So mad! Neighbor shoots into my pasture

[Texarkana]

I feel your pain. My neighbor and his kids shoot towards our pasture all the time. He even hosts several annual community hunts on his 30 acres-- dove, duck, turkey, deer, etc. So dozens of “strangers” come on to his property and try to shoot moving things, many of them straight line shooting in the direction of my pasture, or climbing over my fences to claim their game… all with the game warden present.

To make matters worse, neighbor is a big wig in the county: former captain of the sheriff’s office mounted police unit (when they had one), currently the director of a major county department, and he’s who the county calls for equine animal control situations. And while not in the same department, he also works directly with my husband on many county-wide projects. There is pretty much nothing I can do to stop him that won’t have a horrendous trickle down effect on our lives. Gotta love good ol’ boy country politickin’…

[beau159]

[QUOTE=Texarkana;8523861]
I feel your pain. My neighbor and his kids shoot towards our pasture all the time. He even hosts several annual community hunts on his 30 acres-- dove, duck, turkey, deer, etc. So dozens of “strangers” come on to his property and try to shoot moving things, many of them straight line shooting in the direction of my pasture, or climbing over my fences to claim their game… all with the game warden present.[/QUOTE]

While I also would not be happy in your shoes either … I don’t know if any of what you stated is actually illegal. As long as they are within the required DISTANCE of your property (depends on your state laws), the game warden can’t do anything because they aren’t breaking any laws.

Also, it sounds like the game is on the neighbors land, and they only cross onto your land to track the animal. Which, depending on the exact laws of your area, may be perfectly legal.

Again, not saying I’d be thrilled either if I were in your shoes, but your situation sounds much different from the OP’s where the hunter was directly shooting an animal that was on the OP’s property.

[Texarkana]

[QUOTE=beau159;8524086]
While I also would not be happy in your shoes either … I don’t know if any of what you stated is actually illegal. As long as they are within the required DISTANCE of your property (depends on your state laws), the game warden can’t do anything because they aren’t breaking any laws.

Also, it sounds like the game is on the neighbors land, and they only cross onto your land to track the animal. Which, depending on the exact laws of your area, may be perfectly legal.

Again, not saying I’d be thrilled either if I were in your shoes, but your situation sounds much different from the OP’s where the hunter was directly shooting an animal that was on the OP’s property.[/QUOTE]

You’re right, they aren’t breaking any laws the majority of the time. They even have the game warden on site when they do the big hunts. Occasionally the neighbors will shot at an animal that comes over the fence onto my land, though.

Legal or not, it’s annoying and rude IMO to be shooting in the direction of someone else’s animals, even if it is just barely within the legal distance. Bird shot rains down on my horses’ heads for cripes sake! And with the political situation, I can’t even lodge a complaint. My one horse will work herself up into a colic during their hunts if I don’t make sure to lock her inside, stuff her ears with cotton, and sedate her.

[invinoveritas]

Here is what I would do

Besides all the things we’ve said above, I’d do the following:

Construct a berm of horse manure and shavings and dirt along the border of your land, inside your fence. This will help keep bullets out. I always said I’d never buy anywhere where idiots next door could shoot into my pastures. People laugh when I tell them to buy in horse communities with rigid rules, but those rules prevent idiots from shooting into your pasture.

I once boarded in the city and the subdivision next door to the 28 horse commercial barn had people who fired their illegal fireworks over into the paddocks. Even before dark. Scared me. I was helping bring in horses to the barn when a rocket landed in the ring right beside me and a nice little arab gelding. I was afraid some rocket would end up in the barn where my horses spent nights. So at next barn a private barn on 50 acres the next door neighbors fired through the woods with a pistol towards the paddocks. I went over and objected since the BO was a crazy alcoholic who did not raise hell. So then I moved to the country where hunters walked the fence line next door, and of course where the 2 idiots pulled guns on each other at another barn.

