Hunting & Fishing I have a story...

[Infinity]

Yesterday was opening day for bow season deer in Vermont. I had something happen that I've never had happen before (I'm 28 years old and have been in the woods and hunting since I was 5)...

I organized all my stuff (bow, clothes in scentlok bag and tupperware bin, boots) in the garage. Put plastic on the seat of my car and floor. Took a scent free shower, brushed my teeth with scent control toothpaste, put on scent free deodorant. Put on different rubber boots, pants/shirt (all washed scent free) and drove to my spot. I parked on the opposite side of the road about 200 yards from where I go in the woods to keep my spot a secret...quietly changed into my hunting clothes. Put my quiver on my bow, put on my release, closed my truck hatch as quietly as humanly possible, and started walking to my stand...of course, as quietly as I am capable...

...I'm on the road about 30 yards from where I go into the woods when all of a sudden...BOOOOOOOM! A gun went off less than 20 feet into the woods. I cautiously approached and it was some 20-year-old kid in an orange hat bird hunting. As you can imagine, mongo not happy. I asked him if he had permission to be hunting there? He replied with a smug attitude, "Are you the land owner?" The woman who owns the land gave me sole permission to hunt it if I promised to kick anyone off who was hunting. After sharing this information with the kid (and I'll admit I could have been friendlier), the kid tells me he doesn't believe me and, "anyone could make up a story like that.". I reply with writing down his license plate number and the serial number he is so proudly showing on his new bought shotgun (which he mentioned buying right up the street earlier that day). I tell him that if he comes back, I will call the cops and report him for tresspassing. I've never had to do anything like this. I've never been treated by anyone with such blatant disrespect. This on top of him ruining opening day of bow hunting: My Christmas. I wanted to punch this little bastard.

I'm all for new hunters getting out and enjoying the woods. Any other day (not during bow season), I probably would have offered to show the kid a spot on public land a couple miles up the road. Opening day of bow season is not the day to wander around on unknown private land (public land is a possible exception but even then...). Okay, had to rant. How would you have handled this situation?

 

[Killswitch Engage]

First off... You're wastin all kinds of money and time on this scent bullshit. You absolutely cannot fool an animals nose with that made for tv bullshit. Wind is it. That's it.

as for the kid. I think you handled that ok. Not sure how you got the serial number off his shotgun or why you think you needed that but whatever.

 

[Sako man]

Yesterday was opening day for bow season deer in Vermont. I had something happen that I've never had happen before (I'm 28 years old and have been in the woods and hunting since I was 5)...


I'm all for new hunters getting out and enjoying the woods. Any other day (not during bow season), I probably would have offered to show the kid a spot on public land a couple miles up the road. Opening day of bow season is not the day to wander around on unknown private land (public land is a possible exception but even then...). Okay, had to rant. How would you have handled this situation?

Dude, you totally did the right thing.

 

[565fitter]

i'da kicked his little ass. lol nothing comes between me and my bow stand. I would have to agree with killswitch, its all in the wind. i gave up on the scent control years ago and i still have deer walk directly underneath of me with no idea i'm there. just have to play the wind

 

[Infinity]

KE, thanks for the kudos on handling the kid. I figured since I knew he just bought the shotgun, between the serial number (printed on the receiver and easy to read the way he was holding his gun) and license plate, it would be easy to prove the kid had been warned he was trespassing (if need be).

As to the scent control assessment... I do hunt the wind and try to take advantage of every edge I can get. I know I'm not getting rid of my scent but reducing it absolutely makes a difference.

 

[Infinity]

lol 565. I'm sure the fact he was holding a gun and me a bow helped with not escalating the situation. I've only had scent control make a difference 2 times but both bucks were brutes. Even if it was just coincidence that I took the extra steps and saw those monsters just then, it made a believer out of me. I hunt harder/better when I do the little things.

 

[Infinity]

thanks sako

 

[Flying Goose]

Had this happen opening day of deer season a couple years ago on my inlaws ranch which is adjacent to state land. I was tucked down low (wearing orange) waiting for the sun to come up in about 3 minutes and a shot rang out right over my head... I can tell you I was not as pleasant! As he was on state land and resting on our fence which is clearly marked as private. Called up my father in law to come block the road and call the warden. Caught up with him as he was getting the the buck and started informing him of the laws, the land owner, and the fact that I was not happy came across pretty clearly! Luckily he made a good shot, and it was a quick kill. The warden allowed us to keep the buck which is proudly hanging on our barn now! The guy got 5 years no license and a pretty big fine but I don't remember the amount.

