Poacher

[Loyalist Dave]

So hunting on the private land that has for many years produced much venison for me has been a problem this year. I'm one of only two hunters allowed on, and the other is a very badly wounded vet who shoots crossbow...he's had a bad year there too. In the past I would often "kick up" at least one deer at any time that I walked the property between early black powder season, shotgun season, and late black powder season. When hunting, not only would I get at least one deer, but often two during a season, and the wounded warrior usually got at least one as well...there were usually two herds in the area of about ten deer each. This year I've seen only one deer there.

There are plenty of trails....and new ones since the first week of December. I put down some surplus acorns late in November and they were gone in 24 hours. Rubs on the trees where a buck or two removed his velvet are there too. What is lacking is deer scat. Unlike in previous years, and I think the deer are moving through the land, instead of bedding down or feeding there. Couldn't figure out what caused the change.

There had been some rumors of coyotes in the area, but no signs (nor sounds) of them since July.

Now the Northern two acres of this property is heavily overgrown, and really tough to get a shot, so I don't go in there much. It was a regular place for deer to bed, and I'd get them coming out or going in. So since I've not seen more than one deer (and that was two days after Christmas) I went looking around, including the Northern two acres.

What I found was 5 yards on the other side of the northern boundary (a broken down fence, though the fence posts are clearly visible) was a tree stand facing the boundary. Plus about a bushel of field corn had been dumped on my side of the property line. The tree stand was positioned so that the archer or shooter could not possibly fire at deer on the stand's side of the property line, and was well hidden from the view of the homeowner on the other side of the boundary. I also found a large salt block dropped even further onto my side of the fence.

So I suspect that the neighbor to the East, who has had run-ins for poaching in the past, came onto the Northern neighbor's land, and put up the stand, then dumped the salt and the bait. Following that I think he hunted it very hard, and really disrupted the normal movement of the deer...hence my lack of seeing them this year. They know to pass through but not to bed down or linger.

I should've wondered when the landowner where I hunt asked if I got a deer "the other day" since he heard a shot very close, and thought I was in his woods. The couple that live there are very elderly, and it didn't occur to the husband that my car wasn't parked next to theirs in the driveway; the shot didn't come from me. I told the folks that own the land, and their son, what was up. So, the couple is contacting the neighbor to the North to see if they gave permission for a hunter.

I don't think that I will have much luck the last two open days for deer, Jan 8th & 9th. IF the neighbors tell me they didn't give permission, I will seize that stand and impound it. Either way I will have to mark the trees so the schmuck poacher can't say "Duuhh....I didn't realize that old fence line was a land boundary." Even though he had to cross his own fence to get onto the land, or if a person was given permission, they have to shoot across a boundary and then cross that boundary to get their deer....it's still poaching.

I've been there more than 10 years, and have always respected the boundary. I've passed up a couple of shots in the past when the area wasn't so overgrown, because the deer were on the wrong side of the fence, even though by about a few feet. I could easily have dragged the deer back onto my side without anybody seeing....but didn't....


LD

 

[BrownBear]

I don't use stands but have relatives in the midwest who have hunted them on the same land for years.

They're fond of telling the story of a similar blind they found a couple of years back. Started to tear it down, but had second thoughts. Went home and got his cordless drill and a 5# box of 3.5" deck screws. Spent an hour driving those long old things straight up through the floor of the blind, then all around the rail, then through each rung of the ladder as they climbed back down.

 

[Grumpa]

Sorry to hear of your problem, Dave.

Here we see the reality of poaching - game and opportunities stolen from other, legitimate hunters.

My Brother, who lives in a rural area, pretty much quit hunting around his own place, because the neighbors shoot deer 24/7/365.

A guy I saw once in a while at work, showed me pictures of monster bucks he shot in eastern Ohio. Said he'd take me out if I wanted. When hunting season came around I asked where he was? "JAIL!" came the response. Seems he was getting all those big bucks using infrared night vision scopes!

Good luck with your situation.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I put a very life like mannequin (Hair eyeballs, beard) in a tree stand on my fence. dressed it up right perdy...glasses, hat, blaze orange, gun, can a pop, back tag. Etc....Keeps my Rambo neighbors away.... :haha:

 

[GANGGREEN]

While I share your concern about unethical hunters, I'd be careful about "impounding" a stand that doesn't belong to you and which is on someone else's property, regardless of what you assume that they're up to. Unless I'm mistaken, the stand isn't on the property where you have permission (and even if it were, I'd still think it would be questionable unless you were acting as an agent of said landowner). Like I said, I can fully understand your frustration, but do you really want a fight on your hands? They could potentially call the law and you'd be the one answering all of the questions. That doesn't seem right, but it could be the reality. I'd be more inclined to wait diligently until you found the occupant and then have an honest discussion with him about what he's doing. Who knows. Good luck, I hope it turns out OK.

