Score one for the horses! (encounter w/hunters)

[SMF11]

This morning I took my two dogs, pony, and 17 h OTTB for a walk on our farm. The TB (who is now 13) was loose. (I love doing this -- he knows the farm/trails, is not crazy, and the 150 acres is perimeter fenced).

To my surprise I came upon three hunters and a pack of beagles in one of our fields. My M.O. in these situations is to act like a crazy lady so that the encounter is very unpleasant for them (*maybe* they won't want to come back). So I was screaming at them to GET OFF MY LAND!! CAN'T YOU READ THE POSTED SIGNS?? etc etc and I realized as I got closer they were *scared*. It was because my huge horse was intimidating them! I was so focused on the hunters that I didn't really pay attention to my animals, but they behaved perfectly! My dogs stuck with me on alert, not even going to say hello to the hunters' beagles. And my TB kept right with me, very alert, and a little ahead of me. As I got closer to the hunters, so did my horse, and that was what freaked them out! I stopped to let them retreat, shouting at them the whole time.

I am SO proud of all my animals, who were all perfectly behaved! (which is not always true!) And since you are all horsepeople, unlike those hunters, of course my horse wouldn't have touched them.

Probably what was my most effective thing, though, was that I called the landowner who *had* given permission to these hunters and left a message saying that the next time I found signs of trespassing I would call the sheriff, and since I didn't know the hunters' names I would tell the sheriff to visit the landowner to get those names.

(I also give permission to responsible hunters, fyi).

Anyway, a little unexpected excitement on the farm!

[dalpal]

Is it legal to hunt there on Sundays???? Here in NC it is illegal.

[SMF11]

Don't know. I pretty much only know the deer hunting regs; these guys were hunting rabbits, I think. It doesn't matter if they were breaking the law by hunting on Sundays, they were already breaking the law by trespassing on my land.

[pj]

That is too funny and good for your guys for staying with you, but, I really don't see how you can be mad at the hunters and turn them into the law if the actual landowner gave them permission. They probably thought they were ok and not doing a thing wrong. It's the land owner who gave them permission that you ought to jump.

[SMF11]

Sorry, I must have been unclear -- the hunters did have permission from my neighbor. They crossed over onto my land, where they didn't have permission, conveniently overlooking not only the posted signs, but the signs I have up saying "WATCH FOR HORSES".

[Gestalt]

I think seeing your big TB loose would have been intimidating, he probably looked cool. :) However, I don't agree with screaming at the hunters. Better to not give them a reason to hurt or destroy something. And sometimes property lines are confusing even with fencing.

[dalpal]

Don't know. I pretty much only know the deer hunting regs; these guys were hunting rabbits, I think. It doesn't matter if they were breaking the law by hunting on Sundays, they were already breaking the law by trespassing on my land.


Easy there girl. :lol: Just asking a question. Was thinking that I might be giving you some extra ammo if you see them again.;)

[Rienzi]

I think it was your sign that scared them! "Watch for horses", that means they are watch horses, right? Maybe they attack on command!

I think having a talk with them might have been better though.

PS You could add the word "attack" before the word "horses" on your sign.

[pj]

Sorry, I must have been unclear -- the hunters did have permission from my neighbor. They crossed over onto my land, where they didn't have permission, conveniently overlooking not only the posted signs, but the signs I have up saying "WATCH FOR HORSES".
Awww I see. That's a whole different thing then. Sorry, I misunderstood.

[SMF11]

Easy there girl. :lol: Just asking a question. Was thinking that I might be giving you some extra ammo if you see them again.;)

Sorry! I guess my adrenaline is still pumping :)

[dalpal]

Sorry! I guess my adrenaline is still pumping :)


I figured as much...:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lo l::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Anselcat]

I think it was your sign that scared them! "Watch for horses", that means they are watch horses, right? Maybe they attack on command!

:lol::lol::lol: Can you get studded black leather collars big enough for horses?

[pines4equines]

I usually "sick" my SO on folks. One time prior to this economy when there was alot of horse stealing going on, my SO was at the farm. A big horse trailer pulled in, it was one of the local horse kill guys and my SO went nuts on them screaming like a banshee to get out of here blah, blah, blah...Arh, arh! My SO can look like a crazy old man...

We could sick my SO, you and your TB on the hunters!!

Speaking of hunters, we had a toddler shot out of its baby seat in a kitchen here locally by hunters and a friend's dog was shot in the leg by hunters. The dog was on their front porch!!! So I'm with you SMF11. You scream away...

[SMF11]

We could sick my SO, you and your TB on the hunters!!

Speaking of hunters, we had a toddler shot out of its baby seat in a kitchen here locally by hunters and a friend's dog was shot in the leg by hunters. The dog was on their front porch!!! So I'm with you SMF11. You scream away...[/QUOTE]

Thanks, Pines. I don't think I live that far from you! :)

As for those who wanted me to talk to the hunters . . . I talk to my neighbor; these guys not so much. First of all they most likely don't come from around here (otherwise they'd know the guys I do give permission to). And I don't *want* to be reasonable with them. I want it so unpleasant for them they decide it's not worth it to risk running into me again (kind of like when my pony kicked me -- I chased him around the dry lot with murder in my eye -- he *knew* he'd better never do that again). And finally, I couldn't talk to them even if I had wanted to -- they were too afraid of my horse! As I advanced (with my menagerie) they retreated -- they wouldn't let me get close to them!

