HB 1236 Safety Zone Increase
- Thread starter Mr_Tibbs
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Miforester
Well-known member
A5, thanks for bringing thus to light, both in this forum and on Facebook, well at least you were the one I first read about this. As an out of state hunter I will abide by the rules of the state, but glad good sense prevailed as many of the public don't understand the limited effective distance of a shotgun.
I had a good friend in Indiana wanting to open a sporting clays course on a 1/2 section of land he owned...his neighbors came unglued about the of stray bullets hitting their home(s). Unfortunately after all the data we provided, science based, the neighbors won, good sense failed in this case, was not what you know but who.
Again, thanks for your efforts and awareness.
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(Also, where/when did Kevin Jensen say he only road hunts?? I sure didn't hear it.)
He said it in the committee meeting.
Senator Pischke stated in general session he got an e-mail from a hunter in Wisconsin stating he would not come her anymore if this law passed, right after he mentioned tourism.
This whole discussion has focused on pheasant hunting and the relatively flat trajectory of shot. Nothing was ever brought up about goose hunters during the legislative process. The safety zone sign is 660 feet from my house. When the geese are flying, the hunters are lined up 3 deep behind every telephone pole. Including the one 690 feet from the house. With high angle shots, large shot (BBB, T, F) errant tracking, strong winds, my property, equipment, vehicles, get bombarded with pellets and occasional wounded goose. It gets old planning your days around when the geese are flying, the direction of the wind, hiding your equipment so shot does not drop on it. Hell, 300 feet would make a difference.
Far as road hunting, I don't care what you do. If you want to drive around looking for pheasants, power to you.
I have not mowed them in the past but getting told by a state senator to just "deal with it" I will now.
(Also, where/when did Kevin Jensen say he only road hunts?? I sure didn't hear it.)
He said it in the committee meeting.
Senator Pischke stated in general session he got an e-mail from a hunter in Wisconsin stating he would not come her anymore if this law passed, right after he mentioned tourism.
This whole discussion has focused on pheasant hunting and the relatively flat trajectory of shot. Nothing was ever brought up about goose hunters during the legislative process. The safety zone sign is 660 feet from my house. When the geese are flying, the hunters are lined up 3 deep behind every telephone pole. Including the one 690 feet from the house. With high angle shots, large shot (BBB, T, F) errant tracking, strong winds, my property, equipment, vehicles, get bombarded with pellets and occasional wounded goose. It gets old planning your days around when the geese are flying, the direction of the wind, hiding your equipment so shot does not drop on it. Hell, 300 feet would make a difference.
Far as road hunting, I don't care what you do. If you want to drive around looking for pheasants, power to you.
I have not mowed them in the past but getting told by a state senator to just "deal with it" I will now.
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
I heard about the email from Wisconsin. I simply don't believe it. I find it impossible to believe an extra 1/8 mile each side of a house would prevent someone from making the trip, but what do I know? If this bill wasn't aimed at pheasant hunters, pressured by commercial preserve owners, they'd have made it about ditch rat goose hunters too. They didn't. Not saying you should have shot hit your house (that's not ok), but at least in those instances it's coming nearly straight down at relatively slow speed.
So you've got safety zone signs, huh? Has that put an end to people shooting within 660' of the house? Are they still shooting way too close to livestock? If it's a 1/2 way regular occurrence, I'd be getting a game warden to put an end to it. But that's me.
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
They'll get wise to that quick. Geese are keen to fake stuff. He needs to tie a goat to the fence 500' each way of his house. Problem solved. Put a long enough rope on them so they can mow a good stretch of ditch while they're out there. 2 birds with 1 stone, although I sincerely doubt ditch mowing will interfere with the goose guys too much.
Limitless
Well-known member
I guess it depends on whether they are the same local geese each time or if they are just passing through. Reflective streamers might make them be more cautious too.
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
I'm pretty sure most people could come up with several different easy, cheap, non-offensive, & effective ways to keep people away from their property. Some would rather do nothing, possibly because it gives them something to complain about.
BrownDogsCan2
Well-known member
Not being from South Dakota I don’t really understand what’s going on. Is this mainly a ditch hunting problem? Does the 660’ apply to property and cattle adjacent to a public piece of land. The only experience I have with anything like that in South Dakota was a hunt able piece of property outside of Redfield and the buffer zone was clearly marked on one side I don’t believe it was 200 yds from the farmstead,
the house maybe?
In Kansas we have to walk through a gap in catttle or around them on walk in hunting all the time. Obviously we don’t shoot into them or over them and the one thing I really try not to do is push them off of water or through a fence. I’m not sure that there is any law regarding shooting distance?
the house maybe?
In Kansas we have to walk through a gap in catttle or around them on walk in hunting all the time. Obviously we don’t shoot into them or over them and the one thing I really try not to do is push them off of water or through a fence. I’m not sure that there is any law regarding shooting distance?
You
When the geese are in, there can be 10's of thousands flying overhead, (it is awesome to watch), but every goose hunter with a set of binoculars is headed this way. When I am home, I inform the hunters about the cattle, they move down, no law officers involved.
It is when nobody is around that the problems occur.
