Trad Gang

You guys who hunt coveted private ground all know this routine.   It seems every year I spend at least one hunt "educating" someone about trespassing.  

I am lucky enough to be one of three people to hunt a great river bottom spot not far from my house and basically in town.    Its 320 acres of river bottom funnels and great bedding cover.

For years the landowner didn't allow anyone to hunt, but he was sick of the trespassers.  He lets us hunt if we "patrol" to the place.    It doesn't matter how many signs you post, people still sneak in.  

Yesterday the guys were brazen enough to argue with me, and say "nobody hunts down here"  who gave YOU permission.   I promptly called the authorities.    The worst part was it still bothers me and ruins the feel of the hunt.   I saw 7 bucks after the confrontation and it hardly got me going.   I was still shaken/p##sed by the ordeal.  

Thanks for listening to the vent.

That's always a bummer!  I like how they always want to know  " who gave you permission" so they can go ask. My guess is they 'll be back.

I can't get over when someone is breaking the law how they can have the audacity to ask what you're doing there. Some people just don't have any morals. I'm lucky that i've never run into one of these situations on my leases.

A proper response, "I have written permission to be here and will show it to the Warden when he gets here, since I called him about 15 minutes ago." That should get their attention.

Sounds like you handled it well anyway.

Let's hope that Game and Fish gives the guy a nice autographed citation and a heavy fine. Some people's kids! Sheesh!

At least you are making it known that trespassers will not be tolerated there. Once word gets out that the authorities got involved, less people will try to get in.
  :thumbsup:

Its a worldwide problem. I have a 2400 acre farm in New Zealand and I am fairly generous with whom I allow to come hunt on it. Despite that every year there are individuals who think they can disregard the rules and just enter and kill stuff. Good on you for confronting them. It is never pleasant and you can never be sure what their reaction will be. It certainly ruins your day.

Just more symptons of our " intitelment" culture that is developing.

:rolleyes:    

I worked for a company that owned lots of land.  The company allowed some of the employees to lease it to hunt on.  We had a terrible problem with littering at the gate and treepassing.  Had people come in and steal things.  You know, the typical thngs you get when you don't allow people to abuse your things.

Anyways, one of our members was out camping with his family a couple years ago and here comes a whole possey of 4 wheelers.  They had ignored the signs, the locked gate and all.  When confronted they knew they had Brian out numbered and acted appropiately for the trash they were.  Asking him who had given him permission and what right he had to tell them to leave.  Real winners.

I hope you have no further problems but after being involved with large landowners firsthand, it is a on going battle.  God Bless

That sucks Jeff.  I bet they were packin guns too.  Not good for the blood pressure or fun factor. Let me know if you need more patrollers mid-week...I'd love a doe hunt'n spot.

I hope those guys lose their hunting privilege. I would sure let the authorities know how belligerent they were to you. That may convince them to request the court take more than just the minimal action against these clowns.

Sure hope they got a ticket at least. I think so many do it because they get away with it.

Seems to be alot of these kinds of people walking around these days. This is the second issue I have heard about in Montana this year. Criminal prosecution is the only means to deal with these types. Sometimes more than twice.

Repeat after me, you can't fix stupid. People do what they do because there is no respect for others, or what you have.

I'm just shy of 67 and can assure you that trespassers, poachers and other slobs have been around for a long time. I might add that today's slobs like those before them come from a portion of the population that hardly consider themselves part of any "entitlement culture".

Jeff,
Sorry to hear you are having to deal with trespassers too, we have been dealing with them on three of my four whitetail spots.  The spotlighting poachers on one property have been even worse.  Make sure the land owner is willing to prosecute then get the game wardens involved.

Don't let them get you down.

Sorry to hear about that, I have had people try and throw me off my own property. I'm a little quicker to call the authorities.

I feel your pain sir!  Just be thankful you're not in East Texas.  I'm a transplant here and some of these "Good O'le Boys" think any land is ok to hunt.  Over the years I have purchased almost 100 acres just to hunt on adjacent to my home and I've got one neighbor that totally disregards the law.  This guy has five ongoing  violations on the Nat'l Forest and the Feds are now investigating him.  I sure  hope they fine him big time.

Sorry.  Didn't mean to rant.  I just sympathize wtih your dilemma.  Best of luck to ya.

It happens all the time here in Ga.

Ran a couple off walking their dogs down through a buddies farm last month. I feel your pain.

I feel your pain. We have had to call the game and fish quite a few times on our property in Arkansas because of trespassers.

We had a lease next to ours where a few guys showed up and started hunting. Leaseholder confronted them and they proceed to tell him they leased the property from XYZ. Come to find out, XYZ had scammed several people around the area. Not sure what ever happened in  the case.
I hate a thief!

QuoteOriginally posted by Jim Wright:
I'm just shy of 67 and can assure you that trespassers, poachers and other slobs have been around for a long time. I might add that today's slobs like those before them come from a portion of the population that hardly consider themselves part of any "entitlement culture".

Coming from the far north I deal with the "entitlement culture" (I've lived here over thirty years!)all the time.  After further thought on the subject I think you are right Mr. Wright.

