Poachers suck.

[Gilda]

Our new house is set back in a small wooded area, with a small stand of trees on our property, butting up agains the wooded area. The development has these undeveloped wooded areas between the homes, with small walking paths cleared among them. It's private property, no hunting allowed, posted regularly on the fences. We just had security stop by, a couple of hours ago, to warn us as new residents that there are certain precautions we need to take during hunting seasons, one of which is upcoming. Avoid walking in the wooded areas, even on our own property unless we're wearing bright colors, and especially avoid running around in the brown leather jacket Grace has hanging next to the door.

I asked why, given that it's our own property, and the adjoining woods are posted for no hunting of any kind any time of year. We were told they get people who ignore the signs and climb the fences, and there have been accidents, minor ones.

This makes no sense. If they're breaking the law by hunting on private property, why would they limit it to the appropriate season? And what the hell difference should it make what we wear? No matter what we're wearing, brown leather jacket or black overcoat, none of us looks even remotely like a deer or a turkey or pheasant or anything else that has a hunting season here? Does being a jerk make them too stupid to be able to tell the difference between a person and a bird?

The security guy nodded in agreement, said he sympathized, that it was unfortunate, but it happens, and we need to think about our own safety, and wearing bright colors during hunting seasons would help to protect us.

Geez, we can't even go for a walk on our own property without being careful of some idiot with a gun? Please note, I'm not calling everyone with a gun an idiot, only the ones who jump fences to hunt on someone else's property and can't tell the difference between a person and a bird. Those people are clearly morons and jerks.

Gilda

[kutulu]

Yep, poachers suck they are the only ones worse than those who go on canned hunts (Mr. Cheney, for example).

[Fly]

i agree..........


1st of all..........stay the fuck off of my property........

........and that should be the end of that.


but i do have to say Gilda........if you've been told about this.......i'd suggeat goin' w/ the bright colours as well.

never know.........people for some reason just like to shoot guns.

and they have it in thier heads........."if it moves,shoot it"

oh yeah and..............STAY THE FUCK OFF OF GILDAS PROPERTY!!!!!!!!

[docbungle]

Sounds like they're just tryin' to keep you safe. Posted signs or not, there are always assholes who do what they aren't supposed to be doing. And those types of people probably aren't the best shots in the world.

Right or wrong, it's probably best to be a bit carefull.

[StanT]

I live in the National Forest. The corner of my property is well marked and abuts public land. While Colorado law prohibits discharging a weapon anywhere near private residences, I regularly hear gunfire during hunting season and have chased hunters off of my property on several occasions. I've aquired a fondness for bright tie dye during hunting season, but worry about my dogs.

[genuinegirly]

I can't imagine having to dodge poachers! I suppose there are some advantages to living in the suburbs.

[Boo]

I thank you for not calling them hunters. Hunters obey laws and are safety consious.

I would personally put up game cameras. When the film was developed, I would post it all over town with a nice little comment. Public embarrassment may preclude intrusion in the future.

[Cynthetiq]

People think that signs don't apply to them, period.

You wonder why? Are you seriously asking that question?

Just look about you, people speed even when posted speed limits state otherwise.

No Food, people still bring it and eat it.

No right turn, they turn anyways unless it's a one way street and if there's no on coming traffic, they'll try to get away with it.


People will ALWAYS try to get away with what they think they can.

[Fire]

When I was a kid we owned 40 acres- our neighbor of some two miles away, had a farm with about 40 holstein cows ( black and white) each year he spray painted them with safe, washable orange paint- due to the fact that he had lost 3 or 4 cattle in the past 5 years before. That year, my father hung a 4x6 brown rug over a fence on our property just before hunting season- note that our land was posted all over with no trespassing and no hunting signs- at the end of the season we counted 22 different holes in the rug-
the year after that our grey and black great dane came home with a broken off arrow in his rear flank, luckily it was a flesh wound that healed well.... NEVER underestimate the power of complete morons, for your own safety

[eribrav]

Gilda, I'm curious, how much land do you own and how much common land is in there?
Can someone be in the wooded area and not see the homes?
I ask as a hunter (a very safe one, I think). I hunt my own land, and would obviuosly not trespass on others land.
I wonder if these folks realize how far a round travels? Rifle rounds in particular are lethal over longer distances than you think. What's going through these peoples heads?

