Joe G Posted November 25, 2003 Report Posted November 25, 2003 Last August, I bought a house in Lansing with property that borders a medium-sized park/nature area. I love this particular area because of all the trails and wildlife, and have spent many hours walking around in the woods there. On my little plot, I've just planted over 30 pine trees, and I'd like to plant some wildflowers in the spring. I'll probably only mow the lawn up by the house. This weekend, I'll be putting up some birdfeeders as well. You get the picture. One of my great pleasures is to step outside in the evening or the early morning, and see deer in my backyard. There have been some regulars: a doe with two yearlings, and a really nice looking buck. The doe is really bold; coming right up next to the house at night, and there's been times lately when she stood no more than 30 feet away while I was putting my guitar in the car. She never runs away from me anymore. I like that they feel my yard is a safe zone. The buck was more cautious, and, now I see, with good reason... Last night, someone, presumably from around here, used a high powered rifle to shoot that buck in the middle of the night, and practically in my backyard. Not only was this totally illegal, but IMO, highly unethical. These deer live in the city limits, where it is not legal to hunt, or discharge a weapon, for that matter. They live in a nature park where humans do not generally pose a threat, and so they have lost much of their instinctual fear. What kind of a person would be so callous as to sneak onto someone else's property in the middle of the night and shoot a beautiful animal that has become partly tame because of its life circumstances? And believe me, I know something about the facts of life and death in nature. Life feeds on life, and it's not always pretty. But this sort of act is senseless. I wish the cops could have caught the son of a bitch who did this, at least. That is one selfish, stupid, and thoughtless individual, to put it mildly. Just wanted to vent about that, as it has darkened my day considerably. Quote
jacman Posted November 25, 2003 Report Posted November 25, 2003 so the person in question shot the deer, then left the carcass? what a scum-bag! it's bad enough shooting the animal in a neighborhood, but to do it just to kill something.... Quote
Noj Posted November 25, 2003 Report Posted November 25, 2003 We had some idiot do the same thing near my house but with a crossbow. The deer in my neighborhood are so tame they'll hang out 30 feet from me playing basketball. Gee, real tough targets! Quote
Joe G Posted November 25, 2003 Author Report Posted November 25, 2003 jacman, actually, they hauled off the carcass in a minivan that had some sort of taxi sign on the side. The cops did get that much info, so maybe they will be able to track them down. I hope. Quote
connoisseur series500 Posted November 25, 2003 Report Posted November 25, 2003 Real dickheads, Joe. I'd be pretty steamed myself. Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted November 25, 2003 Report Posted November 25, 2003 I normally bond with animals fairly easily, and I can easily see why you’d be pissed about this, Joe. But what would piss me off the most about this was the unnecessaryness (unnecessity?) of it. Yeah, I may bond with animals pretty easily, but I “let go” pretty easily too. They are, in fact, just animals. (I love my two cats dearly, but they’re just animals too.) Our next-door neighbor has had three inside-outside cats over the 18 months we’ve lived next to her. And two of those three cats have been bit by cars, and both died as a result. I really liked both of those cats (and I’m definitely a “cat” person), but I also realized that we live on a street with some degree of traffic, and shit like that happens. (That’s why both of our cats are inside-only kitties. And our neighbor shouldn’t be too surprised when something like this happens. Get a clue!!) I frequently used to pick up and/or pet both of those cats (that are no longer with us), and would call to them whenever I saw them in the yard. But that’s the way it goes, unfortunately. Anyway, my point is that I’d be mad too, just like you Joe – NOT because I’d be so deeply upset at the loss of an animal that I had bonded with a bit (and probably felt some ownership of, to some extent), but rather I’d be upset because the killing wasn’t at all appropriate in your area, or sanctioned by the laws of your community. I’m not wildly against hunting (though I would NEVER do it myself), but what would really get me about your situation, Joe, is that it shouldn’t have happened in the first place. That buck should be alive and enjoying life today. He was in an area that should have given him some greater chance of survival (at least against hunters), and yet some hunter decided that those laws didn’t apply to him. Yeah, I’d be pissed too. Quote