I'd say you did alright with the kid but I would make sure to give his info to the land owner and make it her decision to press things further.

 

[TheGerman]

The fact that he's shooting while someone is 20 feet away is what would bother me the most. Sounds like you did anyone in the immediate area a favor.

 

[Infinity]

Goose, wow. I'm happy you got him (and the guy ). I live just up the street so I'm going to put up a game cam for if he decides to come back.

 

[Flying Goose]

good call, scared the hell out of me that morning for sure!

 

[Infinity]

German, he was probably 100 feet from me but considering how quiet the woods are, it sure caught me by surprise. Thanks for the vote, I hope it saves him and all of us some trouble in the future.

 

[Infinity]

Goose, literally know what you mean. If I had a bullet go over my head while hunting, I might shit myself.

 

[EasternNChunter]

You think you were mad? Try walking to your stand ON YOUR OWN LAND only to find that it's not there. The only thing left is the bow hanger that is 20 feet up the tree. This happened on two different farms. Here is what happened the first time, I had hunted the fire lanes of a cutover which deer crossed going to a nearby field one evening after work. While walking out, I hear a truck coming. This guy pulls up and asks if I had seen any of his deer dogs back there. He had to drive past my truck to get back there so he knew someone was hunting. I told him there were no dogs back there but that my family owned the land and he could check if he wanted to. I walked back to my truck and left. The next day after work, I walked up to find that my stand and climbing sticks were gone.

The second time, I had hung a Loc-On with climbing stix on the hedgerow that separated our field from another field owned by a large highway constrution company that doesn't allow hunting on the land. I knew the farmer that leased that little piece of farmland which is behind the construction operation. He and his 50+ workers were always out there working on sweet potatoes. I will just say that these workers aren't hunters and see deer stands every day of the week. We owned the hedgrow. Opening afternoon of black powder season, I parked and was heading to the stand. There were already deer out on the other side of the hedgerow in the sweet potatoe field so I was sneaking to the stand trying to remain undetected. When I got to the base of my tree, I looked up and all I saw was the bow hanger. I called the farmer, who didn't like me because I had "dated" his girlfriend before he did in high school. He started stuttering and acted like he didn't know what I was talking about but I didn't buy it. I also had a tower stand in that field and I can't tell you how many times I took my safety off while dialed in on the large windshield of his brand new $150,000+ parked tractor that sat a few hundred yards away from me on the other side of that hedgerow. I restrained since I wasn't 100% sure he had anything to do with it but I would bet money that that stand is in a tree on one of their farms right now.

I hate a damn thief!

I forgot about this one but its good too. A few years ago I was sitting in the same tower stand one morning. This stand is about 600 yards from a large road. I happened to look behind me and there were a few does and a small 8 pointer in between me and the road. A while later I noticed a blue truck do a U turn and pull over on the shoulder of the road beside our property. I knew what was about to happen but wasn't going to allow it. His window rolled down, the deer all stud alert, probably 300 yards from the truck and out popped the barrel of a rifle. The stand I am in sits on top of a big hill so I am looking down on all of this. I quickly grab my rifle and send a round in between me and deer. I hope I scared the hell out of that punk and probably did as he and the deer quckly took off.

I also hate poachers and truck hunters!

 

[40xs]

It's a different world, brother. A lot of young people don't respect their own parents, or teachers or the law so you'er not going to get any either. I would have been a little on high alert knowing this kid had a gun and confronting him. Ya never know now a days!

 

[OG10]

you did the right thing, I would have handled it different, and would probably be writing while on bond lol..

 

[Infinity]

Eastern...crazy that society has gotten to that point. Not surprising, just crazy.

40xs, agreed, probably why I didn't reply even more aggressively.

Og10, thanks, took quite a bit if self control.

 

[Wes_Mantooth]

You did the WRONG thing. If the kid just heard "get lost, you don't have permission to hunt here", he will be back. Get the game warden involved, get the license plate number to him and let him and the land owner know what's going on.

We had problems with poachers, the BS stopped after I had one arrested. Now, several years later, they are starting to sneak back into the area. The neighbors and I will get together, spend a season targeting poachers instead of deer, arrest a couple of them and the problem will go away for a few more years.

