Sheriff called on me

B

Bob Peters

Well-known member
No I wasn't in iowa driving down the road with an orange hat on. I went to a spot, parked, and walked in. I got prior permission in writing. A post from back in the day asked about 🔑 keys. GH said he leaves the keys on seat in case someone needs to move his rig. In this case I parked in the middle of a min-maintenance road that's only used by the farmers with land back there. I left the rig unlocked and keys on hood. All the farmin's done but I did it as just in case. Hunted an hour, get back to vehicle and the sheriff rolls in. The guy who rents the old house nearby called it in. I wasn't parked on his rental property but he saw strange vehicle with keys on hood and called cops. This road has zero travel when harvest is done and snow flies. I talked to the dude 6 days ago, said I'd be back before season ends, simply as a courtesy, since he owns no land just rents the house. Apparently the fact I had a different vehicle was something he couldn't calculate. I told the deputy my story, he asked for and ran license, I had nothing to hide. Skye and Roxy avoided striped collars and orange jumpsuits. Although if he'd asked what happened to the rooster we met on the backside of the thicket both dogs would have happily went to county lock up 🔐 on murder one. "The intentional killing of a rooster by someone who has acted willfully, deliberately, or with planning."20241228_143710.jpg
 
The person acted properly in my opinion. Parking in the middle of that road is odd, I wouldn’t do it anyway, even with those roads there are usually places to pull off, or at least to the side.

The vehicle was one they didn’t recognize. I’m not sure I would equate your first visit with a different vehicle.

Rural crime is a thing. I was told by a deputy friend that our road is a hot road for trafficking between the twin cities and Omaha, both people and drugs. I guess they like to stay off the main roads. We are asked to report any vehicle out of the ordinary.
 
Your right McFarmer, and I put 2 and 2 together 30 seconds after the law rolled in. He was a good dude, handled the call well. Relaxed run in as I knew my bases were covered. The renter was in his yard and I said friendly like, "I'm the guy who talked to you 6 days ago." He apologized, I told him no worries. Only thing I was nervous about was when he asked to run my I.D. Once I went to one of those lavish overpriced pay outfits. I got a rich buddy he footed-the bill. He hunts with a bespoke merkel, costs more than I make a year. Anyways, I got a ticket for "grabass at the back of the suburban, and dumping mud on a manicured game trail occupied by pen raised distended-nostril roosters." I'm a little embarrassed by that, but when in Rome....
 
Bob Peters said:
Your right McFarmer, and I put 2 and 2 together 30 seconds after the law rolled in. He was a good dude, handled the call well. Relaxed run in as I knew my bases were covered. The renter was in his yard and I said friendly like, "I'm the guy who talked to you 6 days ago." He apologized, I told him no worries. Only thing I was nervous about was when he asked to run my I.D. Once I went to one of those lavish overpriced pay outfits. I got a rich buddy he footed-the bill. He hunts with a bespoke merkel, costs more than I make a year. Anyways, I got a ticket for "grabass at the back of the suburban, and dumping mud on a manicured game trail occupied by pen raised distended-nostril roosters." I'm a little embarrassed by that, but when in Rome....
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Yeah my dad paid the fondue farm for me to slay chicken for 3 days.Rode the short bus near Gregory.
 
I had a couple of jack asses hunting right behind my house 2 weeks ago on the neighbors property about 75 yds from house. I was cleaning birds on the tailgate and boom. Shots sprayed my garage and I could hear shot buzzing through the air and a pheasant flying over the garage. I went out to the side of my yard and yelled at them. They started heading the opposite direction. I called the neighbor to see if they had someone hunting but no one answered. Called the game warden and left a message. So then I called the sheriff. They said they were on their way. Meantime I drove around the section and never saw a truck parked anywhere. They had to have drove in through a cattle pasture. Sheriff came but they never found them. Don't know where they went. Sucks because I don't hunt those birds because we like seeing them in the yard. There is a nice covey of quail that comes in the yard too. They really didn't break any laws but common sense goes a long way.
 
