I was hunting private ground that I have permission to hunt Saturday. I'm the only one with permission other than the family that owns it. The family only gun hunts the place. Well this past weekend was the first day of the early inline season.
I was in my tree well before daylight and I saw 3 flash lights coming my way. I figured it was the owner and his kids. I hit them with my light and wasn't sure where they went.
I texted the owner and he let me know hours later that he wasn't there. By the time I climbed down, the trespassers were gone. The owner told me to run them off if I see them.
How would you guys go about running these people off?
I guess what I'm asking is, should I put myself in a position that would have us cross paths on purpose?
I wouldn't say a word to them. I'd call the owner and Natural Resources officers if I seen them again. They can probably back track them easy enough.
Next time you see them challenge them by saying your trespassing leave!! and let the property owner know. I wouldn't get anymore involved.The property owner is the only person that can enforce any prosecution and if they do not care its really a nonissue. I have almost got myself into hot water over trespassers and poachers. When the chips are down and the property owner backs off all eyes turn to you.
I ran into the same problem. When I told the owner he wanted to post the property when he could. I did that for him along the areas I knew they were coming from. Have not seen them since so I am hoping that that is all there is to it.
I would tell them that they have two choices:
1. Leave
-or-
2. The local law enforcement will tell them to leave
no discussion, nuff said
On some land years back that I owned a share of, we had muzzleloaders coming in, the other owner caught them and took them to court. They said they were lost and the judge through it out. A week after the court appearance, they were back hunting pheasants with dogs, this time I handled it. They were happy to leave and not come back.
Having a confrontation with armed hunters who have no problems knowingly trespassing wouldn't be my first choice. i'd let the owner handle it.
If it was my property i would post it no trespassing, with bear trap warnings. And if they persisted i'd call the police.
Every state has different laws about it, and how they enforce it..... good luck, and be safe about it.
I did forget to mention that the property is clearly posted.
All private land in Louisiana is automaticaly posted so you better know whose property you are on at any given time.Posted signs are not required but can be used also.Kip
Back track, find their car, copy down plates, take pics with car in relation to posted signs. have a memo to self, timed and dated. call the law. If it goes to court you have something other than your word.
Let them know that you know they are trespassing, and that you are calling the Sherriff. Then do it.
Don't get into a gunfight over it. I say something like "You are trespassing, and I have called the Sherriff" .LOUDLY.
Alternatively....cut one of their heads off and put it on a pole. The rest of them will leave.. :scared: :bigsmyl: (i'm just kidding, don't really do that)
Do not confront them. If possible find their vehicle and just take a picture of their vehicle location. Document the location on where you seen them trespass. Tag the pictures with GPS coordinates if possible. Let the police handle the rest but make sure you have everything documented.
I do confront trespassers on occasion but its not worth it and could turn negative. If I confront them I tell them we have two options...one you either leave or we handle it with the police. Once the trespassers know you mean business they generally pass that on to people who also trespass the property. For some reason the number of trespassers and safety zone violators in PA have increased dramatically over the past few years. Reason I don't want Sunday hunting....just another day I have to deal with knuckle heads.
Part of the problem here in PA is our fines are just a slap on the wrist and trespassers will trade better hunting opportunity for a chance of a small fine.
Ron
We had pictures all the evidence needed and they admitted it, but then lied their way out of it. There is a social crony thing here. We have turned in area hunters baiting, cutting live trees to block trails, and a number of other things like hunting well after hours, all intentionally done and knowing that they were breaking the law. Depending who it is, makes a difference to the game warden. He let the baiters go, but wanted to write me up because two guys on a four wheeler were harassing me, but according to him, I was using them to drive deer to me. Of course the passenger sitting backwards with an arrow on his compound ready to shoot from the four wheeler was none of my concern. When law enforcement is not objective or consistent, those who are willing to break laws will be encouraged to continue breaking the law.
paven - Those people are not hunters....they are law breakers and choose to ignore the laws.
Ron
Northwest Iowa has more than its share.
If you do have a confrontation with someone in the future there is no way of knowing if it is the same hunters. I like to start by being cordial and giving a person the benefit of the doubt. They may have had permission to hunt a neighboring property and got turned around in the dark. Because they left as soon as they saw your light that is my guess as to what happened. In my experience people that are knowingly trespassing won't leave that easily. If you do confront someone trespassing I would explain to them that you are the only one that has permission to hunt the property and ask them to leave. Anything beyond that I would defer to the landowner. Unfortunately these types of situations are only going to increase over time as more and more people compete for less and less available property.
Keep in mind even though the issue can make you angry. It's doesn't mean you have to deal with the issue in an angry fashion. When I was about 14 or 15 I was one of 4 people allowed to hunt a very large farm. Well a bout 100 yards from my stand in the direction I came in from I heard what sounded like a bow being shot and crashing through the woods etc. well I climbed down and walked that way and sure enough there was a guy way up in a ladder stand who must have climbed in before I did. I walked by him along the field edge in the dark. Well he arrowed a doe. And I went up to him and said "I'm pretty sure you're in the wrong spot." "Well I just shot a nice doe so I think I picked a good one" I said "nice! Well let me get my uncle I'm sure he'll want to congratulate you and he can help you with the four wheeler" now pointing in the direction of the house just a few hundred yards away and making my way to the house. Well I bee lined back and my uncle and I went back out there. On the 4 wheeler. Needless to say the hunter was gone. Deer was left behind and so was the tree stand. He NEVER returned.
I also suppose thes days. Saying something like
"That's fine let's call "Bob" the land owner I'm sure he can clear this right up!
Go to the auto parts store & buy a $5 valve core tool... Let the air out of one tire...(screw the core back in!) Call the Sheriff & report the trespassers.....
