I know people talk big and act big when they hear about this stuff, but seriously think about it. What would you do, especially if you had nothing for protection like me?

Last night I stayed about 20 minutes AFTER dark in my stand because I had so many deer under me and I didn't want them to see me leave. I had 11 in the field but 2 were at 40 yards. I got down and took my first few steps into the field and they didn't have a clue I was there. I watched them with my binoculars. I took another step and snapped a twig so I took a few more so they wouldn't stick around and figure me out. I heard them run off, watched them through the binoculars run off, but started hearing something to the right of where they were, walking towards me. I look through the binos and at about 40-50 yards I see a man walking directly at me. He obviously had no idea I was there and walked within 15 yards before I shined my pocket keychain light at him. He jumped and shined a light at me. Of course there was some talking and such, of which inclueded him asking If I was Anthony. I am not. Anthony is my father, one of the four I lease the land with. He, or course wouldn't give me his name. He said he walked in and didn't want to say his name because he lived around the area. What kind of kept me on edge though was that he kept getting closer to me as we were talking. At one point he was only about a foot away. I backed up a few times. I couldn't see what all he had but he kept lighting me everytime I lighted him. He was hiding his face with the light and so forth. I finally told him I was Anthony's son. He said if it makes any difference he did quite a bit of business with my dad at his shop. I told him a lot of people do business down there and that it didn't concern me either way whether he did or not. He asked me if I smoked, I told him no. He asked if I was calling the law, I told him I didn't know what I was going to do. There was no rifle or bow with him which led me to believe he left it in his stand. I asked him what he was diong and he kept saying you know what I'm diong down here man. Finally, it dawned on me maybe he wasn't hunting, so I asked him. I asked if he was hunting or growing dope. Come to find out he was growing dope. The bad part was, I thought I smelled some in my stand earlier that night. I blew that thought off when a skunk rolled by later that night, though.

Refresher: This was the first night I had ever been in this stand. My dad hung it a couple days ago after my uncle said he couldn't find a spot he was happy with. I had never been in that remote area of the farm.

Back to topic. Finally, he said he would just get the stuff, get out, and never come back if he'd just let me go, after he offered me half not to say anything. I told him I would watch him take it, that way I knew there was no reason for him to come back. I shined the light down the path for him to go first and he insisted that I go first. YEAH RIGHT!!!! He kept saying he was afraid I was going to stick him with my bow. I told him I'm the one that should be worried about getting stuck because I wasn't the one caught trespassing for dope. He finally went first but was very reluctant. Get this. The plants were like 9 yards from the base of the tree I was in!!!! I watched him take down about 10-12 plants and he high tailed it out of there.

The farm has two roads adjoining it, one on each side. I was on one he was on the other. I set up the road waiting to see if he was lying about walking in, and sure enough I saw somebody getting ready to turn on the road I was on then when he saw my headlights I heard him takeoff. It took me almost two miles to catch up to him because he was flying. I finally got close enough to get the plate numbers and BAM. The smell of the weed hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew for sure it was him then. I hope I did enough to scare him off but now it makes me really wonder if my stands will be back in there or if he will be back in there now. I talked to dad about it and he said stay out of there for a while, he didn't want something bad to happen from some no count with nothing to lose.

So what do you guys/gals think?

 

I would call the law and tell them the story along with the tag # off the vehicle, chances are he has MORE plants on your property and you don't want the law to think you are growing the stuff.

Oh and the guy acted pretty "hinky", I think he may very well be capable of anything at this point so do as your father suggests and avoid the area for awhile. Let the law do what they get paid to do and avoid any confrontations with this wacko.

 

Call the cops and give them the license number of the truck and his description.

I would say carry a firearm with you next time but that goes against my home defense plan of if you really feel you need a gun for home defense then you really need to move.

Go back with friends gather your stuff and hunt someplace else.

It's a tough call.

 

Ya same here, definatly call em in. I honestly dono what I would've done, but I wouldn't want him to just get away, and have the chance to come back. I get pretty mean in situations like that where I catch people on a lease or my property where they're not supposed to be. Theres no way I would just give up my spot though. Definatly carry a gun with you from now on. I've always got my pistol on me.

 

thats crazy!

I would be cursing myself for not hunting with a shotgun

I would call the cops as well, theres no reason not too. give them the plate number, let things take their course, then later dig around on the farm and see if they left anything behind. make sure there is no reason for them to come back.

