Hunter dies after his stand is pulled down...

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I've not read all the posts so forgive me if I cover old ground.

mdd,
I understand your deep rooted feelings towards your land as it is your lively-hood. Your family of past generation's as well as your current family has depended on that property for many years and that property ' it's your life'.

I do however have a question for you.

Are you more upset with the people that live around you that own this land that lease it to the hunters as you are with the hunters that lease it?

Around these parts, seems as though every parcel of land that comes up for sale/lease is the result of the farmer passing away, the kids ending up with the property and have no interest in the hard work farming intails but rather the easier/faster money for either selling or leasing the property. Doesn't matter that that very property is what they grew up on or the fact that the property provided the roof over their head and out clothes on their backs.

I get more PO'd at the property owner rather than the leasor. But in todays society its all about the quick $$$.:(

The land leasing thing is just now becoming a big thing around here and you can usually tell the parcels of land that are leased for recreation as the line fences aren't maintained, there's usually more trash accumulateing on property etc., and much more trespassing.

As far as tree stands I've found on my property, I just take em down and keep them. Got quite a collection myself and I don't think my brothers have ever bought a tree stand:D.
My property is well posted and trespassing is a constant problem. I might add that its not usually people coming from 'the big city' doing the trespassing but people that live around here that own parcels of land to small to hunt on, that are to sorry to travel to public hunting and they've been caught trespassing/trashing their neighbors property. Word gets around on these P'sOS and they'd probably have to travel two to three counties over to hunt cause of their sorry reputations.
When I catch a trespasser, I take their picture. When I first walk up to them, my cellphone is in picture mode and the 1st thing I do is raise the phone and take the picture. The 2nd thing I do is listen to the lame excuse as to why they are there(some of them are rather comical). The 3rd thing is to inform them that I'll keep their pics. on file and if I catch them again, I'll prosecute.
 
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as far as booby traps, the only thing I believe is legal is animal traps, you cant help it if some trespasser steps on one. but I am not sure on laws how often you have to maintain your traps? once a week to check maybe?

I had a friend interested in using my land earlier in the year, until he was trying to hike into the entrance & saw bear tracks, he lost all interest. he was looking for a place to play an instrument that wouldnt disturb his neighbors, & he is a convicted felon & cant have a gun, so he said he would try to find somewhere safer to play. he truely freaked out over finding bear tracks.

the bad thing is he was on my neighbors land, he went too straight, & didnt make a right turn. but if a neighbor had saw him & he explained what he was doing & who I was they would have helped him showing him where my boundary was, & he had a signed piece of paper from me for him to be there to look it over. plus a very crude not to scale map hand drawn. I have since offered on several occasions to show him, & I get the same reply, thats ok, thanks anyway, he doesnt want any part of being around possible bears. lol.

this thread has been interesting, I will tend to side with landowners, I dont believe in claymores or deadly resolutions, for trespassers unless they pull or point a weapon. property isnt really worth a life.

one fine point that has not been mentioned! SQUATTERS RIGHTS! if they openly, take posesion, you could lose your land, it is up to the land owner to make sure he doesnt allow anyone to "squat" my problem wasnt a real squatter, but if I didnt walk the land peridocially, then person responsible could claim they have been there "X" number of years, it was a huge tree house, with a commode, & they had kerosene can for a heater, they could easily claim it was a "house" or "dwelling" & have met all the rules to take possesion & file for a title & legally take my land. if something went that far I would contact the 1% bikers I grew up with, & worked with & let them have some "fun"! I worked full time & part time in a bike shop for 15 years run by a club member, & am considered almost family, I had a falling out with owner over a couple small issues & I quit, removing parts from my bike & allowing a "prospect" to use my parts, or allowing a customer to test my expensive race brakes, & me without a scoot, so prospect patch in. a prospect while prospecting has to ride his bike to every meeting no matter what, & instead of taking a new part off shelf & letting guy charge it, he would remove used part off my bike & let guy use my part until he could find a used part, or to buy a new part. or like my brakes, he didnt keep instock, but he would try to help a sale to allow customer to use my brakes on their bikes a couple days, & then they would buy, but in meantime I had no brakes, but they stayed flushed & & he gave me the fluid, but I got sick of reinstalling my parts, that happened too many times & a couple vacations, & me with a bike, but not able to ride it, so I got ticked & quit, but I still consider him my best friend.

