Im not sure if i consider this a highlight but it was nice to finally catch one of the poaching / trespassing losers on our land. As Saturday was the last day of season i figured it would be busy. We happened to have an annual family xmas dinner for extended relatives across Alberta which is held close to a portion of my parents land. The land is 1.5 hours from where my parents live and and I ventured down with my 3 year old from the north.
Its hard to keep an eye on the land living 1.5 hours away. Most times we see cut fences or drag marks out to the road. Last year we did happen to catch a guy shooting a mule deer doe off the road...why??? why shoot a mule deer doe on private land with no permission when there is crown land all around.
Anyways as our family lunch ended we took a tour around to check some cattle that were just moved when i see a topper sticking out from behind a hill on our place. We drive in and see 2 sets of foot tracks leaving the truck. I told dad to roll up the windows so my 3 year old and mom didn't have to listen to the not so pleasant words about to leave my lips. I screamed a few choice words. A few moments later a fellow and his hunting partner come over the hill. He is yelling at me as he is walking towards the truck stating he is only f...ing hunting coyotes and that he is just following up on the coyote he shot at off the road a half mile away. I tell him we will be pressing charges and he says fill your fing boots. not what i would imagine saying if i was ever that stupid to hunt where i dont have permission. As im yelling a 165 in class WT busts out of the bush not more than 150 yards from where we are standing. just my luck.. I took a picture of the plate and the truck and after a few more words we left. the truck followed us out to the gate. I got a little ribbing from my dad as he thought it was funny i got caught standing with my pants down when this big wt ran out.
We continued down the road and ran into the neighbor and discussed what happened. he said that guy was at his place earlier in the day asking to hunt as he had a mule deer tag and there was a big buck right behind the house. Funny how the guy said he was just hunting coyotes. On our drive back out we get stopped by the F&W. This is the best part of the day...he asks what we are up to and we say we want to report a trespassing incident. He asks was it a white truck and topper..well yes it is. he said he just gave them a ticket for having a loaded firearm in the vehicle...i guess the guy was a little rattled from being chewed out he forgot to unload his rifle. we pass on the info needed to press charges and are on our way home.
I have mixed emotions, yes it is great to catch the POS but on the other hand we shouldn't have to worry about guys like this. Hunting there turns more into a recon mission and trying to patrol the land instead of enjoying the day hunting. We were there Friday and while sitting can see trucks doing the loop. stopping, backing up, getting out, another truck comes over the hill and the first guys bail and go up and turn around. it makes me mental. most of those trucks had business names and numbers on the side, all from a city 30 minutes away.
I wish the charges were steeper as then maybe some of these greasy S..T heads would think twice about poaching / trespassing.
By having the Big WT run out just capped off my 2013 deer season just as it started but know he will be there for next year and hopefully a little bigger!
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