Jeff, You have elected to trade the responsibility of patrolling the property for the right of recreating.  Seems a fair trade, but just know, in your parts as well as ours "anti-sentiment" for  everything  runs high and the chance of running into a real situation is quite probable.  Stay sharp and be safe brother.

~CB

Thanks everyone.   Yeah it is the trade off and I still feel privileged to have a good spot to hunt.  I just hate that it ruins good hunts.

Randy yes they had guns and I was unarmed .   My wife keeps sayin I'm going to get shot one day.   Hopefully not.   :) .

I'd like add that most of the people I catch are apologetic and seem remorseful.   Kind like a "getting caught with you hand in the cookie jar" look on their face.   These guys just were so in my face and defiant that I hope the landowner prosecutes them .  We'll see.

On a brighter note,  My wife could tell it really bothered me.  She SUGGESTED I go hunt again last night to make me feel better.  No that is not a misprint.  Miracles never cease.  :)

QuoteOriginally posted by The Whittler:
Repeat after me, you can't fix stupid. People do what they do because there is no respect for others, or what you have.

Actually, you can fix it...but it's illegal. Not to mention having to go to all the trouble of finding someplace to hide the bodies...   :knothead:      :dunno:

I have a place on the Truckee.  Two weeks ago a vagrant and his dog moved in.  As we walked by, the dog attacked and I fended him off with my longbow. He came out of his truck and corraled the dog. I told him that if the had bitten me, I would have shot it. He blew up.  We walked away and he called the sheriff.  The sheriff showed up as we cleaned rabbits at the truck.  He agreed with us, including my right to shoot the dog.  He thanked us and ticketed the jerk.  And made him leave.  If you have a clean case, call the law.  If nothing else, they start a paper trail on the jerks that will folow and eventually stick em.  Like all here, my hunting is a big part of my life and my skirts are clean, so I call the law so I can protect my rights.  I work on that ranch for free for hunting rights, and I feel it is necessary to call out the violators.  Remember, your call may be the one that sticks after he skated other minor brushes.  Protect yourself in the process,  these folks can be nasty

I hate Tresspassers!   :mad:  I've had a few dealing with them the day seems to go downhill from there.

Luckily trespassers are less of a problem now but that's only because I've been running them off for years.  It get's the blood boiling when they have the nerve to lie and say the land owner gave them permission and threaten to call the police on you!  Seems like in this area anyone sees a nice wooded property they think its public land and feel free to walk on.

Yep, it's a never ending battle Jeff, hang in there and don't let em get you down...

It sucks when you go to deer camp to relax and end up spending all your time patroling and dealing with buttheads. I have a couple of buddies who actually have fun doing this however. It frees the rest of us for hunting. You have to be vigilant and in my experiance it helps to act like a real a--hole when you catch them. Call the law if possible but sometimes you just are not able. Eventually the word will get around that you and your buddies are not to be fooled with and the scumbags will begin to leave you alone. We took one trespasser's four wheeler one year. He was able to get it back from the deputy sheriff along with a ticket. The Deputy was great and gave him the lecture along with the ticket. You have to be carefull and you have to be armed. A shotgun works best.

It's nice to have acerage to hunt to yourself, the more the better. Now days hunting land is getting harder to find. 3 guys hunting 320 acres and not letting that guy hunt there sounds kinda selfish to me. The reason he was probably a jerk was because he sees hunting land becoming more scarce. You should have told him he should get permission first to hunt private property as to not ruin someone elses hunting,then make him feel somewhat invited. We should be ambassadors of the sport. You might even make him a better person.

QuoteOriginally posted by kill shot:
It's nice to have acerage to hunt to yourself, the more the better. Now days hunting land is getting harder to find. 3 guys hunting 320 acres and not letting that guy hunt there sounds kinda selfish to me. The reason he was probably a jerk was because he sees hunting land becoming more scarce. You should have told him he should get permission first to hunt private property as to not ruin someone elses hunting,then make him feel somewhat invited. We should be ambassadors of the sport. You might even make him a better person.

Respectfully, I completely disagree with "kill shot's" sentiments.

QuoteOriginally posted by kill shot:
It's nice to have acerage to hunt to yourself, the more the better. Now days hunting land is getting harder to find. 3 guys hunting 320 acres and not letting that guy hunt there sounds kinda selfish to me. The reason he was probably a jerk was because he sees hunting land becoming more scarce. You should have told him he should get permission first to hunt private property as to not ruin someone elses hunting,then make him feel somewhat invited. We should be ambassadors of the sport. You might even make him a better person.

I hope this is sarcasm

Yeah not really pickin up what you're laying' down Kill shot.   Tongue in cheek?

I'm smellin his chili and ain't buying it...

~CB

Wasn't there a time when they shot trespassers?????
No difference than coming into a mans home uninvited. You just don't do it......

When I was growing up, my neighbor Mr Canfield confronted a trespassing hunter on his property. The trespasser told him, "Mr Canfield gave me permission to hunt here." to which he replied, "Well, I'm Mr Canfield and I've never seen  you in my life so get the heck off my property!"

Peoples gots nerve...