Strange......what would you do? TIPP?

[LABS4ME]

My guess is they were probably up to no good, but they didn't do anything illegal. Would be as simple as saying they were scouting the field for 4b. If a warden happened by and checked them and they had a rifle, would be as easy as saying predator hunting. Keep an eye on them, if something comes up while your hunting, immediatley let the local C.O. know so he can take action and put together a good case. May not be a bad idea to put him on alert that you think something is up and you may be giving him a call. This way you can get his cell # as I'm sure they aren't in their home office much this time of the year. He may park his truck somewhere in the vicinity and monitor your neighbors actions too. Hope it turns out to be nothing, but we owe to each other to stop any illegal activity if we witness it. Good Luck! Ken

[Coach Dog]

Probably kids smoking pot. Who knows? Just curious, aren't you supposed to wear orange during gun season? I'm too lazy to check my reg. book.

[Mark Christianson]

Gun season is closed in zone 4 right now.
4A is open Nov 8-9
4B is open Nov 15-18

[Guest]

Zone 4 requires all hunters to be wearing orange while hunting or trapping of all species, execpt waterfowl.

As for the guys in the wagon. They maybe legally spotting deer, without firearms. Hey, if it is private land, ask the owner if there are other people hunting as well. It never hurts to talk. Also, don't be afraid to stop and talk to people. If they are up to no good, they will hide it and leave.

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Let 'em go so they can grow!!!

[say_der]

Page 31 of the regs says you must be wearing blaze where deer can be leagally taken during firearms and muzzleloader season. Cap (if worn) and outer wear above the waist (excluding the sleeves).

[Mark Christianson]

...and zone 4 you cannot take a deer by firearms right now.
So camo is legal.

Ooops. Getting off topic.

[Guest]

You are correct with the orange requirements not needed........my bad.....

[jlm]

COuld have been fox hunters or something, you can shoot them at night. Also could have been scouting in the dark with night vision scopes. OR, they could be poachers. I suppose you will never know. I would just keep an eye out!

[Guest]

Fonz58,

Let's reverse the senerio. Let's suppose that the varmit hunters/or "Moon-lighters" gets to their blind and sees you bow hunting in the tree way pass legal shooting time (which was the case). They would think, "Why is this neighbor still out there? He must be up to no good. He is a poacher."

Stay cool. Even if there was a "bang", while you were there, doesn't make these guys poachering or up to no good. There are many forms of hunting and with each different game type there is a different hunting method involved. Just because you are out there deer hunting does not automatically make those old timers deer poachers "up to no good". You'd never know. Given the beautiful full moon, they could just be "Moon Lighting". So keep in mind that a good neighbor would never convict his neighbor of wrong doing unless solid evidence, which is lacking in this case, is present.

Stay cool and concentrate on your hunt. Never make assumptions: it will only make bad neighbors out of good neighbors.

[fonz58]

Last night, Tues Nov.11th I went out to my bowhunting stand. It's positioned on the crossroads of 4 different pieces of property. On the piece to the SW the farmer that lives there had made a hunting stand/blind with a hay wagon which had a dozen bales on top of it for them to sit inside. Well, it was about 5:22 and time for me to pack up and start the walk out. As I turned around to put things away I looked to the SW and 3 men have "JUST" arrived at the wagon. I watch closely, and two hop up on the back, and 1 up near the front. I can't tell if any of them brought guns, of if perhaps there were some already there. I stayed an extra 10 minutes in my stand to observe what the heck is going on? I am only about 125 yards from this wagon, but now it's dark, and can only make out the figures and see that one is smoking a cigarette. Since I am in 4A zone, there is NO HUNTING allowed at this time. Of course I have NO orange on, so they have no clue that I'm even there. I decided it's time to very quietly sneak out, so that I'm not mistaken for a deer and I make the 300 yd walk to my Argo, and wait another 10 minutes there to see if I hear a BOOM! Nothing. I chose to keep peace in the neighborhood and have and will not say anything, but it sure seemed odd to me? What would you have done?

[Mark Christianson]

Wierd!!!!
Varmint hunting?
Hmmmmm.
Well, if you let it slide, and something is fishy, you stand the chance that they take something illegal. Especially a nice big ol buck you could be going after legally.

If you contact TIP, they don't have go talk to these guys, but they could stake it out to determine whats happening.
If its nothing, then so be it.
Sounds very odd to me, but not seeing it first hand its hard to say what I would really do.

[fonz58]

A. I was not in my tree "way past shooting time"! I stayed in the tree 10 minutes past shooting time to watch these suspicious characters. My bow was tied to a rope, and was on the ground after my LEGAL hunt had expired.

B. As noted, I chose to leave the circumstantial evidence alone.....and then shared it with you all, to get it off my mind and even perhaps provide some written evidence of what I observed.

C. The other "clues" I did not mention are those of "character". These neighbors are very very poor. A deer in the freezer means a LOT to them....and I know they never got one on the 4A weekend in which they hunted. I rent a small amount of acreage to them (for which I charge them ZERO) in exchange for them leaving stand 20% of the crop for wildlife, about 14 acres)

D. As far as them potentially being some young kids partying......? I recognized one of them and he's in his early 40's.

E. I'll keep my eyes and ears open. If I have some concrete evidence of illegal activity I will report it. Without that, I would rather keep peace with my neighbors.

Thank you all for your thoughts!

[fonz58]

hey Riverbasher nice to meet you! Didn't have a clue that was you (your family). I'm glad the boat worked out well for them, and eventually for you!

[riverbasher]

Hey fonz58,
Keep an eye on those guys. I know they are your neighbors but none of us can tolerate illegal activity.

On a side note way off topic, even though I am still in Iraq my dad tested out the boat I bought from you and he loves it. I can't wait to be using it when I come home for some riverbashin' for smallies and of course duck hunting. Later

Sgt riverbasher

[Royce Aardahl]

Hey fonz58, I think we should get my balloon launcher and drop a few on them. Or maybe the patato gun. HeeHee. Just kidding. Thanks again for the help last night.