Champlain Islander

I'll hop in for a bit. Trespassing is being on someones land without permission. Depending on which state you are in that action goes from something along the line of being rude to downright illegal. The moral stance is that we as sportsmen are supposed to hold ourselves to a high stahdard since unless we are hunting on our own land or publicly owned land we are enjoying someone elses land. The arguement that a wounded animal trumps all other law is just plain wrong. A hunter decides to hunt and uses the land with the understanding that there are rules and laws which pertain to rights. A hunters rights should never trump property rights. The owner of a piece of property paid for it and pays the taxes on it and has all rights to the lawful use of such land. A wounded deer is a shame and it certainly tugs at the moral stance hunters hold, still doesn't give a person the right to illegally trespass. The land owner may not be a hunter and has every right to limit the use of his land to non hunting actions. Like everything in life there are grey areas and circumstances that aren't cut and dried. Basing arguements on what if's is just picking at a scab and telling people that will make it heal. I personally don't have a problem with people on my non posted hunting land providing they are doing things the right way. I have the utmost respect for anyone knocking on my door and asking for the permission to access my property. Even though it is not posted I always thank the people asking since they are showing me respect.

falcon

^^^^^^^ What Champlain Islander said.

If a hunter wounds an animal on adjacent property and it crosses the property line, the hunter is welcome to go after that animal on my property after he obtains permission.

One of my problems was with a cattle farmer. He overgrazed his place and repeatedly cut the locked chain on a gate and allowed his cattle to graze on my place. This was after i refused to rent him the pasture.

The cattle destroyed my game plots and ate the supplemental deer food. Finally told him that some cows were subject to becoming Angus burgers if he did not keep get them off the place ASAP. No more problem.

rockport

Not really, the law in IL has lots of hoops. Many hoops in which most land owners don't jump through. If I were taking law as the end all of everything I could go on the neighbors property any time I want because it is not properly posted. I don't do that because I have morals but the law does in fact say that I can. 99 out of 100 times this is how the conflict between law and my morals go (something I could legally do but don't because its against my morals).

I'd watch what you wish for when advocating following the law to a T because the law is very far from perfect.

To me not letting someone retrieve a wounded animal is abusing the law just like me hunting on land that is not posted properly would be.

florizark

Dude abides, I agree on current direction, have you gotten anything helpful during the last 9 pages? Going back to an earlier part, I believe you said one member of the family was the problem? Have you talked with the leader(dad) regarding the problems? Perhaps after season as someone suggested earlier, maybe the dad or head of the group that seems cooperative,... I've been down this road with ag land before and sometimes diplomacy doesn't work no matter how long or hard you try. My personal experience ended when the culprit went bankrupt and the property was taken and abandoned. Not hoping for the same with you. Try talking out a solution later in the season, and seek some legal directions before attempting anything. Perhaps the other neighbors are having trouble as well, might turn out to be a group effort. Retaliation, especially in this day and age would be my Last resort. Best of luck, be praying for you.

TheDudeAbides

Thanks Florizark, and everyone else for the advice. This is starting to get back to what I'd like this post to be about, solutions (sportsmanlike), not retaliation or revenge. If similar events happened to you, how did you resolve them? And Bullcamp, the phone number on the no trespass sign is a very good idea.

rockport

First I'd make sure I had all my ducks in a row as far as postings,warning,notice etc. Whatever your state requires for trespassing Then I'd get pictures of them trespassing then I would go have a little sit down with them and ask them if we could handle it like adults or if I needed to take it further.

The bottom line is if you just go to the law you will probably fix the trespassing but the rest will likely get even worse. Handling it without the law would be options A and B for me.....C would be the law

flags

One thing I learned when I began hunting multiple states was that laws vary in each state. What is illegal in one may not be illegal in another. That being said, I've always been of the mindset that even if something isn't illegal, that still doesn't give me a green light to push the envelope and do what I want on land belonging to others. After all, I don't want then thinking they can do anything they want on my land either.

For me, trespassing falls in this category. Going on someone's land is like sleeping with their mother. You may not need their permission, but things go a lot easier if you have it. Legal is one thing, proper is another thing entirely. Be courteous and get permission before crossing the property line.

Bullcamp82834

That was me that posted about putting my phone number on my signs. I have yet to get a call from someone wanting to recover an animal from my property but I have been called regarding other matters. Like I posted previously, if I get the call it's usually no problem.

The other reason for the phone number is that when trespassing does occur and law enforcement becomes involved the violator will have no excuse at all. I will have gone the extra mile to make it easy to ask permission. Makes the case that much more solid.

Murby

Your perspective on that is so radically distorted it is disturbing.

That is such an extreme attitude that it literally has me concerned and worried that you own firearms.

Normally, I would take such a comment with a grain of salt and chuck it up to someone just using a bad example without thinking about it first.. (I can't say I've never been guilty of using a bad example that's for sure)

But when you first suggest booby trapping your property to punish a trespasser, then suggest the act is of such an extreme personal nature as sleeping with ones mother.... well.... the word extremest comes to mind.....

Your extremest views are over a piece of dirt.. Not a family member, not a political view or a religious belief, not an educational or scientific fact you are defending.... but a piece of dirt.. An object of material possession that has such little meaning you are literally willing to urinate on it.

And the icing on the cake:
Your concern is about an act that would not in any significant way change anything in your life or affect the possession in question.

Is there anything above that I have said that is not true?

Murby

That's a darn fine idea.. Its such a good idea, and such a simple idea, it makes me wonder why others don't do the same..

Afraid of nuisance calls maybe? Ever get one?

In fact, after thinking about it.. the idea is so perfect that it should be legislated into the law about posting trespassing signs.

Unless of course there's some potentially negative effect I'm not considering..