# Found the poacher's trail cam



## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

Well we have been having problems with a poacher on my friend's land in Irvington. It's not a hunting camp, but the land he lives on with his family. They have been hearing gunshots at night and we have found signs of dead deer recently. Last week he was out looking around on the back of the property, and he found his trail cam over a pile of rice. The guy has cut a trail from his back yard on the neighborhood onto my friends land and has cut a clearing where he has been poaching at night. We put up no trespassing signs but they were town down with bullet holes yesterday. The game warden has been notified and has agreed to patrol the property. It takes a special kind of person to poach, and an even worse one to do it when we know about it. We know who he is and where he lives. 

Question: if we catch him on our land with a gun, and he fires at us, we have the right to fire back in self defense correct?

Also: we took the pics off of his trail cam, and I hope to God this deer is still alive, but for some reason I'm not hopeful about it.


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

Another pic


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## Dragsmoker (Aug 15, 2011)

SouthAlabamaSlayer said:


> Question: if we catch him on our land with a gun, and he fires at us, we have the right to fire back in self defense correct?



Why is this even a question? Lol


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## D_Shane (Apr 3, 2010)

SouthAlabamaSlayer said:


> Question: if we catch him on our land with a gun, and he fires at us, we have the right to fire back in self defense correct?



Don't wait for him to shoot first, it may be too late. He points that gun YOU fire!!


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Nice buck. Sucks about the poacher, but let the Game Warden handle it. Or the Sheriff. Yes, you can defend yourself, but be careful. It could be construed as you went looking for trouble.


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

Unfortunately, the game wardens around here aren't known for doing much unless they're your bestfriend. We would never look for trouble, we just go searching the land for signs of new trespassers to stop them.


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## espo16 (Apr 21, 2008)

You shoulda took his damn camera, busted it up, then walked on the trail he cut all the way to his back yard and dumped it off... post up a sign right where he comes in at... then, tie some fishing line upon his trail at neck height. Put a camera up yourself right where the fishing line is. If you can post a picture of him choking... I will give you an honorary touchdown...


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

SouthAlabamaSlayer said:


> Unfortunately, the game wardens around here aren't known for doing much unless they're your bestfriend. We would never look for trouble, we just go searching the land for signs of new trespassers to stop them.


Call the sheriff's office. An armed trespasser falls under their jurisdiction also.


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## whome (Oct 2, 2007)

Treble hooks and 20lb flurocarbon...you figure out the rest


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## VOLMAN (Sep 3, 2009)

I say set the traps too! Pee on his stand, drop a deuce in the rice pile for good measure! Don't put traps on your friends land the jack wagon the poacher hurts himself he would sue, so do whatever off the property and tell the possum cop where they are so he doesn't get hurt.


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## rufus1138 (Oct 29, 2012)

im not too sure about the legality of boobytrapping your land. although i advocate it im not sure if you can get sued or in legal trouble over it. kinda like people getting sued for neighbor kids drowning in their swimming pool


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## Nat-Light (Oct 9, 2007)

Stop by a barber shop and pick up a bag of hair trimmings, spread them around the area.


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## archer-1 (Feb 4, 2009)

Leave a note in the spot where you picked up YOUR NEW TRAIL CAM telling him you know who he is, you have photo's of him tresspassing while armed and if you get one more you will take legal action on the felony tresspass!


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## marmidor (Mar 15, 2008)

Put up your own trail cam and catch him/her on cam then bust his ass!


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## countryjwh (Nov 20, 2007)

Leave a note saying you have his trail camera and to call you to pick it up. If he calls have the game warden or sheriff there with you when he tries to pick it up


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

Maybe a dumb question, Do deer eat rice? Like whole rice from the bag?


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## espo16 (Apr 21, 2008)

I know like eat rice bran like fat kids eat cake...

Sent from the tree stand...


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## skullmount1988 (Dec 13, 2010)

espo16 said:


> I know like eat rice bran like fat kids eat cake...
> 
> Sent from the tree stand...


U got some rice bran in bw dont ya? Thats how you and fink see all the deer huh?


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

countryjwh said:


> Leave a note saying you have his trail camera and to call you to pick it up. If he calls have the game warden or sheriff there with you when he tries to pick it up


I like this one...

