Poacher/tresspasser

[TripleR]

Looks like there are soem town/city rules, but no state rule. An example:


Aaron Z

Yep the municipalities can pass ordinances, but I didn't think he was in one. I live not far from Cape and there is a big, ongoing debate on allowing bow hunting due to deer over population; it seems to be an uphill battle.

 

[KTurner]

Playing a bit of devil's advocate here, looking at the possible other side of the story, whatever you want to call it:
Do you know that he was hunting your feeder as opposed to hunting a well traveled trail? In some places, it's illegal to feed deer
It's not your place to 'keep him on his place'. It sounds like you've already solved what would be your business, keeping him off your place.
Have you considered that your eagerness to dispense an arse kicking would be seen as 'twitchy' to some people?

There could be some illegal activity that happened, but none of what you've mentioned tells us that. Did he actually shoot a deer and, if so, was it done illegally? how far from your house was he when he discharged his weapon and does that comply with your local laws? did he have permission to be on that land?

At the same time, if he's doing stupid/illegal stuff with a weapon in your neighborhood, it doesn't really matter whose land he is on when he does it. Bullets certainly don't pay any attention to property lines.

Keith

 

[dmccarty]

Can you ask the neighbors if they would mind YOU posting their land for them? If this was in NC, I would explain to them that posting the land was the best way for them to minimize their liability of having people on their land. I don't know if this is true in your state but I would guess it would be. The NC extension office has a paper recommending posting your land to for liability purposes. NC has specific legal requirements to correctly post the land. Posting used to require signs but now we can use purple paint which makes things easier.

Later,
Dan

 

[Ridgewalker]

Playing a bit of devil's advocate here, looking at the possible other side of the story, whatever you want to call it:
Do you know that he was hunting your feeder as opposed to hunting a well traveled trail? In some places, it's illegal to feed deer
It's not your place to 'keep him on his place'. It sounds like you've already solved what would be your business, keeping him off your place.
Have you considered that your eagerness to dispense an arse kicking would be seen as 'twitchy' to some people?

There could be some illegal activity that happened, but none of what you've mentioned tells us that. Did he actually shoot a deer and, if so, was it done illegally? how far from your house was he when he discharged his weapon and does that comply with your local laws? did he have permission to be on that land?

At the same time, if he's doing stupid/illegal stuff with a weapon in your neighborhood, it doesn't really matter whose land he is on when he does it. Bullets certainly don't pay any attention to property lines.

Keith

The comment about the arse kicking was made after 5 cups of coffee early this AM so I suspect I was a bit twitchy at the time. However, in the woods I was calm and polite. The well traveled trail goes about 80 yards between my house and another neighbors house...the vacant lot is in between us, think end of cul de sac circle only on a bigger scale with just three lots on the cul de sac. Our road is the top of a steep ridge and our houses are just off the top of the ridge in the woods on either side.

If he would have been down on the logging road below I wouldn't mind as much. It's a lot further away and just as accessible. My 80 yard neighbor has told me the shooting has been closer this year than ever before. I think I am slightly to blame by putting the feeder out, it drew deer and hunters! I am taking it down this afternoon and I'm going hunting for shell casings.

Edit... I found 30.06 shell casings, a camo chair and a gun case right in the middle of the lot in question.
My "80 yard" neighbor was with me and once he saw that he said he was calling the subdivision trustees.

 

[MossRoad]

Don, if you suspect the neighbor of taking undersize bucks, then why not contact your game warden? ....

I'm thinking the same thing.... call the game warden. That's what they are paid to do. And, most of them are passionate about thier work.

 

[brin]

I'm thinking the same thing.... call the game warden. That's what they are paid to do. And, most of them are passionate about thier work.

I can attest to game wardens being dedicated and passionate...I called a couple of years ago and complained about poachers on our farm...the game wardens...2 of them came to my office and had me sign an agreement authorizing them to arrest anyone on my farm that could not produce written permission signed by me to be there....I have had no problems since...they walk the property...I asked them if they wanted a key to the gate and he said no...any poachers or trespassers would hear us coming...we walk up on them....We have a stocked spring fed pond as well so they check it too..

 

[creekbend]

I'm thinking the same thing.... call the game warden. That's what they are paid to do. And, most of them are passionate about thier work.

Well stated. I totally agree.

 

[LD1]

Well stated. I totally agree.

I dont get it.

I understand if the guy was doing something illegal, but is there a size limit on the deer where you live?

In all honesty, if the guy wasnt breaking the law, you dont have a leg to stand on. For all you know, he is kin or has permission to hunt on the "out-of-town" owners property???

I understand the frustration. You feed the deer cause you enjoy watching them and are drawing them to the area. Someone is hunting the deer that you normally see? Is that the only issue? is he too close to residential ACCORDING TO THE LAW? Are you allowed to hunt with rifles in your area?

What law has he allegedly broken??

 

[MossRoad]

I dont get it.

I understand if the guy was doing something illegal, but is there a size limit on the deer where you live?

In all honesty, if the guy wasnt breaking the law, you dont have a leg to stand on. For all you know, he is kin or has permission to hunt on the "out-of-town" owners property???

I understand the frustration. You feed the deer cause you enjoy watching them and are drawing them to the area. Someone is hunting the deer that you normally see? Is that the only issue? is he too close to residential ACCORDING TO THE LAW? Are you allowed to hunt with rifles in your area?

What law has he allegedly broken??

From the original post I gathered that the deer was shot on property the hunter did not have permission to hunt on. Also, in many states, it is illegal to hunt deer at feeders.

 

[zzvyb6]

You don't mention the size of the ' lots ' you are talking about, but here in Michigan, it is illegal to shoot withing 400 feet of a dwelling. [ unless it is target shooting by a neighbor ] I feel for ya, but untill you buy the property, there is not much you can do about it. Even if you owned 160 acres, he could still sit on the trail leading into your property... Good luck, Jerry..

Not quite so. It is illegal to HUNT with 150 yards of an occupied dwelling or barn in Michigan. I believe you can shoot with no distance rquirements (the ruling assumes target shooting) and you are responsible for any and all consequences of this shooting (blast and projectile damage).

See attached link (page 218 has a clarification made by the then Attorney General Frank J. Kelly)

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/publications/firearms.pdf