 

[Patocazador]

There was a field bordering our lease in Alabama where a hunter from that property hung a climbing stand on one of our trees to hunt his land because they had cleared that piece so there wasn't even a bush on it.

I removed the stand, completely removed every nut, screw, and strut possible and piled it all in a mound on his side of the fence. I then put another No hunting/No trespassing on that tree.

He dug a pit to hunt out of after that. :grin:

 

[Spikebuck]

In today's environment, if I have a serious problem with the neighbors, or anyone else, around my lease, I'm letting law enforcement handle it. I believe from past posts you have that background anyway, so you are probably quite comfortable handling it.

We have a neighbor on our East border that is at least a half a bubble off plumb. He was also "border" hunting our land by setting stands on the edge on his side, then cutting shooting lanes 100 yards onto our lease. After a confrontation we had male deer organs hanging on our gates and he also "ambushed" one of our female hunters leaving the property by flagging her as she drove past on the ATV then verbally assaulting her with every four-letter word in the book. She was scared to death. A complaint was filed with the County Sheriff's office to start a record of the activity and the local warden also notified, who told me the guy was definitely one that did not act normally. Not worth having some yahoo like that shoot you in a confrontation.

 

[jamesthomas]

If it is a ladder stand I would remove the "ladder" part of it and leave the seat. Poachers should be staked out over a red ant bed for 24 hours IMHO.

 

[Katahdin]

Sling shot and some Moth Balls,like you store wool in. Random delivery over the fence into the area you would like to see deer avoid,only takes a few.. or the flakes of the same Moth Balls,,

 

[caddo]

Was in your shoes for the last few hunting seasons and found where several deer had been killed on my property. They even used my land for a toilet on several occasions. This was a delicate situation as my neighbor allowed them to hunt there and I want to purchase this property one day so didn't want to offend the neighbor. I think that word got back to my neighbor that I was having a problem with them and they were not there this year. I saw more deer this year then I have in years, sure glad they are gone. Sometimes you just have to tuff it out. I wouldn't allow them to hang a stand on the property line and shoot into your hunting area though. On that we agree. Good luck to you

 

What in the world does this have to do with "Muzzleloader Hunting"?

 

[jamesthomas]

Everything!.

 

[coloradoclyde]

During the early history of the United States, little or no attention was paid to the destruction of birds or other wild animals. Probably the earliest law on the subject was one passed in Massachusetts in 1817, establishing closed seasons for certain animals and birds shot as game.

 

[Brokennock]

I'm not big on using trail cams to hunting deer, but they're great for hunting poachers. Might be time to place a few. As you know, documentation and evidence ate everything.

I do find interesting what you said about the presence of rubs and scrapes but a lack of deer scat. I posted elsewhere about the disappearance of deer and deer sign in north central CT, and I noticed that here too. But on more than just one property. I had areas with lots of rubs and some scrapes, but no scat. All in areas we usually see lots of deer, and lots of tracks and droppings.
Weird year.

Good luck with your poacher problem. Poachers and animal abusers should be flogged and their wounds wiped with lemon juice, repeatedly, with a final wipe of India ink that we might all take a whack when we encounter them in the woods.

 

[necchi]

Sling shot and some Moth Balls,like you store wool in.

Or a bar of IrishSpring bar soap and a potato peeler.

 

[George]

Probably the earliest law on the subject was one passed in Massachusetts in 1817, establishing closed seasons for certain animals and birds shot as game.

At the very founding of Kentucky, during the first convention for forming a government for Transylvania, Richard Henderson's trial colony, an attempt was made to protect the game. Here is an entry from Henderson's journal:

"Thursday, 25th. [May, 1775] ... This day four bills were fabricated and read: One for establishing a Tribunal of Justice; 2d, Malitia; 3d, for Preventing the Destruction of Game; 4th, a Law Concerning Fees..."

Don't know the details of the law, but, as they say, it's the thought that counts.

Spence

 

[ddoyle]

Chill out. Life aint that serious.

So far all you know is that while snooping about on private land that you do not own you found something you do not like. (possible competition).