Booby traps are a bad thing to deal with legally. I'd love to do it, and he deserves it, but I'd rather not get my butt sued off.


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## espo16 (Apr 21, 2008)

I don't know in what the hell Fink has..he's shot 3 bucks in 4 sits at two of my spots.

Sent from the tree stand...


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## countryjwh (Nov 20, 2007)

I do know the gw is on his feet. He checked me a week or so ago off of half mile rd. Came walking down the road I was hunting off of. I whistled, he came to check me and was on his way back out. Maybe he will catch em.


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## Sushi maker (Jun 3, 2010)

*here ya go*



archer-1 said:


> Leave a note in the spot where you picked up YOUR NEW TRAIL CAM telling him you know who he is, you have photo's of him tresspassing while armed and if you get one more you will take legal action on the felony tresspass!


 With a felony tresspass conviction you will remove the right to keep and bear arms of the culprit. At that point if the felon tresspasses on your land with a fire arm he is now guilty of 2 felonies and if he points at you that is assault if he points a weapon at you that is stand your ground status. I would set up a few trail cams up high in the trees. It would also be very damning to have video of the perp tearing down the no tresspass signs.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Sushi maker said:


> With a felony tresspass conviction you will remove the right to keep and bear arms of the culprit. At that point if the felon tresspasses on your land with a fire arm he is now guilty of 2 felonies and if he points at you that is assault if he points a weapon at you that is stand your ground status. I would set up a few trail cams up high in the trees. It would also be very damning to have video of the perp tearing down the no tresspass signs.


Key word to this is CONVICTION, a damn good criminal defense attorney and providing he doesnt have any priors, this felony trespass is now down graded to a misd. offense. and court costs. Prob more like a adj. withheld and a slap on the wrist, I wouldn't count on an felony tresspass.


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## MerkDeez (Nov 20, 2011)

I would personally hide in the woods and pop his ass with a pellet gun as he walked on my property. just make sure it's not a squatch....


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Devil's advocate here for a second, before I popped anyone with a pellet gun, I would verify some things first. Are you sure it's not his land? Just because your buddy put up "No Trespassing" signs, doesn't mean he was right on the property line. I have some land and my jackass neighbor kept putting them up on my trees, so I bulldozed all the trees that had his sign on them. He moved them to the proper side of the line. But my point is, are you sure the "offender" knows that he is trespassing? He may believe that it is his property and the signs are erroneously placed. I would find out more info before I shot a guy, that has a rifle or shotgun, with a pellet gun.


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

MrFish said:


> Devil's advocate here for a second, before I popped anyone with a pellet gun, I would verify some things first. Are you sure it's not his land? Just because your buddy put up "No Trespassing" signs, doesn't mean he was right on the property line. I have some land and my jackass neighbor kept putting them up on my trees, so I bulldozed all the trees that had his sign on them. He moved them to the proper side of the line. But my point is, are you sure the "offender" knows that he is trespassing? He may believe that it is his property and the signs are erroneously placed. I would find out more info before I shot a guy, that has a rifle or shotgun, with a pellet gun.


He told a guy that works the land that "he and his family have been hunting there for years," and that "he didn't give a s*** if it wasn't his land." Yes he knows it isn't his land, and yes we are sure it is my friend's.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

SouthAlabamaSlayer said:


> He told a guy that works the land that "he and his family have been hunting there for years," and that "he didn't give a s*** if it wasn't his land." Yes he knows it isn't his land, and yes we are sure it is my friend's.


Okey dokey. Still wouldn't shoot him with a pellet gun.:thumbsup:


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## TatSoul (Mar 12, 2012)

put a 4 foot electric fence up.problem solved


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

TatSoul said:


> put a 4 foot electric fence up.problem solved


On 80 acres? I wish they had that kind of money.


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## Emerald Ghost (Mar 11, 2008)

First thing I would do, is to get a good photo of him trespassing.
Then I would make a copy of it, and mail it to him with a letter, via certified mail.
Advise him that any trespassing by him will result in an arrest.
Also make sure that your property is properly posted in accordance with state statutes, otherwise his case could be thrown out of court.


