[rottkeeper]

I'll try to make a long story short, I had to call the sheriff's department today about a person trespassing. I heard shots behind my house (very close ) on Wednesday, a few minutes later I saw the guys coming out of the woods and took my 4 wheeler out to meet them. I explained they were not allowed to hunt there and do not come back.

I knew the one person and he is a real jerk and has had his share of legal issues. To name one he is a convicted felon..... He has been thrown off of all lands surrounding mine as well as mine so I called the sheriff's office to report the incident.

Jump ahead to today and more shots fired right behind my house. I called the sheriff's office again and this time they brought ENCON officers with them. I offer them my four wheeler to make it out to the woods and look if they want to use it and they happily said, sure.

After another half hour or so one of the officers says would you like to go out with me on the four wheeler as you know the land and I don't. He said my partner will wait here. I said maybe you should take your partner as I am not to crazy about going out there unarmed.

He looked at me and said well you have a shotgun don't you? I said I could probability muster one up. Then he said, Don't you have a pistol permit? I said sure do and he said well grab one and take that, you have a RIGHT to carry it and I can't ask you not to.

After all was said and done we went out to the garage and I fired up the four wheeler and got ready to go but the guys had emerged from the woods and we didn't need to go out.

I was a bit amazed when he said he was OK with me carrying, I thought for sure when I said I didn't want to go unarmed he was going to say well I'm armed you'll be OK.

 

[Goodtime Charlie]

Sounds like a LEO with his head correctly squared away. Lucky you!

 

[rottkeeper]

Sounds like a LEO with his head correctly squared away. Lucky you!

Very much so both ENCON guys were in their early 30's and very laid back. Zero attitude and pleasant to talk with. They had a pretty active sense of humor also. One of them joked about having to hold on to me if we rode out on the four wheeler.
None of them asked to see my permit either, they just asked what I was carrying.

 

[boscobeans]

Hey Rott,

Glad it turned out they way it did. Sounds like a decent ENCON meeting.

Hope the local boys end their poaching and the entire issue is over.

bosco

 

[SIGguy229]

And this was in NY?? They must be transplants from somewhere else....or their parents raised them right!

 

[HKinNY]

They realized like myself and Jon and Bosco that you are one hell of a nice guy and not a threat at all.

 

[rottkeeper]

They realized like myself and Jon and Bosco that you are one hell of a nice guy and not a threat at all.

Thanks Hitch, are you sure that was me you met?:hand5:

 

[TX-JB]

Sounds like a good encounter, except for the trespassers...

 

[RETSUPT99]

Ya gotta' love the great attitude of the officers, but what happened to the jerks in the woods, were they armed illegally?

 

[ethorman]

I just try to put myself in their shoes, if I were to go out on someones land and I was the only one armed vs. two hunters, and I could trust the landowner, then I too would ask them to bring a weapon or carry if they had their permit. Sounds like a good encounter with the officers.

 

[Divebum47]

I hate to be the devil's advocate, but just a couple of questions.

1) If you had been hurt, or worse, shot who would have borne the responsibility for all the bad stuff that goes along with that?
2) Did either have the power to deputize you?
3) Had an altercation led to you having to shoot someone, who would have borne the liability, gone to jail, had his weapon(s) impounded, been sued, etc?

While I applaud the attitudes of the officers, I somewhat question their actions.

Not criticizing, just sayin'.

 

[miklcolt45]

Add another question:

If the jerk is a convicted felon, was he carrying?
And, if so, was he arrested?

Okay, I can't count. 2 questions...

 

[OldVet]

Now that's my kind of LEO!

 

[ccw9mm]

1) If you had been hurt, or worse, shot who would have borne the responsibility for all the bad stuff that goes along with that?

Personal responsibility is pretty simple.

Had an altercation led to you having to shoot someone, who would have borne the liability, gone to jail, had his weapon(s) impounded, been sued, etc?

Personal responsibility is pretty simple. So is our shared responsibility to justice. It should be that straightforward. Of course, the knee-jerk legal shenanigans would have dictated who would have to defend as liable parties against the claims, justified or not.

