Hunting without permission

shane7

I went out for a few hours this evening to one of my permissions and the first thing I see when I jump over the gate is some guy out coursing with 5 greyhounds. Its so frustrating the rabbit population on this particular land has been decimated by these lads hunting with their dogs without permission. Over the whole of the summer we have only managed to shoot 4-5 rabbits on this particular piece of land.

The neck on these lads I wouldn't dream of shooting on someones land without permission. Firearms holders put a lot of effort into getting their permissions and then these lads just wander on without a care in the world and bag all the rabbits. I warned him I'd ring the Guards if he came back but I could tell by talking to him he wasn't taking a blind bit of notice.

What would the Guards do if I was to ring them if I come across him again would they even take any action or just send him on his way.

Cass

They could charge him with trespass, but afaik would need the landowner to push the charge. You'd be a witness, having seen the incident and called the Gardaí.

Its heartbreaking. I had this four and two years ago on a permission. I'm the only one on it. Four years ago i caught someone coming out of the field with his mate dragging a deer. The first guy with the rifle said it was nothing to do with him, and the second guy tried to bullsh*t by saying he had permission. Luckily the land owner arrived and took their details (reg, etc) including the name of one of them (he is a well known person trying to buy his way into land where i shoot) and threatened to call the Gardaí if they returned.

Roll on two years and the same prick is parked on the boundary to my permission with his car actually on the permission. I took, and still have photos, and video.

Then like your story any given night there are lamps everywhere but no shots. It's dog men. Even the land owners have complained to me about them. All i can do is check the permission boundaries, and take the regs of any cars/jeeps/vans and report them to the NPWS ranger.

outinthefields

Called into see one of my regular permission owners last August 12 months ago, have known the man over 25 years and I drop by every 2 or 3 weeks for a chat and on the scout for a fox or 2. He said he saw 2 cubs hanging around his middle paddock that morning and as he was heading down that way to look in on his sheep he'd show me where they ran off to. I grabbed my 2 ranging markers and my 12 gauge ( there's usually a few rabbits or a grey crow around) and off we went. Just as we neared the end of the path to the paddock a lurcher came barrelling out of the ditch about 20 feet in front of us and headed towards the sheep. My Farmer said shoot that dog, I was just sliding off the safety when we heard a shout behind us "What do you think your f***ing doing that's my dog". We turned around and there's this skinny teenager climbing over the ditch. My friend say's call that dog back here now, (I'm unloading the gun at this stage) the kid says if you kill my dog I'll call the Guards. My friend says call em and we will all go back up to the road and wait. The little idiot pulls out his phone and rings the barracks and reports 2 men threathining to shoot his dog 5 miles out of town, no he dos'ent know the farmers name but there's a GAA flag on the wall beside the farmers gateway, my friend says tell them its *****s farm they will know where to come, He hangs up the phone and says they'll be here in a few mins. So we all turn around and walk back the 1/2 mile or so to the farmyard and about 2 mins later the squad car pulls in. " Guards get out and 1 of them happens to be the local FO, he look at us and asks the story. The young lad tells the Guard all about the big bad men going to shoot his dog as he was out lookin for a few rabbits and doing no harm to anyone. The Guard then looks to us and after greeting both of us by our names asks if what the lad said was true. We agreed yes it was very true and that if the lad had not put me off I would have killed the dog. The Guard smiles and asks did we know who owned the land. The kid said no, and I said my friend here owns all the land within 1 mile of this yard (The kid's face go's white at this stage). My friend says ahh sure you you know that anyways don't ya shoot the odd phesant over it every year, this young fellow has been caught tresspassing over my land and also letting his dog run unleashed over fields with over 1500 sheep and I have every right to put it down. So the Guard takes my friend to one side ant the other Guard asks if I know the kid, I said I knew his father and If he wanted I would take the lad and his dog home. The Guards and my friend agreed to that as they had agreed not to press charges on the lad if he and his dog stayed away from the area in future. Needless to say the kid's dad was not impressed with his son taking His dog out without permission and unto lands he did not have permission to be on.

Czhornet

I get the same every year too, two different lads, 1st lad asked a neighbour if he could shoot on their farm, he got permission from them but when he arrives he aims straight for our land. Him and his big brown dog running loose frightening all the cattle, so I asked him did he know what land he was on, and of course i get the "the neighbour told me i can shoot anywhere" I soon set him straight and told the neighbour too to respect the boundaries, 3 weeks later same lad is back, next time I see him the Guards will be at the gate waiting for him (and I told that to him). Cant stand lads taking liberties like that. The 2nd lad is a pure tear away and has the opinion that he can shoot wherever and when ever he wants. He is well known to the guards for all the wrong reasons but yet they wont revoke his licence or stop him in any way. There are 3 gun clubs in our area sick of seeing this lads car pull up and know he will be "shooting" at ducks 100yds up in the air and frightening all around him!!

