Harassed by Anti's

[eats]

Saturday night I had the pleasure of seeing the Aitkin area anti-hunting chapter in action.

About an hour after I had set up a car drove by and saw my truck parked in the woods. They then proceeded to drive back and forth blasting the car horn for a while. Then they moved to a road about 300 yards across a field from where I sat and began banging on buckets and pots chanting "go home, ain't no deer". This lasted for a couple of hours.

The honking car horns i'm used too, but it is usually just as someone drives past. The chanting and drumming is new one.

I wasn't too upset at first, but the more I think about it the more it burns me.

Anyone else ever experience this?

Brandon

[jlm]

If you got the license plate number, you have a case. This should be reported so that they stop and do not do this else where! Sorry to hear that these people can do this type of thing!

[Mayfly]

Wow...I'm a pretty mild mannered guy but that might just put me over the edge. Never have I ever heard of anybody doing something like that. Weird.

[Mayfly]

jlm- A case..what could you charge them with? Disordely conduct?

[This message has been edited by Mayfly (edited 10-06-2003).]

[Gissert]

Hunter harassment of this type is illegal. If you have a cell phone, plug the local CO's number into speed dial and call them when/if this happens again.

[Fisher Dave]

I never heard of it happening in this state.. have heard all kinds of things in others.

I would recommend taking a cell phone along.. A call to 911 would have had them arrested. In Minnesota, it is illegal to harass hunters and wildlife alike.

[Mayfly]

Nobody is going to jail on this. maybe a ticket which is probably a Petty Mis...I think the best idea would be to take matters in your own hands...=)

[Finlander]

I would go to the local taverns and let the good o'l boys there know what is going on and I would bet you it wouldn't happen again!
Word gets around fast in that small town and when the gossip gets'a flying as to hunter harrassment those people will have a hard time existing in that area when the finger pointing starts! There's a huge hunting population in the Aitken area and they take there hunting seriously! I would let the word out and let the Conservation Officers know what happened. That just isn't right!
Good Luck!

[icehousebob]

Tom and the others are right about letting law enforcement handle it. One of the tactics that bunny huggers have used in other areas is to dress as bunnies or bears and harrass some lone hunter, usually a young one, and videotape it. They get him mad until he reacts with threats or other antisocial behavior. Then they have their own assinine behavior editted out. It makes good propaganda if people take it at face value, which, unfortunatly, many people do. Can you imagine how many smarts it takes to dress as a large brown animal and go into the woods where armed hunters are?

[IFallsRon]

If you get a license number, you can go to the local authority (likely sheriff in a rural area) and request a citizen's arrest. If the antis were doing what you claim then you've certainly got a case. Even antis don't feel so smug when they have to mess up a day by appearing in court. And once they're on record, they'll have their own hell.

[eats]

I never really thought to call the authorities to tell the truth. But, I grew up in Aitkin and can tell you that the proper contacts were made and that half the county probably knows the story by now.

I'll be in the stand again next weekend with binoc's and cell phone at my side.

Hopefully this was an isolated incident. I would never confront anyone in a hostile manner but I worry that if something similiar happens during rifle season, to the wrong people, that it could get ugly.

Brandon

[Guest]

Advocating vigilante justice is something we cannot condone on this site. That being said, they can be charged with harassment, get a ticket and if we're lucky they will continue or disregard the ticket, then they can and probaly will get something more thrown at them.
Call the DNR, the local sherrif, and let them handle it. No use in going to jail yourself, that's probably what they want anyway is for you to blow a gasket and do something stupid like bashing the little weasles over the head with your bow....like I said, I do not condone violence...lol.
Odds are that the sherrif or the deputies are hunters too, so you'll have that in your favor....Can't believe this is going on in Aitkin of all places....wow.

[jlm]

This is NOT an isolated incident because I have experienced the same thing but much more extreem. It is hunter harrassment and is against the law. They would be charged if you can prove they did what they did. Bring your video camera next time and nail these jerks!

[Insp Gadget]

I also hunt in the Aitkin area. Without being too specific, can you give me a ballpark idea of where this happened? I'd like to keep my camera ready too. Thankfully technology and my wife have provided me with a picture taken cell phone!

[eats]

Insp Gadget-

It was by Lone Lake, off County Road 81. If you want to post your email I can tell you exactly where.

There were a lot of hunters in this area (deer and duck) on Saturday, I'm sure someone else heard/saw something.

Brandon

[N Hardy]

I am currently going to school to be a game warden and harrasing hunters is a misdemeanor and should be reported to your CO. There won't be any jail time for the first offense but you know they will do it again. Report it every time and you will see them in jail sooner than later.
Good Luck

[Mr. B]

Brandon, sorry to hear about you difficulties. I ran in to some antis while training my dog. Turned rather ugly really quit. Seems like you can not hunt or try to get ready to hunt with out it being difficult. Oh well the Vikings are 5 and 0!