Probably it would have been a SHTF in the public government sense of the word, made worse without deputization. Though, it need not be so.

He looked at me and said well you have a shotgun don't you? I said I could probability muster one up. Then he said, Don't you have a pistol permit? I said sure do and he said well grab one and take that, you have a RIGHT to carry it and I can't ask you not to.

I was a bit amazed when he said he was OK with me carrying.

He's pulled the finger out and opened his eyes. He's actually read the damned law, and dared to understand the spirit and the words. He's taken personal responsibility to earn the right to defend your liberties against all threats ... foreign and domestic. He sounds like he's on the right path.

Life's pretty simple when you think simply. Criminals are to be hunted down and ejected. Citizens are to be supported. Liberties are to be defended. Justice is to be served. We're all in the same fight: to do what's right, each day. And at the end of the day, nothing else matters.

:bier:

 

[rottkeeper]

I hate to be the devil's advocate, but just a couple of questions.

1) If you had been hurt, or worse, shot who would have borne the responsibility for all the bad stuff that goes along with that?
2) Did either have the power to deputize you?
3) Had an altercation led to you having to shoot someone, who would have borne the liability, gone to jail, had his weapon(s) impounded, been sued, etc?
This would most likely be a matter of justification as at any other time.

While I applaud the attitudes of the officers, I somewhat question their actions.

Not criticizing, just sayin'.

All good questions Divebum and I wish I had good answers but fact is I don't. As I said I was rather surprised myself.

 

[rottkeeper]

Add another question:

If the jerk is a convicted felon, was he carrying?
And, if so, was he arrested?

Okay, I can't count. 2 questions...

The felon was carrying when I saw him Wednesday but he did not come out of the woods on Friday with the other guys. So no he was not arrested as of yet and until they witness him carrying he will be a free man.

BTW the next time you say another question I'm only going to answer one.:hand5:

 

[ccw9mm]

So no he was not arrested as of yet and until they witness him carrying he will be a free man.

He was witnessed. You witnessed him. That's not relevant, according to the law? Seems pretty silly, if so.

 

[OldVet]

Worries

I hate to be the devil's advocate, but just a couple of questions.

1) If you had been hurt, or worse, shot who would have borne the responsibility for all the bad stuff that goes along with that?
2) Did either have the power to deputize you?
3) Had an altercation led to you having to shoot someone, who would have borne the liability, gone to jail, had his weapon(s) impounded, been sued, etc?

While I applaud the attitudes of the officers, I somewhat question their actions.

Not criticizing, just sayin'.

That's the problem with the worldtoday: no one accepts responsibility for their own decisions.

My answers:
1) I would have borne my own responsibility for any harm. The officer did not order me to go. It was an option he offered.
2) It's my property. I have to right to be on and defend my property. I don't need to be deputized to be on it.
3) If all you think about is liability when carrying a firearm, perhaps you should reconsider carrying one.

Just my thoughts. To each his own.

 

[rottkeeper]

That's the problem with the worldtoday: no one accepts responsibility for their own decisions.

My answers:
1) I would have borne my own responsibility for any harm. The officer did not order me to go. It was an option he offered.
2) It's my property. I have to right to be on and defend my property. I don't need to be deputized to be on it.
3) If all you think about is liability when carrying a firearm, perhaps you should reconsider carrying one.

Just my thoughts. To each his own.

I have to agree with you analysis, and your right nobody ordered me to do anything. I could have said no but thanks for the invite at any time.
They had several plans of attack to execute had one option failed or been eliminated somehow.

 

[rottkeeper]

He was witnessed. You witnessed him. That's not relevant, according to the law? Seems pretty silly, if so.

I believe they have to catch him in possession before he can be arrested. Kinda like non LEO seeing someone in possession of drugs, we can report but the LEO's have to catch them in possession to make an arrest.

It does seem a little silly but it stops a lot of false accusations from people with an axe to grind.