Problem with our neighbors and the location of their deer stand...

[Quail_Antwerp]

and the sheriff says there's nothing they can do, but gave us the phone number to our local game warden.

The problem is, they built a deer stand...put it on a trailer, and towed it up to the top of the hill the joins to our property. They only own about 50 feet all the way around that moveable deer stand except for by us, he's 3 feet from our line....RIGHT BEHIND MY GOAT PASTURE!! and for the last 3 nights, he's been brush hogging all around the deer stand and the property next to us (not his property!) that's for sale. yesterday he was up there PRACTICING with his .22 and drinking.

His paths he's brushogged, and the directions he can see and shoot towards from his stand, takes in two sides of my place, and the field next to us for sale. He brushogged that field, so we know he plans to shoot that way.

My biggest fear is how close to my house he is! Less than 500 feet, and I have kids! That, and they always bring about 12 guys down from the city they used to live in and they run amuck on everyone's place. We have run them off ours several times. The piece of property they have that runs to ours is only 3 acres. My DH doesn't even hunt our property much anymore because of how many homes have moved in. He has gotten permission off a couple local farmers to hunt on their farms.

So what can we do? Anything? We got the number to the game warden and plan to put a call into him Monday morning. I am not opposed to these people hunting, but I want them to be smart about it.

I also have a horse coming in the next couple weeks, and he will be in that pasture field!

 

[patandchickens]

I can think of plenty of things to spoil his hunting and annoy the cr*p out of him but I don't know as that would be in any way a constructive thing to do so I won't go into them

Honestly? If it were me, I would exercise the full run of my vocabulary whilst putting the goats and horses into the barn whenever he's up there (and the kids in the house). Being in the right is all well and good, but it doesn't actually make you bulletproof and it'd be a shame to lose an animal. Hopefully the game warden can sort him out; if not, by any chance do you Know People with whom a word could be spoken privately to have *them* talk with him? I don't mean like kneecapping I mean like people who are locally respected and percieved to have some sort of practical or social power.

You might also talk with whomever owns the rest of the land, explain your concerns for your animal and kids, see what they think and whether they'd back you up.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[FarmerChick]

who owns the land? I would call them also. I would point out specifically that they are drinking with guns. Scare the crap out of the landowner that if anything happens he will be responsible for allowing the hunting and drinking on his property, since he has now been made aware of the situation. It might put a stop to it fast.....

plus call that game warden.

but I know guns and drinking is not legal. simple as that. if they are hunting and you see a beer or anything, call the cops ASAP!


best of luck....I know how scary that can be, guns near the property with critters and kids....ugh....the hunter is not smart...that is for sure!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

My FIL came down this morning, and he and DH have "gone for a walk" and been gone awhile. I am worried that they might have go into a confrontation, but maybe they are just talking nicely with them and making sure they know we have animals back there. :|

 

[FarmerChick]

no hunting on sunday

so if you hear shots, call police .... anything to maybe run them off for good!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

no hunting on sunday

so if you hear shots, call police .... anything to maybe run them off for good!

Actually, Ohio does allow hunting on Sundays

And right now, it's bow season, too.

 

[roosmom]

QA,
You need to read the Ohio laws on hunting, blind placement, proximity to suburban areas and homes, hunting close to traveled roads, types of blinds allowed, alcohol use and guns, etc, etc. Use ANY of the laws that you can to your advantage.
I would not hesitate to call the warden. YOU are concerned about the drinking and gun use because of your children. Is wearing blaze orange a law? Do they wear it? Are there certain hunting hours? Does he abuse them? You get the point. Yes I would be worried about DH and DF, hunting season is always a time that people get riled up easy. I am sure that they are fine, you just worry. Let me tell you what happened to my hubby just in this last week and a half. It may make you feel better.
My DH built a ground blind (a month ago) out of fallen logs and brush on state property. You take a chance because anyone can come upon that bllind and use it or take it over. It is on state property. Anyway, he took bait out about every three days
for the deer. One day last week, he went out with the food to find his blind torn apart and scattered to the winds. As he was trying to take it all in he noticed the note nailed to a tree. IT WAS NASTY. He was told in no uncertain terms what would happen if he tried to hunt in that spot. He was told that he better not build a blind there again.
My DH came home very upset. He mulled over what he should do just like you are. He did finally call the DNR officer. The officer took all the info and how to find it. He went out the next day, took pics and retrieved the note. He stopped here and talked to my hubby and told him that the DNR were going to be out in full force in that area and this is not behavior that is tolerated. See, this is all state property, the guy was not allowed to tear it down and he really shouldnt threaten people. We feel reassured that this will stop.
So will yours, call the warden and at least ask what you can do, should do. Let us know how it all turns out.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I agree with Roosmom. There are laws and regulations regarding how close you an be to others property, etc. I would definitely be calling the game warden immediately.

Ethical hunters will abide by the laws and regulations. He needs to be respectful of your animals, and the boundary lines of you.r property.

 

[dacjohns]

Repeating the main theme: Contact your DNR/Fish and Game/Game Warden.


In some states it is illegal to interfere with someone that is lawfully hunting. But if you are on your own property taking care of things on your own property and making noise so the hunter knows you are there so you don't get accidentally shot . . . I don't think a claim that you were interfering in lawful hunting would go very far.

You can also post your property. That way there should be no question that it is private and hunting is not allowed.

 

[ScottyG]

Along the lines of what Pat+chix said, but far more juvenile, and not actually recommended:

Perhaps you should just, on the edge of your property line, put a cheap radio on, and tune it to a "lite rock" station, or maybe Heavy Metal, or NPR... all day long. You know, because it's your property.