You should have been with me on Sunday morning we hammered the eyes on Gull!

Give me a call we should set something up.

Scott

[This message has been edited by Mr. B (edited 10-07-2003).]

[eats]

Mr. B,

Was your encounter in the cities or in Brainerd?

I think whoever it was lives in the area 'cause they've gone by and honked before. I've also had nights where I swore someone was walking through the woods banging sticks or something, thought i was just losing it. Maybe not, as it turns out.

I'll be up every weekend till rifle season so we should get out. I'll email you.

Brandon

[Mr. B]

My encounter was in the Cities.

I ran into someone who thought I was the most evil abusive person in the world for using an e-collar on my dog. Everytime I called Maggie this person would call Maggie. I was far enough away that I did not know that this person was calling Maggie. Maggie was confused because she was getting a correction for doing what she was being told. After finding out what was going on I tried to explain to this person what they were doing was wrong and because of it Maggie was getting corrected more than she should have been. It did not matter this person just got all worked up and told me how abusive I was.

It got a little ugly after I offered to demonstrate the e-collar on this person. Thinking back I probably did not handle it the best way I could but there was no reasoning with this person so Maggie and I left. Atleast I never have to go back a a dog park.

[Insp Gadget]

Thanks Brandon, I know the general area. We hunt near Palisade, and have a group of friends who hunt near Long lake.(Dam lake -long lake) We'll keep and eye out, be up over MEA grouse hunting/deer stand repairing and then rifle season. hope none of them walk behind the gravel pit where we practice shooting.

Just kidding!! (hmmm tempting though, maybe we should protest their unecessary waste of tire tread and road way? costs all tax payers for the resurfacing I think? Those tires are suffering, we could put them out of their misery!)

JUST KIDDING AGAIN - CHILDREN, PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS NEAR YOUR WOODS!

Good luck!

Gadget

nothing stated in this or any other reply should be construed as a suggestion or approval for any or all types of inconvienence, discomfort, or political incorrectness to any being, organism of life form as we know it.

[Benny]

Though these idiot won't do any time for it, the court cost and fine sure will hit home this close to Xmass.
Money out of their pocket hurts them worst than jail time any way.

Benny

[eats]

Insp Gadget,

I'm jealous. I've been seeing a ton of deer in the mornings along the river road on my way to fishing. More than a few big bucks too. Hope you get to hunt 'em in peace and quiet.

[Insp Gadget]

Eats,

Your jealous, I see nice bucks every day too, the ones I see are on the way to work, and they are in a fenced corp property in the north metro! At least you are on your way fishing!!

Maybe what you should do next time out hunting is put a sign by your truck that says, "Fellow PETA's - I'm in the woods here harrassing some poor working slobs hunting trip, so this areas covered. There are others hunting on the rail line behind Bill's sportsman. Go get'em dudes!"

Think they's take the bait??

Good luck,

Gadget

[Guest]

I have some news for us...the court costs and fines involved mean nothing to them.....especially if they are affiliated with a national group such as PETA (and it doesn't stand for People Eating Tasty Animals). Thanks to the Hollywood people many of us of support by going to their movies etc., these groups have literally millions of dollars to support their agendas. All we have, as far as I'm aware, is the NRA. Who has any more?
TALKOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[Guest]

I have some news for us...the court costs and fines involved mean nothing to them.....especially if they are affiliated with a national group such as PETA (and it doesn't stand for People Eating Tasty Animals). Thanks to the Hollywood people many of us of support by going to their movies etc., these groups have literally millions of dollars to support their agendas. All we have, as far as I'm aware, is the NRA. Who has any more?
TALKOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[Guest]

MORE INFO........I have recently learned from a friend that there is a branch(chapter) of PETA in the Duluth area. They are active and do have meetings, as such, to discuss strategies for the up-comming deer hunt. Thru limited research it comes to attention they have legal defence funds that are used to pay for lawyers,fines, travel expenses, just about any costs incurred while attempting to thwart a successful hunt. Geez.......I sure hope I don't run into anything like that. It sure could ruin an otherwise enjoyable outing. Is anyone willing to vol. for "FLY-ON-THE-WALL" duty?
TALKOOOOOOOOO!

[Steve Foss]

I'm going to reply to the original post.

Parts of the original post will appear in quotes, and my replies in capital letters.

Let me say first that I love to hunt. I have hunted for years for birds, deer, squirrel, rabbit and others. I support hunting, and our right to do it. So if you think my replies are off base, think again. I'm simply looking at this objectively, and if you look at this issue emotionally instead of objectively, that's half the battle in favor of the antis.