[meembo]

My parents own about 40 acres that was an old family homestead for about 100 years. It is surrounded on three sides by National Forest land, and by another small lot and pond on the other side (another part of the homestead). There isn't anything else out there. My mother last year was outside, and two guys in green camo came up the hill with hunting rifles and packs, and scared the crap out of her. The property is well-signed, and is even fenced (to keep some of the larger wildlife OUT of the yards) but these guys ignored all that, and just stood in the driveway looking at maps, completely ignoring my mom, who was yelling at them to get out. She said she was very intimidated by these guys (I would have been too) and she felt powerless against them. It still bothers her a great deal talking about it.

Like it or not, these assholes are out there walking around and carrying guns. Most hunters I know are respectful of property lines and safety, but there are just enough assholes out there with guns to be on the defensive. The security guards at your place seem to mean well. Lots of hunters make mistakes seeing movement in the woods. Unfortunately, their misdeeds may come at a very high price to you. I say be on the defensive, and call the cops if you see trespassers or hear a shot.

[Gilda]

Originally Posted by eribrav

Gilda, I'm curious, how much land do you own and how much common land is in there?

We have an acre of lakefront property. On one side is a lot that's been left purposely undeveloped, in betweeen our property and our neighbors, which is half theirs and half ours, and the other butts up against the common wooded area, which is much larger, maybe a few hundred acres, which in turn borders a state forest. If we walk down through our back yard, there's a path that runs along the edge of the lake through all of the properties there that the residents can use to walk along the lake and visit neighbors, and we have our own private dock and a little gazebo there.

Can someone be in the wooded area and not see the homes?

We can't see our neighbors' house from our property, but if we walk through the woods in between, we're always withing sight of one house or another. In the common wooded area, it would be easy to lose sight of the homes, though the fence or the access road would both be easy to find with a little walking.

I ask as a hunter (a very safe one, I think). I hunt my own land, and would obviuosly not trespass on others land.

That's good to hear. I want to make it clear that this wasn't intended as an insult to all hunters, not to those who follow the rules, just to the jerks who hop fences and hunt illegally. It just makes no sense. Why endanger other people's lives so you can have a little fun?

I wonder if these folks realize how far a round travels? Rifle rounds in particular are lethal over longer distances than you think. What's going through these peoples heads?

The part that confounds me is the warning to wear bright clothing, and especially don't go walking wearing the brown leather jacket grace usually sports in cool weather. How could anyone be so stupid or blind that they can't see the difference between a grown woman over five feet tall, and a bird that's maybe a foot tall? You'd think that in the time it takes to line up a good shot, it would be easy to recognize the difference between a person and a bird, if only based on size.

I also find the "during hunting season" part strange. The jerks that are doing this are already breaking the law, and more importantly, endangering people's lives, by hunting on someone else's property. Are they really going to care about something like hunting out of season? This was one that the security guy answered, though with a non-answer, and that was that the trespassing incidents have always occurred during hunting season.

We do intend to be careful, and stay in our yard during hunting seasons (which seem to occur for various animals during maybe half the year here), so the bright colors won't come into play, and will call security to come take care of trespassers. We've already had to do that once. We came out to walk down to the gazebo and watch some ducks on the lake, and found some teenagers sitting on our dock fishing. Grace called security, and they showed up in less than five minutes and chased the boys off. We were warned to always call security, and never try to handle it ourselves, not because these particular kids were dangerous, but because then the kids will be pissed off at security and not at us, and others might be dangerous.

Yeah, we'll be careful, but it still pisses me off that we have to be, and that a small number of jerks can basically take over what is supposed to be something that is for our peaceful enjoyment, and we have to just accommodate them.

I thought living out of the city would be safer because there'd be no gangs.

Gilda

[Gabbyness]

Originally Posted by Gilda

The part that confounds me is the warning to wear bright clothing, and especially don't go walking wearing the brown leather jacket grace usually sports in cool weather. How could anyone be so stupid or blind that they can't see the difference between a grown woman over five feet tall, and a bird that's maybe a foot tall? You'd think that in the time it takes to line up a good shot, it would be easy to recognize the difference between a person and a bird, if only based on size.

Remember that all shots aren't necessarily "good ones." You rarely get the entire animal lined up in your sights, due to trees/shadows/etc. Idiots will see russling bushes and assume it must be said animal. Don't assume they can see you, in fact, assume they can't.

Be extra careful.

[Marvelous Marv]

I would hope you kept security's number handy, so poachers will be caught and fined.

The only thing that stops them is a good chance of getting caught.

Or, unfortunately, an absence of liquor.

[ziadel]

get a firearm and take a few shots at the poachers.

worked well enough for my auntie.