Randy
 
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Folks need to remember that no matter how annoying trespassing is, it's a crime which is NOT a capital offense. Macho chest-beating about the "What I'll do..." is very childish--and can quite probably lead to a felony charge.
 
mdd, I see what you are saying. I must make a few things clear about the property that we lease.
In the area that I live, not big city, I'm not rich, matter of fact, layed off for over a year and a half. The four of us clubmembers together probably don't make $130k a year, when working.
We cannot hunt in the area that I live, as not one farmer or landowner will allow anybody with a gun on their property. Seriously, if you aren't the landowner's son or son's best friend, you are SOL. The landowners themselves are why we must get together and lease property in order to be able to hunt. Which is why, if I wanna hunt, I have to travel. Two of my club members live within a few miles of our land, and some of us are on that land 35 or more weekends per year, camping, fishing, hunting, cooking out, or otherwise riding our trails on our 4 wheelers.
The property that we lease has lain dormant for almost 50 years. During the 50s and 60s, landowners dad built 5 large ponds for public fishing, much like the modern carp ponds/tournaments in our areas today. After owners dad passed away, leaving the land to his son, land was allowed to sit idle for all these years. Son doesn't live anywhere near the property, so it was almost a smorgasboard of freedom for tresspassers, who burned to the ground 3 small log cabins that were built to house vacationers. That was the beginning of our landowner's headaches.
This land was not used for any kind of agriculture. Matter of fact, when we offered to lease, we were responsible for informing the owner that he COULD lease agriculture rights also. He didn't know that. Now, he leases agriculture rights for what few open acres that there are, and hunting rights, simultaneously.
The way I look at it is this, hardnosed or not----If the land was so valuable as to warrant 30 and 40 years and more worth of tresspassing, then why didn't even ONE INDIVIDUAL try and lease the property before us? Our landowner was not even aware that he could lease it, until we told him. So I have no sympathy for the tresspassers. They have gotten a free ride for all of these years. No more, as long as I can help it.
The only persons hurt/damaged/ticked off in my scenario are the criminals. The landowner is so happy with us that he gives us a $2 per acre yearly discount, and always tells us how his phone isn't ringing off the hook about people on the land, because we the hunters, are living up to our agreement(That ANYBODY could have entered into, within the past half century, instead of sneaking in to do as they please).
Regards,
sixgun
 
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Art Eatman made a good point: "... "What I'll do..." is very childish--and can quite probably lead to a felony charge."

+1 to Art

There is case history on this, although I'm not sure how to look up legal cases. There was a young man ~ 20 who got Pi SS'd off at another in Phoenix AZ a few years ago. Unfortunately, he had posted online he'd like to see the guy dead. Some time passed, I think about 3 or 4 months, then there was another random meeting that became a confrontation. The other guy died. The prosecutor somehow found out about the online note / threat / venting, then changed the charges to a planned, premeditated murder, even though the witnesses indicated the other (decedent) actually started the fist fight.
20-life is a very long time for premeditated murder (vs. 0 or 1-5 for a much lesser charge) for being really stupid on Facebook, TFL or cyberspace in general.
 
I know in mn its ilegal to do permanent stands on public land and from research that means u put it up and take it down everyday. I found this out because me and my brother hunt public land together every year and a dnr officer saw us walking into the woods the night before opener with portable stands and told us if we set them up and leave em just over night he was taking em so we asked what we should do about the rest we always see he said take em down... so that's what we do if a stand isup more than a day or two we take it.. as for us we use climber stands and we head in 2 hours before sunrise and set up.. got 3 deer this year within 20 minutes of opening.
 
there is a point to these ramblings ther at the last 1/4 of it

thank you mdd
i dont run cattle and to be honest dont have land my self me my wife and two kids just moved in with my mom in utah so i could go to school for a while
we moved from west virginia today mom and i had a perty good disagreement about how i am taking care of my family. right now i am laid off probably till the weather breaks, i pipeline, some work in bad weather and some companies dont.
any who so we had an argument, in my time off i have been coyote hunting and trapping you dont need any tags or license for coyotes just a utah trapper idea if you trap. the dogs hold a 20$ bounty out here.
she got upset because my wife and i chose to have a simple life we mend our bluejeans, we gift wrap in the same paper we used the year before, when food is hard to come by i go out and get a rabbit and trap a yote, meat and 20 for veggies and dessert
no television an old truck and 1 newer car for the kids
back home we find ramps, sang, Marells, and even eat squirrel. we some what lived off the land. I still had a job and didnt make much but we are a happy family and simple. i have learned alot about my self since coming home to utah she said we are living a mediocre life and should have more of the finer things in life.
folks waist money on cars on food on appliances all just to keep up with the jonses. folks here know water is scarce and recognize that they live in a desert but pay thousands for a green yard and refuse to walk on the grass???? thank you for standing up for folks that use the land for more than a holiday. i hate to see people squander the land that the government has made public. but dont come on my families land and pretend that it doesn't matter cause your just one person.i think many of us would be up set if our land is trespassed on, i also think that most any of us would let people on our land if they asked and promised to hold the same standards for it that we do. i have let many people hunt the land behind my house we trade schedules and know where each other is set up some its helpful too
i took plenty deer that people have pushed my way while they are getting to there set up
in hunter safty we are taught to ask and even to share or game with the land owner
dont use more than is needed dont squander what you have and never takewhat isnt yours. i am not meaning to attack those that have land just to hunt but am just pointing out that some folks dont have the chance for 5 or 600 acres just to see it once every season. be happy with what you have 4 acres is plenty for rabbit deer fox and public land is more than enough
 
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I guess every expectation and reaction has been written, the only conclusion for this thread is really,, that we're all sorry a hunter got killed....period...:(not much else to write about except that he was a brother hunter and will be missed). My condolences to the family...
 
