# riparian question



## lincolnlake (Sep 9, 2011)

Hey All,
I was disgusted this evening when i went to check on my duck blind after i saw some goose hunters tied off on the island pictured below. When i got in it i found they have been using it as there toilet and it was full of human feces and toilet paper. When i saw the boat out there i was going to let it fly because i do not use it for geese, but now that i found this i am really disappointed. the island is clearly directly off of my land and think that the riparian law is pretty clear about this. This is my first year hunting and first year with a blind and i am sure that someone has been using this spot for years and is mad about losing their spot however it is not their spot. Anyways here is a labeled image below of the property in question. It is Lincoln lake in Gowen, Michigan. Just looking for some advice how i should handle this in a reasonable way. And also what i can do as far as the law is concerned.


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## stickem (Oct 31, 2007)

i live right by Lincoln lake....when we going hunting hehehe welcome to the forum also..


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## lincolnlake (Sep 9, 2011)

Well sure as long as you dont poop in my blind! haha...you bowfish out here?


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## Zofchak (Jan 10, 2003)

I checked out the lake on Bingmaps, and if you are the owner of the undeveloped land to the South East those hunting the island or the surrounding water are doing so on your property. I would post the island, and if that fails to deter them from hunting the area I would be calling the local police or DNR. 

By the way, it looks like an awesome spot!


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

I would contact the tax mapping office in your county to see if they have a land division map of the lake. This will clearly show how the lake shoreline and bottomlands was divided when the original plat was surveyed out. It will give you something to show whoever ultimately takes care of the situation when it finally comes to that. 

A perfect circle lake is easy to interpret in your mind (pie shaped wedges), but odd shaped lakes can be a little different. 


Posted from my iPhone.


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## 7Wings (Jul 24, 2011)

This is too bad. Your issue
depends on the rights you were given in the deed to your property. Typically ownership of riparian land extends to the center....unless the deed states that it does not. Does it say the shoreline is the boundary? That would be different from the meander line. This is a complicated area of law. You should consult a lawyer that specializes in riparian law....or at least specializes in real estate. 

Good luck

_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors._


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

7Wings said:


> This is too bad. Your issue
> depends on the rights you were given in the deed to your property. Typically ownership of riparian land extends to the center....unless the deed states that it does not. Does it say the shoreline is the boundary? That would be different from the meander line. This is a complicated area of law. You should consult a lawyer that specializes in riparian law....or at least specializes in real estate.
> 
> Good luck
> ...


The camp claims it owns 46 acres of land and has almost one mile of frontage on Lincoln Lake.

That's a lot of frontage! You need to check into it.


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## lincolnlake (Sep 9, 2011)

Ya that's me I live and work at the camp  

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## highcaliberconsecrator (Oct 16, 2009)

GIS was of no help....the island has no information on it. Whether you own it or not, I bet the hunters on that island don't have permission.


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

Somebody in the county building should be able to tell you who has the property. I know that if I went to my tax mapping office they can tell me who owns every parcel and piece of land in my county. 


Posted from my iPhone.


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## algonquin dave (Nov 26, 2005)

whoever did that shouldnt be allowed the privilidge to hunt, just isnt right. Come on hunters we need to treat each other with more respect. Man that stinks litteraly.


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## stickem (Oct 31, 2007)

lincolnlake said:


> Well sure as long as you dont poop in my blind! haha...you bowfish out here?


yup all the time..we should get together and shoot some ducks..lol..ill trade ya a bow fishing trip for a duck/goose hunting hunt..hehe...just got to keep the police of my *** out there


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## Bmac (Jul 7, 2002)

Lincoln is hunted pretty hard so I'd bet you will run into some trespass issues. Many hunters don't know or understand (or do and just ignore) the riparian laws so you will likely need help from the CO if you want to keep them out. I don't advocate trying to deal with them yourself as you never know what you might get yourself into. Find out what you own and let the CO know of your situation in advance. Don't wait until opening day as they will likely be too busy to immediately help you then. They will probably ask you if it is posted "No Trespassing". I'd put some signs up as soon as I knew what was legally mine.


