At what point does scaring off the deer make you a criminal. Isn't it against the law in Texas to try to scare game away from a hunter?

I drove down the county road that borders our lease and someone setup a feeder 15 feet from the road. The blind is about 15 above it elevation wise. They would be hitting the road if they shot. The blind was knocked over so guess they didn't hunt it. Seems like a road hunter setup though. Not very bright.

This type post draws the same type suggestions. The best course of acvtion, is contact the Game Warden and get him/her involved in the situation.

Anything else is just asking for more trouble in one form or another.

The GW has plenty of options, and will probably adsvise you to put up game cams watching the fence.

While the GW may not take any action that you will see, he/she can take actions, such as calling and talking to the landowner of that property and advising that person of possible consequences if the blind/feeders stay in that location.

Taking matters into ones own hands, while being the Cowboy way of doing things, can land a person in a world of trouble.

How many on here want to see rules put into effect requiring a feeder to be placed a minimum of 100 yards from the closest fence?

How many on here hunt places where that would be difficult to do.

We don't need more unenforceable laws, we need common coutesey and common sense.

Just to qualify my attitude on this, one of the places I tend to, had a blind set up on the place to our west, about 20 or 30 feet off of our fence, no feeder and basically facing on to our property.

The GW advised setting up game cams, which I did, several feet on our side of the fence and clearly visible from that blind.

As far as we can tell, no one hunts that blind anymore.

We have another property that my boss leases out and are checking into someone on the neighboring property setting feeders up right on the fence line, and we are going to get the GW involved on this one also.

Or put up a big piece of board and see if it gets any bullet holes in it to show the game warden. [/quote]

just shoot the board before you put it up - then show the game warden

Call the GW Gary!

[quote=wanderer]

How many on here want to see rules put into effect requiring a feeder to be placed a minimum of 100 yards from the closest fence?


I would like to see a law where a feeder had to be 100yards off a fence line. And I know a lot of ranchers and land owners in this part of the country that would like to have a law like that. Especially in the case where the landowners house is in potential fire zone( within 500 to 700 yards) There is almost no way a feeder on a fence will not eventually cause a shot to carry past the property line. I have fought this carp for years with a neighbor of mine's nephew and he finally got one of my momma cows this year.
He will move it now or I will bulldoze it under everytime it shows up.
A law requiring a 75 or 100 yard feeder free boarder would not be hard to enact or enforce. It would be easy. With rangefinders a GW could check them real quick. I would donate the rangefinders to our county GW.

I agree completely. I would say 75. The law would be a fine to the land owner if the neighboring hunters complain and the blind/feeder is with in x amount of yards of the fence. Simple Make it a 1000.00 dollar fine to the landowner. I don't believe their is a land owner that would allow his hunters to have a blind/feeder that close if this was to become a law. For those of you hunting on small acrages ask yourself is your place big enough to be safe????

I don't agree with this placement, but because it is legal find a safe place to elevate a box blind and hunt your side of the fence safely at his corn expense. It won't be long and he will probably move it, because he won't like you hunting his feeder. Every time you see him thank him for feeding for you. I bet he becomes when you shoot and

Huntwest and BigDave, I don't really agree with you, but I don't really disagree either.

The question is, how do GW's enforce the law?

Do the neighboring lease holders or landowners call the GW?

What if the blind/feeder is set up at 76 or 77 yards from the fence?

GW can't do anything in that case, and the blind/feeder is going to have the same effect.

How many of you are in situations, where your blind or feeder is within 75 yards or less of a neighbors fence, but because of circumstances, it is not an issue with anyone?

Your circumstances and agreements between you and your neighbor would be fine as long as you two have an agreement where no one calls and complains. A complaint would have to be filed with the GW otherwise everything would go as normal where as the feeder listed above would not be ok because of no agreement between hunters. only enforced when a complaint is filed

I personally would rather the blind be switched with the feeder so that he's not shooting across the fence. I don't think 75 yards and on the fence line are the same but could be. We had a guy build a blind over the top of the fence in a huge oak tree then cut down trees on our side so he could see our wheat field. Was told to take down the blind and said you can't make me. Filed a law suit settled out of court and blind came down plus payment for trees. He no longer hunts there. All he had to do was take it down. We own our side his uncle owned his side. There are S T U P I D people in the world.TRUE STORY.

This thread has been going for 16 days. What's the story? Updates.

Finally made it out to check on this situation, feeders are not set up right on the fence line, which was a good thing, until we noticed that both of the blinds, are facing in such a manner so that any shots taken have a 99% chance of crossing the fence into our pasture.

Pictures wewre taken and the GW is going to be talked with.

Enforcement is pretty simple. Half of the replys on this thread have been call GW. GW can pull out a rangefinder and tell with the press of a button if the feeder is within the 100yards. As far as same results at 1 yard over limit, I don't agree, first there will probably be some type of structure between the fence and feeder and it bwould lessen the chance of a bullet passing through and making to the neighbors property. The point is with a feeder right on the fence it is almost assured that a shot will cross the fence. Also one problem not mentioned is I have livestock and a feeder on the fence causes problems with them for me and my neighbor.
Moving feeders off fencelines are just a good idea for safety purposes.

agree

I am not out to break the law, but I am also not opposed to some back woods justice. If someone is going to be flat out inconsiderate, then I am game for whatever as long as no one get seriously hurt. I say seriously because I know not all of these disputes are settled peacefully. When it comes to land, boundries have to be respected. Especially when firearms are involved.

Hey bottom line there are crazy people toting guns.This is why I say make it a law 75yrds, 100yrds what ever, but put the fine on the land owner and he will police his land. The fine is only if a complaint is filed with the GW. If the people on both sides of the fence are ok then theres not a problem. GW will not even look into it, because he will not know about it.

Natural, go to a barber shop, ask for a 50 gallon trash bag of hair clippings dump along the length of the fence. RoFl I'm being sarcastic of course I'd put up the game camera and then let the GW deal with them when they shoot a deer on your side or hope the fence without your permission armed or not...

I agree that if the landowners were made responsible they would enforce the law. I don't know many that would ignore it unless they owned the land for hunting only and did not try to respect their neighbors. Which is probably not a good idea since we try to help each other out here. You like calling the VFD when the neighbors place catches on fire or reporting someone trespassing.