Poacher and my new rifle

[Jogeephus]

Caught a poacher this morning after he killed a bobcat out of season this morning on my property. I hunted him down and found him still sitting in the tree stand with no orange, no hunting license or any form of id. Only semi-legal thing I could think of doing was taking his gun from him and telling him he could pick it up at the jail. Figured if he didn't show then I'd have a new rifle. A nice fancy one too. I tell you, some people are just stupid. Can't remember who said it but I know it was someone on CT but the idea that "stupidity ought to be painful" is a wonderful thought to me. I sure hope its painful getting the rifle back.

 

[Alan]

I have got to ask..... why was this clown so welling to give you the rifle? What kept him from just taking off?

Alan

 

[Jogeephus]

He was up in a tree so he had to come down to me. I've been after this yahoo for two years. Now all I got to do is catch one maybe two more. Its hard to catch them though but I hope its painful enough that they won't be back.

 

[VanC]

He was up in a tree so he had to come down to me. I've been after this yahoo for two years. Now all I got to do is catch one maybe two more. Its hard to catch them though but I hope its painful enough that they won't be back.

Jo, did you have a gun, too? Years ago I was checking fence and came across a couple of yahoos hunting on my uncle's land without permission. I told them to leave and wasn't real friendly about it. Nothing happened, but later my aunt read me the riot act about confronting strangers with guns out in the middle of nowhere. You never know.

 

[Wewild]

Years ago I was checking fence and came across a couple of yahoos hunting on my uncle's land without permission. I told them to leave and wasn't real friendly about it. Nothing happened, but later my aunt read me the riot act about confronting strangers with guns out in the middle of nowhere. You never know.

I was always told to handle the situation in a easy going way. Folks like that might not hurt you face to face but you never could tell when they could come back late at night and burn down your barn. Seen barns burn with that being the rumor as well.

 

[VanC]

Years ago I was checking fence and came across a couple of yahoos hunting on my uncle's land without permission. I told them to leave and wasn't real friendly about it. Nothing happened, but later my aunt read me the riot act about confronting strangers with guns out in the middle of nowhere. You never know.

I was always told to handle the situation in a easy going way. Folks like that might not hurt you face to face but you never could tell when they could come back late at night and burn down your barn. Seen barns burn with that being the rumor as well.

You're right, of course. I think I was 16 or 17 and, like most youngsters, thought I was invincible. I'd be a little smarter about it today.

 

[Jogeephus]

Yes, I had a pistol in my pocket but I never took it out or revealed it. Don't think either of us figured a varmint was worth dying over but some people are crazy. I did try to remain calm. Just asked him some questions but when he began blowing smoke up my arse I cut the conversation short and told him he could pick his rifle up at the sheriff's office. Talked to the deputy who handled it and he said he talked harse to him and doesn't think he will be back. Maybe so. Maybe he learned a lesson. I just hope its going to hit him good in the wallet.

 

[rattler]

Good luck to you jo.We caught a feller a a couple year's back when it went to court they smacked him on the wrist cost him cort cost he came right back sit on the property line hunted the rest of the season.

rattler

 

[Jogeephus]

Good luck to you jo.We caught a feller a a couple year's back when it went to court they smacked him on the wrist cost him cort cost he came right back sit on the property line hunted the rest of the season.

rattler

That's the problem with the letting the law handle it especially if they are just collecting money and not administering justice. I can't stand someone who sits on the line but there is no law against it here. You just have to tolerate it. On our leases I require everyone to back off the line 100 yards to keep peace with neighbors. It would be nice if everyone did this but I think it would be impossible to make hunting idiot proof that again is why I think stupidity ought to at least be painful.

 

[Jogeephus]

The law doesn't read that way here. We had some clarifications a few years back remove some of the grey areas involving protection of your personal property.(lots of states did this) We've had a rash of people stealing pecans in the last two weeks and have already had two bird shot shootings and no charges are being filed cause these folks are simply protecting their property. And yes, had he pointed his gun at me I would have pulled my pistol and used it but only to protect myself. I didn't carry my pistol to threaten him I only carried it to protect myself in the event he got stupid. Thankfully our courts and juries still agree that we have the right protect our property when an armed intruder comes on your property and its even permissable and advised to meet this person armed. Of course, that's probably why stories like Halloween are always written in California and not Georgia.

 

[dun]

Wasn;t Deliverance in GA?

 

[Jim62]

Consider yourself fortunate to have courts and juries like that, Jo. In Texas it's the other way--the perps have ALL the rights. In Austin, it is very near the point that cops will not be allowed to shoot anyone under any circumstance. Unless the perp happens to be a middle-aged white male, of course. Then pretty much anything goes.

Of course, Austin is where you can go to trial for DUI #8 and get 6 months probation.............. :shock:

 

[Jogeephus]

Wasn;t Deliverance in GA?

:lol2: You just couldn't stand it could ya?!!? Keep in mind that was north georgia.

Jim, that kinda sounds like our court system too. Seems we have a revolving door policy on criminals and if it involves housing them the sytem turns them loose. Cheaper that way.