So if you cannot buy in a protected HOA ruled equestrian community, then build yourself a berm along your fence line high enough like 8 ft tall or so and 3 ft thick or more and thick enough to keep bullets out. My horses produce enough manure that I could do that easily. And you can reinforce with scrap metal or wood or anything, and then put a layer of grass on top so it won’t be too unsightly.

[Ibex]

OP: am I right in thinking you’re in Canada? We have incredibly strict laws about shooting. My SO and a couple of his buddies (all ex or current military, excellent shots) are contracted by some local farmers to help with coyote population control, and as responsible hunters they’re incredibly cautious about type of firearm (range), ammo (accurate and quick), and set-up as appropriate to the property size, location of homes/barns/livestock/neighbours etc.

Shooting across your property, or onto your property, without explicit and express permission is unethical and illegal; I’d call the RCMP/OPP ASAP. Guys like that give the responsible hunters a bad name.

For the poster who thought coyotes only eat rats… the ones out here are often hybrids with domestic dog and wolf genetics. They are big, and they are nasty. I have a friend who discovered them waiting outside her back door in the mornings because that’s when the cats were usually let out. I know a few people who have lost small dogs to them. They’ll hover around cows going into labour waiting to grab the calves. They hunt for sport as well, and will take out a chicken coop without actually eating anything. They’re also vermin, and infesting the area driving out wolves who are actually much more peaceable to live with. You can’t decimate the population, just drive them away and back into parkland or crown land where they prey on the deer that we’re also infested with.

[Minuet]

Hi Ibex, no, I am not Canadian but take that as a compliment
I’m in NC.

All the gun laws are confusing to me, and hard to look up online; the only one I’m sure of - you can’t shoot something on someone else’s property. I thought there was also a law about discharging a weapon a certain distance from a dwelling, but I think there is such a difference between being in town, or out of city limits. We are out of city limits.
Honestly, when I saw the coyote, I was going out with my long lens to photograph it. And then run it off. So that ticked me off too, he ruined my shot.
Also, I’m not against most types of hunting. I don’t like the idea of killing anything just because it’s wild, as most people here would agree. But if I felt something was a threat, I would definitely deal with it. This coyote was not a threat.
I appreciate the responses. Being the only one in my neighborhood with horses, I was beginning to think I overreacted. I’m sure the neighbor thinks so. My better half is going over tonight to talk to them. I told him not to be nice, lol. We have to live here together in this little neighborhood, so calling the sheriff wasn’t my first thought. I really think the idiot thought he was helping. Have to kill all those coyotes, ya know. I’m hoping he got the message, but I won’t hesitate to call the sheriff if it happens again.

[Megaladon]

I just find it weird that you practically need a billboard stating KEEP OUT for people to stay off your land. Where is the respect for the landowner?

We once had a group of people think they were going kill a coyote eating a rotting carcass of road kill in my front pasture. They were told to leave.

[Calamber]

[QUOTE=Minuet;8522524]
I could spit nails. Yes, there was a coyote on the hill in my horse pasture. I walk out to chase it off, and there to my right, just down the road, my neighbor is sprawled out on my other neighbor’s lawn, with a rifle. He shoots towards my horses, into my pasture. The horses bolted, I saw red… The devil came out of me, I swear I don’t even remember what I said, except I know it had a lot of F words in it. He gets into his truck, comes up the driveway and asks if I saw the coyote. A lot more words, I swear I was speaking in tongues. Anyway, has anyone else had this happen? What is wrong with people?[/QUOTE]

This is really illegal in many if not most states. The distance is usually 500 yards from a dwelling. Yes, he probably thought he was helping you with a pest, but any near idiot knows you cannot shoot into another person’s property without permission. I think I have almost heard everything now.

I copied and pasted this from the NC Wildlife Resources page.

“Sportsmen now need written permission, dated within the past 12 months, signed by the landowner or lessee, to hunt, fish, or trap on private lands posted with signs or purple paint.”

