moellermd
Super Moderator
The cheapest way to hunt is to road hunt. Once they change the limit to 5 PM me and I can give you directions to some ditches by this guy who has some great pheasant ground. I think he goes by LANDMAN.
Road hunting
- Thread starter landman
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The cheapest way to hunt is to road hunt. Once they change the limit to 5 PM me and I can give you directions to some ditches by this guy who has some great pheasant ground. I think he goes by LANDMAN.
kansasbrittany
Banned
Roadhunting seems like it would be a bit costly to me. Scouting before season costs me more money than a hunting trip does. I would imagine you'd travel quite a few miles trying to get your limit road hunting, but I haven't spent much time in SD and didn't do any road hunting while I was there.
bobeyerite
New member
I cannot see how you guys can advocate road-hunting when a female in a car died Near Gregory, So Dakota this past October. Her boy friend was road hunting and shot her as he got back into the car. I know how the ditches are back there, I lived in the Dakotas for 5 years. But I still think it is unethical and dangerous to road hunt........Bob
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landman
New member
And the law says that you must keep your dog in the ditch too. If your dog starts working outside the right-of-way, you are trespassing.
landman
New member
A couple years ago I was sitting in my deer stand when two hunters stopped by my CRP, got out, let their dogs out and then proceeded to walk my mowed ditch while the dogs worked the CRP grass. I wasn't able to get out of my stand to confront the violators but I called our warden and he said that the hunter must keep his dogs in the right-of-way unless retrieving a legally taken bird. If the bird was taken illegally than trespass laws apply for both the dog and owner.
Fortunately, road hunting has decreased dramatically the last few years. I have not seen even one road hunter this year. Even road hunters hunting deer have decreased a lot. I always have the warden's number handy in the event I see a violation of road hunting, just in case.
The majority of road hunters do not stay in the right-of-way or follow the laws, which does nothing but make landowners dislike road hunting even more. More and more landowners are speaking out against road hunting so its probably just a matter of time before it will be outlawed. Hopefully soon.
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tmrichardson
Banned
It's true gun case law changed this year in MN but it is NOT true that you can road hunt in MN as you can in SD. You can do so if you have permission to hunt the land next to the ditch or that land is public land--you cannot hunt the ditch otherwise.
I've taken a few ditch birds in SD up against WIHA's, WPA's and GPA's, but never bothered up against other private land. Very difficult to do it without violating the law in the first place, and I've always found rural SD folks to be very friendly with me--like to keep it that way. Works to my advantage at times....
I've taken a few ditch birds in SD up against WIHA's, WPA's and GPA's, but never bothered up against other private land. Very difficult to do it without violating the law in the first place, and I've always found rural SD folks to be very friendly with me--like to keep it that way. Works to my advantage at times....
Iowa Road Hunting
Landman,
In Iowa you have to have your gun cased and unloaded or completely broke down at all times. After that I think the rules are similar to South Dakota. I believe that you need to have at least one foot in the ditch but I am not for sure about that. You can shoot across the road as long as it isn't a single projectile. You can only shoot birds that originate from the ditch itself and you must take them before they fly over private land.
I don't believe that we have any stipulations regarding where a person's dog is working. In other words, in Iowa I don't think it is possible for a dog or the owner of a dog to get fined for trespassing if the dog ventures onto private land. There may be some statute that addresses the occurence but I have not found one.
Over the years I have legally road hunted at various times and have never had a problem with anybody. I will admit that at times I have gotten some pretty crazy looks because I seem to be one of the few goofballs who still does it the right way and I get the feeling that the farmers that see me appreciate the fact that I am not shooting birds out of their grove, out of my car window.
There are so few birds in Iowa, especially where I live that I don't even hunt here anymore. I either hunt in Kansas or South Dakota and I am very thankful for those opportunities. Unless things change down here soon the days of me going out close to home on a Saturday and finding birds will be forever gone. Habitat losses and terrible weather patterns over the last two years have decimated what once was an awesome area of the state to hunt birds.
Landman,
In Iowa you have to have your gun cased and unloaded or completely broke down at all times. After that I think the rules are similar to South Dakota. I believe that you need to have at least one foot in the ditch but I am not for sure about that. You can shoot across the road as long as it isn't a single projectile. You can only shoot birds that originate from the ditch itself and you must take them before they fly over private land.
I don't believe that we have any stipulations regarding where a person's dog is working. In other words, in Iowa I don't think it is possible for a dog or the owner of a dog to get fined for trespassing if the dog ventures onto private land. There may be some statute that addresses the occurence but I have not found one.
