A bowhunter treaspassed on my tree farm, cut down some 14 year old walnut saplings, heavily pruned a mature apple tree and cut down plum trees. I caught him, he is a wannabe pro hunter who currently sells a big buck calendar to hunting equipment sup

[4everAutumn]

I'd say go for #4 just on principle alone. Sounds like he's the type of guy who needs this information to be out there. It needs to be known and it needs to hurt him.

[honda scott]

I like officerdom1987's answer but go one step further and take a few minutes to plaster the bastard's name in every outdoor blog on the internet that you belong to starting right here on this sight.
Good luck.

[huntfishtrap]

I would definitely pursue a legal and/or civil suit before going the internet route. Either way, if he's trespassing on and vandalizing other people's properties, you really need to do something about this jackass, otherwise you're just aiding and abetting his bad behavior by not doing anything.

[Johnnie]

Sorry to hear this Charlie Elk. This guy is not a bowhunter, he is a criminal. The irreversible damage he has done disgusts me. How does one regain 14 years of time.... you don't. All this guy cares about is himself. I would press charges. I wouldn't put it pass this guy that he hasn't jacked deer.

[Gary Devine]

I had a gun club do a deer drive across my property lease. One of their hunters walked under my tree stand and I told him this is private property. He said he knew it was private because he saw all my posted signs and didn't care. I pulled out my cell phone from my pocket and called the New Jersey State Police from my tree stand. Two State Trooper cars arrived within five to ten minutes. They stopped the gun club by their trucks. The Conservation Officer showed up an hour later.
There were multiple fines and summons written for other offenses. Two club members didn't have gun cases, one club member removed the plug from his shotgun allowing five shots instead of three per to the law, Only one was charged with trespassing and two others were arrested for having outstanding warrants for their arrest.
The Conservation Officer told me he can only write up the hunter who walked under my tree stand. He was the only one I could visibly identify. Good thing he wasn't wearing a mask. I testified in court against the trespasser and the Honorable Judge fined him with a large fine, safe neighborhood compensation fee, violent crimes compensation fee and court cost.

Two years later I caught another hunter trespassing and I went back to municipal court to testify. He was found guilty and paid all the fees that I mentioned above. The word got out that if your caught on my hunting lease you will get to meet the Honorable Judge in person. No trespassing problems ever again.
Remember, always call the police first and they will hold the violators until the game warden arrives. Good Luck! Gary

[idduckhntr_2]

Charlie, I would out this scum and post his name all over the internet and explained what he has done. This person has no morals.

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


I mostly agree with officerdom 1987s answer...!!

[mhighland]

Prosecute! If his life's dream is to become a professional hunter he knew what he was doing was wrong, and illegal. It's folks like these that ruin it for the good guy's that do things the right way. You do your homework and find out who owns the property and seek permission by making a phone call.

[charlie elk]

Wow, most here are tough. Maybe I'm a wimp or too bleeding heart? I have trouble pressing criminal charges mainly due to the possible prison time. If the trespasser is fined heavily that would be a lesson. Once we get to court I would have no say in the verdict.
huntfishtrap, I tried to get my mind around the notion I am enabling him if criminal charges are not pressed. I signed a complaint which civilly fined him. The other landowners scold him but take no action because they fear blowback. Are they enabling, perhaps, but I don't know and will continue to think on it.
JM, I know he is trespassing on other property because I have permission to hunt those and have caught him there. In each case he claims not to have known about his trespass. The land here is a patchwork of open public and closed.
After reading all the comments I have engaged an attorney to explore a lawsuit for damages.
Taking away his hunting privileges is not possible even if he got a criminal conviction. Laws are strange things-

[STO Colorado]

This is incredible! I would have thrown whatever I could at him. How have you made out?

[PigHunter]

Press charges, demand restitution, and plea for his hunting license be revoked so that anytime he now steps in the woods....it's illegal. Go for the stiffer sentencing, even if it gets dropped down after restitution is paid, the original charge will stay on his record. If he gets caught doing this again, it won't be his first offense of the sort, and they'll throw the book at 'em.

Now you're talking! That's what I suggest. At the minimum you should get restitution for the damage. Why did the guy do it? Was he trying to clear area for a food plot? Or to make a better background for his photos?

[PigHunter]

My answer is a little different. If he will pay restitution, then settle it like gentlemen off the books. If he refuses to act as a gentleman I would pursue criminal charges and try to deny him the chance to hunt again... ever. Go after his reputation. Simply put, go for the jugular.

Yep, see if he will pay restitution first.

[PigHunter]

Thanks for all the thoughtful comments.
The trespasser groveled big time, begging no charges filed, he didn't know he was on private property, didn't know the value of or what kind of trees he cut. If charges were filed he would lose his calendar business, plus he promised to pay for his damage.
Letting him off without legal penalty did not seem like a good idea so I had the ticket issued as this would not give him a criminal record for the rest of this life but would record his admission of guilt.
Fast forward to present day. He did not pay any damages, has trespassed on other properties and continues to cut trees in order to create shooting lanes.
Occasionally in the past I've had trespassers and being a nice guy while explaining things to them has worked out nicely with no problems. But this one is a dishonorable piece of work.
The current options I see-
1. Try and press the criminal charges 2 years later. Perhaps harder to get a conviction now.
2. Set up a website in his name with legal copies of the original complaint and the full back story.
3. Sue in civil court for damages.
4. All the above.
But life is too short to stay perpetually mad and courts are messy time consuming things to deal with. On the other hand someone has to deal with weasels like this. ??
later,
charlie

You waited too long for action

[PigHunter]

I'd say go for #4 just on principle alone. Sounds like he's the type of guy who needs this information to be out there. It needs to be known and it needs to hurt him.

Too much time has passed and it's a moot point. Just drop it and move on.