Tell them they're the ones changing their tire!
I was hunting on my cousins property with permission and when I came back to my vehicle all 4 of my tires were flat, no valve cores in them. Come to find out I was too close to someone's marijuana patch. It was spring turkey season.
Get a letter from the landowner authorizing you to control access.
Don't confront them or have any contact of any kind. It could have bad consequences. Simply call the owner and law enforcement.
QuoteOriginally posted by hitman:
I was hunting on my cousins property with permission and when I came back to my vehicle all 4 of my tires were flat, no valve cores in them. Come to find out I was too close to someone's marijuana patch. It was spring turkey season.
Either that or it was Woodchucker!!!
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
If its a hunter you know darn well they ain't lost. Personally I'm not going to handle it very diplomatically, no reason to be nice to someone when you are not trying to get something from them.
Let the Game Wardens handle it. They deal with this all the time. They get paid to take care of this kind of thing, you do not.
Only the landowner can prosecute. If you call the officials and the landowner won't prosecute when they get there they won't be eager to help in the future.
Prosecution is the only effective and legal way to stop a trespassing problem. Burn one and the word gets out.
QuoteOriginally posted by Charlie Lamb:
Only the landowner can prosecute. If you call the officials and the landowner won't prosecute when they get there they won't be eager to help in the future.
Prosecution is the only effective and legal way to stop a trespassing problem. Burn one and the word gets out.
This is an ugly issue to say the least. In WI, Charlie is absolutely correct. Most legal agencies do not care to even address trespass issues and unfortunately the lawbreakers know it. Please realize that confronting the lawbreakers can also cause issues for the landowner later. (In my area, neighbors are actually the biggest abusers.) Confronting the trespasser yourself is not recommended at all by any legal entity as it can lead to many problems. IMO It is best to just leave a note on their vehicle that you have notified the "proper authorities" (if you can) and then notify the landowner accordingly. If the landowner pursues the matter, good for you! But do not be surprised if they are unwilling to do so. Try and get as much hunting or drivers license information as you can without confronting them directly. It will be needed IF the authorities are willing to discuss the matter with the offender.
Nothing you can do about it. I have seen trespassers pay their fine and go right back hunting. I had one tell me it was cheaper than leasing land. I once ran a trespasser off of land I had permission to hunt years ago and later that night I received a phone call threatening my famil and threatening to burn my house down. Now I don't say word. Not much you can do. I just hunt and kill my deer and let them have at it.
Trespassing Law in Oregon:
There are both criminal and civil TRESPASS laws. Criminal trespass law is enforced by police, sheriffs, or park rangers. Civil trespass requires that the landowner initiate a private enforcement action in court to collect any damages for which the trespasser may be responsible, regardless of whether a crime has been committed. Traditionally, for either type of trespass, some level of intent is required. Thus, the trespasser must not simply unwittingly traverse another's land but must knowingly go onto the property without permission. Knowledge may be inferred when the owner tells the trespasser not to go on the land, when the land is fenced, or when a "no trespassing" sign in posted. A trespasser would probably not be prosecuted if the land was open, the trespasser's conduct did not substantially interfere with the owner's use of the property, and the trespasser left immediately on request.
TRESPASSING LAW IN OREGON: No person shall hunt upon the cultivated or enclosed land of another without first obtaining permission from the owner or lawful occupant thereof, or the agent of such owner or occupant. The boundaries of enclosed land may be indicated by wire, ditch, hedge, fence, water or by any visible or distinctive lines that indicate a separation from the surrounding or contiguous territory.
If you do not have written permission on you to hunt private land and are stopped by a game officer or police officer . They can prosecute you for criminal trespassing without the owners of the land even being involved.....
In some states the landowner can "assign" the authority to prosecute to another person, such as the hunter.
By year's end I hope to own the property I've been hunting for the past 12 years. When I do I will make an appointment with the local game warden to ask what I should do if I observe a trespasser. I have not seen a trespasser since I've been hunting the property...but just in case I want to be well prepared.
Definitely be respectful of the law enforcement officer. Also, the wardens don't want to be your "run em off security". They want you to agree to prosecute because that word gets out. If the warden spends his time (paid by the sportsman) dealing with a trespasser and no prosecution occurs he will be less interested in responding the next time.
I was hunting a few years ago on private land. I was the only one allowed to be there much less hunt. I had set up just under a ridge at the base of a cedar, had a commanding view of the valley below me. I had set up just before first light and was there for about an hour when a bunch of drunks came charging through there in trucks and jeeps driving game and shooting anything that moved. Didn't pick up a single animal. The landowner and I spent the next 3 days picking up dead deer, hog, coyotes, everything including beer cans and other trash. They shot up 6 of his beef head. Shot one at least 30 times. I reported them to the game wardens and sheriff. Nothing happened. Turns out they were from the neighboring high fence ranch and they were trying to drive everything onto their ranch. Couldn't prove a damn thing when the sheriff confronted them.
Call law enforcement. No reason to possibly escalate when they could be better armed or worse how unpredictable they are. Being a cop I always have firearms, badge, and cuffs on me. Never had a problem.
Let the owner handle it...you are a guest. My brother's place is posted heavily and when he revoked the only local guy's permission to hunt..he happens to be a state trooper..he made him aware that he will prosecute anyone trespassing on the property.
We give no warnings except someone tracking into our land on a blood trail.You give them a warning they will be back. Once word gets out you will not have many more problems.We escort off property while calling fish and game and local police.
I walk up calmly and as peaceful as possible while talking to them, then take there pic w my phone ask them to leave and let them know next time I see them I will call DNR and sheriff to charge with trespassing. I let there actions dictate what will happen next !
Our laws and court system is a joke. The law breakers get slapped on the wrist and walk away laughing.