I'm no lawyer, but I would say don't draw it unless you are going to use it and if you use it finish what you started. pointing a loaded gun at someone that is hunting legaly on your unposted/unfenced property may be real macho, but sounds like assault to me, plus this STRANGER could be an off duty big wig or relative to some vip, or just a general badass that you'ld probly end up running into all the time and may think nothing of burning your house down while your away. like P. Swazey said in roadhouse " be nice until it's time not to be nice. I might draw a pistol and keep it hidden from his direct sight behind my back if concerned for my safety. if every nerve/instinct in your being is screaming this guy is shady and a threat to my life, then all bets are off and I would not come at him face to face, I'd try to get behind him. if you find yourself in a fair fight, your tacticts suck.
Should we call 1-800-Ask-Gary now, or should we wait a little longer.... :clown
I contacted the FWC, and asked what the law was on hunting unfenced, unposted, non Agri., including pines groves, or tree farms. Also Excluding property that has a ditch, dike, or levee these are just like a property owner having a fence. He could find no prohibition. I talked to him in great length. You see in Florida these pieces of land have always been legal to hunt. The properties I hunted were old developments gone under in the 70ies, and was pointed to by officers as a place to legally hunt. I did all this hunting in the 90ies, and have not since. With my recent trips to n. Florida I noticed an abundant amount of property up that meets this criteria. It got my interest. Not looking to some guys little own 5 acre paradise he owns. Speculators bought up tons of land pushed the prices through the roof, and lost every thing leaving a lot of it in limbo just like in the 70ies. Any way the mentality has changed, and even know it is legal the officer said it would be in your best interest to seek permission to hunt these places now. Even though for a 100 years you have been aloud to hunt any rural property that is not properly posted, or fenced, or that does not meets some of the exemptions. You can still be inconvienced being taken to court. Here is what he emailed me after he researched it.
Mike,
I’ve researched your question in reference to trespass laws pertaining to private lands. Provided the land meets none of the exceptions that we discussed, then I can find no prohibition. However, I strongly recommend that you obtain permission prior to hunting on any private lands.
Hope this helps,
Captain Roy L. Brown
Area Supervisor
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
3377 E. US Hwy 90
Lake City, FL 32055
Phone: (386) 758-0525 (386) 758-0525
Fax: (386) 758-0569
Patrol, Protect,Preserve
Planted pines and tree farms are considered agriculture. You can get ag exemptions for both.
That is exactly what I just said. I was just making it clear we discussed tree farms in addition to planted pines being included. Also any crops, or orange groves. non of these require a fence, or posted signs.
I am sorry let me be more clear. The way the law is written you can not hunt property that has a dike, ditch, or levee this is the same as having a fence, or posted signs. You also can not hunt agri. land this includes crops, tree farms such as orange groves, and planted pines, or any tree farms grown in groves. Still the way the world has gone like you said liability, and money changing hands for hunting purpose. It is not like the old days, but the laws have not changed. Like you can read above he sees no where there is no prohibition to hunt tracts of land that do not fall in perimeters if they are unfenced, and not posted. He just does not recommend it any more with out written permission. You can still be hastled, and end up in court. I would not try it unless I did my homework including asking the local LEO his take on a piece of land. Like I said before A couple of times I had a LEO point me to land that I could hunt. Year round, and did so for years until progress caught up.
