't you. We don't have to live there. We don't have to see him regular, and we don't have to look over our shoulder.

That being said, I'd be damned if I was the one worried about was over my shoulder. He's learn soon enough that I was likely crazier than him. I can't stand a bully, and will go to great lengths to help one understand that.

[Gobble!]

Is his name Mark? He sounds like my uncle.

[eggshell]

I just read through this thread and all the advice. Twenty Five years ago this would have ended very badly if I was involved. I once went to a guys house and called him out right in front of friends and family....yeah he wouldn't come out, but if he had it would have been just like someone said, one person in jail and one in bad shape or dead. As I look back I can honestly say I am ashamed I ever let my temper go that far. Funny thing is that guy never crossed me again. I was wrong, wrong wrong!

Here is what years and accumulated wisdom has taught me: It's not worth it, period. It's a sport and something we do for release and enjoyment. When something steals the goals of it then it's time to cut out what is stealing your joy. You won't win anything by being right or getting some form of social justice. If it comes to defending yourself then do that to the utmost of your ability, but you can not instigate it. MOve on and find peace, a  turkey is a dumb animal that cares less if two people are fighting over killing him. The most I'd do is call the farmer and tell him what has happened and thank him for letting you hunt, but you won't be back. Also tell him you hope that the idiot doesn't get him sued. I imagine if he has been informed of a danger on his land and doesn't address it he is liable. Maybe someone has legal knowledge on that. I wouldn't go out of my way to apologize, but if I randomly ran into him I would and wish him luck. If he wants to be a prick then walk away. If he touches you I'd press assault charges. Take the high road, killing a gobbler is a very small thing in life and not worth the stress. I didn't always feel this way, but old age has taught me a few things. You talk about praying over it, as a Christian brother I tell you leave him to God to deal with, his judgement is coming in this life or the next....be better my friend. A man is known by what he does, and everyone surely knows what this guy is, don't convince them your an idiot too.

[GobbleNut]

The most I'd do is call the farmer and tell him what has happened and thank him for letting you hunt, but you won't be back. Also tell him you hope that the idiot doesn't get him sued. I imagine if he has been informed of a danger on his land and doesn't address it he is liable. Maybe someone has legal knowledge on that.

Excellent post, eggshell.  The point you make above is a very important one.  Although there are states where a landowner cannot be held liable for allowing hunting on his land, your point about whether that holds true if a landowner is informed of a potential problem beforehand would change things.  Not being a lawyer myself, I couldn't say for sure, but I would suspect it would.

NEKVT, you would be doing the landowner a favor to let him know what is going on,...and it wouldn't hurt to hint at the fact that because you have approached him and informed him of the potential problems this guy might cause, it might be in his best interest to rectify the situation beforehand.  Hinting to him that if something happens and the authorities get involved that you would have to tell them that you had forewarned the landowner,...and hence, his liability protections (if they exist) might be forfeited,...might just change the entire dynamic. 

Of course, the risks you run would include 1) enraging the psycho you are dealing with to "the point of no return",...or 2) having the landowner just close his land to hunting entirely.  That is likely, but at least you will have gotten a measure of satisfaction knowing that the idiot won't be able to hunt the land either. 

As has been advised already, it all comes down to how far you want to push the issue,...and whether it is worth the risks involved dealing with someone who has pretty clearly demonstrated by now that he is mentally unstable.

[Marc]

Tough situation, for sure.  You never know what people like that are capable of. 
If it were me, I would just go have a talk with the new landowner and find out exactly what his arrangement is with this guy.  He should be able to clarify things for you. It sounds like the new owner probably told the guy that he could hunt there after the land sale.  If that is the case, then you might end up being the odd man out if it comes down to the landowner having to decide the issue.

Regardless, I doubt seriously that there is anything written in the sales agreement with the new landowner that would state that the old landowner would have any rights to hunt the property in perpetuity.  That would be highly unusual, I think.

^^^  THIS.

I would talk to the land owner and ask him what the deal is.  Let the owner know you do not want to cause any issues for him, and give him a bit of history (without trying to sound whiny about this guy).

Let the owner know that this guy is claiming to "own the hunting rights."

I would NOT hunt there until I speak to the owner.  I would let the owner know that you did not want to hunter there until speaking to him, and make it clear that you wanted to be certain that you do not cause any issues for him.

Losing one day of hunting might work well to your benefit in the long-run, and hunting there could very well work against you in the long-run.

And, make sure to write the owner a thank you/apology letter...  Thanking him for giving you permission (whether you hunted or not) and apologizing for any inconvenience it caused him.  Maybe this season does not work for you, but next season does....

[Yelper]

A guy up the road from me owned a cornfield for years, he also acted like e owned other fields around putting up fake posted signs on other people land and claiming he had leased that land when he did not.
He also showed up on an ATV first day last year and scared off birds for me in a field near my place. Long story short, a couple years ago he sold the field he did own, but still acts like he owns it. This AM I was watch birds out there and he shows up on ATV and we were just talking and what not untill hunting that spot came up. He always hunts there, any way i have written land owner permission to hunt there and have a blind set up for the AM tomorrow (opening day). he said he didnt want me in there, i said there is more than one bird and room for two I also said i had written permission. He claims he has a deed saying he has hunting rights from when he sold it and will show me the deed. I said ok. he then got real mad started his ATV and sped off. Should I hunt there in the AM as planned even though he wil probably do something to mes sit up. or should i go else where. If i stay away does that support him bullying people? He has actually assulted someone before during deer season when he did own that land. He is not really a nice guy. I  have tried to be friendly in the past.  Should i just go elsewhere? The only reason i like the spot is cause it has lots of birds and is a great setup.
What should i do?

Thanks

So what was the outcome? You go or??