Neighbor came by this AM

We've been were for a long time. He is hard of hearing but he wanted to talk about rounds from a distance going through his trees. We talked if they worbbled or zinged and if he had heard the report from the distance. He didn't hear the shots.

So we talked and talked and drank coffee. The main difference is we are a few miles apart. All I could say was "Now you know why we are the a$$3$" because this has been going on for 20 years. We have prohibited hunting on 160 of forest because people invite people who invite friends. They don't know where they are, direction or what's behind of their shot. Shots?!? Why more than one?

My gosh, be careful. And kick your buddy's butt if he pulls the trigger and doesn't know what's behind the trees and contour. And don't let them go out alone were they don't have a connection or a device that lets them know where they are on the land and property lines. This stuff makes me want to scream.

We won't speak on after hours and tannerite, bonfires during burn ban, and trail hunting after too many drinks.

Please be conscious of others.

City hunters. Argghh.

Unshaven2897 said:

City hunters. Argghh.

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On the other hand, some of us "city hunters" appreciate the opportunity. yes, I had a friend whose family spray painted "COW" on their livestock in NorCal. And we talked to a Utah Warden who cited a bunch of New Englanders who had shot and tagged a farmer's mule as a cow elk (They were field dressing it and still argued with him that it was an elk!)

While in my late 30's, I booked with a guide. He invited me to go on a wild pig hunt on his "special ranch" (Trophy boars only!). I nailed a 3"+ tusker at 400+ yards on the run with my 300 Win Mag. The ranch owner came down to check us out and I was sure to thank him and he complimented me on my shot! Well, we would hunt that ranch once every year to help him keep the hogs out of the barley. One year I was invited to hunt the deer opener. The next year, he told us he wanted to do a private lease on his 15,000 acres. Two pigs (one trophy, one meat), one buck, all the dove, quail and ground squirrels we wanted and camping rights. Well, we (my wife and I) would invite him and the missus down for elk steaks, pie, coffee, etc. He'd invite us in for coffee. There were five of us on the lease. We became good friends. Jack, the guide, still guided and when I went back to college to finish my degree and then on to grad school, I worked part time as an assistant guide & skinner. I even got my own guide's license (California Guide #134) and Jack would have me guide if he couldn't make it.

During the first year, we caught 28 poachers on the ranch! We would drop one of us off at about 200 yards away and drive on down to them with a video camera. We'd tape them, their vehicle, copy it and give it to the local warden. We made sure they new our buddy had a high powered rifle on them and we all carried sidearms for snakes. I even backed him (the warden) up once or twice when we were on our way in and he was busting jack-lighters! We sometimes found guys in camo walking along the paved road "without a weapon". We'd backtrack, find a rifle or bow in the gully and ask if that was theirs. They'd deny it and they got to watch us smash it against a tree!

We even caught a retired DFG warden poaching and an off-duty CHP! (The rancher did). And most of the ones we poached were from rural cities like Bakersfield, King City, Paso Robles, etc.

@BearBio , some good stories in your post. So I have to temper my original tone because I painted with a rather broad brush, didn't I? As always it takes some bad experiences with the bad actors to cause all my reactions to become negative. Actually I have given ONE non-resident land owner permission to hunt the back 40 (the wife really growled at me) because he is a cool, conscientious and careful guy and know he will keep it between us.

But, unfortunately, most all our experiences have not been good. And in a few cases just plain rude and/or dangerous. So we deal sternly with the situation and TG its only for a few weeks. Then things get quiet and peaceful again.

I totally get why you're ready to scream, it’s not just about trespassing, it’s about plain-old common sense and safety. The fact that your neighbor heard the whizzing but not the report tells you exactly what kind of knuckleheads you're dealing with, they're shooting big cartridges, and they are definitely a mile or more out, aiming in your direction, probably with a high angle shot. That's how rounds stay high enough to go through the trees a few miles away. You’re 100% right about the essential upgrades, you can put up all the "No Hunting" signs in the world, but if people don't know where they are or what's behind their target, it doesn't matter. It gives all of us a bad name.

You handled it right by talking with your neighbor, but you gotta figure out who these clowns are. If they're hunting illegally on that prohibited forest land, call the local game warden. Seriously, getting the law involved might be the only way to get these "friends of friends" to smarten up before someone gets hurt

There is one game cop in the county and he spends his time along the river popping people for hooks and what's on them, multiple lines and parking. If a problem in the woods because of a multiple jurisdiction thing he screams authority. The Sheriff laughs at him and the rest of WF&W.

TG for the Sheriff. They respond. WF&W not.

Unshaven2897 said:

There is one game cop in the county and he spends his time along the river popping people for hooks and what's on them, multiple lines and parking. If a problem in the woods because of a multiple jurisdiction thing he screams authority. The Sheriff laughs at him and the rest of WF&W.

TG for the Sheriff. They respond. WF&W not.

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Haven't had any dealings with WDF&W. In Cali, the local warden in Parkfield and Paso Robles) really got off on busting poachers!! Crashed a couple of rigs chasing them!

BTW: One guy took off cross-country on farm roads. Crashed through several gates and barbed wire fences in a really dressed up Ford truck. Guess he never heard of radio!! Guess who was waiting! Just to avoid a fine!

Oh my gosh... fixing any fence driven through. It should be a chain gang thing to reset poles and spool/restring wire. Maybe there would be hope for folk when they got out.