Registered: Jun 2003
Location:
Posts: 737

It's 10:30 PM and you cut loose in your favorite little patch. Shortly you hear your hound open and cross out of the woods into a corn field on a cold track. The track is warmed a little and then it's smoked out of there and is headed towards a house a quarter mile away. You hear that distinctive locate and treejob in the yard.

Here comes the problem. This house is in a fenced in lot that used to have 2 german sheppard dogs that were less than friendly. There doesn't seem to be lights on. I drive down the road and luckily she is treed on the outside of that right by the road.

WHAT DO YOU DO ?

1. Open their yard gates and hope the dogs don't eat you on the way to the door ?

2. Stand at the road and yell at them hoping they come out and you can explain why you are there ? (My horn dont work on my truck.)

3. Sneak in and get your dog and get the heck outta there ?

I would normally go to the door, explain the situation, apologize and get my dog and leave, but not with those dogs I ain't !!!!!

I park 15 feet from her, walk to the tree, pet her up good and put her on the lead and in the dog box. I decide that since I am there and noone is awake, I might as well shine to see if I can find the coon since I am on the road and the tree is right in the side ditch.

After a couple minutes...BANG and then a string of profanity that would make a sailor blush is strewn at me. Nothing puts a damper on a hunt quicker than THAT ! I was just glad that my boys weren't with me. So I hollar at him for a bit and then get in my truck and leave....enough for one night.

OH YEA...the coon was there ! he he he he he he

__________________
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

I take it the bang was a gunshot? I can't for the life of me understand why coonhunters put up with that and I'm not getting on Hoosier specifically here, I hear hunters talk about being shot at too often. Anytime anyone fires at shot at a hunter, even a warning shot, even if you are tresspassing, CALL THE LAW! That homeownwe would have gone to jail if you'd called the cops. He would have had so much explaining to do that night that he would prolly never do that again as long as he lives.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location:
Posts: 737

Jim,

It certainly was a gunshot ! Why call the law ? All that's going to do is cause more problems. It was an old-man, he yelled that he had been broken into 2-3 times and he was sick of it. I am sure he was scared also. I was in the wrong as I was tresspassing. I also think that he just shot in the air and not at me.

What law did he break Jim? He was on his land and fired a gun. I certainly couldn't prove he fired at me. I didn't want to cause trouble OR give coonhunters any worse of a name than I already did. Plus, usually in negociations, THE GUY WITH THE GUN WINS !!!LOL

I am almost 40 and in my lifetime as a coonhunter, I've been shot at over half a dozen times. I don't tresspass intentionally, but where the hounds go I will follow. The choice is....go take a butt chewing or worse to tell the irate land owner OR sneak in and take your chances of getting shot at.

__________________
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

What law did he break? Fire a gun off at someone walking across your lawn and you will find out real quick what law he broke. You will also go to jail. And they won't be discussing whether you fired into the air or at the tresspasser, they will get to that discussion after they got you back at the county jail. The fact that you were tresspassing is irreelavant to the gun being discharged. I live in Indiana too and I know for a fact there is nothing in the law that supports shooting tresspassers. I understand your concern about causeing coonhunters a bad name, I draw the line at gunshots, in the air or otherwise. Legally a warning shot is no different than a shot fired at someone, both are assault with a deadly weapon. Don't take my word for, ask your county sheriff. Somewhere along the line coonhunters seem to have gotten the notion that we are something less than regualer citizens, prolly from the fact that we depend almost solely on private property owners for a place to hunt. Nobody's property is worth me taking gunshots, that is written in stone. If I'm wrong on this, so be it. I don't see me ever changeing my mind on this sunject. Again, I don't mean this as a criticism of how you handled it although it prolly sounds that way. I wasn't there.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location:
Posts: 737

By doing what you are suggesting, you are only adding fuel to the already RAGING fire about gun control. Much of that kinda stuff and they'll be taking our guns away from us or trying to.

