Hope the deer are on the move tonight

[JJensen]

I am ready to hit the woods tonight. Down here is South Dakota we had a nice front move through last night. we have 15 mph north winds with have an inch of snow. hopefully the deer are on there feet so I can get a crack at my first South dakota Whitetail!

[DonBo]

Gotta love hunting in that first snow. Go get 'em!

[Bear55]

All our snow melted today but it should be a good night for deer movement. Now if I could figure out a way to get off work early.

[nbadger23]

Howling/swirling winds right now in SE MN. I'm going to take the night to get some errands and other stuff done and get prepared for the crisp/calmer morning that we are supposed to have tomorrow. Good luck to those hunting tonight!

[sportfish]

I sat tonight in Morrison Co. and the snow stuck but nothing moved ! And i got cold ! The trail pics still show all night pics

[JJensen]

Well it wasn't the night I was thinking it was going to be. I go to school here in brookings so most of the places I get to hunt is all public land. I have a stand on a wpa about 20 miles from brookings and were it is about a half mile walk down a minnimum maintence road to get to the wpa and the full length of the road to the east has a big tree row where I know the deer are, but I am just hoping they cross the road in to the wpa were my stand is located.

So anyways on with the story. I arive to the spot about 4:15 and get all geared up and sprayed down and start my walk in. about half way there I spook a doe on the private tree row and I watch it go into the woods. I am thinking this might be my lucky night and keep walking. I keep walking and hear a truck coming down the road so I wait for him to get to me. He rolls down the window and asks what I am doing? I look at my bow and kinda think to myself what do you think im doing.

He says oh bowhunting. (duh) and asks if I have seen any deer. I tell him I just saw a doe and he quickly says well you can't bowhunt from the road and I say yes I know. I told him I was walking to my stand on the wpa, and he says oh well we own all the tree row (to the east). I say okay.

He drives up and turns around at the parking spot of the wpa and comes back towards me. He stops and him and his young son hop out of the truck quick and run into the woods were I saw the doe go in. At this moment I thought I should just go back and scout for ducks, but I don't.

I make it to my stand and get all set up and get ready for the hunt. about a half hour later he comes driving back down the road real slow about 50 yards away. I watch them drive off. Hoping my luck will turn around in the coming hour and a half I wait patiently. At about 5:45 right when it starts getting good I hear something behind me. I turn and look and it's him and his truck, he is driving real slow. He ended up driving up and down that road 4 times while I was in that tree. He knew I was there, and looked at me when he drove by. It really ticked me off cause I know he was just trying to ruin my hunt. by scaring any deer that might cross the road. I dont think there is anything I can really do about it because it was a public road and his property. It just kinda sucks I guess because my hunt was ruined but on the bright side I got to get outside and away from the dorm. sorry about my rant just thought I would tell you guys what happend.

[Jeff13]

That sucks you had a bad night. The world is just full of inconsiderate and rude people. It doesn't matter if it's hunting and something like this that happened to you or the losers that steal people's camera's and stands. Some people just make you wonder sometimes.

I believe what goes around comes around, and idiots like this guy or thieves will get it someday.

[LOTWSvirgin]

Sorry to hear that JJ I know how you feel I had a guy do this to me the other night too

[countyline]

Hope that jerk doesn't go and steal your stand.

[rbs]

That's exactly what I was thinking on the stand

[Finlander]

In South Dakota it's legal to hunt the ditches for pass shooting geese! Hmmmmm!

[fr0sty]

Does SD have hunter harassment laws? Sounds like that's what happened to you.

[DonBo]

I doubt driving up and down the road would constitute "harassment". The guy's just a dickweed who's trying to keep all "his" deer on his side of the road to keep them for himself for the upcoming gun season.

[fr0sty]

Ok, did a google search on found this to be the law in SD.

No person may intentionally interfere with any person or group of persons lawfully engaged in the process of taking or attempting to take any game or fish. No person may engage in any activity specifically intended to harass or otherwise prevent the lawful taking of any game or fish. No person may engage in any activity to scare or disturb any game with specific intent to prevent their lawful taking. This section may not be construed to prohibit a landowner from revoking a prior grant of permission to hunt on his land. A violation of any provision of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor.

Should have gotten a license plate # and called it in. The CO could decide what to do about it. Clearly the guy was being a Dick.

[96trigger]

yeah, he is a dickweed, and I think you should try again and call the DNR from the stand.

[Summett]

I doubt driving up and down the road would constitute "harassment". The guy's just a dickweed who's trying to keep all "his" deer on his side of the road to keep them for himself for the upcoming gun season.

It's amazing how these animals in particular bring this type of behavior out of people, and how they think that since they roam through "my" land that they are "mine".

I hunt next to an adjacent property of the land owner where i hunt, and they post the cr*p out of their land in a very "in your face" kind of way. I've brought it up to the land owner of where my stands are, and he just shakes his head. He doesn't understand why they wouldn't just come over and talk with him...and maybe work together. He'd most likely even let them hunt on his land too. I mean, they're neighbors for gods sake.

I understand that people put a lot of $$ & effort into deer hunting, and there are probably instances that make some people behave this way, but in the big picture...it is just a sport and we should be banding together as sportsman.

Don't get me wrong, I would like to shoot the biggest and best deer where my stands are, but if the owner of the land, or a neighbor surrounding where i hunt shot a nice deer, I'd be happy for them. Oh...i'd be jealous alright...but i'd still be happy for them.

(rant over)

[deerminator]

The guy is being a jerk but good luck in getting him with hunter harassment for driving up and down the road. You could call the CO to make him aware of the situation in case it gets worse, then you have some additional evidence to back up your concerns. For instance, if the guy starts banging on a pot with a spoon or yelling or being more blatant about trying to scare deer, then there's a patter already established that he's been showing up while you're trying to hunt. But just driving down the road is not going to get him into trouble, even if he has an intent in mind. You can drive up and down any public road you want as often as you are able to if you are obeying the traffic laws.

If this guy had any sense, he'd be happy you're hunting there. I'm happy when the neighboring landowners are hunting close by. More activity means pushing the deer around more regardless of how careful everyone is with their scent precautions, etc.

[Bear55]

I'd say borderline harassment and not much you can do about it, agree with the dickweed status. On the other hand hunting 50 yards from the road is a good way to attract dickweeds, might be worth it to hunt for a better patch of woods and avoid this guy.

[JJensen]

Thanks guys for the replys. I did get his liscence plate number last night but I did not call sdgfp. I do understand that there is anything they could do because yeah its a public road and its his land. Its frustrating. But if I move my stand im doing exactly what he wants by getting me out of there. Idk what to do. just keep hunting I guess.

[Big Country]

Move. Don't let a freak ruin your season and don't look at it as he won. Your time is valuable. Don't waste it worrying that he is going to ruin another hunt. BC

[Bear55]

Move. Don't let a freak ruin your season and don't look at it as he won. Your time is valuable. Don't waste it worrying that he is going to ruin another hunt. BC

Big Country makes a good point.