My condolences to the family...
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+1 Hooligan1.

I stated what I do for trespasser's in my earlier post. I've had my share of run-ins with them.
A few of the run-ins include:
1:almost being shot twice myself as the trespassing hunters and I didn't know the other persons was there.

2:Trespasser shooting a deer which was no more than thirty yards below my brother and his 7yr. old son which were on a stand. Trespasser clearly saw them.

There have been other run-ins but those are a few that come to mind.

Every year during shotgun season, my brothers/nephews come here to hunt.
Even though I could care less about shotgunning for deer, I religiously take the first three days off work. The main reason I take this time off is to try and meet the 'attack of the trespasser' so my relation can have an enjoyable, safe hunt they've waited on since the previous year.
Every year, the first couple days is usually screwed up with one or more trespasser's.

Beside's our individual choice of hunting weapon, the second most important piece of equipment that each adult carries is our walkie-talkie's. Each brother has his own fav. spot they go to each year. They don't still hunt or move from that spot. We do that for safety purposes.

I post myself near the highly posted road where the trespasser's usually enter from. My job is to head off the blind trespasser's that can't see the multiple signs posted about every thirty feet. I know they're blind cause I always ask them when I stop them if they saw that sign/signs they just walked passed the answer is always 'NO'.:rolleyes:. I literally watched one guy pull alongside the road, get out of his truck and get a garden rake out of the bed and tear down three signs. He then got back in his truck, drove passed where I was at(about 20 yds inside of woods,in clear view dressed in hunter orange) threw his hand up and waved. Since I live on a dead end road, I knew he would be back. Sure enough, here he came. Pulled his truck off the road where he had tore the signs down and proceeded to get ready for his hunt. While he was dressing I had the sheriff on the phone and had already given them his lic. plate # and when I expressed my state of mind to them, the dispatcher advised me not to approach him. I told the dispatcher I felt the guy might be impaired cause as I watched him tear the signs down he was staggering a bit and if he started down over the hill towards my brothers I would stop him. Between 5-10 mins. a cruiser pulled up and needless to say right in time cause this guy had just started into the woods. The only orange he was wearing was an orange ballcap.
After the LEO got this idiot to the road, he gave him a field sobriety test which the guy failed(its about 0800 :confused:). He was arrested, truck impounded and gun confiscated. His hunting lic. were revoked for a certain time(can't remember) and I was awarded $500 for him ripping my signs down that were given to me by the sheriff's office. He was from town but was a relation to a neighbor that is a drug dealing, generation welfare POS with whom I've had trouble with before.

For those non-landowners, does this sound fun? I would never shoot someone for trespassing but will prosecute to the fullest extent. Just as I did when I lived in the city. If I caught you in the backyard and didn't know you, you're up to no good, period. If you were a kid, I threatened you with the 'big dog' and showed you the 'beware of dog' sign posted on the fence.

Having spent alot of my earlier years living in the city, in probably the roughest part of Cols. Ohio, I can tell you, you're more likely to get shot in town for simple trespassing than in the country. With the inner city crime rate, that's no surprise. People are scared in their own homes.
That being said, those from the city should remember that when they come to the country. If a farmer has 30 or 30,000 acres, thats his backyard same as your backyard in the city. How upset would you be if your neighbor cut a hole in your fence, letting your dog out cause it makes for a shorter walk for him/her to the bus stop/store etc.? You wouldn't want the neighbors kids installing a basketball hoop in your driveway without permission cause their driveway isn't big enough or installing their satelite dish on your roof cause there's just no reception at their house.
Wished some of the people that lived around here were forced to move to the inner city. With their lack of respect, they wouldn't last a week. Somebody would shoot them. They more than take for granted what they have with trashing up their own property as well as others.

Bottomline, it just boils down to respect.

You have certain 'bad elements' wherever you live. The inner-city, its the gangbangers, carjackings, drive-bys, constant gang turf battle's and the beautiful gang turf 'art' you see painted all over the garage walls, stores etc. and lets not forget the dope dealer

In the country, you have the occasional break-in, theft of certain farm chemicals thats also used in the production of making dope, you have to inspect your property for a new yearly marijuana crop...yes believe it or not alot of the smoke thats sold in the inner-city is grown on some poor old farmers land where he's to old to get to the back side of his property. Yea, once again, by those pesky ole trespasser's. Guess how much money it costs that poor old farmer trying to convince the courts he knew nothing about the dope. It happens.

Back in the old days, a good dose of rocksalt was used. Today, I'd suggest calling the sheriff. Also, whether one approachs a trespasser in the city or the country, it would probably be a good idea to have your backside covered. You never know what a stranger is up to or capable of.
 
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