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## animalsrdelicious (Jul 30, 2006)

Call a local Michigan licensed land surveyor and they should be able to help you out with questions regarding ownership. Has the land ever been surveyed before? That may be your first step. Tax maps really dont tell anything regarding actual ownership. one of the previous posters is correct it all depends on what is written in your deed. Also as mentioned earlier this is a very confusing part of law and there are many court cases regarding riparian rights and ownership.


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## lincolnlake (Sep 9, 2011)

I have posted no trespassing signs and I will try to dig up the deed to see if I can find anything. I do know that the lake gets hunted alot I live on the south east side and both islands are off of the camp property (where i live and work and have exclusive hunting rights) must mean the hunting is good right?
I was also wondering even if gis says i do not have rights to the island what about all the "bottom-land" around the island since it is directly off our property. I suppose it all goes back to the deed..
I have always been a hunter but never been interested in waterfowl until someone asked for permission to hunt the islands and i said sure as long as you teach me  so now i have made a friend and hunting buddy... goes to show you how doing the right thing works out!


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## lastflighttaxidermy (Jul 12, 2010)

your going to have your hands full with that spot. ive hunted lincoln lake and there has always been guys hunting on that island. better figure our your legal right there before duck opens so you have a leg to stand on. lincoln lakes does get hunted hard and thats a favorite spot of alot of guys. good luck and let us know what you find out.


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## lincolnlake (Sep 9, 2011)

The deed says west to the shoreline...do not think i will give up yet.


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## Zofchak (Jan 10, 2003)

lincolnlake said:


> The deed says west to the shoreline...do not think i will give up yet.



You may want to disregard my earlier suggestion, and hold off on the signs until the property line issue is sorted out.  For an inland lake, it seems very unusual that the deed states the property ends at the shoreline. Whomever owns the submerged bottom lands has the hunting rights for the water around that island, and the wording of the deed seems to suggest that it may belong to someone else.


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## Air Traffic Control (Oct 3, 2010)

I would booby trap the blind, that would teach someone a lesson. I would think about maybe a collapsing floor, trap door maybe you could catch a skunk a let him live in it for awhile that would be sweet.


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## lincolnlake (Sep 9, 2011)

haha thought about it!


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## wavie (Feb 2, 2004)

As the law states, fishing and hunting are very different. Unfortunately Waterhazard has said it best for yourself and others.
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## algonquin dave (Nov 26, 2005)

lincolnlake said:


> Hey All,
> I was disgusted this evening when i went to check on my duck blind after i saw some goose hunters tied off on the island pictured below. When i got in it i found they have been using it as there toilet and it was full of human feces and toilet paper. When i saw the boat out there i was going to let it fly because i do not use it for geese, but now that i found this i am really disappointed. the island is clearly directly off of my land and think that the riparian law is pretty clear about this. This is my first year hunting and first year with a blind and i am sure that someone has been using this spot for years and is mad about losing their spot however it is not their spot. Anyways here is a labeled image below of the property in question. It is Lincoln lake in Gowen, Michigan. Just looking for some advice how i should handle this in a reasonable way. And also what i can do as far as the law is concerned.


 ohh that island, I think i own that Lincoln lake Camp went there a couple times in grade school! Took the youth there a few years back, nice camp.


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## Sprig (Jul 18, 2004)

algonquin dave said:


> ohh that island, I think i own that Lincoln lake Camp went there a couple times in grade school! Took the youth there a few years back, nice camp.


I also heard a few ghost stories at that camp when I was a kid; great memories of the mud walks.


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## lincolnlake (Sep 9, 2011)

just one of the perks...


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## algonquin dave (Nov 26, 2005)

when i worked at Camp Michawana i hunted geese there. thats where i got my first goose. Campin good times!


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## Water_Hazard (Aug 16, 2006)

lastflighttaxidermy said:


> Water_Hazard said:
> 
> 
> > When you hunt a spot for 20 years without asking permission (trespassing) sooner or later it will come to an end.
> ...


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## lincolnlake (Sep 9, 2011)

hey everyone i have finally chased all of this down and i wanted to be sure to tell you the outcome. Spoke with the DNR and it is clear that they are our islands and that we have exclusive permission to post and hunt and charge for trespassing. So we will see how it goes tomorrow...


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## wavie (Feb 2, 2004)

please video and remember to post it here.


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