Would you be happy if I stood in the street and tossed T shot at your truck in the driveway. It would be coming down at a slow speed
The GFP safety zone signs that are up, legally only covers 660 feet from your dwelling, livestock are considered mobile, it is up to the hunter to maintain the proper distance. Outbuildings and equipment are also not covered You can put up a handmade sign, but it is as good in court as one for selling lemonade.
When the geese are in, there can be 10's of thousands flying overhead, (it is awesome to watch), but every goose hunter with a set of binoculars is headed this way. When I am home, I inform the hunters about the cattle, they move down, no law officers involved.
It is when nobody is around that the problems occur.
It makes no dam difference how fast or what trajectory the shot is going, it is still striking my private property, vehicles, livestock.
Would you be happy if I stood in the street and tossed T shot at your truck in the driveway. It would be coming down at a slow speed
Limitless
Well-known member
I have tried signs, several different types colors, ect. They just seemed to disappear. Once the pass shooters learn about the cattle, and return another day, they seem to follow the law, whether I am there or not. It's the never-ending supply of newbies that makes it so frustrating, along with the guy that covered up the "cow zone" sign with a coat because he thought it was flaring the geese.
Limitless
Well-known member
Are you putting the signs right on the boundary of the ditch and your yard? Maybe putting them in a several feet would be better. It would be trespassing if they are going into your yard to mess with them.
It would be frustrating to have signs disappear, but maybe some more durable ones would not disappear as easily. Barbed wire around them, and/or extra high between the ditch and your yard/field are other ideas. Not saying you should have to do all these things, but just ideas I would consider if in that situation, even if it was a pain to go through the extra work.
A shotgun approach (pun intended), of signs, streamers, scarecrows, goats, and calling law enforcement for those who are closer than the law allows may be your best approach.
It sounds like you are in a difficult situation, with so many geese flying over you. But dissuading 80% of people would be better than 0% or having to constantly go out to talk to people.
In my time here I’ve seldom had an issue with pheasant hunters. Once or twice I’ve had people tell me they didn’t know they were no longer on public land, I would have thought the fence they crawled over would have been a hint. I never post anything.
Deer hunters are by far the worst, they evidently feel if they jump a buck on one property that gives them the right of pursuit.
Occasionally I have had waterfowl hunters set up decoy spreads and when approached they say “My buddy was here last weekend and he said you wouldn’t mind.” Or some such.
A new issue is when a local person will ask to hunt, I always give permission, then find out they asked two or three other landowners the same thing for the same time and just go to where the birds seem to be feeding. Tying up all the property on this side of the lakes.
There always seems to be more than just them and a buddy.
Deer hunters are by far the worst, they evidently feel if they jump a buck on one property that gives them the right of pursuit.
Occasionally I have had waterfowl hunters set up decoy spreads and when approached they say “My buddy was here last weekend and he said you wouldn’t mind.” Or some such.
A new issue is when a local person will ask to hunt, I always give permission, then find out they asked two or three other landowners the same thing for the same time and just go to where the birds seem to be feeding. Tying up all the property on this side of the lakes.
There always seems to be more than just them and a buddy.
gim
Well-known member
This part I definitely agree with. The first thing they teach in firearms safety is not to verify your target before shooting. If there is something in the background or distance that is considered unsafe, you don't shoot. It's as simple as that. Taking into account distance and trajectory is fool's gold. I find it better to just not shoot.
Much of this if more rifle-related. But the general concept of safety and shooting is exactly the same.
50 mph wind gusts are the probably the biggest culprit. Also, the county won't let you put permanent signs in the right of way, it might obstruct someone's vision or run into it.
You are right about the trespassing and destroying property. But you still have to catch them. I have tried trail cameras. Believe me, I have tried everything feasible that you mentioned plus some. Except for goats, no dam way will I have one of those nasty things on my place. Those things are for backyards in Sewer Falls.
You are right about the trespassing and destroying property. But you still have to catch them. I have tried trail cameras. Believe me, I have tried everything feasible that you mentioned plus some. Except for goats, no dam way will I have one of those nasty things on my place. Those things are for backyards in Sewer Falls.
A5 Sweet 16
Well-known member
I said shot hitting your house (or anything else of yours) is not OK. But at least it's not dangerous at that point. Can it put a star in a windshield? Yep. Something needs to be done to keep guys from shooting your direction. Maybe that's nearly impossible. I wonder if people in your position could get special legal consideration somehow to move them down the ditch a ways.
I have tried everything I can think of. It is just the way it is. The GFP has to follow the law as written. If I get an exemption, everyone else will want one. I do agree with you the shot is not dangerous about 99% of the time, eyeballs are exception. I do know that getting hit in the head the shot doesn't break the skin, but it stings like hell.
Pheasant road hunters shooting near my house have never been a problem. Goose hunters are relentless though.
I have no animosity toward pheasant road hunters. I get that right of ways might be some of the only areas they have. Or that may be the way they choose to hunt or be capable of. There are a couple of old gents that drive by here like clockwork, you time them getting out of the car with a sundial. They are one of the reasons why I don't mow everything. I am blessed enough to have what I do, there are enough birds to go around.
The mowing I was referring to was the tall grass around 3-4 telephone poles down from the house. If it looks like a putting green, it might make it harder for the goosers to hide.
Besides the recreational mowing of 6+ plus miles of ditches is not real high on my list of things I need to do either....