BDN outside editor John Holyoke obtained this e mail from Terri Titcomb, who shared a letter penned by her husband, Stephen Titcomb, explaining why he welcomed hunters, hikers and campers onto his land. Stephen Titcomb handed away in 2016, and his spouse ultimately decided to share his feelings just lately.
“I appreciate studying your column and every single 12 months I consider about sending this letter on to you as looking season ways. Guess this is the yr!” Terri Titcomb wrote. “My late partner wrote this and adamantly thought in not submitting our land. Just preferred to share it with you and your readers if you see in good shape.”
Here’s how Stephen Titcomb appeared at the land-entry situation:
A indicator at the entrance to my woodlot reads “WELCOME, whilst motor vehicles are not authorized, sense free to stroll.”
I was introduced up in New England in the 60s and taught to hunt at an early age. I roamed the woods with or with no a gun, exploring, hunting and understanding to value the land. Increasing up I seldom saw “POSTED” signals and was ready to walk on most land. So when I bought my initially piece of land, a woodlot, I vowed it would by no means be posted. Now, over 30 yrs afterwards, my woodlot is still not posted and it has been a person of the ideal matters I could have performed.
I have normally believed that if you submit your land the honest individuals, who you would like to have on your land, will regard the posted symptoms and remain off your land, but if you never post your land they will be there to enable you monitor the exercise on your land.
I have had a hunter climb down out of his bow-stand to apprehend a person breaking into my camp. If I had posted my land the offender would have damaged into my camp and there would have been no one there to halt him.
Very last 12 months I hired a fellow to come up and dig a properly for me and at the conclude of the day when I questioned him how considerably I owed him, he stated “Nothing!” I said, “What do you suggest very little?” He mentioned, “I’ve hunted up here for a long time and I enjoy that you’ve hardly ever posted your land, you really do not owe me a matter.”
Anytime I run into an individual experiencing the woods and they come across out I’m the landowner, they thank me and point out how appreciative they are of the “Welcome” indicator. I have fulfilled and designed a lot of pals on my land and now they are bringing their young children to hike, hunt and camp (they constantly talk to for permission to camp). 1 fellow I achieved in the woods logs for me now, and now he is bringing his son up in the woods and educating him how to run the skidder. His son shot his to start with deer on my land and I’m pleased to know a different era is getting taught how to recreate and regard the land.
I confident am glad I never posted my land! It is presented me considerably joy to meet up with the people who also take pleasure in my land and who have assisted me sustain it.
Stephen Titcomb, Blue Hill, Maine