GMU 133....just lost our private access due to trespassers!

[cem3434]

So I just got a phone call from my wife telling me that we don't have permission to hunt the area(s) that we usually hunt on eastside of Highway 21 heading down the grade towards Keller Ferry in the Roosevelt unit. One of the landowners called her today and reluctantly told her that he was closing it to everyone because its the only way to figure out who is trespassing. They ran several people out of the property during archery and muzzy season, so now they are completely closing it for modern season, thus leaving us without a place to hunt this weekend.
We have been hunting the area for the last 7 years and apparently the group of landowners and farmers that give us permission are shutting it down because of the amount of trespassers that seemingly increases every year. Our group drew 2nd deer tags this year, so I guess 4 does just got a lucky break because we don't have the time to try and secure additional property to hunt and I have never hunted or searched for public land in the unit. I know that one of the property owners has specifically taken note of a large group of hunters that camp out at the River Rue campground every year for modern because they have continually trespassed onto his property to hunt year after year. He warned us last year that if the trespassers persisted, he would probably close the property down to everyone within the next couple of years. 
He said they may open it back up next year, but that doesn't help us with our 2nd tags for this year. We called them before putting in for 2nd deer tags and had permission then, but the trespassers have pissed him off so bad that they are just closing it to everyone for the rest of the season. It's really chitty when you follow all of the rules, get written permission and are respectful of the property and owner(s), but you are locked out because the property owner(s) are sick of all jack wagons that dont respect them or their property.
I guess I will hit my old honey hole in Manastash and see how the deer popluation is there or hunt blackies on the wetside, but I'm just pissed that other "hunters" screwed it up for our group. I'm ranting a little bit, but  .....rant over.

[Mfowl]

That's a shame! Was your access on the "Hunt by Written Permission" land out that way? Nice country  out there for sure. Hope things work out for you.

[Taco280AI]

Why not help him out and take a day here and there, if you can, to help watch his property and tell people to GTFO?

[cem3434]

Why not help him out and take a day here and there, if you can, to help watch his property and tell people to GTFO?

We actually have went over early and posted all of the property the last couple of years trying to keep the trespassers out.  Many people think its part of Dreger's land, which is on the westside of Highway 21, so they just go wherever they want once have a permission slip from Dregers.  In the last 7 years, we have probably ran at least a dozen hunters a year off of the property that were trespassing. We used to have permission from Dregers, but it has been harder to get the last couple of years because they are restricting access and starting to charge.  I am not willing to pay to harvest a 2nd deer, so I will just eat my tag if I don't find some public land before Friday. 

[cem3434]

That's a shame! Was your access on the "Hunt by Written Permission" land out that way? Nice country  out there for sure. Hope things work out for you.

Yes, it was written permission.  The owner of the property is a cousin of one of my friends who is also in our hunting group and has a 2nd deer tag. My wife tried to get in touch with him over the weekend, so we could get the permission slips and he didnt get back to her until today with the bad news.

[zagsfan1]

There is some public land Near Creston and Davenport that always hold Does. PM me if you want more info

[724wd]

Do you have a boat?  surely you could find a doe on Roosevelt.

[JDHasty]

Talked to a guy a week ago who lost access because the property owners had an arrow shot into the side of their house.  Closed to everybody now. 

[BULLBLASTER]

Buy the on x maps app on your phone and go find some does! $30 and it shows public land. Should still be able to salvage the doe tags and maybe find a buck.

[pianoman9701]

Do you have a cute kid who can either smile or look pitiful? If you're able to go talk with the landowner face-to-face with a cute kid in tow, that might help. I like the idea of offering to keep an eye out for trespassers, too. If you go, dress nicely - not hunting clothes.

[Doublelunger]

Buy the on x maps app on your phone and go find some does! $30 and it shows public land. Should still be able to salvage the doe tags and maybe find a buck.

  there is public land in that unit. DNR and BLM shouldnt be too hard to find some does with a little work!

[de0827]

There is DNR land just west of Hwy 21 in Dreger's land, and there is a small chunk of BLM land on the east side of Hwy 21 next to Dreger's.  There are several other BLM chunks throughout the unit as well.  Bummer deal on your access, but go make it happen!

[cem3434]

Do you have a boat?  surely you could find a doe on Roosevelt.

No boat, but I have a few other leads.

[cem3434]

Buy the on x maps app on your phone and go find some does! $30 and it shows public land. Should still be able to salvage the doe tags and maybe find a buck.

I have the chip for my GPS and I started searching that last night.  Not worried about finding bucks because our group also has late whitetail tags for Blue Mountains West and we have a couple decent sized chunks of property to hunt.

[cem3434]

There is DNR land just west of Hwy 21 in Dreger's land, and there is a small chunk of BLM land on the east side of Hwy 21 next to Dreger's.  There are several other BLM chunks throughout the unit as well.  Bummer deal on your access, but go make it happen!

I know the property that you are talking about that is west of Hwy 21 in Dreger's land, but I thought it was landlocked by Dreger.  Not sure of the BLM land that you are referring to on the east side because that is the property that we had permission to hunt on the east side of Hwy 21, which runs from Eftner Road to the north where it ties back into Dregers land and back along Layton and Speigle Canyon on the east side. All of this land is owned by 3 different families and they have cut off access to everyone except their immediate family because of the continual issues they have had over the last several years. As far as I know, both sides of Hwy 21 are private from the top of the grade down to the state park along the lake. There were 5 or 6 bucks taken out of the park last year, but I have no desire to be in an area that has that many hunters because you are just asking for trouble IMO.
I know there is a small chunck of public land off of Speigle Canyon Road, but it is usually hammered with guys hunting in from the east and then back to the west into Dregers land.  Every year we run off guys that come all the way across the top to hunt the private property owned by the 3 families that we previously had permission from.