Here is the website. http://www.ncwildlife.org/Hunting/WheretoHunt.aspx

[Haybert]

Let’s be honest: you’d have to be nuts to let your cats and dogs out if you have coyote around.

But, they do not survive only on pets. So the shooting is overblown.

I have more barn owls who are a threat or gold tails that will take more pets than coyote.

Idiots and guns. It’s often too common a case.

[Jim_R]

You did the right thing by going ape $iht on him. It is very effective on hunters. When I first got my farm I did that and no more problems.
Taught my brother it and his problems stopped at his place too.
I try to be known as that crazy dude that does not want you near my property.
Being civil does not make the right impression on people.
I hunt and have tested boundary lines when I was young and dumb and know what worked on me.
Put up no hunting signs so close to each other that they can never say they did not see them.
Be the crazy people that they don’t want to go near, sounds like you made a good impression on this guy.

[Tom_King]

Say it was my farm. If he had hit the coyote, I would have said thank you. If he was not a good enough shot to hit it, he would be in big trouble, and would know without any doubts that he was not to take aim towards my land again.

[Ambitious_Kate]

What I don’t get is why the OP hasn’t filed a police report on this incident? Drunk? Believe me the state and the town want to know who is handling firearms while they are intoxicated. His license should be taken away. Firing on someone or across someone elses property is trespassing, and criminal.

OP, you’re nicer about this than I would be.

[Minuet]

[QUOTE=Guilherme;8523835]

If it’s a “one off” event and OP has effectively communicated with the shooter then I’d let it go. If it’s a continuing problem then it needs to be addressed.

G.[/QUOTE]

This is how I feel right now. As stupid as he was, I don’t believe he was intoxicated. Just an idiot who thought he was helping. This family has a small menagerie of farm animals near their home - a pig, ducks, once they had sheep. They are also a backyard puppy breeder, and I think they are very eager to kill anything that resembles a coyote.
If I thought he was ill intentioned and not just stupid, I would definitely call the sheriff. He knows, and I’m sure the other neighbors know, that firing a gun on my property is not going to be tolerated. I do feel that a verbal warning from us - SO called him yesterday and the guy apologized profusely, said he was protecting the neighbor’s cat , but that it would never happen again - is enough. If it’s not, I will call the sheriff. I’m hoping I am right.
But thank you Calamber for the link and quote regarding gun laws.
I do appreciate everyone’s advice and opinions.

[Gainer]

[QUOTE=Ibex;8524257]
For the poster who thought coyotes only eat rats… the ones out here are often hybrids with domestic dog and wolf genetics. They are big, and they are nasty. I have a friend who discovered them waiting outside her back door in the mornings because that’s when the cats were usually let out. I know a few people who have lost small dogs to them. They’ll hover around cows going into labour waiting to grab the calves. They hunt for sport as well, and will take out a chicken coop without actually eating anything. They’re also vermin, and infesting the area driving out wolves who are actually much more peaceable to live with. You can’t decimate the population, just drive them away and back into parkland or crown land where they prey on the deer that we’re also infested with.[/QUOTE]

Agreed…my husband had to run off a pack of coyotes one evening (killing two) that had one of our mares and her foal surrounded. Our dogs (Great Danes) sounded the alarm and went after them, but were also surrounded by the pack.

He would never shoot anything unless it threatened our animals, but that time was necessary. That was the only time we ever had trouble with them.

[Wonders12]

Is it his property that he’s shooting from?

I had a similar issue a few weeks ago, but not nearly as bad as you. We’re doing Saturday chores and I hear 3 shots go off basically at the same time, CLOSE. Luckily none of the horses panicked, instead looked where it was coming from which helped me identify a group of men in the tree line across the street. They took off on foot moving away from the street/our property. Ugh! Not cool, but fine.

A few minutes later I’m down in the barn which is right off the road. Hear another several shots that I swear I’m standing right next to. Cautiously walk out of the barn and see 3 or 4 hats running through the gully right next to the road. That was enough.