I understand your point Jim, I really do. I don't think I or coonhunters in general are 2nd class citizens at all nor do I enjoy getting shot at. He does have a right to protect his property and family. I just think getting the law involved just opens Pandoras Box on a situation that it doesn't need to be. IF he would have shot AT ME or MY TRUCK, that's an entirely different story. I would go after him by ANY / ALL means possible. IF my kids would have been along THAT would have also been different. THEN I probably would have given him a Winchester enima !!!

__________________
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Los Angeles, MN
Posts: 4236

Hoosier....Dont take this personally, but you had absolutely no business shining that tree.....You should have grabbed your dog and got out of there.

If your going to pet your dog, and shine a tree someplace whare you aint suppsed to be, you deserve an a$$ chewing....

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Sylva, North Carolina (the far Western Tip of the State)
Posts: 10272

NO ONE DESERVES TO BE SHOT AT!!! It ain't fun. Here's my most recent experinece.

Me, CHEYENNE, Quincy, Justin Woodard, and Ronnie Carpernter were hunting about a month and a half ago. Ronnie wants to start hunting Hank for us since Quincy is handling his dogs for him in the show. Anyway, they got the dogs out and started walking them to the spot to turn lose when a man that neighbored the land we hunt on, fired 6 shots at us from a gun which he claimed was a shotgun.

Quincy and him exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes in which Ronnie and I finally talked him into leaving and calling the law.

Here's what happened. We have written permission for all landowners, EVEN they guy who shot at us. The cops ruled in our favor:

5 counts of assault with a deadly weapon
5 counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to cause bodily harm. Both of which are felonies. If convicted he could have spent the rest of his life behind bars.

The sherriff's deputy told us, no one has a right to shoot at you. If that person is shooting and hollering, then it is more than likely at you. THAT IS AGAINST THE LAW.

Quincy, being the kind hearted individual that he is, didn't take the warrants out, but had everthing put on record and had the Sherriff's dept. agree that if anthing like this ever happened with that guy again, ALL charges would be filed.

The law will do something. You have to give them the chance. WHETHER YOU WERE ON THEIR PROPERTY OR NOT DOES NOT GIVE THEM JUST CAUSE TO DISCHARGE A FIREARM IN YOUR DIRECTION!!!

We have all come to an agreement now. He leaves us alone, and we don't press charges and send him to jail.

This is one time you can say the Coonhunter has the Landowner "by the balls"!! And it's going to stay that way to.

__________________
HOME OF TEAM SID!!!-now on Facebook!!
"WHERE PLEASURE HUNTERS WIN!!!"-Christy Clayton
GO TEAM SID!!!

*GRCH NTCH'PR'RB'S Rock River Sid-R.I.P.

*CH'PR'Jet's Tember Shakin Sadie (UKC 2ND)
*Banjo

Independent Consultant for Jamberry Nails!! Check them out!!

Quincy-828-269-8768
OR Christy-828-269-4678---If we dont answer, please leave a message!!!

EVERYTHING happens for a reason.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location:
Posts: 737

Josh,

I agree, I should have gotten my dog and gotten outta there. I already had her in the box after I petted her up a little. But I was standing in the middle of the road when I shined and I didn't shine long.

How many burglars use 21V lights to shine trees in your yard before they break into your house?

I had an AZZ chewing coming and I got it and more from a distance. In hind sight, it was coming from a scared old-man who was just trying to scare off whoever was there...why didn't make any difference to him.

__________________
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Warsaw, New York
Posts: 4242

1. I agree with Josh, you had no right to shine the tree when you admitted you shouldn't have been there. It doesn't matter what kind of light you were shining, you can't assume some older guy is gonna think about it if scared. Lack of respect is what causes landowners to post their land in the first place.

2. If you spent all that time to write a post and ask for everyones opinions then don't be so defensive when everyone gives you their honest opinion.

