Comments on: A Visceral Reaction, Granted

By: Mindy

Mindy — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:55:39 +0000

Wow, I am glad to know I am not the only Floyd resident who has had a rough hunting season (and sadly, it is my first in Floyd).

All of the signs that we put up on the property line have been torn down (or just in half), one of our fences has been knocked down by ATVs to access our pasture, and more than once I have found people on our property including a twosome of hunters who rode right up our driveway in their ATV (and made a fast exit when they saw us). There are stands all over the woods that surround our house, and they have trash around them, and they look terrible all year long. I am afraid to take my lab on hikes on the weekends as there is constant gunfire even into the late hours. My house has been hit TWICE with their bullets.

I also find it ironic that a neighboring (huge) tract of land with a wonderful dirt road through it has now been leased by a hunt club, and they have blocked the road and posted more “No Trespassing” signs than I have ever seen in one place. I am not saying they are the perpetrators of the aforementioned bad behavior (and I am actually glad they are leasing the property as it may be what keeps it from being logged or developed for a bit longer), but it does make me think…

For property owners; know the rules the hunters are supposed to follow, know your rights, and report violators. You can get a manual of rules and regulations for Virginia hunters and other important here:
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/hunting/

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:56:46 +0000

Firearms season ends Dec 13!

Maybe you were following Roanoke and Montgomery where it did end the 29th.

We finally have some cold wet weather and 2 more weeks to thin the herds; enjoy the season.

Hopefully the nimrods will stay home.
Be careful out there.

By: Willard

Willard — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:45:13 +0000

Your story really rings a bell.

It is the same here in Pennsylvania. In most cases, posting the property will not work unless one also confronts the offenders, and if necessary has them charged with criminal trespass . This is not for the faint of heart, and can lead to nasty situations.

Based on well over 20 years as a part time Wildlife Conservation Officer (now retired), I have formed the opinion that ethical hunters are in the minority, but maybe that is because that the unethical ones are just so noticeable and one’s attention is not drawn to those who conduct themselves in a circumspect manner.

By: chris

chris — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:58:19 +0000

I’m sick of impolite hunters, I have no problem with courteous ones or eating venison. Dog owners be aware that dogs can be seriously, even fatally, sickened by deer guts at a certain stage of decomposition. I try to keep my dogs up all fall and winter since they relish deer guts.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 04:13:01 +0000

After having an unhappy experience with hunters on my property, I consulted with a friend who said, “If you want to give someone permission to hunt on your land, be sure you know them really, really, really well.” Good advice. I think posting your land and encouraging neighbors to do so also, helps.

By: becky

becky — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:34:28 +0000

I couldn’t agree with all of you more! Question: Does it help to post “No Hunting” signs on your land? We seem to have had some success with that on our land in Willis.
Also, I’ve been surprised to read that hunters and farmers are encouraged to kill coyotes too. It would seem we NEED a four-legged predator for the deer. I just keep my small dogs inside at night!

By: Mouse

Mouse — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:15:45 +0000

You should live in France.
Not only is this the hunting season when anything that moves is considered ‘fair game’, but all year round farmers regularly leave the carcasses of dead pigs, cows, horses uncovered and by the roadside for weeks….

By: fred

fred — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 13:56:10 +0000

So it’s not just me that’s insulted and disgusted and appalled by Neanderthals with the latest iteration of the club and the secret handshake?

And the poor dog: we can’t dare let him off the leash for the two months from first of muzzleloader to the end of late muzzleloader. And those guts up the road: we’ve have to fetch him home more than once. It’s west of us and the winds announce spare ribs are being served.

My gosh we need the services of two-legged predators so the four-wheeled ones won’t have so many to chose from late of a night. But I’m of the opinion that if a person doesn’t have the common courtesy to respect fences and to manage their own trash, they deserve to have their hunting licenses revoked. But of course, that kind of person would simply hunt on your land and mine without one.

By: Dog-geek

Dog-geek — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 13:12:04 +0000

I’m sick of it, too. I have friends who hunt, who I know are true sportsmen who do thier best to be considerate of both nature and humans. But more and more I am convinced that they are the exception, after repeatedly running into hunters in places where they shouldn’t be, on days that they shouldn’t be hunting, leaving trash all over the place. I generally stay out of the National Forest altogether during hunting season, and it is always disgusting to go back once hunting season is over and have to pack out huge bags of trash, beer cans, malt liquor bottles, etc, from hunters’ camp sites. But even hiking on our own place isn’t safe from them, since they don’t seem to respect the posted signs. Urgh!