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Unneccessary law or a good idea?

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Unneccessary law or a good idea?

Old 01-26-2005, 08:04 AM
  #1  
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Default Unneccessary law or a good idea?

As I was reading through the law book thinking about bear hunting next year I came across an "illegal act" that got me thinking. In Maine it is illegal to hunt over another persons bait site without permission from the baiter. This makes sense due to the amount of time invested in setting up a bait site and the fact anyone could "steal" the fruits of another person's labor by sitting in their stand and shoot a bear that comes in on the bait.

This got me thinking about deer hunting and the annoyance of finding people or worse, evidence of people such as cigarette butts in, on or littering the area under your stand.

My question is do you think the law is over reaching or do you think it is a good idea? I couldn't see what the penalty were so I'm not sure if it is just a fine or if there is also a suspension of hunting privileges attached to a conviction. Do you think this would be a good "blanket" law for hunting from a stand without permission of the stands owner in all seasons?

I'm not so sure it would have changed anything but in light of the WI tragedy last fall this may or may not have kept this incident from ever starting. Although my take is it's an etiquette question and most of those who currently participate in such activities will likely continue to even if it is illegal.

Your thoughts?
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Old 01-26-2005, 08:59 AM
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Default RE: Unneccessary law or a good idea?

On public land? I would think this would be one of those "slippery slope" things and uneccessary. What would be to stop someone from putting up 10-15 stands in an area in order to prevent other hunters from using the area? And as far as the WI incident wasn't that on private property? It's already against the law to hunt/tresspass someone's land without permission. Adding an offense to that wouldn't do anything productive.
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Old 01-26-2005, 09:09 AM
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Default RE: Unneccessary law or a good idea?

if the wi incidnet is wear that chinese dude went in sat in a stand and shot those kids and men hunting. that guy diserves life. he was hunting with a semi automatic AK-47. u dont hunt with that weapon that is military and terrorist weapon. i think he did it on purpose
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Old 01-26-2005, 09:38 AM
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Default RE: Unneccessary law or a good idea?

In some states it's not illegal to hunt private property without permission. In New Hampshire for instance it is perfectly legal to hunt on private property of another person without permission as long as the land isn't posted and you haven't been asked to leave. In Maine the majority of the northern part of the state is owned by paper companies. The land is multiuse so in a sense it's like public land, no permission written or verbal is required to hunt it.

I agree it's a slippery slope and I was struck when I read the law as it was legislating etiquette and common decency. IMO it won't matter at all to those who hunt from stands that don't belong to them. It would just up the ante if they were to get caught.
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Old 01-26-2005, 09:56 AM
  #5  
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Default RE: Unneccessary law or a good idea?

I shoot stuff, i'm not sticking up for that guy at all but you cant pick on the gun he used. Unless they are illegal in Wisconsin, i'm not sure about the laws so if they are illegal just disregard this. but he very easily could have done the same thing with a pump or bolt action. I'm from PA where they(semi rifles) are illegal to use for hunting but when we go to Maryland, i have seen several people using them and i dont feel anymore in danger because of that reason. And to say that an AK-47 is a terrorist weapon is wrong, yes they use them but i'm sure they'll use anything they can get their hands on. We have a Mak-90 which is the same thing as an AK-47 and i gaurantee you we are not terrorist. I just don't want any Anti's to read this and fuel their fires. Semi rifles and shotguns have already been tried to be banned, i just dont wanna ever see this. cause once they get the ball rolling in their direction, we're in trouble.
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Old 01-26-2005, 10:10 AM
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Default RE: Unneccessary law or a good idea?

My intensions is not to start a debate about the tragedy in WI. there are many diffrent debates that could be had over the incident. It was more about the "rights" of stand owners and occupying a stand that dose not belong to you or in the instance of the law, hunting over another persons bait site.
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Old 01-26-2005, 10:38 AM
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Default RE: Unneccessary law or a good idea?

If the stand, blind, bait site is on public land, tough, its slimey to do so, but illegal? Shouldn't be. Public land is public access is public use. You can't take a piece of this public land and treat it as private.

--Bob
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Old 01-26-2005, 10:41 AM
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Default RE: Unneccessary law or a good idea?

prosecution would be almost impossible
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Old 01-26-2005, 12:58 PM
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Default RE: Unneccessary law or a good idea?

Adams, If you hunt on paper company land for bear you are required to submit the names of the hunters who will be hunting a specific bait prior to the season. The paper companies also regulate the sites that bait can be used. In fact if you are luckey enough to be able to get permission on paper company land they will tell you exactly where your bait site will be through maps and GPS, they highly regulate it. At least that was my experience this fall while hunting around the Ashland area. I was invited this past fall but it was a late invite and the names of the hunters had already been submitted on the paper company land so I hunted over baits off the paper company land. The wardens also keep close tabs on bait sites
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Old 01-26-2005, 01:45 PM
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Default RE: Unneccessary law or a good idea?

I had noticed that some spots required a detailed notification of where the baits were set. We have a lease in Hancock Co. so I'm not sure if it's the same paper company but thanks for the heads up. I'll have to contact them to see what they require.

Cardeer, the way it's set up the bait ara needs to be tagged and labled with the owners info. All a warden would need to do is walk into the bait site while your on stand and if you don't have permission you're as well as busted. In the instance if the law were to apply to all stands it could be tough for a warden to know who has permission or not unless it was based on having written permission while in a persons stand.
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