Doesn't Texas and Tennessee have the castle law? Georgia expanded theirs a few years ago. Doesn't mean I can go blasting anyone I want but it does offer protection from civil and criminal charges as long as my actions are reasonable.

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/rpt/2008-R-0320.htm

 

[angie1]

OK. I have read this several times thinking I must be missing something (a common enough occurence). As others have asked ~ How and Why did this person hand his gun over and walk away without it? You just gave him "the look"? You threatened to call his mom or take him out behind the woodshed? I mean, I work with inmates and juvenile deliquents, if you have a trick up your sleeve I am thinking it is something I could use.

Up here if it is a hunting offense you would be much better off to call a DNR officer. They don't mess around even a little bit.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Angie he was probably guessing that Jo was armed and didn't want to be shot that day.

Had a rather interesting incident myself yesterday. Went to check our property over east, we have had trouble with tresspassers.
Met up with a hunter I knew. I was on the phone with the Sheriffs office reporting the problem.
Got to talking to this guy and he said to me that the guy who has the easement over our land was going to call a lawyer and nail me for harassment. :shock: What the h*ll?
I haven't talked to that neighbor for over 2 years and only called him this fall to let him know because of all the "road" hunters I was going to put the posts in a certain and told him I was going to spike the trails that were made last year.
Now I wasn't saying this neighbor was doing the tresspassing, but I suspected it.

He's going to just LOVE the fence we are going to start putting in over there.

 

[angie1]

Angie he was probably guessing that Jo was armed and didn't want to be shot that day.

Maybe. Though if he feared that Jo was a threat to him, he should have kept his gun. He also had the advantage until he turned his gun over. I just don't know a single man that would hand over his gun cause someone said so, and am interested to know how that played out.

 

[Wewild]

Wasn;t Deliverance in GA?

:lol2: You just couldn't stand it could ya?!!? Keep in mind that was north georgia.

Yeah just up the road from here.

 

[Jogeephus]

Angie its just cause I'm a bad a$$ SOB that has that look. :lol2: (just kidding)

Seriously though, I think people who have something to loose are a lot different than dealing with someone has nothing to loose. This "hunter/poacher/trespasser" might be stupid in some respects but most of them are law abiding people who get a Daniel Boone type hair up their buts come hunting season. Many, and I suspect this guy is falls into this category, have careers and families and are nothing like the hardened criminals that you have to deal with who have no respect for the law. Granted he could have been one but this was not probable - after all we have laws that don't allow felons to carry firearms so no felon would be able to go hunting. ;-) (sorry, couldn't help myself)

The Why of it is that he knew he was wrong and he would not produce any ID or a hunting license so I told him I was taking his rifle and told him how he could get it back. I remained firm but calm and didn't threaten him. I was taught it is very important to remember that a caught person's adrenaline is running high so you gotta be careful till it subsides. In summary, I simply caught him and he knew he was caught. From there it was just a pure concession of defeat with no humiliation. He knew the rules, he knew he was breaking them and he was willing to pay for his transgression. What else was he to do? Allow his crime to escalate into something else? Highly probable with a felon but not with a normal person one who stands to actually loose something.

I normally would have called the warden but I left my radio at the house and that is the only way I know to get him unless you call Atlanta.

 

[angie1]

I normally would have called the warden but I left my radio at the house and that is the only way I know to get him unless you call Atlanta.

Yes, what you say makes sense. Psychological control is more real than any other.
I was reading what you wrote, and thinking "Jogee must look and talk like Dirty Harry or something...."

 

[Jogeephus]

Wasn;t Deliverance in GA?

:lol2: You just couldn't stand it could ya?!!? Keep in mind that was north georgia.

Jim, that kinda sounds like our court system too. Seems we have a revolving door policy on criminals and if it involves housing them the sytem turns them loose. Cheaper that way.

Doesn't Texas and Tennessee have the castle law? Georgia expanded theirs a few years ago. Doesn't mean I can go blasting anyone I want but it does offer protection from civil and criminal charges as long as my actions are reasonable.

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/rpt/2008-R-0320.htm

I am not sure. I just know that one of the major points they brought up when getting my handgun carry permit was that if you shoot someone here in TN just to protect them from say stealing your lawn mower you are going to jail for murder and will lose your carry permit. The only time you are allowed to use deadly force without question is if they are inside the home there you can shoot first and ask questions later. If outside the home the only time you can use gun force is if someone pulls a gun on you first. If you feel they are just going to assault you or punch you in the nose you cannot use deadly force. Also, whether inside your home or outside your home, you can and more than likely will be sued in civil court for damages.

Same here. Its not a license to kill. In Georgia you have the right to the reasonable use of force. For instance, if you tried to stop the person from stealing your lawnmower you could threaten him with a gun and if he in turn pulled out a weapon or threatened you with it you would not have to flee as in some states but can stand your ground and take him down if need be. However, you'd better be sure you hit him in the chest and not the back cause use of deadly force is only permissable if you are protecting yourself or someone else. It has to be reasonable.