3. Nobody deserves to be shot at , it is against the law as Christy states.

4. Your comment that you would have shot back (Winchester enema) makes you just as bad as the other guy!

I would have quietly got my dog and booked and been thankful but ready to explain and apologize if confronted.

That is just my opinion so don't take it wrong. I'm trying to picture myself as that old guy especially if I didn't know about hounds and coonhunting and didn't recognize a coonhounds bark or the spotlight in the tree.

__________________
Doug Robinson

Past Home of:
GRNITECH FCH GRCH ROBINSON'S SILVERTONE BLUSPECK HTX DNA-P
GRNITECH GRCH PKC CH ROBINSON'S RED LINDSAY
NITECH GRFCH GRWCH GRCH ROBINSON'S CROOKTAIL KATE
GRNITECH GRCH ROBINSON'S CIDERHOUSE LULU
NITECH GRCH GRFCH GRWCH RED RIDGE'S SUPER SHOCK Z HTX2
NITECH GRCH ROBINSON'S OATKA VALLEY ANNIE (BLUSPECK DAUGHTER)
NITECH GRCH ROBINSON'S JJ THUNDER SUE

Current
CH PR ROBINSON'S OATKA VALLEY JUNEBUG - (GRNITECH PKC CH RIVER BOTTOM'S CRACKER JACK X NITECH GRCH ROBINSON'S OATKA VALLEY ANNIE)

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1333

Heck with that.You were standing in the middle of the road.Thats about as public as property gets.Shine away I say.

__________________
What goes up,must come down.

Aaron Allinger,proud member of the NAADP

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Warsaw, New York
Posts: 4242

Wrong....
I know I read somewhere you aren't supposed to shine peoples private property even from the road. Kinda like using a camera with a telephoto lens to take pictures of people in their houses. Intrusion without just cause. I think if your dog was lost and you were searching for it that is different cause you are trying to retrieve your lost property, but by being in the road doesn't give you the right to shine peoples property. I'm sure you could explain away to the cops but the first thing they are going to think is you are scoping out their property. I may be wrong but I know I read someplace about it, may be different from state to state. Maybe someone has had a run in can add their two cents.

__________________
Doug Robinson

Past Home of:
GRNITECH FCH GRCH ROBINSON'S SILVERTONE BLUSPECK HTX DNA-P
GRNITECH GRCH PKC CH ROBINSON'S RED LINDSAY
NITECH GRFCH GRWCH GRCH ROBINSON'S CROOKTAIL KATE
GRNITECH GRCH ROBINSON'S CIDERHOUSE LULU
NITECH GRCH GRFCH GRWCH RED RIDGE'S SUPER SHOCK Z HTX2
NITECH GRCH ROBINSON'S OATKA VALLEY ANNIE (BLUSPECK DAUGHTER)
NITECH GRCH ROBINSON'S JJ THUNDER SUE

Current
CH PR ROBINSON'S OATKA VALLEY JUNEBUG - (GRNITECH PKC CH RIVER BOTTOM'S CRACKER JACK X NITECH GRCH ROBINSON'S OATKA VALLEY ANNIE)

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2003
Location: pembroke, ga
Posts: 11

I tell you what I'd do, It might of took me a day or two, but I would have went to visit the old man, introduce myself and let him know it was me and what I was up too. It may have made a difference or it may not. Only good can come out of hitting a situation like this head on. The worst that can happen would be, him chewing on ya a little more. Whether he liked it or not in most cases he would have had a little more respect for you. If someone came snoopin around my property after I was gone to bed, he might not get shot at, but he would be greeted with a gun. That's a lotta the problem here in GA with deer dog hunters, those few that have no or little respect for other people's property and/or don't try to represent us or themselves well, can put a bad light on everyone. This might save you or someone from getting shot next time or it could get me the old man's phone number, and next time(if it happens again) I could walk right up to my dog and shine the tree all I want. Just what I would have done.