Over the years I have legally road hunted at various times and have never had a problem with anybody. I will admit that at times I have gotten some pretty crazy looks because I seem to be one of the few goofballs who still does it the right way and I get the feeling that the farmers that see me appreciate the fact that I am not shooting birds out of their grove, out of my car window.
There are so few birds in Iowa, especially where I live that I don't even hunt here anymore. I either hunt in Kansas or South Dakota and I am very thankful for those opportunities. Unless things change down here soon the days of me going out close to home on a Saturday and finding birds will be forever gone. Habitat losses and terrible weather patterns over the last two years have decimated what once was an awesome area of the state to hunt birds.
tmrichardson
Banned
FC springer's knowledge of MN trespass law is incorrect and dangerous to follow.
We have had several threats via legislation in recent years due to trespass concerns that could lead to further restrictions on MN hunters if we don't pay attention to the law.
Key differences exist in MN when compared to his SD-like interpretation of the law.
In MN you can't enter posted private land to retrieve legally shot game without permission from the landowner. In SD--if you put your gun down before entering the land--you can.
Specific language that applies there is "A person on foot may, without permission, enter land that is NOT posted to retrieve a wounded animal that was lawfully shot, but may not remain on the land after being told to leave. "
Note the "NOT posted" language there. You can enter unposted land--you can't enter posted land.
Here's where many get confusded.
MN's laws grant special consideration to agricultural land. This is one of those things that changed some years back after landowners got fed up and found legislators willing to help them pass more restrictive legislation, by the way--a classic example of why the best policy is ALWAYS to ask first and KNOW THE LAW.
Most agricultural land in MN does NOT need to be posted with signs to be considered legally posted to trespass. The specific language says any of the following is legally posted even if no signs are up "1) is plowed or tilled; 2) has standing crops or crop residues; 3) is within a maintained fence for enclosing domestic livestock; 4) is planted to native or introduced grassland or hay land; or 5) is planted to short-rotation woody crops (hybrid poplar
and other woody plants that are harvested for their fiber within
15 years of planting).
Even land enrolled in CRP doesn't need to be posted with signs to be considered closed to trespass--unless it is planted to trees or is full of brush.
Language that applies there is "
IMPORTANT NOTE: All planted grassland and hayland and all hybrid
poplar and other woody plants that are harvested for their fiber within
15 years of planting meet this definition, including grasslands enrolled in
the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Reserve
Enhancement Program (CREP), or the state Reinvest In Minnesota (RIM)
Reserve program. These lands do not need to be posted to prevent unauthorized trespass"
As far as shooting from roads, that gets tricky. Some you can, some you can't...best to deal with those on a case by case basis.
One other thing that differs between MN and I think many western states is that section line roads with some evidence of use are nnot legally able to be driven on if the land around them is posted (or is ag/set aside land as defined above and thus legally posted with no signs needed).
We have had several threats via legislation in recent years due to trespass concerns that could lead to further restrictions on MN hunters if we don't pay attention to the law.
Key differences exist in MN when compared to his SD-like interpretation of the law.
In MN you can't enter posted private land to retrieve legally shot game without permission from the landowner. In SD--if you put your gun down before entering the land--you can.
Specific language that applies there is "A person on foot may, without permission, enter land that is NOT posted to retrieve a wounded animal that was lawfully shot, but may not remain on the land after being told to leave. "
Note the "NOT posted" language there. You can enter unposted land--you can't enter posted land.
Here's where many get confusded.
MN's laws grant special consideration to agricultural land. This is one of those things that changed some years back after landowners got fed up and found legislators willing to help them pass more restrictive legislation, by the way--a classic example of why the best policy is ALWAYS to ask first and KNOW THE LAW.
Most agricultural land in MN does NOT need to be posted with signs to be considered legally posted to trespass. The specific language says any of the following is legally posted even if no signs are up "1) is plowed or tilled; 2) has standing crops or crop residues; 3) is within a maintained fence for enclosing domestic livestock; 4) is planted to native or introduced grassland or hay land; or 5) is planted to short-rotation woody crops (hybrid poplar
and other woody plants that are harvested for their fiber within
15 years of planting).
Even land enrolled in CRP doesn't need to be posted with signs to be considered closed to trespass--unless it is planted to trees or is full of brush.
Language that applies there is "
IMPORTANT NOTE: All planted grassland and hayland and all hybrid
poplar and other woody plants that are harvested for their fiber within
15 years of planting meet this definition, including grasslands enrolled in
the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Reserve
Enhancement Program (CREP), or the state Reinvest In Minnesota (RIM)
Reserve program. These lands do not need to be posted to prevent unauthorized trespass"
As far as shooting from roads, that gets tricky. Some you can, some you can't...best to deal with those on a case by case basis.
One other thing that differs between MN and I think many western states is that section line roads with some evidence of use are nnot legally able to be driven on if the land around them is posted (or is ag/set aside land as defined above and thus legally posted with no signs needed).
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wisturkeyhunter
New member
I really have no problem with somebody road hunting with a shotgun on low traffic roads if they aren't trespassing to do it. In other words if you are walking down the road pheasant fly outta the ditch you hit it and it lands in the ditch. If the ditch is privately owned it dosen't seem right to me. Road hunting should only be done if its public land on both sides. Land owners should have control over who comes on their land even if its just 10 yards bordering a road. I can't figure why somebody would want to road hunt though. I go hunting to watch the dogs, enjoy the scenery, spend time with friends, and hopefully get some shooting. Seems like walking roadside ditches would take away from that. The first birds excuse is lame in my opinion. Hunters shouldn't look for hand outs.
rubberduck
New member
I love hunting South Dakota because of the privileges. The road ditches are a great option when you have no private land to hunt or when the public land has already been walk 5 times that day. In fact, I like to find a good ditch around or in proximity to public land late in the day when all the birds have been pushed out. They usually hold very nice for pointers even late in the season. Lets face it, with CRP in short supply and going fast the ditches are the next best thing to walk. There is miles upon miles of ditches and only a handful of decent public lands, the rest is marginal at best. I support ditch hunting and thank the folks of south dakota for letting me do it.
Ditches with Dogs
Walking a road ditch with a good dog can be quite exciting and incredible to watch. With the fence on one side and the roadbed on the other the birds have nowhere to go but up, forward, or just stop for a point altogether. Where else can one man and one dog go and have two virtual hunting partners to block the birds? You also don't have to share shots with the fence or the roadbed:thumbsup:
I look at a road ditch as I would any other waterway or grassy fenceline. It provides cover next to feed and next to gravel and often times will supply a water source as well. That all adds up to some of the most birdy cover that a guy can find.
Walking a road ditch with a good dog can be quite exciting and incredible to watch. With the fence on one side and the roadbed on the other the birds have nowhere to go but up, forward, or just stop for a point altogether. Where else can one man and one dog go and have two virtual hunting partners to block the birds? You also don't have to share shots with the fence or the roadbed:thumbsup:
I look at a road ditch as I would any other waterway or grassy fenceline. It provides cover next to feed and next to gravel and often times will supply a water source as well. That all adds up to some of the most birdy cover that a guy can find.
Golden2Hunt
New member
? for Land Owners
I have a question for those land owners against road hunting. What is so terrible about road hunting? I respect your opinion and your rights but it still makes me wonder why someone would get so upset about a guy and a dog walking a road for birds. True, once in a while a dog may go into a corn field to chase up a bird or the dog/guy may have to go on your property to retrieve a downed bird.
Is it really that big of a deal? Is your property being damaged? Most hunters are respectful of the land owner and do not damage crops or anything else. I know and have heard the stories where some hunter did something that would make you upset (purposely sending their dog into your property, walking your property and not the ditch, etcâ?¦) but I think that is the exception and not the norm. And I think those types of people will do that thing no matter what the law is. It's just the kind of person they are.
Sometimes the ditches are the best place to find birds and I would hate to see it go away, especially because I hunt solo a lot and ditches do offer advantages for solo hunting.
I can only compare it to my situation. I have a city lot with a sidewalk I pay for and maintain. People walk by with their dogs all the time. Sometimes a dog will drop a log or steal my dogs toy/bone. It just happens and, imo, is not worth getting upset about.
Don't mean to get nostalgic but it makes me wonder what this world has come to when someone gets their feathers ruffled because a dog walked a few feet of there hundreds of acres. I donâ??t understand why someone would get upset other the fact they can.
I have a question for those land owners against road hunting. What is so terrible about road hunting? I respect your opinion and your rights but it still makes me wonder why someone would get so upset about a guy and a dog walking a road for birds. True, once in a while a dog may go into a corn field to chase up a bird or the dog/guy may have to go on your property to retrieve a downed bird.
Is it really that big of a deal? Is your property being damaged? Most hunters are respectful of the land owner and do not damage crops or anything else. I know and have heard the stories where some hunter did something that would make you upset (purposely sending their dog into your property, walking your property and not the ditch, etcâ?¦) but I think that is the exception and not the norm. And I think those types of people will do that thing no matter what the law is. It's just the kind of person they are.
Sometimes the ditches are the best place to find birds and I would hate to see it go away, especially because I hunt solo a lot and ditches do offer advantages for solo hunting.
I can only compare it to my situation. I have a city lot with a sidewalk I pay for and maintain. People walk by with their dogs all the time. Sometimes a dog will drop a log or steal my dogs toy/bone. It just happens and, imo, is not worth getting upset about.
Don't mean to get nostalgic but it makes me wonder what this world has come to when someone gets their feathers ruffled because a dog walked a few feet of there hundreds of acres. I donâ??t understand why someone would get upset other the fact they can.
JMBZ71
Member
Nicely said, Golden2Hunt. This subject came up on another site a couple years ago and believe it or not, some guys were actually defending a landowner's right to shoot your hunting dog if it strays onto his land (even if only a few yards). I'm sure Chad (KansasBrittany) remembers that debate. I'll never understand where that attitude comes from.
Keep fighting the good fight guys. Wealthy landowners may have the politician's ear but there's also strength in numbers (read: hunters). :cheers:
kiotehntr
Super Moderator
Aaahhhh yes....I seem to remember the debate as well. I road hunt all the time, BUT the areas that I road hunt I have permission to hunt(both sides of the road)I'm not sure why people get so defensive over this topic either JMB...
JMBZ71
Member
I guess some guys just aren't cut out to be landowners FC. The stress of knowing there are millions of humans and other living creatures on the planet that could, at any time, lay a foot on their sacred ground... well, it's all more than their tiny little hearts can bear, the poor bastards...
moellermd
Super Moderator
If done right it is probably not a problem. The problem is it is hardly ever done right. For example in SD the bird must originate from the right away and be shot in the right away. You know how many times a year I see that being violated? More birds are shot illegally than legally. Honestly, how many guys do you know that hunt would see a pheasant fly from the fence line into the guys field and not shoot? Not to mention the problem of guys shooting to close to buildings or livestock. There is just to many bad apple in the barrel. You only have to get your buildings peppered once to be opposed to road hunting forever.
I have been an avid behind the scenes reader of this forum I love hearing about other peoples experiences, however until I started reading this thread I have remained a guest and never registered. I am from Oklahoma and like many other states our abundant population of games birds has declined. I had basically quit raising dogs and quit hunting until four years ago when a friend invited me on my first se colorado pheasant hunt. they hunted without dogs on private land walking grown up patches and fields. (private). Even though this wasn't my type of hunting and not the type I grew up with I was like a kid on his first hunt. So the research started trying to find out if there were places to hunt out of state and alas I found out about WIHA IN KANSAS and I and my family became avid hunters again. I have been invited to South Dakota the opening week the last two years. The first year was a lot of road hunting. But this year once again I started doing research and ended up going out a day early and chasing prarie chickens from daylight to dark in the pierre grasslands oh what a great day it was to see coop point this first pheasant and of course the boys and I both got a kick out of the two groups of hunters who stopped to tell us that phesant season didn't open til Friday. I love South Dakota and not because of killing a lot of birds but the experience I can give my dogs in 3 or 4 days in SD IS LIKE WHAT IT TAKES TO DO IN 3 OR 4 OR MAYBE EVEN 7 OR 8 TRIPS BACK IN MY AREA. I have two older sons whom are avid hunters I also have an 8 yr old 3 10 year olds a 12 year old and a 14 year old of whom all have an out of state Kansas licensce for Kansas. I hope to get to take them to SD someday to see the awesome phesant mecca it is. This year I spent my time on public land and hunting road ditches out away from traffic and towns. I guess my point is what my grandfather taught me a long time ago and that is the definition of a rich man (someone whom has something to share) I wish I were fortunate enough to own a big farm in South Dakota or Kansas but I know if I did I sure wouldn't resent the man who couldn't afford the 200 to 600 per gun per day walking my bar ditches and him and his kids getting to kill a few wild (not personal property) phesants out of them
landman
New member
In Oklahoma the regulations concerning road hunting is as follows:
Shooting from or across any public road, highway (or right-of-way) or railroad right-of-way is prohibited. Public roadways are defined as any governmental or corporate roadways where vehicular traffic is not restricted and the roadway is routinely used by the general public.
No road hunting in Oklahoma!
In Kansas is says:
•hunting from roads or railways without legal permission is a form of trespassing called criminal hunting.
So no road hunting in Kansas either!
I know that Texas does not allow road hunting either.
There is a reason most states don't allow road hunting.
LM
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