I have a Question, how do you handle a neighbor's hunting person shooting your calf. we don't have insurance and don't want a problem with neighbors but don't want this to happen again. we sell our calves for income for year. also we can't be sure they were there with permission. this really has been a delima for us. lexi

-- Lexi Green (whitestone11@hotmail.com), October 31, 2001

Answers

You mean that the neighbors leased their land to a hunter, and said hunter shot one of your calves? If so, the hunter owes you the price you would have gotten if you sold it.

I would go over to the neighbor and ask for more info, gently, to determine exactly what happened, ask for help in resolving the problem.

He should help you with talking to the hunter.

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), October 31, 2001.

If your neighbor is leasing out his land for hunting he should have insurance to cover this sort of thing.I'd make sure he knows about it. If nothing else he needs to make a few ground rules for the next hunters that come along. If the hunter won't reimburse you the neighbor should.

-- Judy Schumacher (TootlesTheBrit@aol.com), October 31, 2001.

not leasing, they just let people hunt. lexi

-- Lexi Green (whitestone11@hotmail.com), October 31, 2001.

Call the sheriff and make a report...take it from there.

-- Lynn(MO) (mscratch1@semo.net), October 31, 2001.

If it's just someone the neighbor let hunt there the neighbor may not know them at all. Can you absolutely prove the calf killer was someone allowed to hunt by the neighbor? I doubt it. Without that liability is going to be extremely difficult to place and, without that, collecting damages becomes impossible.

All that having been said, I'd suggest talking to the neighbor about what happened and explain how much you'd appreciate it if they would consider something like this the next time someone asks permission to hunt. Other than that there's not much to do. Remember how valuable good relations with neighbors can be. You might offer to even help with the cost of signage posting the area as "No Hunting" or whatever. I hope this helps.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), October 31, 2001.

And what about the possiblity of hitting you or your family?

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), October 31, 2001.

If they are truly good neighbors they would talk to the hunter about paying damages, if this dosn't help I'd call the state game commission (or whatever they are in you area), they don't think to kindly of livestock being mistaken for game animals. emory

-- Emory (NE PA) (et@hazleton.net), October 31, 2001.

If they weren't on your land with permission and hunted on your land and then killed on your land and there is proof....then you have a case. This is a tough one.

It helps to post A LOT of signage against hunting on your land and to stop everyone you see near your land (at the line on the top of the hill, say). Get the word out that there is no hunting from here on out, and 'heck someone could get accidently shot from my target practice, I can't have surprise visitors'. Let folks at the local convenience store know that you don't allow hunting cause someone killed your livestock accidentally. This engages a lot of folks on your side who might think you are 'anti-hunting' otherwise. Tell your immediate neighbors that you will strictly enforce a no hunting policy. This will encourage them to have others respect your policy.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), October 31, 2001.

As I understand it, the neighbor was letting someone hunt on his land and a stray bullet killed your calf?

If, on the other hand, they were hunting on your land, in most states you don't have a case unless you posted "no hunting/no trespassing" signs all over the place at the required distance.

I would just talk to the neighbor. Tell him that you know that it certainly was not intentional, but that one of the people hunting shot your calf. You are also concerned that since the calf got shot, it could happen to one of your family. Whether or not you get paid for the calf, he should know that this happened - especially if someone was on his land without permission.

If I let someone hunt on my land and they are shooting anything belonging to the neighbors I would be greatly upset. He may be as upset as you and try to compensate you for it -- or get the hunter to do it. Be gentle and tell him he has been a good neighbor, but that he knows this is income for your family and your also concerned about the safety factor. Done without accusations there shouldn't be a problem.

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), November 01, 2001.

Lexi, If you have a relatively safe area on your farm. perhaps on the other side of your property, you should move the calves. And, you should move them there every hunting season. I know some homesteaders whose property adjoins the public hunting area. They have their livestock shot at every year. I would also contact the fish and game department, as well as the sheriff, since it could have just as easily been you or your family. You might want to call and "warn" your neighbor, so he can take precautions to protect his farm too. Sorry about the loss of your calf, at least they didn't field dress it and carry it off. that happens around here too.

-- Karen in Kansas (kansasgoats@iwon.com), November 01, 2001.

Notify the Game Warden immediately, there are county and state reimbursement programs that pay for this type of damage, that is what part of the hunting license fee goes towards.

You can get the Game Warden's number from your county courthouse or the county sheriff.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), November 01, 2001.

Make sure you don't stop at "just a chat" with the neighbor. Certified mail, restricted delivery to make sure the neighbor signs it, not some relative who lives on the property. Put them on notice, put the game warden on notice. Did you keep the bullet? Take pictures of the calf?

Today it's a calf, tomorrow???? Don't wait.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), November 01, 2001.

CALL THE GAME WARDEN NOW! Make a big stink about it! You've gone a giant step beyond getting along with your neighbors on this one already. Now it's time for THEM to worry about getting along with YOU! You've been treated like trash and I wouldn't stand for it for a NY minute! I'm furious on your behalf just hearing about it!

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), November 01, 2001.

Ask the neighbors if they would prefer handling this between you or should you call the game warden. It could have been a mistake and they may be willing to pay for it.

-- kelly (kellytree@hotmail.com), November 01, 2001.

Small claims court, is the place to go in your county.

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.com), November 02, 2001.