Trespassers- Any real way to prevent it ?

[brent]

I am dealing with somone who is setting up to shoot toward my property from a field into my woods where my stands are.I have spoke with the other landowner and he said basically I'm to work it out with him. I view it differently. The landowner is permitting someone to hunt unsafely on his property and is liable for damages on mine.

The Hunter and landowner will be receiving a registered letter from my lawyer on this issue how this is contrary to safe discharge of a a firearm and that given the safety issues and questionable hunting ethics if they shoot a deer which goes on my land they will not be able to recover it without a conservation officer as an escort.

We will seek charges and recovery of damages from both in court should another shot get fired.

people just don't get it, no deer is worth creating a safety issue over. You are responsible for the bullet from the time it's loaded in the gun until it comes to rest. Make sure it's on your own land.

Even with a conservation officer you don't have to let him access your property to retrieve downed game. You could go and claim it yourself. Just get a permit to possess from the MNR.

[Horridfiber101]

Boneheads started to walk onto the property at 530 this am.
Could see the flashlights coming through the woods at a distance.
Rather than confront someone in the middle of the dark with firearms-...
Going to take the game cams to the OPP and see what course of action they suggest.
unbelieveable ....

[trimmer21]

Boneheads started to walk onto the property at 530 this am.
Could see the flashlights coming through the woods at a distance.
Rather than confront someone in the middle of the dark with firearms-...
Going to take the game cams to the OPP and see what course of action they suggest.
unbelieveable ....

Please understand that I'm not being critical,but,why didn't you call the OPP right away when you saw them? They were going in 1HR before legal time. The Police would have had them,cold,for "trespassing to hunt" and anything else they could whack them with.

[brent]

Please understand that I'm not being critical,but,why didn't you call the OPP right away when you saw them? They were going in 1HR before legal time. The Police would have had them,cold,for "trespassing to hunt" and anything else they could whack them with.

Agreed....unless you can clearly identify and know the person by a trail cam pic there is not much that can be done after the fact.

I would call the CO for your area and speak to him about it as well.

I would approach them as soon as you see them. Just use a good light so they see you coming. I wouldn't be overly worried about getting in a "shoot out".

[brent]

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act needs to be changed to make written permission a requirement.

[onelessarrow]

The Trespass to Property Act and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act needs to be changed to make written permission a requirement.

I would agree but only on posted properties.
I personally have no farmers that would entertain signing letters, especially as another government requirement to use their own land.
Horridfiber101, I would take Trimmer21's advice and make the call every time you catch them and advise the trespasser that you called the police and that they're on their way. You can do that from a distance.
Good Luck

[welsh]

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act needs to be changed to make written permission a requirement.

Won't change a thing. People who trespass to hunt will continue to do so regardless of whether written permission is required.

The only thing requiring written permission could help overcome would be if people were getting off by claiming they had verbal permission, which to my knowledge is not a problem.

Downside of written permission? Kick me off your land, and you'll need to send a registered letter revoking permission to make any charge stick. What? The landowner says he kicked me off and told me not to come back? Not how I remember it. And I've got a written permission right here.

Be careful what you wish for.

[brent]

Won't change a thing. People who trespass to hunt will continue to do so regardless of whether written permission is required.

The only thing requiring written permission could help overcome would be if people were getting off by claiming they had verbal permission, which to my knowledge is not a problem.

Downside of written permission? Kick me off your land, and you'll need to send a registered letter revoking permission to make any charge stick. What? The landowner says he kicked me off and told me not to come back? Not how I remember it. And I've got a written permission right here.

Be careful what you wish for.

It would make for much easier enforcement by LEO's. Right now unless there is a complaint, private property permission is never really enquired about or followed up. If a CO checks a guy on private property and the guy says he has permission, that's the end of story. CO doesn't follow it up from there, unless there was a complaint in the first place.

Have the letter dated for a specific time frame.

I do wish for it....

[brent]

I would agree but only on posted properties.
I personally have no farmers that would entertain signing letters, especially as another government requirement to use their own land.
Horridfiber101, I would take Trimmer21's advice and make the call every time you catch them and advise the trespasser that you called the police and that they're on their way. You can do that from a distance.
Good Luck

If the property isn't posted then you can likely expect trespassing issues......Especially in southwestern Ontario it seems.

[Horridfiber101]

Please understand that I'm not being critical,but,why didn't you call the OPP right away when you saw them? They were going in 1HR before legal time. The Police would have had them,cold,for "trespassing to hunt" and anything else they could whack them with.

Great question.
I am three hours away from the property- That was the account from a neighbor.
He took the cams to the OPP and they said- exactly what you thought- Call as soon as you see them.
This was definitely a missed chance.