The rancher that manages our lease runs a lot of cattle and refuses to plant sunflowers as he says theyre a terrible rotational crop. The neighbor on our NE fence line has a beautiful 15 acre or so sunflower field. I was out this weekend and they'd already mowed lanes and the dove were super thick. My question for the group is what is the acceptable etiquette around hunting that area.

a)as long as your on your own property, hunt as close to their fence line as you want?
b)if you want to hunt the fence line, offer them a couple hundred bucks and if they say no, move away
c)if you want to hunt the fence line, offer them a couple hundred bucks and if they say no, hunt it anyway
d)set up a couple hundred yards off the fence line, out of their view
e)don't hunt anywhere in the general vicinity

We try to be really good neighbors, protein feed like crazy and really manage the wildlife to the best of our capabilities. Its resulted in good relationships with the landowner, rancher and the neighbors and the goal is to keep it that way. Its just that this trip I have my young boys, inlaws and BIL and would really like to get them on birds, but not enough to do long term damage to our situation. Thanks in advance for your responses.

I would set up a couple hundred yards away and pick off stragglers.

I would figure out where the birds are flying and hunt there. Obviously be courteous if you see the neighbors, but I wouldn't hesitate to hunt the fence line as long as you aren't shooting onto their property.

If you have a good relationship, why not just ask your neighbor if you can hunt his field? I wouldn't be surprised if he said you can hop the fence and come on over. If you don't think he would want you hunting his field, than I would opt for the two hundred yards away option. I could see some guys getting a little peeved if you were hunting right on the fence line. Nothing illegal about it at all, but it isn't necessarily the most considerate thing to do.

This^^^^^ Ask first and go from there.....

I have a big sunflower field and every year there are hunters on the other side of the fence. As long as the shoot toward their land I am fine with it. Their land, their birds. Now if they want to cross the fence that is another thing altogether.

We just make sure that everyone is aware of everyone else.

I'm not 100% sure but I believe legally you cannot hunt within 100 yards of a fence line if you don't have permission to hunt the land that is on the other side of it. I would call him and tell him that you would like to hunt next to his field but that you will only do it on the days that he has hunting on his place. I farm my fields strictly for dove hunting. It's a lot of work and expense. If someone was banging away at the birds next to one of my fields while I was trying to let the field rest I would not be a happy camper. But if you tell the guy you will only hunt when he hunts, he will probably be very accommodating. Heck, he may even invite you to hunt on his place. Just my advice. I have had a few situation with this matter. And take it from me, guys who plant fields for dove hunting take it very seriously. It's a year round job. Good luck.

Nothing wrong as long your shots don't cross the fence. Last lease we had a pond a few hundred yards away on our side which was in fly line. Sunflowers on neighbors. They had a lot more birds but pushed plenty our way. They would even yell out to us that birds were on the way. Seems to me dove hunters are more tolerant and friendly that way.

You should have stopped there

Nah, the advise got better the further you read.

If you are not shooting across the fence there is nothing he can do at all. I understand it's better to be nice and neighborly about it and I would be, unless he started having issues with me hunting my property.

Good chance the birds are set up in daily flight paths. Go sit and watch them for a while and you might find a good spot away from the fence.

I read some good and not so good. A man can hunt every sqaure inch of his own property whether you are a happy camper or not. There is no 100 yard rule/law. I do agree the OP should just go talk to the landowner/crop owner. Take him a ham or something as a good faith offering. Be a good neighbor.

It seems to me there is something missed here. If there is the OP and a ranch manager calling the shots I would tend to assume you are leasing from the owner of the place you are on. If this is correct then you can bet your best hound the neighbor and the ranch owner know each other. If that is the case and you tick off the neighbor, there will be a telephone call and you will lose that one. Landowners want your money, not your story, not your battles, not your problems, nothing. Pay me and go is their motto, for the most part.

Last year, I think our neighbor was confused and thought he was in the North zone, or maybe they were just shooting at flies in the sky, or something, but shooting across the property line and peppering me with pellets. Was not a happy camper. Just make sure to use a little common sense.

Id put my back to that fence at show them how to shoot

Pull

Exactly

You have just as much right to be on your fence line as does he, just because he has better sunflowers and more birds does not give him more rights. Just don't shoot over his property, and pick shots where birds land on your property.

I don't think he owns the property. Why start a pissin match if you wish to keep the lease. It is legal but that doesn't mean you win in the end.

When I was on the DJ Farm dove lease, the best shooting all season was catching birds going to sunflowers on another property.

I was simply stating what I would do. That is all. This is a forum not a courtroom. Post your opinions but don't attack others who post there's. Go buy a tractor and all the equipment plus seed, fertilizer,and herbicide. And bust your butt for 8 months making a dove field and then see how it makes you feel when your neighbor invites a bunch of people to come shoot at the Doves you attracted every day until they are gone. It's being respectful to understand this. Had the farmer not planted the field more than likely the doves would not even be there. Respect that and hunt when the farmer hunts. That's all I was saying. As far as the 100 yard from the fence line I will have to look into that. I was told that by word of mouth. I will research and see what I can find. Good luck to everyone hunting today and be safe.

Lots of people plant and mow and shred and and and, not just you. I am respectful until a neighbor tries to dictate how I hunt on my land. Are you the same guy that gets mad at neighbors for shooting "your" deer when they jump his fence?

OP also said that the land owner won't let them plant on their lease anyway. I don't see the issue of hunting your own lease, especially if you give the guy a call and just see if they're even hunting before this weekend. Don't see why or how the guy would get pissed if you are hunting your own land and have called.

No, I'm the same guy that invites my neighbors over to hunt with me because they respect what I do and know how much I put into it. They do much better hunting on my side of the fence I promise you. My neighbors also hunt my deer stands because I don't hunt deer anymore. Only doves and ducks. I'm not an outfitter and don't make a single red cent off anyone. I give my time and money to the enjoyment of watching my friends,family, and neighbors enjoying the great outdoors. I only gain respect and appreciation from it. For it is respect you get, when it is respect you give. What else would you like to talk about ??

I wouldn't call and ask them chit. You aren't leasing his land, you are leasing the land across the fence. Stay on your side of the fence and don't shoot over the fence. Did he call and ask if it was ok to plant sunflowers on his side? I'm with nav. I would put my back to the fence and get after em! There shouldn't be any pissing match if you are hunting the land you are leasing to hunt.