Noah Covington

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Los Angeles, MN
Posts: 4236

quote:

---

This is one time you can say the Coonhunter has the Landowner "by the balls"!! And it's going to stay that way to.

---

I really doubt that Christy..... As far as I know, you dont have an indefinite ammount of time to file charges against someone....You chose not to, and that's that.....Its over.

Also, Just because you have writen permission from a landowner dosent mean he cant change him mind at the drop of a dime, its his land, and he will decide who is on it, and who is not.

Not picking on you, just want to clear these things up

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: The Great State of Tennessee
Posts: 2555

Most of yall better stay away from my house then. You come messing around in my yard or pens and I assure you that you will be shot. Maybe in the leg or something. Seems you were out in the road and not in the yard. You know how the world is now days. Old feller just wanted to know what was going on and was to scared to ask first. If he was going to shoot you, we'd be reading on here how we lost a fellow coonhunter to an old man.

Tell you what I'd do for what its worth. Catch him out in the yard one day and stop by and just explain to him that your dog treed in his yard and etc...... Don't get ill or say anything other that what happened, Im sorry, have a good life. 9 times outta 10 yall will get to talking about something else and become friends and he'll start hunting with you.

Also forgot to add in TN it is illegal to shine 100 ft from a dwelling without the resident of the dwellings permission.

__________________
Jody Scott
731-780-4407
Frogjump TN
Black Creek Treeing Walkers

If I had feelings, that might would have hurt.

Last edited by Skinner on 08-21-2003 at 08:03 PM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: WI
Posts: 212

Good answer Gopher..
Even if he chewed you out he would then know what was going on.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: oklahoma
Posts: 3427

get your hound and get out of there later on drive back and stop and talk to the man in the daytime. most people will understand

__________________
blackandtans till i die
rebels black and tans
(rebels blck sky deceased) rebels blck pearl
REBEL TANK
my girls rebels blck raven rebels honeydo and rebels ruby
the freak dozer

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location:
Posts: 84

In all my very short career as a coonhunter I have allways been looked at, talked to, thought of, and considered by the general civilized world as a second class citizen. We are in most peoples opinions just above mushrooms and seaweed. Anybody else get this picture??? Usually when I talk to someone and explain to them what I like to do on the weekends this is what I get........
1. YOU MEAN PEOPLE ACTUALLY DO THAT?????????
2. THATS RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!
3. GOD WHAT A REDNECK!!!!!!!!!
4. ARE YOU RETARDED OR SOMETHING?????????
5. HAVE YOU SEEN A DOCTOR ABOUT THIS COMPULSIVE BEHAIVOR??????????
6. YA EVER THOUGHT ABOUT BOWLING??????
7. YOU MEAN AT NIGHT!!!!!!!!!??????????????????????
8. IN THE SUMMERTIME?????????????????????????
9. and the ever popular..........( AWWWWW, THIS IS JUST A PHASE......... YOU'LL GROW OUT OF IT SOON SON.)
10. WELL BOY, EVER RIDGE RUNNER I EVER MET WAS NASTY, STINKING, STUPID, TABACCER CHEWIN, LOUDMOUTHED, FILTHY TALKIN, BEER GUZZLIN, PHSYCO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 437

Casting a light

As I read it in Virginia it is illegal to cast a light on another mans land without his permission..... that includes turning your truck a little sideways to count the deer in a field. That same state also has a law that says you can go onto posted land or land you do not have permission to be on (on foot) to retrieve your dog as long as you are not carrying a weapon..... at the same time you are liable for any damages or harm you or your dog does on that property. If you followed the letter of the law you would leave your gun in the dog box ..... walk in without your light on and get your dog then leave as expeditiously as possible. A day time visit with an explanation might just get you a pass to hunt there in the future.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Weyers Cave Va
Posts: 13416

Good post Bulkyker....But a few years back the wardens said that a coonhunter could carry the gun with him on property that he didn;t have permission to be on as long as he was just getten the dog and getting out.I'm not sure if they still say it that way anymore.but at one time I have a letter from the game commission saying that.
Hoosier I would have gotten the dog and gotten out,I would also go back and talk to the old man and let him know t was you.Tell me this didn't happen close to the honey hole.......