[pines4equines]

SMF11 - yeah, we're neighbors. I'm in Orange County. Probably some New York City guys up your way hunting!

[TikiSoo]

My M.O. in these situations is to act like a crazy lady

"Act".....suuuurrre.;)

My favorite hunter story was coming across two kids on ATVs with guns looking for a place to hunt deer. I told them the perimeters of my property which was posted, and to please leave.
They started off on the trail and my little Arab/App started to follow them. I let her go and sure enough she put her neck out and chased right after them solely from instinct! One guy must have heard the hooves and glanced back. The terrified look on his face was priceless!

[Trakehner]

I was riding my pony when I was a kid and two hunters told me I wasn't allowed to be on the property...it was theirs, so get off now.

I rode down the trail, flattened their car tires and called the sheriff to tell him I'd been threatened by guys with guns while riding on HIS property.

Jerks are universal...I was told to get off some property last week by two guys in blaze orange..."this isn't your property, you can't ride here" they said, I found out on the way back that it belonged to the gov't. and that these guys shouldn't have been on it hunting at all. The gov. security guy got in his jeep and was roaring down the road to have a discussion. The hunters weren't obnoxious, just misinformed by the man who grew hay on the property he leased....but he didn't have the right to control who rode on the trails around it.

Nicely though, I had one rabbit hunter's beagle try to nip my mule's hind leg...my mule taught him how to fly for about 10 feet.

[2DogsFarm]

You have every right to go ballistic on the idjits!
And LOL on your "Attack Horse" :lol:

A hunter friend of mine tells this story:
(it sounds like an old joke to me, but he swears it's true)

He took 2 newbie hunter friends deer hunting and stopped at a farm to ask persmission to hunt on the land.
The farmer agreed to let them hunt, but asked if my friend would do him a favor and put down an old mule he had in the pasture next to the house.
Friend agreed and went back to the truck to tell his fellow hunters:

"That old SOB won't let us hunt on his land! I'm gonna show him how we hunters feel about that!"
He then took his rifle back to the farmer's house and shot the mule where it stood.
Returned to his truck where his friends sat open-mouthed and told them.
"NOW he'll let us hunt there!"

[omare]

we have problems with transient hunters being too close to the barn and house when they are hunting on the neighbors 250 acres...yes- 250 acres and they end up next to our house/barn along the property line (a new group every day it seems...)

I dont know if this made sense or not but I finally put a boom box (loud) in front of the barn... I dont think the deer care, but I guessed that the hunters might think the deer care and go to some other part of the neighbors farm....away from the boom box.

I think they are wi 450 feet of the house (hence the boom box technique -they can hear it!) Maybe I will call the DNR but --there is a new group you have to educate every weekend so the boom box creates it own perimeter (I am hoping)?

[xeroxchick]

Yeah, I guess jerks ARE universal. It's okay for you to trespass but not okay for them...riiiiiight.


I was riding my pony when I was a kid and two hunters told me I wasn't allowed to be on the property...it was theirs, so get off now.

I rode down the trail, flattened their car tires and called the sheriff to tell him I'd been threatened by guys with guns while riding on HIS property.

Jerks are universal...I was told to get off some property last week by two guys in blaze orange..."this isn't your property, you can't ride here" they said, I found out on the way back that it belonged to the gov't. and that these guys shouldn't have been on it hunting at all. The gov. security guy got in his jeep and was roaring down the road to have a discussion. The hunters weren't obnoxious, just misinformed by the man who grew hay on the property he leased....but he didn't have the right to control who rode on the trails around it.

Nicely though, I had one rabbit hunter's beagle try to nip my mule's hind leg...my mule taught him how to fly for about 10 feet.

[mjrtango93]

Yeah, I guess jerks ARE universal. It's okay for you to trespass but not okay for them...riiiiiight.

Sounds to me like it wasn't the hunters land in that story but rather the sheriff. Who I am assuming the rider had permission to ride on the land seeing as she called him to tell him about the hunters. Or did I read that totally wrong?

[Lori B]

1) I strongly suspect that Trakehner is a 'he'.
2) Trakehner was riding with permission on land that belonged to the sheriff, to whom he reported the encounter.

[OnThinIce]

No doubt the hunters Trakehner had to deal with were a little PO'd with him. Their looong wait for any game to show up was going to take a lot longer, if ever, with he and his horse pushing it off. :lol:

And instead of a spiked collar for your TB, what about one of those face thingy's the Ringwraith's horses wore?? That would up the intimidation factor. :D

[Trakehner]

Yeah, I guess jerks ARE universal. It's okay for you to trespass but not okay for them...riiiiiight.

I had permission to ride on the Sheriff's land (he was my Grandfather).

Riders (and hikers) have permission to ride/hike on this government land OUTSIDE of the facility...no hunting allowed though on the land.

I didn't trespass on any of the land.

Amazing attitude.

[JSwan]

1) I strongly suspect that Trakehner is a 'he'.
2) Trakehner was riding with permission on land that belonged to the sheriff, to whom he reported the encounter.

How much you wanna bet he didn't report the fact he'd slashed their tires? :lol::lol:

Just havin' some fun, Trak. I'd have been tempted to do the same!

[Trakehner]

How much you wanna bet he didn't report the fact he'd slashed their tires? :lol::lol:

Actually, I had a valve stem puller...this removes the valve in the filler stem which holds the air in...no slashing or punctures...just major hassle....and actually, one of my Grandfather's deputy's taught me this trick and gave me the puller. He said, "sometimes hassle is a better lesson than a ticket".