Neighbor Confronts Us As Poachers

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
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LoneStarBoars Supporter
So my partner and I arrived at our first property, before dusk, so as to be able to check the fields for signs of damage for the landowner. I hunt 4 places for this landowner. So far, his properties look okay, but I have a couple of places where the hogs are tearing up the fields now that everything is soft after the rains. This particular parcel is new to me. It is the one with the compressor unit that makes so much noise that has been in a couple previous videos. It is planted in winter wheat and so far the hogs are only grazing, not rooting.

Anyway, we get through the gate and notice a cow in his field. There were no cattle there a couple of days prior and I took a pic in case it was a stray and about that time the landowner comes rolling up to see about the cow. The cow had broken in earlier and he had returned it, well, the cow was back. Hmmmm. We chatted for a bit and he said that we were the only ones hunting this piece of property, but as they seem to have some good deer there, his kids may try to take some deer in the next few weeks. In the mean time, we were to keep killing hogs. He then said he was going to take the cow back to where it belonged and we headed into the property to hunt.

Pigs were already there and we are trying to line up on them when my partner says that the landowner has followed us in. This is maybe 10 minutes later. Odd. I start walking back to the vehicle coming in and realize he had brought a friend (second vehicle)...only to then realize the truck that I thought was the landowner's wasn't his truck and so I don't know any of these people. I am trying to gesture to them to stop before they come in too far and to get them to turn off their lights....trying to keep them from spooking the hogs out in the pasture.

The first car pulls up to me and I ask if they could turn off their headlights and the driver immediately demands, "Who are you and what are you doing here?" The driver seemed angry with me. Calmly, I said, "We are hunting hogs. I work for ********* {the landowner}" and a bit more sternly said, "And who exactly are you?"

Mentioning the landowner's name mollified the driver who visibly relaxed and the driver explained that the landowner was a distant relative (most everybody seems to be distantly related to one another in Montague County, it seems) and that nobody was supposed to be hunting the property was far as they knew. That sort of fit with what the landowner said only minutes earlier that nobody else was supposed to be hunting the place. We chatted for a bit, all quite pleasant. Come to find out, a local in the area has been illegally selling hunts as a guide and dropping people off on various properties on the back roads.

I don't know how the landowner and these folks missed each other at the gate, but apparently they all did. That small timing issue resulted in a situation that I think could have gone south very easily. The driver showed up with the family in two vehicles in order to confront the armed people they thought were poachers they perceived to be trespassing...6 people in all came to deal with us. HOLY MOLY! This sort of had the makings of one of those unpleasant rural justice situations. Despite seeing me with rifle in hand (slung, low ready), they had no qualms about confronting us (instead of calling the game warden), so I assume they were likely armed as well. Sheesh.

In the end, I shook folks' hands, thanked them for checking on us. They asked if they could call me to deal with hogs next time hogs start digging up their place. I gave them my number.

The hogs were spooked by all the commotion. We ended up with only one recovered hog. Certainly not the start to the evening that I expected, but everyone left the property in good spirits and 100% healthy.
 
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der Teufel

Livin' the Dream …
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Wow! Glad that turned out all right. I was starting to hear a banjo playing in the background as I read this … :eek:
 

Jhop

LSB Active Member
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Yep, had that happen before. You can bet they had guns. I never was lucky enough for them to want me to come hunt their property. I'd loose the chance to shoot some hogs to gain another property for pig hunting.
 

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
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LoneStarBoars Supporter
Yep, had that happen before. You can bet they had guns. I never was lucky enough for them to want me to come hunt their property. I'd loose the chance to shoot some hogs to gain another property for pig hunting.

Yeah, it all worked out well enough, but they were undoubtedly there to throw us off the property and brought plenty of muscle, LOL.
 

J BAR K

Just trying to make a day.
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LoneStarBoars Supporter
Glad it ended well. That could have gotten a little western real quick!
 

Chopperdrvr

Deep East Tx
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Well played Mr. Brian. Pretty soon you will need to hire some help to handle all the property you are getting access to.
 

gshock

Banned Member!
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LoneStarBoars Supporter
Excellent job on keeping things calm! It seems like anything can set anyone off these days.
 
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Ratdog68

LSB Official Story Teller
LSB TURKEY BUZZARD PRESERVATION SOCIETY
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"This here, is AB Jr. Be polite to him, or he'll open up a can of whoop-ass on ya'll like never heard/seen before..."

Yikes. glad it all turned out well in the end. Gotta love it when folk with part of the information charge in with authority (even if self-appointed authority).
 
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