Trespassing, road hunting spoils hunting’s future
By Kurt Stieglitz
Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Thursday, October 16, 2008 12:46 PM PDT
Boise — Unfortunately, one of the telltale signs of the fall hunting season is fresh orange paint along fence lines and newly posted “No Trespassing” signs.
One of the most common complaints Idaho Fish and Game investigates this time of year is hunters trespassing.
Senior conservation officers Barry Cummings and Mike Dafoe deal with this serious problem every year.
Cummings notes that he received over 30 phone calls about trespass in 2006.
Time spent responding to trespass complaints results in less time patrolling for other violations.
Each year more and more private land is posted against hunter access.
Upset landowners recount stories of “slob hunters” destroying signs and gates, tearing up fields and not respecting their property.
Vandalized road signs, mail boxes and shot livestock are also targets of these rogue hunters.
It’s the classic example of a few bad apples spoiling the bunch.
It’s disappointing to hear about landowners who have stopped allowing sportsmen to hunt on their land because of bad experiences with this type of hunter.
Trespass issues are not the only problem.
A few, highly visible hunters out there don’t attempt to access hunting lands at all.
Their sole game plan is to cruise country roads until they see a deer or elk and shoot it from their vehicle.
In several cases weapons used to commit these violations were forfeited to the court, $1000 fines were levied and hunting and fishing privileges were suspended for up to two years.
For all the ethical hunters out there, don’t let these scofflaws ruin your reputation.
Continue to ask permission to hunt, respect private property and game laws.
Anyone who sees violators should take the information and pass it on to Fish and Game or officers.