You have NO idea who placed corn or salt on land that you hunt by permission. You also have no way to know if the son/father/wife/uncle/lover/ have given someone else permission to be there (or is dowuble dipping on lease money

If it was me I'd assume some nice, god fearing hardworking, law abiding hunter made an honest mistake or was given wrong information and clear it up when given a chance.

IMHO No one is as jealous of land as someone hunting with permission on land they do not own :wink:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Probably the earliest law on the subject was one passed in Massachusetts in 1817, establishing closed seasons for certain animals and birds shot as game.

At the very founding of Kentucky, during the first convention for forming a government for Transylvania, Richard Henderson's trial colony, an attempt was made to protect the game. Here is an entry from Henderson's journal:

"Thursday, 25th. [May, 1775] ... This day four bills were fabricated and read: One for establishing a Tribunal of Justice; 2d, Malitia; 3d, for Preventing the Destruction of Game; 4th, a Law Concerning Fees..."

Don't know the details of the law, but, as they say, it's the thought that counts.

Spence

Excellent!.... :applause:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

While I share your concern about unethical hunters, I'd be careful about "impounding" a stand that doesn't belong to you and which is on someone else's property, regardless of what you assume that they're up to. Unless I'm mistaken, the stand isn't on the property where you have permission (and even if it were, I'd still think it would be questionable unless you were acting as an agent of said landowner). Like I said, I can fully understand your frustration, but do you really want a fight on your hands? They could potentially call the law and you'd be the one answering all of the questions. That doesn't seem right, but it could be the reality. I'd be more inclined to wait diligently until you found the occupant and then have an honest discussion with him about what he's doing. Who knows. Good luck, I hope it turns out OK.

Good point....however, I said if I find that the other land owner did not give permission, that's when I'd impound the stand....for you see then I have evidence that it is a poacher, and I forgot to mention...I am Law Enforcement.

ddoyle wrote:

So far all you know is that while snooping about on private land that you do not own you found something you do not like. (possible competition).

You have NO idea who placed corn or salt on land that you hunt by permission. You also have no way to know if the son/father/wife/uncle/lover/ have given someone else permission to be there (or is dowuble dipping on lease money

Correct, while acting as the caretaker of the land that belongs to the 80 year old couple, yes I AM that for them..., (snooping is walking about without their authority to do so).... I found a deer [ladder] stand that cannot take a shot (OK I suspect perhaps straight down IS a possibility - deer can be blind) except for across a boundary line. I did mention that the excuse might be "I didn't know that was the property line", so I did mention I would go and make sure the line is marked more clearly. (that is giving some benefit of the doubt) Yes I DO know that the landowner on my side has not given permission....in my state it has to be in writing, and they tell me they have not verbally nor written. The only question was if the neighbors had.

If the neighbor did, well that's tough luck for me. Again, if the neighbors say they didn't give permission for a hunter then that stand is illegal. It's evidence of a crime. Placing the stand without written permission is a violation.

I don't know about your state, but say where I am for instance I see a fellow standing with a shotgun in a field, and at his feet are too many geese for the limit. I didn't see him shoot, I didn't see him touch the geese. He's still in trouble. In my case, IF there is no permission for the stand to be there, by the land owner, not a relative, offspring, girlfriend, and it has to be in writing....that's all that's needed. I simply suspect that the stand is positioned that way because the user knew there was a problem with the action....I don't have to prove he was hunting across the boundary line..., if the stand is without permission...that's all that's needed. If it is with permission, again, tough luck for me.

:idunno:

LD

 

[BrownBear]

Those are important distinctions and clarifications.

I well remember a friend in pre-cell phone days of the 1960's who was walking back out from a duck blind at their hunting club, where they'd had a lot of poachers. He came across a brand new Mustang parked back in the bushes.

Went nuts and shot out all 4 tires. Happy with himself, he continued on to his own truck and made the long drive back home.

Later that afternoon he got a call from his daughter wondering how the hunting had gone with her hubby, his son-in-law.

Turns out, the SIL had just bought a new Mustang, and on the spur of the moment decided to drive out and join the duck hunt while showing off his new drive.

My bud expressed his ignorance and asked that his daughter call back if the SIL hadn't shown up. Then started chewing his fingernails.

The call did come in later, but from the SIL. He was beyond insane because some miserable @#%^@#$% had shot out the tires on his new car, and he subsequently had to walk almost 15 miles to the nearest phone.

In the many years that passed until his death, my bud never fessed up! :rotf: