Why Should Landowners Give Permission to Hunters & Trappers?

In the industry of wildlife management or wildlife control or wildlife removal, whatever you want to call it, the phones have not stopped ringing lately! This could be contributed to several factors but as we as a race continue to put our human thumb print on this country with land development, forestry, industrial expansion, and rising populations we are literally giving wildlife no where to go other than to live amongst us. Its not uncommon to see deer, geese, turkeys, coyotes, etc. living in suburban neighborhoods that used to be a wood lot or wetland. So, as we expand and continue to develop this problem grows and grows and grows. With fall arriving so does hunting and trapping season for active sportsmen. However lately due to the lack of access to land the sport has been in a rapid downward spiral even with a spike last season in license sales with many Americans not working due to Covid -19.


Here is a list of reasons everyone should thank a hunter/trapper or better yet give them permission to access your property because without them the following would be much worse.

1. Disease Control: Over the last decade or so there has been a huge surge in diseases spreading through wildlife. We all know about rabies but one of the most common disease is EHD among deer herds that is not only lethal but extremely painful to watch. Often referred to as Zombie Deer these animals die in heavily overpopulated areas during the summer and early fall and in an outbreak area take a look in water sources and you will most likely see several deer floating. By allowing hunters the ability to hunt certain areas with dense populations of deer the numbers do not get out of control and the disease can be contained. Is this a guarantee no but it’s a start!
2. Population Control: Just like driving through NYC and seeing people living on top of each other and garbage in the streets, an overpopulated area of wildlife looks much the same. In this example let’s look at Geese. If Geese take up residents in a pond or local watering hole they will eat and eat and eat and well also do that other thing! The mess they leave behind and the damage to your lawn or crop fields can create quite a headache and cost you money in the end.
3. Dead Chickens or Pets: More times than not coyotes, foxes, minks, snakes, and other predators have no where else to hunt than in your backyard. Year after year especially with Facebook and social media becoming so popular so are posts with “What’s eating my chickens?”. Its often sad to see or hear about a dog gone missing or cats gone missing and though you may tell your children they ran away and are fine, most likely they have fallen victim to a predator living close to your property.
4. Property Damage: No one likes to spend all summer or spring depositing blood, sweat, and tears or paying a company to landscape your yard just to have the local wildlife destroy it! But animals need to eat and you’re just laying out a buffet especially if you throw a garden up you might as well ring the dinner bell.
5. New Tenants: So probably the most unnerving reason you should be more open to allowing access to your property is simply wildlife living in your home. Now I am not talking about the occasional mouse, snake, or mole but rather skunks under your deck or shed, raccoons in the attic, or opossums in your garage! There’s also nothing like going out to your woodpile just for a family of foxes or coyotes to run out and scare the hell out of you!

In the history of hunting and trapping many sportsmen fight the battle of either animal lovers harassing them while they hunt or new laws and regulations making it harder and more expensive to get out there but there are many reasons why if you are a property owner you should reexamine why you don’t allow hunting or trapping on your property! These are just a few of the many reasons you should not only allow it but be thankful for a sport that is heavily declining due to lack of access. So, the next time someone knocks on your door asking for permission to provide food for his family or help control the numbers of overpopulated wildlife, give it a second thought before you slam the door. 

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