Here was a public land issue from last year.....

[RobG]

Here is the applicable law from the DOW regulations brochure:

SFC - those laws are generally for preventing hunter harassment from anti-hunters. Game drives are legal. If you think you are right simply turn them in... but I don't think that is the intent of that regulation.

I got to add - pulling a gun out in a threatening manner to stop them from doing a drive is far more likely to be a cite-able offense -- maybe even assault.

 

[SFC B]

SFC - those laws are generally for preventing hunter harassment from anti-hunters. Game drives are legal. If you think you are right simply turn them in... but I don't think that is the intent of that regulation.

I got to add - pulling a gun out in a threatening manner to stop them from doing a drive is far more likely to be a cite-able offense -- maybe even assault.

I think that what was described to me fits exactly within that law as far as chasing, harrasing, causing gameto flee and placing oneself within the line of fire. These guys WERE NOT driving in the traditional sense and I will hold firm in that what was described to me was plain wrong and even WORSE than antis as they were doing this for profit and at the expense of the public. As for the weapon, AGAIN, it wasn't something that I condone or would do. I wasn't in that hunter's shoes so I don't know what he was thinking other than what he told me. As for what he did being grounds for charges, I am betting that if the guys on the horses didn't KNOW what they were doing was wrong and illegal the sheriff would probably have been their first call. Guilt may have caused them to keep their mouthes shut and take it as a lesson.

 

[cur dog]

SFC B,

Thank you, for your service!

I would however, strongly encourage you to find a new hunting partner. Your friend is an IDIOT for pointing a weapon at another human being while in the field hunting. I pretty much wrote your post off as trash, and lost any interest, after reading about the confrontation with the ranch hands.

Nothing against you, and again, thank you for your service.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

SFC B: "With rifle shouldered he informed him that if he came up there again on his horse he would be walking back to the ranch. I wondered if I would have been so restrained."

That has me more concerned than possibly anything else you have stated in any of your posts. You do realize that you weren't on another combat mission and were just hunting, don't you? The way I read that second sentence it appears you may have some anger management issues and may have gone ahead and pulled the trigger if it had happened to you and that is more than scary

 

[PonoHunt]

This happens every year on the West side of Green Mountain resevoir here in Colorado. Each morning his ranch hands are on horses up and herding elk down onto his ranch. IN NO WAY WAS HIS MEN OUT TAKING CARE OF CATTLE. They were herding the elk plain and simple. I will NEVER hunt this area again, as I know the DOW would not do anything about it anyways, it is obvious with the current legislature that just passed, that the state favors the ranchers/land owners. Everything is for sale in this state.

 

[canvsbk]

Pretty much everyone I know who has hunted out there has a similair story of the elk being driven onto or driven to stay on some ranch somewhere. I find that aggravating to say the least but I see no reason to show someone the muzzle of my gun because of it.

 

[SFC B]

SFC B,

Thank you, for your service!

I would however, strongly encourage you to find a new hunting partner. Your friend is an IDIOT for pointing a weapon at another human being while in the field hunting. I pretty much wrote your post off as trash, and lost any interest, after reading about the confrontation with the ranch hands.

Nothing against you, and again, thank you for your service.

Again, he wasn't from our camp and I didn't know him. He was hunting down the valley from us.

 

[SFC B]

SFC B: "With rifle shouldered he informed him that if he came up there again on his horse he would be walking back to the ranch. I wondered if I would have been so restrained."

That has me more concerned than possibly anything else you have stated in any of your posts. You do realize that you weren't on another combat mission and were just hunting, don't you? The way I read that second sentence it appears you may have some anger management issues and may have gone ahead and pulled the trigger if it had happened to you and that is more than scary

Buddy you read that one wrong. I wouldn't have pointed the weapon and made a threat, I may have, however, invited that joker off of his horse for a more intense discussion. This guy was not only breaking the law he was putting himself in danger by riding in that manner through an area where he knew folks were hunting. People like that need to be confronted and brought to task for what they are doing. While the hunter that was there definitely went over the line, we need folks to stand up for their rights or these people will continue to do these things without thinking twice. The idea of simply "reporting to the DOW" is fine in theory, however, unless an officer just happens to be in the direct area nothing will be done. Especially given the current political climate here. If you are not comfortable with confrontation, that is your choice.

