What to do?

[Calman]

Went to check and cube cattle at on of the properity's.
Back of the blacktop about 2 mi on gravel road. No houses within 3 mi.Saw a car parked down the road from the gate. While I was unlocking the gate a young man looked to be in his middle 20's ran out of the woods and got in his car and sped away. I was curious what he was doing on our place but figured it was hunting. Went and looked around where he ran from and found a Remington 750 woodmaster semi auto carbine.
Walnut stock like new condition,leaning against a tree.
Wondering should I call the game warden, and report it or just keep the rifle? He was to far away for me to get the tag#.
I'm leaning toward just keeping the rifle and saying nothing.
But on the other hand it could be a stolen rifle. I don't need a stolen rifle in my possesion. What would you do?

Cal

 

[Limomike]

Call the sheriff.

 

[oscar p]

The Game warden or Police would keep the rifle.They run the numbers but the owner will never get the rifle back. I'd keep it.

 

[angie2]

The Game warden or Police would keep the rifle.They run the numbers but the owner will never get the rifle back. I'd keep it.

We got ours back after it was stolen.....

 

[oscar p]

I was 19 when I got broken into, yea they caught the guys that did it. Found my gun. Went to I D the gun.Ho! you'll have to wait on the gun its evedince. NEVER got the gun back. Lost in storage.

 

[backhoeboogie]

The Game warden or Police would keep the rifle.They run the numbers but the owner will never get the rifle back. I'd keep it.

We got ours back after it was stolen.....

You are the first I have heard of. Handguns are especially bad and they always wind up in the cities. They "destroy" them and say it was an accident. Got mixed up etc.

Get the S/N off of the gun and have someone run it for you first. There is a nation wide data base. Call the owner if it comes back stolen. You can find out who the owner is if it was not stolen, i.e. the poacher. Then call the sheriff and report the incident. Call the sheriff either way.

 

[Brute 23]

Keep the gun... forget the real story.

IF some one asks you found it in your pasture leaning up against a tree one day. You kept it as pay for hunting on your property. :lol:

 

[Horticattleman]

Sight it in!

 

[cowspider]

"Score" You just got a free gun. Chances are it is not stolen. Most people don't hunt with stolen guns.

 

[kjones]

You are better off calling the Sheriff. It might not be stolen, but what if the guy that left it there reports it stolen and then you get found in possession of it. Yea you might be able to prove you found it, but you will still most likely have to do so in court, which of course costs money. So why risk the headache and hassle?

 

[Brute 23]

I have alot of guns that I don't know the history on... got realy good deals on them too.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I have alot of guns that I don't know the history on... got realy good deals on them too.

So what you are saying is you give drug addicts a market for stolen items??

You know, if they couldn't sell those things they wouldn't take them.

 

[Avalon]

As much as I'd like to own a new gun, I would still call the authorities. It could possibly lead to them solving a crime.
May just be a goofy poacher, But then again he could just be someone that they need another lead on.

 

[rattler]

Cal it's a hard call to make but think of it like this if someone was shoot with the rifle would you really want to be in possession of this firearm.

rattler

 

[Jogeephus]

Keep the gun... forget the real story.

IF some one asks you found it in your pasture leaning up against a tree one day. You kept it as pay for hunting on your property. :lol:

I agree. Got a game camera the same way. Giving it to the sheriff? No chance, I got little faith in them and besides, he's got plenty already. Are you sure that fella wasn't one of Santa's elves? I'd simply say grace and shut up.

 

[Driven]

Do the right thing. You won't regret it.

 

[MikeC]

Run an ad in the paper in the Lost and Found section, give description and Model minus serial numbers.

It will only cost a few pennies and head off most any surprises later.

If someone calls to claim it, they must show proof of purchase complete with the serial.

Firearms laws can fall under Federal jurisdiction. You don't want to get mixed up in that.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Cal it's a hard call to make but think of it like this if someone was shoot with the rifle would you really want to be in possession of this firearm.

rattler

That is kinda what I was thinking. And I might be checking the brush for a body too :shock:

 

[Jogeephus]

Firearms laws can fall under Federal jurisdiction. You don't want to get mixed up in that.

That's right. Our sherriff of 25 years recently got in a bind with the FBI for selling guns collected during business hours. Turns out, one of the pistols he sold ended up being used in a murder. After it was collected and its serial number was run it was traced back to a pistol that was supposed to be in the evidence locker of an old crime and/or destroyed.

Personally, I never bought one through sherriff-mart but it was pretty common knowledge where you could get a cheap one if you wanted one.

Penalty for the crime was pretty stiff. He had to collect his pension and resign. :roll:

I also caught a sherriff from another county 2 miles behind my gate turkey hunting on our property with some of his buds. Looking for drugs? Don't think so. Decoys, shotguns and calls kinda gave this away. So I doubt one can say confined to just one bad egg.

 

[Limomike]

Keep the gun... forget the real story.

IF some one asks you found it in your pasture leaning up against a tree one day. You kept it as pay for hunting on your property. :lol:

This.. in itself, is stealing. Who says the kid wont come back and break in to find it?