Get law enforcement involved, its what they are paid for. You shouldn't be facing armed assholes in a possible conflict situation.

 

[Quarter Horse]

Believe me, I am sympathetic towards anyone with trespass problems. We have about a half mile of river frontage on an excellent salmon-steelhead river as well as a herd of elk that hangs around here (see my earlier thread on this forum) and I've had numerous encounters with trespassers. Before you confront someone, be sure you know your local trespass laws and your rights as a landowner. It is also best to know how your local LE and court enforce and handle these violations. Having permission to hunt and being a landowner are completely positions. The landowners rights certainly do not transfer to an "allowed hunter".

Be careful. Half these a..holes think they're attorneys and the other half are just a..holes. Whatever is left after you add a half and a half are the ones that will courteously respect your wishes.

 

[athanasios23]

I would have thrown him off the property and called the police. I am lucky enough to be getting married into my fiancés family that has a small hunting property and that nobody in the family likes to hunt. Last year my fiancé was with me the last day of the season and we harvested two deer. She caught the hunting bug just like the rest of us. Took her hunting course, bought her a nice light hunting rifle, got her some hunting cloths and other gear. She bought me a two man stand for my birthday which she was hoping to hunt out of with me as she is a little nervous to be out there with no real hunting experience alone. Set up the stand on Aug 30th. Went back sept 28th to check on the stand and get ready for first day of archery season on Oct 5th. Stand was gone. Bastards cut the chain across the unused drive way, drove through our campsite (which a boy scout troop uses) and to the back of the property to steel the stand. A farmer rents the property and has an 18acre corn field. Assholes didn't even care or think that the farmer could have been out there working or if boy scouts were out on the property camping. After this happening I will throw anyone off I see the second the cross the property boundary. Found out from talking to the farmer that a neighbor had 3 stands stolen as well. Worst part is seeing my fiancés disappointment on not be able to sit in the stand with me opening day of archery season. Was hoping for her to see the good side of hunting and not the bullshit. If your reading this and your one of those people who trespasses and steels peoples blinds and stands go f yourself. And I hope you look at yourself one day and realize that your a piece of shit. (sorry about the last part but am still very angry about this situation.)

 

[Infinity]

Wes, thanks. Perhaps you are correct. Vermont is a bit different than most of the country, especially the midwest (where I grew up hunting). I would be very surprised to see him again but thank you for the past experience.

QH, good points as well. I will be sure to check out that thread.

athanasios, sorry to hear that first experience didn't go better with your fiance and the two man stand. The good news: your lady hunts.

This is my first, and hopefully yet unlikely, my last experience like this for some time. I will of course update if anything else happens with this kid. Cheers all,

Adam

 

[Idaho Savage]

First off... You're wastin all kinds of money and time on this scent bullshit. You absolutely cannot fool an animals nose with that made for tv bullshit. Wind is it. That's it.

QFT...The second you start sweating in your cotton/poly blend, all that prep goes to shit. Wind, wind, wind and more wind with a side of Merino and you're way better off.

As for the kid? You did absolutely right. What else could you have done? I think you were spot on.

 

[-=boone=-]

Real hunters especially bow hunters CC, just saying.

 

[Infinity]

boone, CC?

Idaho, I'm actually looking for a good Merino first layer for my upcoming trip to Buffalo County, Wisconsin and then Dryden, Ontario (had to sneak a brag in, I'm pumped). Thanks for the vote, I'm happy with how I handled it, haven't seen the kid again...

 

[-=boone=-]

Conceal Carry.

 

[LanceS4803]

QFT...The second you start sweating in your cotton/poly blend, all that prep goes to shit. Wind, wind, wind and more wind with a side of Merino and you're way better off.

Stand and cameras seem to attract the worst.
As for scene control, gotta' go where the wind goes, especially when it is still in the 70s during bow season.
I have multiple stands to take advantage of the wind at any particular time.
In the climber the other morning and tested the wind. Powder floated straight away, they shot up 6', then took off gradually higher. Perfect!

 

[Infinity]

boone, thx...I open carry when I carry (hunting) and only when there are lots of bears or wolves around. The rest of the time, Vermont's conceal and carry laws are #1!

Lance, very nice...I can't imagine hunting when it is that hot out but I bet I would if I lived down south. Good wind for tomorrow morning where I'm going...giddeeup....