Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum Poachers Caught!!

I agree with you 100%.It was wrong what they did but maybe show some compassion,if shown right/wrong they may come in handy on some hunting property.I see teenagers doing a lot worse on the news every night.Not to mention we were all young once, I did plenty of stupid stuff and thank goodness the consequences were never too bad.Maturity/wisdom come with age and experience.

Sounds like future clients of = Floyd,Floyd, and Floyd Law Firm!

My experience wasn't so good. I had/have 2 brothers hunting on some of my property. I caught 1 of them once and talked to him like a dog. His dad called that night and just made excuses. 3 times this year I have found evidence of them over there. It was a learning experience...not for them, but for me. Now, if your ages 8 - 80, blind, cripple, and crazy, I prosecute to the fullest. Don't care who it is.

I told my wife earlier today I was going to put cameras out tomorrow to try to catch them the last few days.

9 of my 30 years in law enforcement I worked with juvenile offenders. IMO, it was a good move to not prosecute for these reasons: the GW has enough charges on them and to be honest the one more trespassing charge is not likely to change what a judge does to the kids one iota. Stacking charges rarely makes much difference in what they do in Juvenile court. Especially since it will probably be a boot camp/probation situation at the most. Most likely a fine and community service. Depends on their record also. Secondly, you are able to wash your hands of it and not have to go to court during valuable work time for something that the outcome would be the same.

Hopefully they will get a wakeup call from the judge and will one day realize and truly appreciate the fact that you cut them some slack when they grow up. I think y'all handled it perfectly and hope it turns out well for all involved.

Now all juvenile court judges are different so there is nothing concrete in what I say, but just my opinion based on experience.

trespassing with a firearm is a felony folks......much less discharging

What??? Might want to check your Alabama laws again.

So, I'm reading the GW is the one pressing the charges?

I misinterpreted the OP in his writings, as HE wasn't pressing charges. Therefore, I thought the GW would not press charges since the landowner did not want to press charges.

In other words, I thought the GW was just writing things up, and the charges would not be pressed unless the landowner wanted them to be carried forward.

God Bless,
David B.

This is how I would handle as well.

Edit: The parent's attitude and actions would come into play also.

They broke game laws that is not up to me or any other land owner. The GW wrote the tickets for breaking the law plain and simple

Ok. That's good.

So what other violations could have been charged if you had chosen to do so as a land owner?

God Bless,
David B.

Trespassing 3rd. I don't know the statutory penalties of the game laws, but I'd be willing to bet Trespassing 3rd would be the most minor of the charges.

I thought that was nation wide or federal law....It should be..
Oh its ok for a trespasser/poacher to come onto posted land with a firearm.....They would get shot in florida,just sayin...

So in Florida your going to shoot 2 teenage boys and hollow = Stand Your Ground , as a defense???

So in Florida if I get the "grass is greener" syndrome so bad one time that I have to cross the property line and hunt and I get caught, I will lose my right to carry a firearm forever as well as all the other things that happen to convicted felons? That almost borders on Draconian and I generally like tough sentencing.

I'll check with some Leo's to see what the real deal is on trespassing on land or a dwelling and see if there is a difference....Having a firearm where you are not supposed to be
can get you in some serious trouble imo.....

I just googled it....I'm right...As a matter of fact if you shoot a projectile onto somebodys posted property,then you are felony trespassing....$5,000/5 years in jail....

FYI..Florida laws on trespass and hunting without permit are radically different as is the enforcement of those laws. Used to be, may still, that GWs in Fl didn't handle hunting w/o permit problems, those were handled by the SO as trespassing with a firearm.

This ain't Florida boys, its Alabama and Fl laws dont count here.

I have a neighbor who owns 6 acres in the middle of my 400. Anytime he shoots his "projectile" leaves his property, but I highly doubt it's illegal.
If it is I need to know!!
That joker kills a pile of deer off of me.

How do you know where is projectile is flying? I shoot on 4 acres at my house and my projectiles never leave my property

He doesn't have a "backstop", plus I've seen my trees shot. I walk the property line and find trees shot all the time. It's a bad situation that I'm making light of.
He lives in a 6 acre hayfield and the woods all the way around it are mine.