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## TatSoul (Mar 12, 2012)

SouthAlabamaSlayer said:


> On 80 acres? I wish they had that kind of money.


just on the part that he is crossing,maybe a few hundred feet across using cheap chicken wire and a couple strands of electric in there.


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

Emerald Ghost said:


> First thing I would do, is to get a good photo of him trespassing.
> Then I would make a copy of it, and mail it to him with a letter, via certified mail.
> Advise him that any trespassing by him will result in an arrest.
> Also make sure that your property is properly posted in accordance with state statutes, otherwise his case could be thrown out of court.


We put up signs, he shot them. They said that this dude is not all right in the head, which seems very possible by what has happened so far. He has stolen 2 trail cams off our land so far, so putting out another one is insane. The only way for him to stop is if he is in jail I believe.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Has the S.O even been called? You obviously know his entry point somewhat, I'd start there, tag # would be the best start, talking and doing are two different things and if this was me SAS I'd get the S.O involved, cant really get him for trespassing until he's been warned or a trespass notice/order has been served. If green jeans isnt willing to work with you, get the last name and badge # and go up the chain. You have to start a paper trial somewhere and get things documented, till then its piss in the wind.


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## hsiF deR (Oct 4, 2009)

tips n tails said:


> ?.. cant really get him for trespassing until he's been warned or a trespass notice/order has been served


If your on property that you don't have permission to be on and that property is marked every 50ft with no trespassing you are gonna get a ticket/summons.

I found this out the hard way. That was when I was a lot younger and a lot dumber.


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## olesoandso (Apr 1, 2012)

I am a little "off" most people say, but i see this in a whole different light. Sucks as it seems this presents a great hunting opportunity. The most dangerous game, right? Everyone on this boards enjoys the thrill of the hunt. We dont hunt to eat we hunt for the sport. You have the perfect opportunity to hunt a two-legged jackass. Sure you are not going to shoot him, unless properly provoked, but just like tag and release. Think about it as if live video of the perp was a kill shot on a monster buck. You know where his bedding area is. You know where his food source is. You have him patterned to nocturnal activities. Not many of us have "bagged" a two legger, at least on U.S. soil. Pictures of that would go right next to the deer head on the wall.

When the good Lord gives you lemons, make the damned lemonade. 


Semper Fi


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## Mike aka FishWerks (Oct 22, 2007)

olesoandso said:


> I am a little "off" most people say, but i see this in a whole different light. Sucks as it seems this presents a great hunting opportunity. The most dangerous game, right? Everyone on this boards enjoys the thrill of the hunt. We dont hunt to eat we hunt for the sport. You have the perfect opportunity to hunt a two-legged jackass. Sure you are not going to shoot him, unless properly provoked, but just like tag and release. Think about it as if live video of the perp was a kill shot on a monster buck. You know where his bedding area is. You know where his food source is. You have him patterned to nocturnal activities. Not many of us have "bagged" a two legger, at least on U.S. soil. Pictures of that would go right next to the deer head on the wall.
> 
> When the good Lord gives you lemons, make the damned lemonade.
> 
> ...



I like the way you think.:thumbsup:


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

hsiF deR said:


> If your on property that you don't have permission to be on and that property is marked every 50ft with no trespassing you are gonna get a ticket/summons.
> 
> I found this out the hard way. That was when I was a lot younger and a lot dumber.


A "no trespass sign" is a WARNING, you can post signs every 5 ft if that makes you feel better, but until he's actaully caught your pretty much SOL. 80 acres worth of signs is a pretty penny, post them high up, that will help them from being torn down.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

When the good Lord gives you lemons, make the damned lemonade. 

^^^:thumbsup:^^^ This is something to take note on.


Semper Fi[/QUOTE]


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## samiams (Feb 3, 2008)

I guess i have a couple of questions. Number one being has the land owner (not someone who works the land) talked to the guy? I mean that should be the first thing. Once positive and documented contact has been made you can move forward. But to me until that has been done the landowner is leaving himself open. I use to work for the Inspector General and people use to come to me all the time with acusations but nothing to back it up. You need to start a paper trail. Such as I talked to the neighbor onxxxx. Then i contacted the SO on xxxx etc. Until you do that and you start taking action it will be viewed dimly in todays current atmosphere


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