Land Listed as Current Use

[MK-M-GOBL]

I found out a very interesting thing yesterday about property listed as current use. Land that's in CU and receives a tax break doesn't always mean that it's open hunting like I heard from others hunters when I first moved here. Current use has several meaning that pertain to how the woods, fields are managed. Growing fruits, vegetables, sod, Christmas trees, grains and several other things constitutes property as current use. They could get a 10% break from those kids of things and 20% break if it's check as recreational current use.

When I'm out doing my scouting / property research in my town hall and see a piece of listed as CU, I can look in another file if it's open to recreational use. If it is marked "Y" under the recreational use column, they have to leave it open for hunting, skiing, fishing, snowshoeing, hiking and nature observation.

You can bet I'll be spending more time down at the town hall looking into all the property that's posted that I'd like to hunt to see if it's marked as recreational current use. I'll especially be checking into the larger tracts of property that the owners might need the tax break on in order to keep from selling it.

Now according to the lady in my town hall, the town doesn't not have anyone that drives around to double check these property owners to see if they are following the rules and guidelines for the current use regulations. They rely on the people looking to use the property and can't, to report it to the town hall and then they'll do something. I think that totally bogus and why I think I just might find a few people abusing the tax break.

I know a lot of you guys have busy schedules and little time to spare but it just might be to your benefit to look in areas in your town or hunting areas. Stop in your town hall and ask and I'm sure they help out with where to look things up. I know even when I was working full time, I always found the time to scout the way I do. Now that I’m a stay home Dad, I’ve got even more time to check things out.

If you want to look at the State of New Hampshire Current Use Criteria Booklet for yourself, you can do on line with the link below. The information I found is on page 18 Posting of Land and on page 25 20% Recreational Adjustment.

www.revenue.nh.gov/munc_prop/documents/2008CUBooklet.pdf

[MK-M-GOBL]

I did and was marked with a big "N" Sorry about that.

[MK-M-GOBL]

I need to look up a pieces of property today. So Jake and I will check out that other huge piece of property across from the farm in question Ken. Call me later today when you leave work on my cell.

[nastygunz]

I actually was looking at a piece of state land that is prime waterfowl hunting marsh....well right beside the stae sign saying just that....there was a whole row of bright yellow posted signs... which i thought was kind of odd...so i took digital pix and emailed them to fish and game and a person from there called me and i told them the location....went by a week later and not a posted sign in sight!.........i was told antis randomly post land all over and most people never bother to check or ask if they can hunt there...dirty pool gentlemen!.....good thread MkM!!

[MK-M-GOBL]

Thanks Nastygunz We all need to do our part as sportsmen not to just assume things are what they are. If we question things and it's legit, then so be it. If it not (like in your post), then it needs to be corrected. Good job Nastygunz on letting F&G know about it.

Ken and I were talking the other day about hunting (what else right?) and the subject of a piece he hunts (use to) came up. I saw that it was posted and was wondering what happened. Turns out, the property was posted before the archery season opened after years of not being posted. Like at least 10 years worth of no posters. A new home went close to this property recently so we thought maybe they posted seeing they owned horses and did want hunting going on. Turns out it wasn't them but a large farm down the road from them. Not only was it posted out of the blue but they posted property that is owned by the State of NH!

Now maybe the farmer did post it down by the road because they didn't want to walk up 100 yds into the woods to their property line or maybe someone stop by and threw them up. An anti-hunter or maybe even another hunter that wants the property to himself I personally think it was the owner seeing they really can't drive by the property without seeing them and removing them off the State owned property.

What to do? Do you talk to the farmer first or call up F&G and let them know the situation? I'd go to the farmer first and try to figure out why after all these years they posted it. Try to get permission to bow hunt it and not mention about how they posted state property. If you get in, leave it up to the next hunter to question the posting of state property If the farmer is a jerk about it, take the maps & some photos down to F&G headquarters and turn him in! Probably the worst that will happen is they will make them walk up to their property line and post it correctly. You'll then still be able to get in there and see exactly where the line is and set up a stand feet from the posters You know Ken, the turkey hunting in there won't be hurting either way you decide to go. You can call them in even if they're standing up behind the farm house ;D

[omega47]

I went through this 2 years ago when searching for coyote hunting lands. We though CU land was open but in many cases, the owners will post it no trespassing and no hunting. We found a big parcel in Belmont that way (almost 1 sq mile) that we tried to access and were kicked off by the landowner. There was another one in Thornton where the LO chased us off with dogs and a shotgun saying we were trespassing.

