Trespassers!

[bozara]

We have a farm on the opposite end of the state that we bought strictly for turkey, pheasant and whitetail hunting.  We have a crew over there building a barn and hunting cabin and they are staying on the property.  Saturday night a couple of drunk guys spotlighted (spotlit?) on our property, killing at least 2 does, one of which was left in the field.  Little did they know the warden recently moved in a mile away, so it took him no time to arrive and arrest them.  They said they were starving and needed food, so he suggested maybe they could have had one less six pack and they could have gone to McD's.  Also could have sold the custom-made .223 worth $2700 or their $50,000 pickup, both of which are now impounded.

Yesterday was the opening day of rifle season and the warden called me to see if I wanted to prosecute a guy who walked the entire 1 1/2 mile of our river bottom, shot a doe with his rifle and dragged it out our driveway, where the neighbor lady caught him.  He told the warden he saw our boundry and signs.  Warden suggested we prosecute.  Two choices in Montana: 1. Hunting without landowner permission - minor offense.  2.  Trespassing - more severe, 2-year loss of hunting privileges.  He strongly suggested #2.

Last year we sponsored a late season doe only hunt on our property - unlimited does available to anyone who registered with the Fish and Game and signed in with our neighbor.  We allowed several people to bow hunt and the neighbor family to take as many deer as legal.  

The slobs are making it difficult on everyone, as you wonder if by letting people on the farm it gives a few familiarity and tempts them to return for bigger prizes.  Contemplating new fences and more NO HUNTING signs on the county road, which we have avoided to-date.

[katie]

We had the same type of problem.  At 1st we never pressed charges.  Then this spring 2 kids jumped the fence during turkey season.  They heard my cousin calling in a tom for his son's 6th B-day hunt.  The kids came up the ridge and saw the decoys set up in front of my cousin's blind(they did not see the blind).  The idiot put a bead on the decoy and was ready to shoot when my cousin busted out of the bind.  They took off but my husband and the warden caught them at their truck.  This time be pressed charges.  If he had shot, the 5 year old and his dad would have been hit.  Just can't mess around with peole that do not follow the game laws!
We also put up more signs.  We now have them every 20 feet!

[Burnsie]

Prosecute to the fullest!
It's the only thing these slobs will respond to.
Word will get out that your place is not to be fooled with and things might slow down. Nice to have a warden close by!
Although, you might also get **holes who will decide through some warped sense of logic that they are somehow being screwed because you're protecting your property/investment, and then will go poach or vandalize just to show they are going to do whatever they want.  
I like the wardens come back about their excuse of starving.

[redfish]

#2.

[Gehrke145]

#2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JMartin]

Burnsie said: :you might also get **holes who will decide through some warped sense of logic that they are somehow being screwed because you're protecting your property/investment, and then will go poach or vandalize just to show they are going to do whatever they want".
How true, how true! Been a victim of that one. Bad thing is, they're sitting on the front porch drinking beer, and watch the last man leave your property. They then have all the time they need to come up, and execute some pretty nasty revenge. Their big downfall however is a REWARD. Type up a reward, drive down their road, stick one in every mail box, sit back and wait for the phone calls. Be sure and specify FIRST person to rat 'em out gets the reward. Worked for us. Prosecute.

[tradtusker]

press charges as hard as you can
dont need these people hunting

[Tom]

Tradtusker, Agree with your sentiments but these people are NOT hunters. Plain and simple they are thieves and should be treated as such. They are stealing game from people who pursue with ethics and licenses.
 Prosecute with prejudice!

[cheech1]

there excuse was they were starving and had no money did they have enough money to give you a phone call to just ask if they could hunt on your land?  no.
prosecute to to fullest degree they should be thrown in jail for awhile.

[Jmatt1957]

#2 Goes a long way to solving your problem.

[vtmtnman]

#2

I'm sick and tired of people tresspassing.Around here we have guys that go where ever they want,then when confronted about why they're on posted land,they reply,"Well,your property ain't posted legally"...   :rolleyes:  

It's someone else's property...STAY OFF unless you have permission.    

I really don't get how difficult it is.  

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

#2 all the way.  We need to start being tougher on these things it's the only way to stop it.  Also if word gets around that you will be caught if you choose to tresspass or poach on your property ( and it will ) people will stop.  No pitty for someone who can't follow simple rules.

[TBone07]

Burn them at the stake!

[imhntn]

#2 for sure.  Good luck.  It is just hard to keep people honest when you don't live on the property.

[lilbobby]

We caught a guy last year and prosecuted, if you don't file charges the Game Warden will lose interest. Why should he waste his time if you let them go.

[Pointer]

Think I'd have to prosecute with option #2 if I were you...sounds to me like you've been real generous with your land...I'd be thrilled to get an opportunity to hunt private land...for whatever the landowner allowed.....does, turkeys, woodchucks....WHATEVER... People just aren't happy with what they have...so they become slobs....they mix beer with guns, they poach, they trespass....I just don't get it.

Prosecute...as much as the law will allow.

[Warden609]

You need to prosecute. It will help you in the future. Word will get out if you jump the fence on that property you are going to be prosecuted. Trust me it works.

[Ragnarok Forge]

burn em down and do it as to the fullest extent of the law.  Poachers and thieves all need to be put in jail and lose their rights.  If this happened all the time people would stop trespassin.

[Tom Leemans]

Prosecute without fear man! It's good to hear of someone being caught once and awhile. These dudes will at least lose hunting privileges, have a chance to think about what they did. If they do it again, they'll be in big doo doo.

Either way, you are sending a message. The message is either that "You will be prosecuted!" or "You may get caught but you'll get off." Which message do you want to send? You may also want to place some extra signs under the no tresspassing signs that say "WE PROSECUTE!"

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Hang'em at the gallows. Me and my Dad had this problem for two years until we pushed the issue and prosecuted a few. The last several years we ain't had any problems at all.
good luck with it, Kris