 

[RobG]

I think that what was described to me fits exactly within that law as far as chasing, harrasing, causing gameto flee and placing oneself within the line of fire. These guys WERE NOT driving in the traditional sense and I will hold firm in that what was described to me was plain wrong and even WORSE than antis as they were doing this for profit and at the expense of the public. As for the weapon, AGAIN, it wasn't something that I condone or would do. I wasn't in that hunter's shoes so I don't know what he was thinking other than what he told me. As for what he did being grounds for charges, I am betting that if the guys on the horses didn't KNOW what they were doing was wrong and illegal the sheriff would probably have been their first call. Guilt may have caused them to keep their mouthes shut and take it as a lesson.

Instead of ranting here about what you think is against the law why don't you call the CDOW and turn them in? I think you will find out that what I said is true. It happens all the time and I can't think of how you would make it illegal without making it illegal to push game towards another hunter.

Better yet, get a herd of your friends to post up at the property line and blast away when they drive them to you. I can't think of better comeuppance.

 

[Buckjump]

Prove that the rider was breaking a law by riding on public land, and the hunter harassment case is going to be just as hard to prove as pointing the rifle. All though I'd gather up a cop not a game warden if a gun was leveled at me. I ride around checking cattle or moving cattle and checking water tanks all the time during hunting season no laws are being broke and yeah I do run into hunters pretty regular, happens to me now and then as well when the kids and I are out hunting but is easy to live with. What gets me is that it comes back to judge and jury, you have no legal authority take the law into your own hands to bring anybody to task, if they are actually trying to herd elk I highly doubt your comfronting them will make them stop! And one thing will lead to others if one is unsure of their restraint.

 

[sweetnectar]

Do people haze game? I'm sure there are some. Do most people haze game? No Do most landowners do it? No.

TopGun summed it up best when he said:

Funny how so many people get into internet squabbles on stuff when nobody was there to even know the circumstances of what actually happened! I can tell you one thing though and that's in 60 years of hunting I don't think the major rule that you don't point a weapon at anything you don't intend to shoot has changed! If the guy did that, whether it was at the horse or rider, IMHO he was violating more than what maybe the riders were doing or not doing that day.

So to change the subject a little...Here is a story that happened in my family reguarding chasing game: My grandpa ran into a police car with his siren and lights blaring going less than 8 miles and hour driving through my grandpa's ranch. I have to hand it to my Grandpa, he pulls up in his truck and blocks the cruiser and asks the cop what the H@!! he is doing. The cop says that he was in pursuit of someone to which my grandpa replies "!@#$@$@#@@#@^^^^$!! Get the H#!! off my property before I turn you in you liar". The cop flipped around and retreated to his hunting friends on the neighboring ranch.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I probably lost a great chance at the second biggest mulie I've seen out in Wyoming a number of years ago due to ranchers on horses. I spotted a real nice buck at daylight and was putting a stalk on him when all of a sudden I heard guys whooping it up and here came several on horses on that BLM land moving cattle down to a lower pasture. I watched that old buck circle out around them and over the hill he went never to be seen again. The closest rider came by me and asked if I saw that nice buck and I just said yep. I guess I should have shot him and the horse for screwing my hunt up that morning!!!

 

[canvsbk]

Topgun- sent you an email, may have wrong address, wonder if you got it...

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Topgun- sent you an email, may have wrong address, wonder if you got it...

Nope, not unless it went into a Spam file and got deleted before I noticed it. I sent you one a couple minutes ago and we'll go from there!

 

[mtmuley]

Stuff like this is why I stay the Hell away from "fencelines". mtmuley