Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[tntchix]

FYI for voters today: Flip your ballot over. There's one more proposal on the back.

 

[aart]

I have a story about hunting, this is just a vent/rant - pure and simple, but feel free to d@mn the action also.

Some friends have 18 acres with trails all over. A group of us were touring their paths this weekend, they are artists and have various 'art', mostly trail markers, installed all over the place. One installation was a simple metal tree stand with a pair of boots attached, very clever, brought a grin....until I asked where did you get that tree stand?

They "took it out of the neighbors field"...."Say what?!?! The stand looked brand new, probably cost about a hundred bucks. One of them is a vegetarian and they both think that no animal or tree should die or be cut down, ever - for any reason. I guess it's OK to trespass and steal other people's property tho

. So they have no clue about the rules and regs of hunting and are also fairly new to the rural life. Still enraptured with seeing the wildlife and haven't lost enough seedlings, garden vegetables, wild birds they feed because of the rabbits, deer and hawks...... yet.

I haven't asked about any more details of the 'theft' as I know I will be met with great defensive resistance, there may be more to the story than what appears to be a simple theft and it really isn't any of my business...but man it just pi$$es me off!!!

Thanks for listening.

 

[SillyChicken]

I also have a couple stands near property lines because of lack of suitable tree sizes..... but I face them toward my land. I always wait until they cross the line before firing. But I also don't like it when a person situates their stand to face our land... as if the 40 acres they have to hunt is not enough? I can honestly say, since I used to hunt their land in the past, that there are much better spots to sit on their land than ours... I got this dandy on the other side of their property..... I know deer travel for miles... but the huge swamp on their side, is a favored spot of the big guys!

Even if there is no specific wording that says you cannot shoot a deer on bordering property... It also says you may not "hunt on" adjoining property without permission. If I'm looking for deer or shooting a deer on someone else's land, to me that is "hunting on". It comes down to ethics really. I don't consider a deer on my neighbors land fair game, until they cross the line.


I would also recommend getting a camera out there... maybe mount it on a piece of farm equipment you can park near there... or make an effort to talk to the hunter. Document the encounter on video. Also, I would be fair to the hunter, on the chance that he shot a deer on his land and it runs onto yours, let him get it out. Otherwise, you are not entitled to it because you didn't shoot it.

 

[preciouskitty]

@aart
I'm chuckling as I think of the "no animal...no tree" part of your rant.
Curious, what is their house made of? Most require a piece of wood or two from a TREE! LOL!

To each their own, of course; but I'm with you, theft of a tree stand is simply bad juju...

 

[SillyChicken]

I have a story about hunting, this is just a vent/rant - pure and simple, but feel free to d@mn the action also.

Some friends have 18 acres with trails all over. A group of us were touring their paths this weekend, they are artists and have various 'art', mostly trail markers, installed all over the place. One installation was a simple metal tree stand with a pair of boots attached, very clever, brought a grin....until I asked where did you get that tree stand?

They "took it out of the neighbors field"...."Say what?!?! The stand looked brand new, probably cost about a hundred bucks. One of them is a vegetarian and they both think that no animal or tree should die or be cut down, ever - for any reason. I guess it's OK to trespass and steal other people's property tho

. So they have no clue about the rules and regs of hunting and are also fairly new to the rural life. Still enraptured with seeing the wildlife and haven't lost enough seedlings, garden vegetables, wild birds they feed because of the rabbits, deer and hawks...... yet.

I haven't asked about any more details of the 'theft' as I know I will be met with great defensive resistance, there may be more to the story than what appears to be a simple theft and it really isn't any of my business...but man it just pi$$es me off!!!

Thanks for listening.

lol........ so what are they living in, sitting on? How did the trials come about... clear any brush?

 

[aart]

I know, right?!?! Sigh.....people are complex and so often oblivious to their own hypocrisy's.

They are an interesting 30yr couple, both have both great and terrible attributes...the positive connections we share are dwindling in ratio and the theft is just another crack in that connection...it's sad.

They are also an egg customer and I fully disclosed (with a well concealed grin) that I feed meat to my chickens, sometimes live meat (mouse nests)....lol.

 

[preciouskitty]

lol........ so what are they living in, sitting on?   How did the trials come about... clear any brush?  

LOL!!
Obviously a few of the same questions we're going thru both our minds

 

[aart]

They were furious when the neighbor cut down a very old dead orchard to plant corn, tho they love corn chips.
I suggested that they pay the farmers mortgage for him so he wouldn't have to cut down unproductive fruit trees.

They showed me a damaged plant(weed) adjacent to that field and what they thought was from some terrible chemical that the farmer probably sprayed. I researched this for them and 'explained' it was a fungus.... along with suggesting a view with a wider scope...they haven't asked me those kind of questions anymore cause I always give them more of an answer than they want to hear.

Getting wound up....should allow them their beliefs and not give any more energy to the idiocy.

 

[Opa]

Maybe it's because I'm old and cranky, but I wouldn't have hesitated to have embarrassed them about their illegal trespass to commit another crime, stealing someone's property.

While technically not theft, I friend was telling me that this pasted summer while fishing for salmon on Lake Michigan he reeled in a very expensive rod and reel. As he reeled in the line from the found rod he suddenly was fighting a fish. Ultimately landing a 25 pound Chinook he had a rod, reel, lure, and planer board. The planer board was marked with the name and phone number of the owner.

When I asked if the owner was surprised to get his equipment back my friend sheepishly admitted not calling. When I "scolded" him for keeping something that was not his he decided to return it to the original owner admitting later that he did feel pretty good be thanked for his honesty.

Right it right. If we don't speak out against dishonesty or hypocrisy it just gets worse.

 

[aart]

Maybe it's because I'm old and cranky, but I wouldn't have hesitated to have embarrassed them about their illegal trespass to commit another crime, stealing someone's property.

While technically not theft, I friend was telling me that this pasted summer while fishing for salmon on Lake Michigan he reeled in a very expensive rod and reel. As he reeled in the line from the found rod he suddenly was fighting a fish. Ultimately landing a 25 pound Chinook he had a rod, reel, lure, and planer board. The planer board was marked with the name and phone number of the owner.

When I asked if the owner was surprised to get his equipment back my friend sheepishly admitted not calling. When I "scolded" him for keeping something that was not his he decided to return it to the original owner admitting later that he did feel pretty good be thanked for his honesty.

Right it right. If we don't speak out against dishonesty or hypocrisy it just gets worse.

Oh, I told her straight up, twice, that it was stealing...but didn't take it any further at that time due to the company.
I am sure I will have one more go at it, but not until I cool down a bit.