westksbowhunter said:
I had a couple of jack asses hunting right behind my house 2 weeks ago on the neighbors property about 75 yds from house. I was cleaning birds on the tailgate and boom. Shots sprayed my garage and I could hear shot buzzing through the air and a pheasant flying over the garage. I went out to the side of my yard and yelled at them. They started heading the opposite direction. I called the neighbor to see if they had someone hunting but no one answered. Called the game warden and left a message. So then I called the sheriff. They said they were on their way. Meantime I drove around the section and never saw a truck parked anywhere. They had to have drove in through a cattle pasture. Sheriff came but they never found them. Don't know where they went. Sucks because I don't hunt those birds because we like seeing them in the yard. There is a nice covey of quail that comes in the yard too. They really didn't break any laws but common sense goes a long way.
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I heard about a turkey "poaching" conviction this weekend from a friend of mine that occurred on his property and I think it is worth sharing for anyone that is interested in. He was on a business call in his house when he heard a gunshot. He looked out his window and saw a vehicle he didn't recognize parked on the road and someone running through the ditch onto his property. He said by the time that he was able to get shoes and to his vehicle, it was gone. He called a game warden and they came to his house and his first question was if he knew exactly what time the shot occurred. He went back to his office and could see the exact time he ended his business call. He then took him to the crime scene and located an empty shotgun shell, tire tracks and foot prints.
He was then updated several months later that the poachers were caught and convicted. They were able to use the exact time cell phone pings at that exact location, obtained the only 2 cell phones in that spot at 11:01am, and got warrants to continue the investigation for firearms, shoes, vehicle with the same tire tread. The poachers were from out of state and lost their hunting licenses for 10 years, lost the shotgun used, and had to pay a very hefty fine.

2 Things I learned from this story:
-If you ever see something, record the time and the location to aid in finding the people.
-If you are a poacher, don't carry a cell phone (or borrow Goose's phone), pick up your hulls, hunt barefoot with a borrowed gun, and borrow your buddy's Powerwagon.
 
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Carguy2Banker said:
I heard about a turkey "poaching" conviction this weekend from a friend of mine that occurred on his property and I think it is worth sharing for anyone that is interested in. He was on a business call in his house when he heard a gunshot. He looked out his window and saw a vehicle he didn't recognize parked on the road and someone running through the ditch onto his property. He said by the time that he was able to get shoes and to his vehicle, it was gone. He called a game warden and they came to his house and his first question was if he knew exactly what time the shot occurred. He went back to his office and could see the exact time he ended his business call. He then took him to the crime scene and located an empty shotgun shell, tire tracks and foot prints.
He was then updated several months later that the poachers were caught and convicted. They were able to use the exact time cell phone pings at that exact location, obtained the only 2 cell phones in that spot at 11:01am, and got warrants to continue the investigation for firearms, shoes, vehicle with the same tire tread. The poachers were from out of state and lost their hunting licenses for 10 years, lost the shotgun used, and had to pay a very hefty fine.

2 Things I learned from this story:
-If you ever see something, record the time and the location to aid in finding the people.
-If you are a poacher, don't carry a cell phone (or borrow Goose's phone), pick up your hulls, hunt barefoot gun, and borrow your buddy's Powerwagon.
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I'm glad they found and caught the perps. Seems like a just sentence was handed down. That's a lot of law enforcement resources expended for what many (not me) would describe as minor crimes. It's amazing what law enforcement can do these days.
 
westksbowhunter said:
I had a couple of jack asses hunting right behind my house 2 weeks ago on the neighbors property about 75 yds from house. I was cleaning birds on the tailgate and boom. Shots sprayed my garage and I could hear shot buzzing through the air and a pheasant flying over the garage. I went out to the side of my yard and yelled at them. They started heading the opposite direction. I called the neighbor to see if they had someone hunting but no one answered. Called the game warden and left a message. So then I called the sheriff. They said they were on their way. Meantime I drove around the section and never saw a truck parked anywhere. They had to have drove in through a cattle pasture. Sheriff came but they never found them. Don't know where they went. Sucks because I don't hunt those birds because we like seeing them in the yard. There is a nice covey of quail that comes in the yard too. They really didn't break any laws but common sense goes a long way.
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There's a piece of ground I can access that has similar issues. The landowner always gives me permission when I call. He owns the whole quarter except a 17 acre chunk with a house and some outbuildings. There's a shelterbelt that starts right on the property line, 35 yards from his back door. Obviously we can't walk towards the house, that would be both unsafe and extremely inconsiderate. But walking away from his house would at least be safe, but still inconsiderate for maybe the first 50-100 yards. I've never hunted that shelterbelt. If I ever did I would probably start at what I think would be a considerate distance, either that or make a courtesy knock on the door first. The grass on the property also comes right up to the property line, but more like 200 yards from his house. I do hunt the grass, but not right on the property line.
 
