Someone claimed I poached his bird.

[mowin]

After seeing birds on a property I can hunt and moving around them and setting up several times, before one broke free and my cousin shot, we were confronted by another hunter saying we poached his bird. 

Now, we never set foot on another property, and the bird was spotted and shot on the property I can hunt.  We were sitting only 30 yards from the border, and the bird was 35 yards further into the field I hunt. We had no clue someone was hunting the adjacent property and never heard any calling.  In the hour or more I worked those birds they never advanced towards where the other hunter claimed he was sitting, and basically stayed in the same spot in this 40 acre field. This guy was furious and kept referring to "his" bird. And I let him call it to us. I kept my cool, until he threatened to call encon, and then I basically told him to f off.  Ironically, the encon officers land borders the property I hunt, lol.  

 

[Bucksnbows]

That sucks. I hate when hunters do that to others. What he means, of course, is he anticipated that the bird would work to his calls and come onto his property until your cousin’s gun went boom. You have to tip your hat to the other hunter and find a new bird to pursue is all. No need to confront the other hunters who did nothing wrong. 

[mowin]

4 minutes ago, Bucksnbows said:

That sucks. I hate when hunters do that to others. What he means, of course, is he anticipated that the bird would work to his calls and come onto his property until your cousin’s gun went boom. You have to tip your hat to the other hunter and find a new bird to pursue is all. No need to confront the other hunters who did nothing wrong. 

It's been bothering me all morning that he called us poachers.  Did I spot the birds from the road, yes, but I drove 15 minutes to go get my cousin and 15 back.  They were within 30 yrs of where I seen them a half hour ago, and more than 100 yards from the border.  

[Bucksnbows]

16 minutes ago, mowin said:

It's been bothering me all morning that he called us poachers.  Did I spot the birds from the road, yes, but I drove 15 minutes to go get my cousin and 15 back.  They were within 30 yrs of where I seen them a half hour ago, and more than 100 yards from the border.  

You did nothing wrong. When you have had some time away from it, maybe reach out and set the record straight with the guy. First lip he gives you, turn and leave. It’s not worth splitting his lip open on your closed fist even if that’s what your mind is screaming at the moment.  But maybe he will see you did nothing wrong. 

[Robhuntandfish]

That sucks but don't let it ruin an otherwise great day. 

Last year there was a guy hunting on the property next to me.  He shot and missed a bird in the woods he was hunting and he walked out to the field and we talked about it after.  Then two days later I dropped a bird and he came out and congratulated me.  We were both kinda rooting for each other and that day the birds just came my way.   Hell I can't even remember his name but liked minded folks.  You just ran into a frustrated fella today that thought he was on a bird and was disappointed.  Hopefully he realizes he was an ass about it later.  

[nywaw]

Those are the breaks.  You did nothing wrong.  You spotted a bird and hunted it where you legally could.  Just because this guy was set up on an adjacent piece and also calling doesn't mean it's "his" or anyone's bird.  It's whoever shoots it legally first.  Just because you get a gobbler to answer from 100s of yards away to a call doesn't mean it's "yours".  

To the guy calling you a poacher, too bad you couldn't send him this GIF:

[grampy]

No such thing as "MY" bird until "YOU" kill it!

I've been cut off by other hunters on state land. And I have inadvertently cut off other hunters on state land. It happens. Just keep safe, and go on to the next hunt.

But On private, or my own land, if someone on the bordering land gets cut off, too bad so sad. Especially if I didn't know they were there!! 

I think the guy was just chewing sour grapes, because he didn't shoot a bird and you guys did. No poaching involved here.

[mowin]

34 minutes ago, Bucksnbows said:

You did nothing wrong. When you have had some time away from it, maybe reach out and set the record straight with the guy. First lip he gives you, turn and leave. It’s not worth splitting his lip open on your closed fist even if that’s what your mind is screaming at the moment.  But maybe he will see you did nothing wrong. 

I would never think about hitting him.  I'm a lover, not a fighter. Lol. 

[Splitear]

Congrats on the bird @mowin!

[2BuckBizCT]

Usually this type of property border turkey kill happens to @turkeyfeathers!

[crappyice]

Just curious- do you know each other? Do you have history with him? Not taking his side but just trying to see if I can figure out  why he reacted the way he did. Maybe he saw you driving the road, grab another hunter, park, set up and kill the bird that he's been watching in the woods since pre sunrise and was upset a "road hunter" took his bird(silly concept). Again-not taking his side or blaming you as you did nothing wrong...

At that point I would have welcomed an ECON officer to make that guy feel like a crybaby!!!

[mowin]

2 minutes ago, crappyice said:

Just curious- do you know each other? Do you have history with him? Not taking his side but just trying to see if I can figure out  why he reacted the way he did. Maybe he saw you driving the road, grab another hunter, park, set up and kill the bird that he's been watching in the woods since pre sunrise and was upset a "road hunter" took his bird(silly concept). Again-not taking his side or blaming you as you did nothing wrong...

At that point I would have welcomed an ECON officer to make that guy feel like a crybaby!!!

I've never met this guy before. Older guy like myself.  If he was sitting where he claims, he could see the birds, but was probably 150y away.  We came in from the opposite side and never went past him.  Basically, for over 2 hrs, those birds didn't advance towards him at all.  When I got the one to break from the group, we had snuck within 80 yards, and when shot, that bird was no closer to him. 

[Larry]

Something like this happened last year not exactly to me. But I had to put my two cents in it.

I was fishing the south end of Hemlock lake. In my kayak there were two other guys fishing from kayaks one was all decked out. The other guy was about 50 to 75 yards away. The guy in the decked out kayak starts yelling at the other guy you're catching my fish I'm  in a tournament. Here's the thing it was before the Bass season. After yelling at the guy for ten minutes. I said something I told the guy it's a public lake and you can't keep the fish so how are you scoring there's no one else in the kayak with you. I know MLF they have a ref. in the boat. There were two conservation offices under cover watching all of us from the shore they checked everyone coming to shore. They were waiting for the tournament fisherman 

[G-man]

Had a guy one time yell at me for "peppering bbs all around him"  problem is I was on my property he heard the  bird trespassed across 2  properties and ì had  no clue he was  in direction  I shot  killing the bird..  he was like didn't you hear me calling?   I looked at him and said nope but you had to hear me  why would you pull  a di+k move and try and sneak innand  kill a bird   while trespassing  .. I wish bbs would  or stung  you a bit..   he left  in  a huff and I've never seen him again..  

[2BuckBizCT]

14 hours ago, G-man said:

Had a guy one time yell at me for "peppering bbs all around him"  problem is I was on my property he heard the  bird trespassed across 2  properties and ì had  no clue he was  in direction  I shot  killing the bird..  he was like didn't you hear me calling?   I looked at him and said nope but you had to hear me  why would you pull  a di+k move and try and sneak innand  kill a bird   while trespassing  .. I wish bbs would  or stung  you a bit..   he left  in  a huff and I've never seen him again..  

He probably looked like swiss cheese. Did you check closest water? he may have gone there to die.