Trespassers

[treed942000]

Trespassers irk the sh!t out of me.  My uncle owns a nice parcel of land back in Southwest Iowa.  I was doing my PCS move so I decided to take me some leave en route to my new duty station.  I polished up the old smoke pole and had been hunting 5 days in a row and hadn't seen anything even come close enough to take a "kill shot".  Finally the day before I was due to come out to the east coast I saw a nice buck out feeding in the corn stocks.  He was slowly working his way towards me when all of a sudden I hear a bang, bang, and saw orange coming up over the hill.  Bird Hunters.  Needless to say the buck took off in the other direction.  They got up to me and I'd asked if they had permission to hunt and they rattled off this guys name, well he didn't even no my uncle who has had the land for years.  My uncle came down and called the game warden.  Needless to say they all got fined for trespassing and had to turn over all the birds they had.  I good end to a bad day of hunting.

[venisonman]

I'd say justice was served.

[The Smokestick Kid]

THe first year we owned one of our pieces of land, trespassing was horrible. I sat in my tree stand one morning and watched as a guy and his son walked 400 yards across the field, stopped at the treeline, read our posted signs...then continued walking almost directly underneath my stand...trust me, they got out of there in a hurry when I said "Who the f*** are you, and what are you doing on this property?" Other people have snuck on and actually killed deer and turkeys on our land, when we were there. And they always use the excuse that they've been hunting that land for years...well my dad and I always give them the same answer: "Well, guess what? You're not hunting this land anymore...so turn around, and get out of here." Many stories to tell, but no time to tell them all...Trespassers SUCK.

-Zach

[BuckShotJon]

We have had problems with Trespassers for the last few years. The only way to deal with them is to have them arrested. No excuses! Make a few arrests and the word travels fast.

Jon

[USMC130FE]

Two things to do.  Post and Patrol.  If you catch someone on the land see if they have a viable excuse, if not call the law.  I'm really interested in seeing how many deer are going to be shot on the land that I have exclusive rights to hunt while I'm gone.    A lot of "friends" know that I'll be gone this whole season and the farmer is to old to walk around and check so I have an Idea I'll come home to a few less Deer and Turkeys    All the past work I've done??

Steve

[venisonman]

Steve,


I'd be happy to hunt, errrr patrol your land for you.....lol.
No, but seriously, if its around this neck of the woods or the area I hunt, I'd be willing.

[PA_BOWHUNTER]

We have had problems with Trespassers for the last few years. The only way to deal with them is to have them arrested. No excuses! Make a few arrests and the word travels fast.

Jon

Seriously, when you confront a tresspasser, with out having a game warden or DEC officer witness it can you really get anywhere?  I have a few problem individuals that need to be dealt with and a few fines that will separate them from their precious $$$ will hurt them more than anything.

[USMC130FE]

If you know they are trespassing at the time call the DEC or Sheriffs office.  As soon as a official representative is on hand, all excuses are out.  If I'm not mistaken a Sheriff can issue tickets for that infraction   Something to look into before the next confrontation.

Steve

[BuckShotJon]

Seriously, when you confront a tresspasser, with out having a game warden or DEC officer witness it can you really get anywhere?  I have a few problem individuals that need to be dealt with and a few fines that will separate them from their precious $$$ will hurt them more than anything.

I will answer your question in multiple ways. I have changed careers now but I was a Federal LEO. At that time you bet it was easy to make a arrest in the woods. I did it there and then.

It is still pretty easy. In NY anyway you sign a deposition and bam done deal. Not very hard to do. I would check your own state if your not in NY. In NY you also have to be a designated from the landowner if you are not thee landowner.

The next point Steve makes and I will elaborate on.

If you know they are trespassing at the time call the DEC or Sheriffs office.  As soon as a official representative is on hand, all excuses are out.  If I'm not mistaken a Sheriff can issue tickets for that infraction   Something to look into before the next confrontation.

He is not mistaken, a Deputy, Trooper or DEC can and will make the arrest. Here is a crutial point . The DEC in NY arrests off of "Environmental Conservation Law" or ECL. The definition of trespassing there and how it is enforced is ludicrious in my opinion. It requires a certain number of posting signage and all 4 corners of a property to be posted. It is MUCH, MUCH easier to have a person arrested from a Deputy or Trooper for the "Penal" law version of trespassing. Under NYS Penal law a person simply can be arrested for not having permision to be there regardless of posted signs or not.

I am a little rusty on ECL. But I think both carry the same weight for penaltys. "Simple Trespassing" is a violation punsh by max 15 days in jail, fine or both. Again I am a little rusty now.

While it is a good idea to utilize all forms of Law Enforcement it is easyest to contact a Deputy or Trooper imo.

Jon

[USMC130FE]

The main point is to get word out that "A$$h*** who owns/leases that land don't mess around"  Once that gets out the problem usually goes away or at least is reduced to about nil.