matto said:
There's a piece of ground I can access that has similar issues. The landowner always gives me permission when I call. He owns the whole quarter except a 17 acre chunk with a house and some outbuildings. There's a shelterbelt that starts right on the property line, 35 yards from his back door. Obviously we can't walk towards the house, that would be both unsafe and extremely inconsiderate. But walking away from his house would at least be safe, but still inconsiderate for maybe the first 50-100 yards. I've never hunted that shelterbelt. If I ever did I would probably start at what I think would be a considerate distance, either that or make a courtesy knock on the door first. The grass on the property also comes right up to the property line, but more like 200 yards from his house. I do hunt the grass, but not right on the property line.
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Even though the law allows us to hunt right up to the property line, in Minnesota, when on public land, even if a house is close to the line, I do what you do and try to give any buildings a buffer zone, even if they haven't gotten the dnr to put up signs for a buffer zone. I don't shoot in that buffer zone, as more of a courtesy and to improve hunter/land owner relations. And like you, I am careful to know where the buildings are. If I am within about 500 yards of a building, I make a mental note which directions I can shoot that will be well to the sides of such things, if I am walking toward them. Better yet is to have your back to them, as you suggested, or have them off to your right or left.
 
matto said:
There's a piece of ground I can access that has similar issues. The landowner always gives me permission when I call. He owns the whole quarter except a 17 acre chunk with a house and some outbuildings. There's a shelterbelt that starts right on the property line, 35 yards from his back door. Obviously we can't walk towards the house, that would be both unsafe and extremely inconsiderate. But walking away from his house would at least be safe, but still inconsiderate for maybe the first 50-100 yards. I've never hunted that shelterbelt. If I ever did I would probably start at what I think would be a considerate distance, either that or make a courtesy knock on the door first. The grass on the property also comes right up to the property line, but more like 200 yards from his house. I do hunt the grass, but not right on the property line.
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I am also in the city limits, so these guys were 75 yds from the city limits as well. Some places just should not be hunted. I also counted 6 dogs that they had a hard time controlling. 4 or 5 years ago I had a dozen guys walk across my yard. I had words with them and their response was that they had their guns unloaded and walking back to their truck. Pricks.
 
Limitless said:
even if a house is close to the line
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The MN regs state a firearm cannot be discharged within 500 feet of an occupied dwelling or livestock without written permission. 500 feet is approximately 166 yards.

The "dwelling" part may be subject to disagreement. Does a shed or a garage count, or does a person have to be in it to count? I count any structure like a shed, garage, or house as an occupied dwelling just to be safe.
 
gimruis said:
The MN regs state a firearm cannot be discharged within 500 feet of an occupied dwelling or livestock without written permission. 500 feet is approximately 166 yards.

The "dwelling" part may be subject to disagreement. Does a shed or a garage count, or does a person have to be in it to count? I count any structure like a shed, garage, or house as an occupied dwelling just to be safe.
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Not for public land. That's for rights of way and private land (if you are hunting someone else's private land, not if you own the private land). Some local jurisdictions may have more restrictive laws than the state statutes though.

If the livestock are outside a building, you are fine, unless they are in a corral an acre or smaller in size. Then you need to be 500 feet away if on a right of way, but not if on public land. I could be wrong, but I think it might even apply to private land next door, regardless of whether you are the owner or have permission.

I agree with counting structures as occupied, since I don't know if they are or not.
 
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gimruis said:
I always thought that "public land" and "rights of way" were the same thing.
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The rights of way are the public roads and ditches. Ditches could be private, but an easement granted to the government, or the government owns the land. Either way, they are given a right of way to the public due to the public road/easement. It may even include public utility easement. I'm not sure on that one. Think power line poles going through the country side. The WMAs, wpas, forests, etc, are public and don't have that restriction (500 foot rule) in Minnesota. I suppose wia could be an interesting one, since it is private land that we have permission to hunt, but I have to believe it is considered public for the statute in question. That might be a really good question to pose to the MN DNR.

The other one that might be interesting is a ditch for a public property. Should that be considered a public right of way, or a public property? Another good one for the DNR.

I've wondered about that one in the past, in SD, where you have to be 220 yards from livestock, even if they aren't confined, if you are on a right of way. The situation would be livestock on private land across the road from a gpa/wpa. The question would be whether you can shoot from the ditch of the gpa/wpa within 220 yards of the livestock. I don't think I asked the SD F&G that one. I emailed them a few questions a couple years ago, and never heard back from them.

In MN, unlike SD, not all ditches are huntable. It depends on each local jurisdiction and various variables. It would be a nice source of information if someone figured it out per county/city and posted it on here. :)
 
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Found this nice definition of right of way from Lake County, MN. The MN statutes definition doesn't explain that it can extend past the edges of the road surface.

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What is a Public Road Right-of-Way?
In Minnesota, it is a strip of land of a specific width, which has been legally established by a property owner, a court of law, and/or a county, for public road purposes. The road right-of-way is typically much wider than the road itself, because it includes roadside ditches, roadbed slopes, and cleared space to ensure adequate visibility and safety. The right-of-way lines, on both sides of the roadway, separate the abutting owners’ property from the land available to the public or local road agency for road construction and maintenance.
 
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