I called a neighbor to see if it was him, but no answer. Next call was to the sheriff. The dispatcher lady was very rude. I gave her all of the information I had and she kept asking me, “are you sure they’re shooting coyotes?” “Ma’am, I don’t know, but they’re shooting right on the road.” “Well are they actually on the pavement?” “No, they’re probably 2-3 feet off it.” “Well, if they’re shooting coyote, it’s legal for them to be out hunting.” I almost hung up, feeling like I wasn’t getting anywhere.

Sheriff showed up and was SUPER helpful. Helped explain some of the laws to me and confirmed that it’s completely illegal to shoot that close to the road. They didn’t find them.

Later, the neighbor called back. He gave permission to an employee to hunt on his back acreage. Didn’t think he needed to specify he needs to follow the law. Neighbor was very apologetic and ensured me it would never happen again. It hasn’t.

I’m all for good neighbor relations. But if you have the slightest hint that he may not be sincere, it might be worth putting in a call about your “unknown hunter” so it’s at least on record if it happens again.

[Minuet]

Wonders12, he wasn’t shooting from his property. He shot from the road, right at my next door neighbor’s driveway. It’s a dirt road.
Also, regarding the coyotes… I tried to pull up articles to show to SO, about how horses can protect themselves from a coyote (not a pack, of course) but the only things I could find were things about coyotes hurting horses. So maybe I’m wrong about that. I wasn’t too worried about one coyote and two healthy horses. Should I be?

[Calamber]

Shooting from or over a roadway is always illegal, anywhere. There is some distance there too, it may be the standard 500 yards but not sure.

[walkers]

In NC the hunting laws are by county. We have a gravel road into subdivision and farmer has land on both sides of the road. I came home during deer season to find a deer stand about 200 yards from the drive aimed AT the drive, saw the hunter and asked if he thought it was safe to shoot across the subdivision entrance.I then informed him off where my horses were(behind him) and it would cost him $10,000 if he shot one of horses and took a picture of his liscense plate. He had permission to be on the land but shooting across the driveway with 40 cars a day seemed crazy.
When I got in I called NC wildlife. they looked up my county laws and told me it was legal to shoot across a road! How crazy is that. Every county has different rules.

NC has purple paint that you put on the tress about 3 feet off the ground. Its a good law because hunters or nature can’t remove the posting. Its a PIA but all the farms near me have done it.
I think I posted before that a friend was riding on her property not in deer season.on sunday, just right outside town and was shot. She survived.
I hate hunters!

[beau159]

[QUOTE=Minuet;8524717]

All the gun laws are confusing to me, and hard to look up online; the only one I’m sure of - you can’t shoot something on someone else’s property. [/QUOTE]

Well, not really.

If land is NOT posted, it’s fair game for hunters to go on it and hunt it. My husband hunts deer, geese, pheasant, coyotes, etc (you name it!) and if the land is not posted and there isn’t a crop on it and there isn’t livestock in it, it’s fair game for anyone to go and hunt it.

Hence why I asked you in my first post if your land is posted?

The law gets a bit grey when there is livestock in the pasture. It will vary on the state, but MOST people will choose not to hunt a spot if there is livestock present for obvious reasons. (but of course, not everyone is “most people” … evident with your neighbor) I would have to double check on our laws in our state, but I think you technically can still hunt with livestock around.

@Calamber;8525787

Shooting from or over a roadway is always illegal, anywhere.

This is correct to my knowledge as well. So the neighbor would be “caught” on this.

[Leather]

@beau159;8526308

Well, not really.

If land is NOT posted, it’s fair game for hunters to go on it and hunt it. My husband hunts deer, geese, pheasant, coyotes, etc (you name it!) and if the land is not posted and there isn’t a crop on it and there isn’t livestock in it, it’s fair game for anyone to go and hunt it.

Hence why I asked you in my first post if your land is posted?

The requirements for hunting on private land vary by state (and possibly county/city).

In Minnesota you need permission to hunt on private land, even if it is not posted.