IN that very situation. Hunting family land plowing, planting, feeders, cameras, blinds, bunkhouse etc. Uncle hunted the property for couple of years before we came along but we made sure we didnt interfere with him. Uncle got on the families badlist for a while and we were the only one hunting. After he got on grandmas good side he started coming out there again. all of the sudden cameras smashed, blind locks broke and storage building broke into just to use rubber gloves that he also left in campfire. I am just going to take this year off and find a lease for me and my kids. Dad would rather keep hunting there just to hopefully see his brother there so he can rough him up but to me its just easier to bow out and hunt somewhere else. Hopefully the fat bastard will die and problem solved. Just kidding but thats how mad I was when all 4 cameras were smashed.

I've seen more problems with family owned land than any other lease.

At least if it's a lease with strangers you can kick off the bad blood, but when the blood is family it gets ugly.

The other problem with owning land is once you own the land you are stuck with the neighbors you have to live with which is just about as bad as the bad family member.

Leasing makes sense, and the price of a family lease may be free, but the headaches are probably worse than the high cost, in a lot of cases.

Boy these issues all sound so familiar. When my grandfather was still alive everything ran pretty smooth. But then my dad died, followed shortly by my granddad. That's when my uncle took over and everything went to crap. That was also about the time that the 90 acre pasture to our west sold and the new owners began a day lease operation and shot all the deer out.

I decided to go my own way and haven't regretted it. I landed on a 100 acre place just 7 miles from my house and the best part is that it's free. I've had no trouble filling my freezer and only moments from home. It has much more game on it than the family property and much more diversity, with none of the drama.

Then last year I also got on a sweetheart of deal in South Texas. Now I have a place to fill the freezer and second place to hunt for trophies.

If I had stayed on the family place I wouldn't have the opportunities I have now. I can assure you that I'm much happier now.

i have had similiar issuea too. i would bring up in conversation around your FIL about all the effort you put into his land and call out your bro in law and ask him how much he contributed and when he could he help again. At least get him to buy the corn.

+1.

It would be tough to take but I would turn the other cheek. It is a free place to hunt with lots of game on it. That is rare and will make any of the rest of us jealous. He is only one hunter, yes he can screw things up, that I don't think can make too big a difference on the outcome of your herd. Try to get him to watch the hunting shows on Saturday and let him learn from someone other than you. Good luck.

Its not in your hands. I have learned the same! Take notice of others ,but be weary, They probably dont worry about what you think either! Do what you think is right.

In this situation, i would take down one of the blinds (you can only sit in one at a time), and move the feeder from that blind to your remaining stand. Clear more brush out if you need to, and put a lock on your stand. Family is tuff, and your BIL should be allowed to hunt there just like you. I just don't think he has the right to freeload off your expense and effort. So don't allow him too. I do believe in trying to manage a place no matter how big or small. But don't think killing a 7 pointer is that much to worry about. Where is this land anyway, nearest town? Also what made you decide to just shoot doe? did you do your own survey, or is it that you saw a lot more doe than bucks at feeders?

I agree with Jimbo, I'd love to have a place to hunt that I didn't have to lease.. When I start adding how much venison cost me per pound!!! Staggers the imagination..

Once he starts sweating he'll hopefully understand what your trying to do. If he's too dumb to understand or can't get it. Leave and find somewhere your happy. Family fighting never ends quite the way you'd hope them to.

Are we long lost brothers that I never knew about but shared a common brother?

I agree with most of the posts here. One thing that wasn't brought up and is what I'd do is ask my wife to talk to her brother and/or father. Sometimes family to family can get more done than crossing some line you had no idea was there. Good luck to ya.

Haven't read all the posts but I've had similar issues with a small tract of private land that I hunt in East Texas. I'm one of two non-family members who have access to the tract through a family friendship. Before we started hunting it, nothing was being done to improve hunting opportunities on the tract. An occassional family member would spend an afternoon or morning walking the place with gun in tote and seldom took a deer as result. After working with the other family friend for two or three seasons, we really turned it into a deer "honey hole". Of course you know what happened next, it attracted the attention of the family and suddenly we had people who never paid attention to the track, wanting to hunt it as often as possible.

This year I have been hunting the place as I would a public track without any food plots or feeders. In fact, I didn't even put any stands up this year, opting instead to hunt for make-do ground blinds. I've seen a few young bucks and some doe, but nothing like earlier seasons when we had a very nice food plot. Still, the "hard hunting" approach has been very rewarding, and I don't have to worry about anyone trying to bum off my efforts.

X2 to Jimbo's response.

It IS a privelege to be able to hunt family land, especially when you don't own it.

I'm in a VERY similar situation as you: working/repairing fences, buying/building all the stands, feeders, food plots, corn/protein. I've done this for 10 years and shudder at the figures when I attempt to calculate up how much I've invested. The other family members hunting on this place won't even buy a sack of corn, yet they feel as if they have as much right to every deer on the place as you do. It's family, it's a privelege via the family member that owns it. It's their rules and regulations that govern sometimes, no matter how backwards their reasonings may be. So, I feel your pain.

Maybe look at getting your own piece of property somewhere. I know that may be far-fetched for a lot of people, but for what you've invested into your FIL's place, it may be a good option. There are a lot of good deals on land if you look in the right places.

Good luck!!