Half-cocked

Had the hare population almost wiped out on our shoot by illegal coursing. Now the hare population is finally bouncing back up, I have no doubt the coursers will be back again. Apart from the fact that what they are doing is illegal (plus they are trespassing), their dogs scare our pheasants and ruin shoot days. And without going into detail, because they come from a certain section of society, our land owner is afraid that if we shoot any of the dogs, they will come back and damage his property for revenge.

shane7

Half-cocked wrote: »

Had the hare population almost wiped out on our shoot by illegal coursing. Now the hare population is finally bouncing back up, I have no doubt the coursers will be back again. Apart from the fact that what they are doing is illegal (plus they are trespassing), their dogs scare our pheasants and ruin shoot days. And without going into detail, because they come from a certain section of society, our land owner is afraid that if we shoot any of the dogs, they will come back and damage his property for revenge.

I was thinking that myself that's why I was a lot nicer with him then I should of been. I was worried he may come back and damage the land owners property or even take it out on my car which is left unattended for a few hours while I'm shooting.

I'm thinking next time I might take my phone out and start recording his activities or any conversations I have with him. It might make him a little more uncomfortable compared to just a verbal warning

Half-cocked

I have a small action cam mounted on my hat nowadays, I was using it mainly to record my shooting, but it is real handy if you end up confronting a trespasser. People have a habit of behaving themselves when they know they are being filmed.

deeksofdoom

There was a fellah hereabouts who joined a local gun club, he wasn't actually from the area but had gotten in through his brother who was a member of the club and living in the area.

He was out shooting pheasants at the start of the season and saw another 2 guys off shooting in the distance. Enraged at the sight of the other ' strangers' he took off after them and told them they were on gun club land demanding to know who they were etc....

The two lads left yer man rant for a bit before telling him that one of them was the land owner. The next club meeting had a great laugh at his expense.

Cass

I've moved the discussion on dogs out to a new thread as it's going well beyond the scope of this thread's original topic.

New thread here.

stevep1018

I have similar problem on my permission.I'm the only one with permission for this land and twice now I have caught the same guy on it.landowners are family friends and have told me to treat land as my own and to deny anyone access. On opening day he was in the field shooting illegally and when I approached him he was all apologies and said he walked in by accident.i gave him benefit of the doubt but yesterday he was in there again and I didn't approach him as I'm not sure where I stand.lads this place is alive with deer and that's the way I want it so what's next for this poacher

Cass

Only going to say this once, and infractions will be issued for any that breaks the rules by ignoring this warning.

DO NOT under any circumstances suggest, imply or hint at anything as a means to deter, put off or "punish" suspected trespassers.

Such things are illegal and will not be tolerated on the forum.

shane7

stevep1018 wrote: »

I have similar problem on my permission.I'm the only one with permission for this land and twice now I have caught the same guy on it.landowners are family friends and have told me to treat land as my own and to deny anyone access. On opening day he was in the field shooting illegally and when I approached him he was all apologies and said he walked in by accident.i gave him benefit of the doubt but yesterday he was in there again and I didn't approach him as I'm not sure where I stand.lads this place is alive with deer and that's the way I want it so what's next for this poacher

If he is poaching deer he could be in serious trouble. I would try to get a hold of a number for your local wildlife warden and next time you see him ring the warden along with the guards. I was stopped by a warden in Wicklow last week going on to one of my permissions and she was very thorough with the questions. Checked my licence, rifle serial number and wanted details for the landowner. Was chatting for a bit after that she said they where having a lot of issues with deer poachers and were trying to crack down on it.

ezra_

stevep1018 wrote: »

I have similar problem on my permission.I'm the only one with permission for this land and twice now I have caught the same guy on it.landowners are family friends and have told me to treat land as my own and to deny anyone access. On opening day he was in the field shooting illegally and when I approached him he was all apologies and said he walked in by accident.i gave him benefit of the doubt but yesterday he was in there again and I didn't approach him as I'm not sure where I stand.lads this place is alive with deer and that's the way I want it so what's next for this poacher

Strictly speaking, it isn't your land and therefore you can't enforce the landowner's rights to it.

Saying that, if you get his reg and are tight enough with the landowner a call to the local cop shop from the landowner saying that there so and so with reg D is trespassing on the land with a gun should get a response.

Failing that, if you know your local wildlife office, let him know also that so and so is poaching. Might get a response, depends on the area I guess.

stevep1018

ezra_ wrote: »

Strictly speaking, it isn't your land and therefore you can't enforce the landowner's rights to it.

Saying that, if you get his reg and are tight enough with the landowner a call to the local cop shop from the landowner saying that there so and so with reg D is trespassing on the land with a gun should get a response.

Failing that, if you know your local wildlife office, let him know also that so and so is poaching. Might get a response, depends on the area I guess.

I've had a chat with landowner and he is going to report the van next time I see it there.it's hard enough to get permission for land and trespassers don't help the situation by giving us a bad name. I shoot for my freezer so I don't agree with lads wiping out a place