Steve

[Bobman]

Steve - sometimes being too much of a harda** about your land can cause you more trouble.  There was a farm that bordered land we used to hunt and all of this farm was posted.  We asked for permission to hunt the farm and were told no because the farmer's family hunted as well and he didn't allow anyone from outside his family to hunt the property.  OK, fine doesn't hurt to ask right.  Well a couple of days later, my cousin wacks a little buck (spike of 4 point, something like that) near the fence line of the posted property.  The deer goes down, gets back up, crosses the fence and goes down what looks like for good a couple hundred yards into the posted land.  We decide that instead of sneaking into the posted land and dragging the buck out we would leave my cousin where the deer crossed and go down the hill to the farmers house, explain what happened and get permission to retrieve the deer.  Well we get to the farm house to ask permission and get chewed out as being city hunters, etc., etc. and told no.  By the time we got back up the hill to my cousin, the farmers kids were up the hill in the tractor getting the deer for themselves.  They were within view of us and fired one shot to make it look like they had to finish off the deer, then threw it on the tractor and took it home.  Well when people in the area found out what A-Holes they were, they started crossing his fence line to hunt anyway (another part of his property bordered state land) because they knew he would say no if they asked permission, not to mention what he did about our situation.  I agree with everyone that trespasser are completely wrong but we've always dealt with them fairly and reasonable (no arrests) and never had a serious problem.  In fact there was one old guy (probably in his 70's) that was hunting alone on our property that we didn't know.  He said his family used to own the land we owned back when he was little and didn't think we would mind if he hunted there.  Well, he hadn't hunted in years and was trying again because he was in ill health and wanted to get out again before it was too late.  Since it was only him we let him hunt and told him if he wanted to come back just stop at our place and let us know he was there.  He came around a year or two then we didn't see him again.  Turns out he passed away not long after the last time he hunted our property.  People in the area thought we were pretty nice guys for doing that and we never really had a problem afterwards.  Maybe we just got lucky!

[USMC130FE]

Bobman, I agree to disagree with you    But I can say is each situation is different and would mainly depend on the offenders attitude.  The calling the law was mainly intended for repeat tresspassers.  I have a substantial amount of land that I have access to, some I have to share with other individuals and some that is just for me.  I will keep any and everyone out of the property that I have sole permission on because finally, after 4 years I'm starting to see some very nice Deer frequenting the area.  Nobody that doesn't ask hunts there.  I do however let 2 guys from New Jersey hunt on it but they respect my wishes of what I want to accomplish.  I talked with a few of the neighbor farmers and they will keep an eye on it for me while I'm gone so hopefully It won't suffer to much.   Is this being selfish??

Steve

[deerhunter]

yes it is being a little selfish. to many landoners feel they own the deer as well
as the land.they post theirs and hunt on someone elses. i have my own land
also and let anyone that asks hunt.i don,t post and have never had any problems.
there are always a few deer shot every year and theres always dear there the
next .bucks and does.

[PA_BOWHUNTER]

Seriously, when you confront a tresspasser, with out having a game warden or DEC officer witness it can you really get anywhere?  I have a few problem individuals that need to be dealt with and a few fines that will separate them from their precious $$$ will hurt them more than anything.

I will answer your question in multiple ways. I have changed careers now but I was a Federal LEO. At that time you bet it was easy to make a arrest in the woods. I did it there and then.

It is still pretty easy. In NY anyway you sign a deposition and bam done deal. Not very hard to do. I would check your own state if your not in NY. In NY you also have to be a designated from the landowner if you are not thee landowner.

The next point Steve makes and I will elaborate on.

If you know they are trespassing at the time call the DEC or Sheriffs office.  As soon as a official representative is on hand, all excuses are out.  If I'm not mistaken a Sheriff can issue tickets for that infraction   Something to look into before the next confrontation.

He is not mistaken, a Deputy, Trooper or DEC can and will make the arrest. Here is a crutial point . The DEC in NY arrests off of "Environmental Conservation Law" or ECL. The definition of trespassing there and how it is enforced is ludicrious in my opinion. It requires a certain number of posting signage and all 4 corners of a property to be posted. It is MUCH, MUCH easier to have a person arrested from a Deputy or Trooper for the "Penal" law version of trespassing. Under NYS Penal law a person simply can be arrested for not having permision to be there regardless of posted signs or not.

I am a little rusty on ECL. But I think both carry the same weight for penaltys. "Simple Trespassing" is a violation punsh by max 15 days in jail, fine or both. Again I am a little rusty now.

While it is a good idea to utilize all forms of Law Enforcement it is easyest to contact a Deputy or Trooper imo.

Jon

The problem I run into is that when I confront a trespasser, if I were to immediately start to my truck and then drive to a phone to call (no cell service) it would be 45 mins. to an hour.  Then by the time I got ahold of the proper authorities and got them back to the scene I have no idea where the offender may be.  Makes it kind of hard for the officer to see the offense first hand.  Is there anything that can be done by calling in the individuals back tag #?  I'm very frustrated with this situation and last year came very close to physically beating a cocky trespasser.  I don't want to end up in that position again and would rather let the proper resources handle it, that is what they are for anyway.

[bussman]

Have em all arrested! There is no excuse to be "trespassing" on private land! PERIOD!


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