Why don't you use Google Earth or something similar and post a sat photo of where the truck was and where the property lines are? Sounds to me like a punk/idiot neighbor took a pot shot. I doubt it was a trespasser if the truck was only there overnight.

My only other thought, does the truck have a loud motor/exhaust, and was your son ragging it trying to get it out of the mud? If somebody lived nearby and got annoyed by the noise, that might make them mad enough to take a shot.

Since you said the landowner is a good guy then that is my first and probably only call at this time since there is probably not any evidence to be able to follow.
Letting the landowner know it happened is the way to go so that he can keep his eyes open and nose to the ground for any other BS that may be going on from neighbors because is sure sounds like that is the likely place this came from.

Damn, that really stinks and it is just too bad whoever did it will not have to pay for it and I mean both monetarily and in hand cuffs as well!

Red is truck, facing county road to left, about 3-400 yards to road
Blue is our property boundary
Yellow is path of bullet

Is it possible that you have the trajectory off by about 5 degrees, and it came from that turbine access road? Some oil file workers (not all, but some) can be some real douchebags. I would assume that the same would extend to turbine workers. Doesn't look like that far of a shot from there.

I agree. Purposely firing a shot into a vehicle seems far more like an act made for personal and/or sinister reasons than something done by a local idiot just wanting to act like a fool.

Place next door doesn't look to have that much cover but definitely has residents. I wonder if they tried to lease the place you are on at some point, or just got mad that you are hunting there. I would ask the landowner what he knows about your neighbors. Since the truck was there just a short time, that really points to someone that was typically in close proximity, such as the neighbor, and not a random trespasser or turbine worker. The only other possibility, that you ruled out, is that your son got frustrated enough by his predicament to shoot his own truck.

I would also engage the sheriff even though you've moved the truck. He might have information about this happening to other people or know something about the neighbor.


I'm sorry this happened to you. My first thought was 'How did the idiot know there wasn't anybody in the truck?" Could have been a couple of kids making out and a huge tragedy could have happened. Somebody needs their arse beat at a minimum, or some prosecution and restitution.

Depending on what you find out I might be looking for another lease.

+1

They can also decide it's time to make changes once they become aware of certain events. Because of potential liabilities, landowners are often far less tolerant of drama than the deer hunters who lease their property. This might even include getting out of the deer lease business in order to avoid the headaches that can go with it. We should never forget that not everyone has a fancy about deer and antlers. In fact, most folks don't.

Most land owners hate drama when it comes to dealing with hunters, and one reason a landowner would rather have a lease boss to deal with instead of a group.
If the landowner finds out, don't be shocked if he suddenly decides to get out of the deer lease business!
Someone could have been killed, and whoever did the shooting is still out there walking around!

I don't think anyone is trying to question your son's integrity, except from the standpoint of exhausting any and all options for the source of the issue. I assume none of us know him personally.

My wife is an assistant principal. What parents think they know and what the truth is are often quite different. Even the best kids are still kids.

Best of luck trying to sort through all of it - sounds like a crummy situation.

For those questioning the bullet direction, can you post a pic of the bullet hole in the truck fender? It will show if from inside the truck or from outside.

Thankfully your son was not hurt, that is most important.

Long story short, I'm getting off that place, especially if I've got my son hunting with me. No way I'm letting him out there anymore with idiots who are willing to shoot a truck not knowing if anyone might be in it or not and more to the point, do they care or not if anyone is in it? I ain't getting killed over a deer and I'm damn sure not letting any family member get killed either. Sorry about the situation you find yourself in and I know finding a deer lease isn't easy and going thru the hassle of moving certainly sucks.

pretty much

Do the neighbors on the property where the bullet came from hunt? Could it be possible that they were out hunting when your son got stuck, and all the commotion that came along with it ruined an evening in the woods for them? Not saying that would justify shooting your truck, but is a scenario that I wouldn't dismiss.

The bullet came from somewhere, and struck a valuable object on the property you lease. I think the landowner would want to know this occurred on their property no matter their response. If they respect you, and you respect them, then it's your duty to inform them regardless of the outcome. I would revisit the scene and map it all out best I could and get the local sheriff dept involved. When/if they start questioning neighbors about the incident, you never know who might go off on a rant and incriminate themselves. And, if a bullet traveled across a fence/property line, then a game warden might have some say in the matter as well. I wouldn't let this go if it were me or if it happened on my land. Likely not much will come of it all, but something might, and at least there would be a record of it on file in case any future issues arose.

I'll throw this out too, family had some guys up for a night hog hunt. Inexperienced night hunters using thermal.
They got turned around on a sounder and fired at them.
Hit the Sheriff's deputy's truck that rents a house edge of the pasture.
Didn't know it until the next morning when she went out to go to work.

^Most sensible response in this thread^. Only thing I can add to his post is keeping the landowner in the loop.
No way I would allow my son back out there which means I would relinquish the lease unless the shooter is apprehended. Even then I would need to know my kids are not going to be in danger before I considered staying.

Thank goodness your son was not harmed, and yes teenagers do dumb stuff.

You should let the land owner know. It is something he should made aware of. If he is a good man he would be trying to find out the source. It might be him getting shot at next time.

Pretty good sign you are not welcomed there.

jskin, what did you end up doing?

I’ll bet the neighbors are hog hunters or recreational shooters who often let their bullets cross out of their property. That has gotten out of control everywhere.

While I'd be just as pissed about it, I don't see any significant value in calling law enforcement. Unless someone confesses to doing it, prosecuting that case would be (99.9999%) impossible. I'd probably talk with the landowner and/or the neighbors and see where that goes, but I'd otherwise just move on.

Yup, I would talk to land owner and ask him if he's aware of any incident like this in the past. Ask him about the neighbors and learn about their behaviors.

i agree with this...game wardens and deputies that work that area likely already have a suspect(s) and if they are good at what they do then they will likely get a confession in the form of "it was an accident" in hopes of downplaying the incident.

In the 1980s my Jeep was shot while I was driving down a farm road north of Dallas. I was coming home from a dove hunt and it was dark. The area I was passing through was in the middle of nowhere around fields and without any visible houses. Thought I hit something and pulled over. Heard a tire hissing, so hauled *** to a gas station to plug the tire. We pulled out a bullet. I did a police report and the final response I got back was that it was probably a stray bullet and it happens. They told me no other vehicles were shot at that night. I too suspected it was just bad luck with a stray bullet. I know it's a long shot (pun intended), but unsafe shooters and stray bullets do happen.