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Iowa law related to disturbance

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dreambig@84

Active Member
whats everyone know about this law?
Intentional interference with lawful hunting (Iowa Code § 481A.125)
This is the most direct law covering your situation, as it explicitly protects hunters from intentional harassment.

I'm having issues with a neighboring property riding atvs and motorcycles and its messing up my hunting. Anything that can be done about it as I found this law and wasn't sure if anyone knows about it and has any luck stopping this type of thing to save the hunting ? Trying to find something to get them to stop.
 
I've had some folks experience similar issues. Incredibly hard, if not impossible, to prove intent. They can certainly ride toys on their property any time they want. Proving they are doing it to screw up your hunting.... ya very very difficult.

Better off spending time figuring out how to mitigate it..... screens, tree wall, berms, etc. Or sell.
 
My neighbors across the river have a motocross trail on thier side.
When thier kids we young, they'd race them loud motorcycles up n down the riverbank.
Many times I could sit in stands on my side and watch deer on the other side.
The deer would simply (usually) get down tight to the waters edge, hold tight and within a minute go right back to what they were doing.
It really was amazing how well deer adapted to those loud/ crackling things.

I know it's gotta suck if they are INTENTIONALLY trying to sabotage your hunts but..., I doubt there's anything you can do about?
Maybe just let it be? Hopefully they get bored of doing it.

If they know it bothers you (thier game plan) they win and may ramp it up?
 
IowaBowHunter1983 said:
I've had some folks experience similar issues. Incredibly hard, if not impossible, to prove intent. They can certainly ride toys on their property any time they want. Proving they are doing it to screw up your hunting.... ya very very difficult.

Better off spending time figuring out how to mitigate it..... screens, tree wall, berms, etc. Or sell.
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How do you think deer respond to noise like that near them if they have secure cover nearby when atvs are riding next to them on other side of screening? You think they are impacted much by the sound if they dont see atv but hear it?
 
If you think it’s intentional start documenting it, pull out the phone camera when they drive by. Eventually theyll slip up and do something that goes too far and between that and all of the “innocent drive by’s “ you’ll have proof it’s been going on for some time.
 
Trying to prove intent is going to be the sticking point there. If they are just riding ATVs and motorcycles on their property I don't think a CO is going to put much time into it.

However, if you think it is intentional - talk to your local CO and get their take on it.
 
You can’t stop people from using their property. The intent has to be obvious and along the lines of PETA intentionally interfering with hunting activity ie blocking access, blowing air horns etc. If not a CO won’t spend one second.
 
Been through this type of thing many times.

It's a lot easier to catch flies with honey than vinegar.

They may be dipshits but if you go to war it never stops! If you can help them with something and become friends they are less likely to try to offend you.

If you are enemies , they will take great joy in doing so.
 
You know these neighbors? They know you hunt? Or you just going right to law enforcement route?

As others have stated...start the war and it's ever lasting. Bend a little and take a little to start. What do YOU have to offer them to have them stop riding their toys on THEIR ground. I'd rather have ATVs and MotoX then guns constantly going.
 
I’ve got neighbors who shoot guns all fall- during prime times usually. It’s just when they can use their property- can’t really do much about it.
A few years ago in Allamakee we had the neighbor who would sit and fly his plane over because he liked looking at the deer- he would do it for an hour straight just making circles. DNR couldn’t do a thing….
 
My neighbors decide to target shoot every time my truck pulls in.. their cows convienienty escape during every cold front too.. unfortunately they live there and I’m 30 mins away. You will never get even.. just gotta adapt and hope for the best. Definitely worth trying to become better friends. I like to think I’m getting somewhere. If all else fails market it as a whitetail paradise and move on.
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If I wasn't a hunter I'd being flying my drone looking at all your deer. Shotgun season is a good time...
 
booneriverbucks said:
My neighbors decide to target shoot every time my truck pulls in.. their cows convienienty escape during every cold front too.. unfortunately they live there and I’m 30 mins away. You will never get even.. just gotta adapt and hope for the best. Definitely worth trying to become better friends. I like to think I’m getting somewhere. If all else fails market it as a whitetail paradise and move on. View attachment 130492
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Those type of deer are very tasty.

FWIW..I recently found out that you can recoup damages to the property. U already have photo evidence.
 
I actually like deer meat but sure wouldn’t pass those up!!! I got a few more steps of law enforcement to go through before the big grill out! I realize stuff like this happens but it does get to the point where it’s beyond rediculous. I didn’t care that much earlier in the year but now it’s starting to be an issue.. We’ll eat good either way ;)
 
booneriverbucks said:
I actually like deer meat but sure wouldn’t pass those up!!! I got a few more steps of law enforcement to go through before the big grill out! I realize stuff like this happens but it does get to the point where it’s beyond rediculous. I didn’t care that much earlier in the year but now it’s starting to be an issue.. We’ll eat good either way ;)
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If that is in Iowa make sure you know where the cows are getting through the fence. You have responsibility to keep your half of the fence up even if you do not have cows. You may know this already but this topic has caused many neighbor wars and a lot of times the non-farmer/non-local landowners aren’t aware of fence laws.
 
booneriverbucks said:
My neighbors decide to target shoot every time my truck pulls in.. their cows convienienty escape during every cold front too.. unfortunately they live there and I’m 30 mins away. You will never get even.. just gotta adapt and hope for the best. Definitely worth trying to become better friends. I like to think I’m getting somewhere. If all else fails market it as a whitetail paradise and move on. View attachment 130492
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I had the same issue with the neighbors cows 3 years ago. They absolutely demolished a food plot and trampled a lot of good understory. I took the high road, which sucked, as I badly wanted to do some cow hunting. The neighbor fixed the fence, I adapted and replanted the plot, and shot my best buck ever that fall. Maybe it was good karma???
 
Matthewfox_45 said:
I had the same issue with the neighbors cows 3 years ago. They absolutely demolished a food plot and trampled a lot of good understory. I took the high road, which sucked, as I badly wanted to do some cow hunting. The neighbor fixed the fence, I adapted and replanted the plot, and shot my best buck ever that fall. Maybe it was good karma???
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Well done!!
 
Muskrat24 said:
If that is in Iowa make sure you know where the cows are getting through the fence. You have responsibility to keep your half of the fence up even if you do not have cows. You may know this already but this topic has caused many neighbor wars and a lot of times the non-farmer/non-local landowners aren’t aware of fence laws.
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Good point! I’m well aware of fence laws but some aren’t .. unfortunately the neighbors cows walk from his property right on to the road and can pretty much go wherever they want after that.
 
The fence law is archaic. Needs to change. If both property owners have livestock , fine. Why should I assume half of a sh*tty fence I didn’t build ? That’s exactly a scenario I found myself in years ago. Props to my neighboring landowner who said my cows my fence. Good dude.
 
Windlooker said:
The fence law is archaic. Needs to change. If both property owners have livestock , fine. Why should I assume half of a sh*tty fence I didn’t build ? That’s exactly a scenario I found myself in years ago. Props to my neighboring landowner who said my cows my fence. Good dude.
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Exactly. We had a neighbor try to make us build a fence so he could run sheep in a woodlot where there wasn't much grass anyways. We let that neighbor use a driveway of ours for semis to access his hog building. Told him if we had to build fence we were going to keep on building clear up the driveway and shut him out of it. It was at that time he dropped the issue. Sometimes people need a little persuading to see it your way.
 
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