 

He MIGHT have more plants, call the law, give them the plate number. YOU guys do not want to go down for this guys stash if he didn't get it all.

I would not go out into the woods without at least a handgun for protection. Even in bow season I DO carry. I shot a deer in bow season a couple years ago, was dressing it out and got a hungry visitor, can you say BEAR!!! There was really no place to go and the bear seemed more interested in me so I fired my gun once close to him into the ground, he split real quick.

When it comes to people growing pot on your property, or in your hunting spot, they will NOT split like the bear did, and IF they are armed and it's concealed, and they get an opportunity, you could easily be toast.

CD

 

Wow - I had a somewhat similar experience. I was driving around scouting a week or two pre bow season with my brother-in-law. We saw a van parked along side of the road we new was also a local. Didn't think to much of it at the time. Came back by and the van and moved to new spot. At this point I figured I knew what was going on - although I had never met this guy, reputations have a way of preceding certain types of people. Anyway, my brother-in-law and I headed down another side road (dead-end) to check out some of my land and neighbors we have hunting permission for. When we came back, he was parked on the road standing there flagging us down.
"What are you you guys doing down here?" he asked in a accusatory tone as I pulled up.
I calmly pointed at the land on the other side of my truck and said "I own that property right there."
"Oh" he said. "You never know what kind of people your going to meet around here." At this point he reached around behind him self and then came back with his hand as if he was holding a hand gun.
We were both a bit surprised, but remained calm. He dropped his hands. I asked what he was doing.
"Oh just enjoying nature." Yeah right!! We talked for a minute or two more and then left. Apparently he had not recognized my truck in the numerous trips that the van seemed to make by my father-in-laws place just a half mile north of where this conversation took place.

My guess is he was high and/or checking on stuff that he might have been growing in the brush near where he was parked.

Report what you experienced. You witnessed an actual crime of him harvesting the plants. I didn't report mine and I still regret not doing that. All I could have said was he pretended to threaten us with a pretend hand gun. I didn't figure it would do me any good to report it.
Also if you do decide to carry, get training if you can. Had I had a hand gun, I suspect my situation could have escalated out of control.

 

My take on this is- as long as the stuff he grows is illegal- call the proper authorities, and ask them to help you check all your property for the stuff. Give them every detail you know about him- not what you think, what you heard as a rumor etc, just facts. With dope on your property you will need to cover your 6. Since those folks aren't taking your weeding out of the stuff from your property too gladly take measures for your protection- and coordinate them with the proper authorities.
The worst thing that you can do now is let it slip- and then be found in the possession of a very nice dope farm, sufficient to supply many users. (The result would be the hotel "Striped Sun", with "Bubba" asking you to pick up his soap...)

Just my 2c

AlpineRAM

 

I'de definitley report it/him/the plate number and stay away till you got an all is clear from the man. Report it to the land owners as well if it's a lease.

 

I would report it, protects you and the land owner.
If you don't it could turn into a huge can of worms for everybody, lots of scenarios for this to go bad for the innocent.

 

I agree, report the facts. Also, get a better flashlight, something tactical and nasty that'll throw the lumens and fry his corneas.

A pistol, if it's legal to carry during bow season, would round out the outfit. Take a concealed carry course even if you never plan on carrying, to give you the beginnings of the proper mindset.

Whenever I've seen strangers hunting on my family's land, I've always avoided contact. They're not there by invitation and they've got guns. Nothing good can come of it. I do try to locate their vehicle and get the tag number and report it to the sheriff on general principle.

 

What you were doing was legal. What he was doing isn't. Report it and watch your back.

Kurt

 

Exactly, guys that trespass to grow dope or set up meth labs in a van are probably using as well. Good on you for trusting your gut and standing your ground.

Never voluntarily move yourself to the secondary crime scene.

Report it.

 

Thats a scary situation man glad it turned out ok.. Nextime that might not be the case.. I say report it and find a new place to hunt. Come on up to Ohio and I'll put you in one of my stands..

 

You need to report it for your saftey as well as the other lease holders and the land owners. You could have really gottin yourself in a sticky situation and it could have turned out bad!! Trust your dads advise, The cops may need you to take them to the spot, so be preparied for that. I never go in the woods with out a back up, for one thing it comes in handy when hogs get to close for a rifle and for another my bro-inlaw and I came across some guys pochin on his lease, they where real unhappy when they realized I had G22 on my leg. Most of all be carefull....