"About an hour after I had set up a car drove by and saw my truck parked in the woods. They then proceeded to drive back and forth blasting the car horn for a while. Then they moved to a road about 300 yards across a field from where I sat and began banging on buckets and pots chanting 'go home, ain't no deer'. This lasted for a couple of hours."

SO WHAT'S YOUR POINT? YOU WERE ON PUBLIC OR (WITH PERMISSION) PRIVATE LAND AND EXERCISING YOUR SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS, AND YOUR RIGHT TO HUNT. THE ANTIS WERE EXPRESSING THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION. DISAGREE WITH THEM? SURE I DO, BUT THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT, AS WE HAVE OURS. UNLESS IT WAS ON PRIVATE LAND AND THEY DID NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO ENTER. IF SO, THEY WERE GUILTY OF TRESPASS. DO YOU HAVE EVIDENCE THEY WERE SPECIFICALLY FOILING YOUR HUNT? IF NOT, HARD TO PROVE IN COURT THAT THEY INTENDED TO INTERFERE WITH YOUR PARTICULAR HUNT. IF YOU CAN'T PROVE THAT THEY WERE SPECIFICALLY RUINING A HUNT, YOU CAN'T GET A CONVICTION. BUT IT'S SILLY THAT THIS PARTY WOULD TALK ABOUT HUNTERS GOING HOME. DUMB MOVE, BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY GIVES A LAWYER CAUSE TO SAY IT WAS TO FOIL A HUNT. SMART ANTIS JUST SING A SONG OR HAVE A LOUD COVERSATION, LIKE SINGING THE "BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC" OR RECITING SOME SPEECH, SO THERE'S NO WAY TO PROVE THEY WERE WORKING AGAINST THE HUNTERS WHO WERE EXERCISING THEIR OWN RIGHTS.

"The honking car horns i'm used too, but it is usually just as someone drives past. The chanting and drumming is new one."

IT'S NOT NEW IN THEIR CIRCLES. THEY'VE BEEN USING THAT TACTIC FOR YEARS.

"I wasn't too upset at first, but the more I think about it the more it burns me."

IT SHOULD BURN YOU, IT'S WRONG. AND, FRANKLY, I THINK IT'S COWARDLY. A COURAGEOUS ANTI WOULD TRACK YOU TO YOUR STAND AND SHOUT UP AT YOU. BUT THEY RARELY DO THAT. THE REALLY SMART ONES LEARN THE LAW AND SKIRT ITS EDGES, ASSUMING NO HUNTER WILL CHALLENGE SUCH ANTICS.

THE FACT IS, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO HUNT AND THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTEST IT. IF THEY DO SO IN AN ILLEGAL WAY, THEY SHOULD BE PROSECUTED. BUT THE COURTS CONTINUALLY RE-EVALUATE THE LAW, AND THE NATION'S MAJORITY CONTINUES TO MAKE ITS WILL KNOWN ON LEGISLATURES, AND WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ILLEGAL THEN IS NOT ILLEGAL NOW, AND WHAT'S ILLEGAL NOW MAY NOT BE ILLEGAL IN 10 YEARS. SO IF WE WANT TO HANG ONTO THE RIGHT WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO FIGHT.

SO YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE ANTIS IS A GOOD STORY TO TELL, BUT ONLY IF IT MAKES SOME MORE OF US STAND UP AND SAY: ENOUGH OF THIS SHNIT!

------------------
"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[can it be luck?]

Similar to a float trip, drop off the hunters at thier stands, then park the vehicles on the other end of the woods as "decoys". Set out some trail marking tape to point the clowns in the right direction. The banging of the pots and pans will drive the deer to you. It'll be like a tiger hunt in India, beaters and all.

[This message has been edited by can it be luck? (edited 10-13-2003).]

[jlm]

I would have to disagree with some of your post. You are correct in saying that we all have the freedom of speech, I agree with that. However, when your freedom of speech interferes with the rights of others, it is considered against the law. If some jerk is on the road yelling and bangin pots to interfere with your hunt, it is VERY illegal. If it was not, why can't I stand in front of a hospital and bang a pot and yell, or sing "who let the dogs out" all night long in a state park where there are campers? Why can't I play my radio or trumpet on the sreet while they are having a funeral in the local cemetary? No need to answer! Just my thoughts!

[ATM]

" SO WHATS YOUR POINT?"
STFCATFISH, YOU ANSWERED THIS QUESTION WITH YOUR OWN POST. "IT'S WRONG. AND QUITE FRANKLEY, I THINK IT'S COWARDLY"