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: The Great State of Tennessee
Posts: 2555

rofl @ sheep. And I thought I was the only one.....

__________________
Jody Scott
731-780-4407
Frogjump TN
Black Creek Treeing Walkers

If I had feelings, that might would have hurt.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Eddyville, Iowa
Posts: 482

You're not the only one! hehehe

Black Sheep......... you have come through again.............. to make me inadvertently bust a gut and fall on the floor again!

Hoosier, there is some valuable information on this post. Use it to better your relationship with the old man and you may be surprised with the outcome. Good Luck!

__________________
Keep your viewpoint sharp on what truly matters............... and leave everything else a blur!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1333

Spotlighting from the road is legal in Indiana as long as you dont have a weapon in the truck.We dont shine peoples houses or cows out of common courtesy,but we can legally shine across their fields.
I am all for visiting the old man in the daytime and introducing yourself.In fact,I had a similar run in just a couple months ago.
I pulled over off the road to check my dogs on the tracker about midnight.This guy comes running out and chews my ass.
I kind of knew the guy,but I guess he didn't recognize me.
I was gonna stop by and explain to him what I was doing,but unfortunatly,he shot someone the next day so I didn't get the chance.I guess I'll have that talk with him in a few years.
I aint makin that up either.

__________________
What goes up,must come down.

Aaron Allinger,proud member of the NAADP

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Virginia
Posts: 166

If you are knowingly near someones house who you think might opose you being there then you should have snatched up your dog and been gone in a flash! For a couple reasons:
What happens next time this old man hears a dog treed near his house? now you've created a situation where he may kill a dog!
This old coot is probably related to half the people bordering that block of woods so now you take the risk of him fixing it to where your hunting permission can be revoked, maybe not in the spot where you intitially droped but possibly on some bordering property.

A next day apology could still have some merrit, Once you've shown people that you are a descent feller they more than likely will be much more tolerant of you waking them up in the middle of the night.
This past friday in a comp. hunt our dogs got up close to the landowners daughter's house. When we walked in I did'nt see any lights on in the house and since we were still on the landowners land we started shining. Well needless to say we woke the son-in-law up and he came out in his under britches hollering and carrying on so we split. The first thing saturday morning I e-mailed the landowner and appologized for stiring things up and low and behold the son-in-law who was enraged this past friday has now e-mailed me and basically said 'no harm done, happy hunting'!

__________________
Matt C @ CCC

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Lawrence, Michigan
Posts: 167

OK - first question - did you have permission to hunt from where you turned loose? If so, and your dog went onto posted property, you still have a right to get your hound though you cannot kill the game. (Michigan law -right to retrieve your hound).
If you did not have permission, then you were wrong from the start.
You guys (and gals) worrying about the anti's getting a foothold if you call the law - get real. You as a coonhunter need to make sure you are right. Know the law. Have permission to hunt. If the dog gets out of pocket - get it. Stay within the law of your state. If you do not have a right to retrieve - go to the landowner and ask. If they say no - call the law - as they are REQUIRED to assist you in retrieving your property. (more than likely they will standby with the landowner while you go get your dog)
In the case of this posting - yes I would have shined the tree. I would have had permission to hunt where I let loose, the dog got out of pocket and treed ON PUBLIC PROPERTY - THE ROAD RIGHT OF WAY. Now I would have used plenty of lights, and been glad to talk to mr. landowner - but he is the one with a fence and 2 attack dogs.and I am not going to trespass by opening the gates. But when the gun goes off - His a$$ will be landing in jail. You do NOT HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS! Stand up for your rights as a hunter. Obey the law and insist that others do also - help him get a good nights sleep at the local sheriff's bed & breakfast.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged