3 years ago I wanted to hunt 2 1/4s of private land that are a tree farm. The neighbors had all been asking to hunt in there and had been told no. Apparently the guy hadnt let anyone in for the 30+ years he owned it. I chatted with him for a bit and got exclusive permission. I hunted it for that season (AMAZING spot). At the end of the season he phoned me and told me that the neighbors were complaining that I was allowed in and they wernt and that he didn't want to be caught in the middle so I couldnt hunt it anymore. I told him no problem, its your land and totally up to you. I sent him a xmas card a few weeks later. The following August I dropped in and had a coffee with him and his wife and talked him into letting me on again. So I hunted there for the season (again saw a TON of deer every time). At the end of the season he phoned me again and was pretty upset. Apparantly his neighbor was giving him a real hard time about letting me in again and not him. I explained to him that his neighbor was a road / truck hunter and had a reputation for being lazy / shooting from his truck etc. He understood that I was very respectful of his land and his rules and he didn't want to deny me permission but he didn't want to be getting continued calls from this other guy so he was just going to shut it down to everybody again. I told him it was his land and his decision and that I respect his wishes. Sent him another xmas card that year. Last year I had no intentions of asking him. I bumped into him on the road in September and after a few minutes of bsing he asked me if I wanted to hunt there. I told him I would love to as it was my favourite spot but that I wasnt planning on asking him because I didnt want to subject him to his neighbors bitching. He figured by now the neighbor probably had it figured out and would shut up. Near the end of the season last year I caught his neighbor pullin a "smash & grab" deer from the corner of his land. I got him on video, took the video to the landowner and asked him how he would like to proceed. He phoned his neighbor and I listened to the conversation. The neighbors argument was that if he was letting me on he should be letting him on too. As I expected the landowner was now very frustrated with all this and apologetically asked me not to hunt there anymore. Although I explained to him that he should have the guy charged and that it was totally up to him who was allowed on he was just fed up with the whole works. So I graciously pulled my blinds & stands out and apologized for causing such a ruckus. He was real good about the whole thing.
So this year I figured I would just let it be. Two days ago he phoned me up and says with deer season coming he had been thinking about me lots and that he would like to invite me back. I told him that I would love to come hunt there again but that Im pretty sure his trespassing neighbor would be all over him again. He says "yes thats why I want you out there. I caught him in there this morning trespassing again. I can't be there often to watch for him (and other trespassers) but you can. I like the way you handled yourself the last few years and want you to look after watching it for me. You and only you can hunt there. Anybody else you see on my land will be charged without question".
Although I was frustrated getting thrown off a few years in a row its because I kept my cool and was diplomatic about it that Ive got free reign on the place now. He even gave me keys to the gates and access on a bunch more land I didn't even know he owned.
Sorry bout the long story lol, I figured it was worth tellin
