just found out why no turkeys came in!

[Tajue17]

well I have been seeing them around up until the season opened so I went into the woods the afternoon before opening morning to set up my blind and hunted all next morning with my recurve to not have anything happen,, so I do it again and then a 3rd time and nothing...... well no shots around and nobody else seems to be hunting this area?????  

this afternoon I go out for a walk to scope out some deer sign and maybe find a shed and whadda ya know,,,,,, about 75yds into the woods past my property line is someones camp,,, seriously a tent in the thickets but under a big pine and stuff hanging from the branches, a cooler a fire pit,, I didn't enter it but looked from maybe 20yds??  

so I come out of the woods and start checking with neighbors and it turns out there are Homeless people or drifters who sometimes live back there and the cops won't do anything unless they do something first because they are actually on town property and this has been going on for about 10 years and they do leave and hitch hike south when it gets cold.  

I hate to mess with someone trying to survive and I don't want to stereo type anyone but forget the turks, I'm nervous I got a couple guys living behind my house in woods!!

[KSdan]

Difficult dilemma- but the city can shut it down.  Usually a lot of difficulty and crime goes with that scenario.  I would be calling my city commissioner.

[robtattoo]

Hey, everyone's gotta live somewhere! I spent a wee while homeless myself.
I say if they're not bothering anyone & they tidy up after themselves, leave them be. Live & let live.

[Tajue17]

yeah thats what I'm thinking,,, I didn't go into the camp and followed the campers ettiquette and I was homeless before too so i can relate BUT where I have all the woods behind my house and I'm that house thats way back on the dead end road and I work 40 miles away with my wife and 8yr old there I'm just hoping nobody gets too depserate and comes poking around.

this isn't the city and theres no soup kitchens nearby if you know what I mean.

[saumensch]

Originally posted by Tajue17:
and the cops won't do anything unless they do something first because they are actually on town property and this has been going on for about 10 years  

Its benn going on for 10 years, the police didnt do anything because they didnt do anything bad, well sounds to me that you have no reason to worry.

[Friend]

Very interesting scenario

[FubarFred]

If it's on your property why won't the police move them? Homeless or not, how do you know they aren't crazy and just waiting for a chance or for their meds to run out. Paranoid or not, I'd want them gone from my place. Ask the cops if they would want them on their property. I'll bet the answer is different from the one you got.
Fred...

[leatherneck]

Heck, go back and say hello. Just because they are homeless doesn't mean they aren't civil. You never know what kind of relationship might get started. Thats what I would do at least.

[deaddoc4444]

EXTREMELY surprising that the local law enforcement agency will not do any thing . Homeless does not mean family LESS    if something happens to them On Municipal owned property   guess who gets sued? The municipality for sure!  ANd it will be the family of the homeless person/s!    todays day and age   the township/borough/villiage/city  etc is liable . They are dumb for not moving them just from that stand point.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Originally posted by leatherneck:
Heck, go back and say hello. Just because they are homeless doesn't mean they aren't civil. You never know what kind of relationship might get started. Thats what I would do at least.

Sounds like a  great idea.  

Just because they live the way they want doesnt mean we should be jealous.  In the future, they should be part of your turkey scouting!

I would take over a cake or something, maybe they can tell you wich way the turkeys went  

[saumensch]

Originally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
 

Originally posted by leatherneck:
Heck, go back and say hello. Just because they are homeless doesn't mean they aren't civil. You never know what kind of relationship might get started. Thats what I would do at least.

Sounds like a  great idea.  

Just because they live the way they want doesnt mean we should be jealous.  In the future, they should be part of your turkey scouting!

I would take over a cake or something, maybe they can tell you wich way the turkeys went    [/b]

[fireball31]

call me paranoid, but I'd be teaching momma how to work a slide action. First thing I did when my wife moved in after the wedding....... Well..... Second thing. LOL

[Mint]

It always pays to be careful. According to all the statistics out there the majority of homeless people that are long term homeless have drug, alcohol or mental problems. This doesn't mean they are violent though but it isa hard living for sure. Hard times can happen to anyone but most of the cases without the above pull themselves out of the homeless situation in the short term. Here on Long Island we had people camping out in the woods but they were illegals sending most of their money home. There were a few cases of violence from them though.

[snakebit40]

I would go say hello but I would also have a pistol on my hip. Just in case they are crazy or high on something. I would go in with the intension of making new friends. Just can't be to careful.

[Tajue17]

I was thinking about saying hello and dropping off a gallon or two of water and a can of mosquito spray but my father said that can turn bad like feeding a wild animal they may feel welcome to come over to the property and ask for stuff and even though I love helping out,, what if they come around and its some nut case and then my kids out in the back yard (my back yard has a gate that opens to the woods so nobody has to come around to the front)

friends here at work said this is the big thing now and there camps popping up everywhere usually in that piece of woods right next to the off and on ramps of the highways you'll see the homemade tarp shelters,,, in the winter they all head south.

[LongStick64]

The question is an easy one, do you want them on your land, did they ask you, is that the respect you would give. And the simple fact that you have a wife and small child at home makes the decision easy if it were me, out they go.

[Bud B.]

Introduce yourself. Offer venison and/or turkey. They can tell you where any turkey might be. It's better to know them and learn their ways than to avoid them and always wonder.

I work with homeless in my job. The vast majority are just suffering from bad times. Some are criminal minded. Some suffer from mental illness.

Make contact with local homeless advocates and learn about what resources are available to them.