Trespassing an issue for hunting land owners

Shawano County can’t honor request to sell public land
By: 
Luke Reimer
Reporter

The Shawano County public property committee told a Bowler area landowner Jan. 4 that the county can’t sell some of its public-access land to him to address hunters trespassing on his adjacent property.

Trevor Floren recently contacted the county to discuss people hunting on his family’s land.

“We have 100 acres north of the public property off of County Road D,” said Floren.

He said that he and his family heard a gunshot when they were hunting on their land three years ago. After investigating it, they realized that people were wandering off the public land onto their private land.

“We are worried about the unknown shooting coming from the land,” Floren said. “We just want to know what is going on and make sure that everyone is safe.”

Floren pointed to another example when he was flashed in the face on opening day last year.

“I was walking out at twilight, when I had a flashlight shined in my face,” said Floren.

He said that he found two cars and, overall, has caught five people over the last couple of years.

“Our property is properly marked,” said Floren. “We have markers up every 30 feet.”

He said he and his in-laws have been hunting on the land for more than 30 years.

“Hunters this season have been a bit more aggressive in trespassing, and it is getting tiresome,” wrote Floren in his message to Shawano County.

Floren called this situation frustrating and said that others he has talked to have run into the same problem.

“I know that people rely on hunting for meat,” said Floren. “It is not fun to police hunting.”

He reached out to Shawano County to see if they had any ideas on how to help the situation.

“It is not fun to be the one patrolling this,” he added.

County officials told Floren they cannot sell the land because it was purchased with money obtained through the state Department of Natural Resources.

“The DNR won’t let us sell the land, unless we purchase additional land to provide the public access,” said Shawano County Building Maintenance Manager Steve Dreher in a response to Floren.

The public property committee voted not to entertain selling the land.

Floren said that he understood the county’s response and just wanted the county to be aware of what was happening.

“I don’t have any solutions but just want to make sure that everyone is safe and has a good time hunting,” he said.