maren Posted November 25, 2003 Report Posted November 25, 2003 And I'd be most upset that someone shot off a high-powered rifle in close proximity to my yard and house. I'd be worrying about more than the wildlife: pets, property, family... Quote
Dan Gould Posted November 25, 2003 Report Posted November 25, 2003 What Maren said. Shooting a high powered rifle that close to a house .... unbelievable. Quote
Joe G Posted November 25, 2003 Author Report Posted November 25, 2003 Exactly Tom, and Maren. I would not have been upset if my neighbor had driven a few miles out into the countryside, gotten permission from a farmer to hunt on his land, and bagged a deer there. In fact I probably wouldn't have even known about it. But that sort of activity should not be taking place in a residential area for all of the reasons given above. Like I said, I really hope this guy gets busted, though I sort of doubt it. Quote
JSngry Posted November 25, 2003 Report Posted November 25, 2003 Get a bulletproof deer suit and a Winchester (loaded or not is up to you) and wait for the asshole to come back. Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted November 25, 2003 Report Posted November 25, 2003 That's some bullshit. I'm glad you called the cops. You didn't happen to get the license plate number, did you? Quote
catesta Posted November 25, 2003 Report Posted November 25, 2003 Get a bulletproof deer suit and a Winchester (loaded or not is up to you) and wait for the asshole to come back. Word! Quote
Joe G Posted November 25, 2003 Author Report Posted November 25, 2003 I appreciate the levity. That's a pretty hilarious scenario: "Goddamm! That deer started shootin' back at me!" "Right, next time lay off the sauce!" Quote
GregK Posted November 26, 2003 Report Posted November 26, 2003 yet another reason supporting stricter gun control (I'm leaning toward outright ban, but anyway...) Quote
RonF Posted November 26, 2003 Report Posted November 26, 2003 Joe, Asshole poachers like that do time out here. It's very serious business. The fact that it happened so close to homes would make it all the more serious. Criminal negligence? Reckless endangerment? Put the SOB away! Quote
chris olivarez Posted November 26, 2003 Report Posted November 26, 2003 Joe,second to what Ron said,the Colorado Division of Wildlife,the local authorities and the locals many of whom are hunters are really down on that kind of activity and in the kind of towns in Colorado that Ron and I live in if their is anybody who does this sort of thing their chance of being found out is good and when their found out they can count on prosecution.I hope you find the bastard who did this. Quote
BruceH Posted November 26, 2003 Report Posted November 26, 2003 My first thought on reading your post, Joe, was "Shit, what if the bullet hit the house...or went in a WINDOW for Christsake?!!" This guy is not only a callous shitbag, but a dangerous one. Damn. Quote
Jazzmoose Posted November 26, 2003 Report Posted November 26, 2003 yet another reason supporting stricter gun control (I'm leaning toward outright ban, but anyway...) I support the right to arm bears. Quote
connoisseur series500 Posted November 26, 2003 Report Posted November 26, 2003 yet another reason supporting stricter gun control (I'm leaning toward outright ban, but anyway...) I support the right to arm bears. or in this case deers. Keep the gun outa Joe's hands; he's likely to blow himself up. -_- Quote
Joe G Posted November 26, 2003 Author Report Posted November 26, 2003 I'm pretty handy with a six shooter! I don't know what that means. No word on any capture, and there probably won't be any, but this morning I went out to my car and there was a young doe standing there watching me. Life goes on. Quote
connoisseur series500 Posted November 26, 2003 Report Posted November 26, 2003 I'm pretty handy with a six shooter! Shoulda known better. Self-reliant Midwestern boy! Quote
Jazzmoose Posted November 26, 2003 Report Posted November 26, 2003 I'm pretty handy with a six shooter! Yeah, right...six string I'll believe! Quote
AfricaBrass Posted November 26, 2003 Report Posted November 26, 2003 I'm pretty handy with a six shooter! Yeah, right...six string I'll believe! That's the TRUTH! I support the right to arm Moose. Those antlers would make a superb gun rack. Quote
7/4 Posted November 26, 2003 Report Posted November 26, 2003 WTF? Insane shit goin' on out there!...and people ask me if I feel safe in NYC. Quote
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