When we checked with the towns they both said many landowners want to take advantage of the CU tax credits but don't want anyone on their land. If the landowner doesn't want you on the land, the towns (and police) will side with the landowner. Basically its the old-boy network at play. Bottom line is even if it is CU property, call the landowner before you attempt to go on the property.

[regnar]

Yes, but conservation easement is a different thing!!

[MK-M-GOBL]

Nov 15, 2008 23:48:10 GMT omega47 said:

When we checked with the towns they both said many landowners want to take advantage of the CU tax credits but don't want anyone on their land. If the landowner doesn't want you on the land, the towns (and police) will side with the landowner. Basically its the old-boy network at play. Bottom line is even if it is CU property, call the landowner before you attempt to go on the property.

Not so much "old-boy network" at play but how the law is set up. The landowners have that right as long as their property in not marked as 'RECREATIONAL USE". It's what I was trying to let everyone know with this post. If those properties you mentioned are marked with a Y in the recreational use category, then you should contact the town selectmen and report them.

Here's the law you should take to those landowners after you check the town records. They want to break the agreement they have with the town assessors, then you tell them, "NO TAX BREAK FOR YOU"

E. 20% Recreational Adjustment. If a landowner decides not to post, and opens the property to public use without an entrance fee for 12 months a year, the land is entitled to a 20% reduction in the current use assessment of the acres opened to public recreational use. To receive the 20% recreation adjustment, the landowner must allow all of the following activities:
Hunting
Skiing
Fishing
Snowshoeing
Hiking
Nature Observation
If any of these activities are detrimental to a specific agricultural or forest crop, that activity may be prohibited. If the 20% recreational adjustment has been granted, posting to prohibit any activity listed above requires approval of the local assessing officials. See Cub 305.03 for further explanation.
The landowner may prohibit trespass upon his property for all other activities, including use of mechanized and off-highway vehicles (such as snowmobiles and three-wheelers), camping, cutting down trees, etc. Posting land to prohibit these activities will not affect the 20% recreation adjustment.

[thunderchicken]

I wonder if the GUY with the horses up the road from where I hunt gets a tax break on his 400 plus acres of posted land. He is an A!!!!! I have had words with him as he is taking down my license plate number in years passed! I think you know which farm I am talking about MKM. Have you looked that piece up?

[MK-M-GOBL]

Oh I sure did You should hear about the run in I had with him a few years ago. In his house, he showed me his Ruger 22 target pistol and told me he carrys it for hunters he finds on his land. I stayed calm and pulled out my Glock 27 and very nicely told him, "I carry this in case someone pulls a gun on me while hunting. It's a Glock 40S&W with a total of 10 rounds that I can get off pretty quick if I need to "

That was pretty much the end of our little chat and I was asked to leave. I've never talked to him since

[nastygunz]

Hunting hunters on his land with a .22 pistol shows he aint to damn bright anyways id say!

[MK-M-GOBL]

Yep that's the guy He's a real hunter friendly kind a guy.....NOT

[thunderchicken]

thats funny, he told me he keeps a 9MM in his glove compartment of his truck. He told me if he catches anyone on his land he will use it! I asked him if that was a threat and he said NO that is a promise! What an A hole!

[MK-M-GOBL]

Dec 5, 2008 1:05:56 GMT thunderchicken said:

thats funny, he told me he keeps a 9MM in his glove compartment of his truck. He told me if he catches anyone on his land he will use it! I asked him if that was a threat and he said NO that is a promise! What an A hole!

He probably bought that after I showed him my Glock The guy is really bad news. I actually can't wait to read his obituary in the paper. Sad thing to say about someone but this guy is a total AH.

I'm sure he's really been flaming the last few years since the cable he put up was removed. You know, you now can drive right by his house and make all the way over to BC road I've got a stand on the back side of that road that is now passable.