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LOL... probably was. They had been shooting over on us for at least six or seven years but that was the first time they managed to fire right at one of us. Their lease was nothing but wide open pastures with hardly a tree on it. Our place had all the cover. So they had no qualms about shooting deer deep into our place. I only mentioned it because the situation you describe can escalate over years until crazy stuff happens. Just be careful. Shooting up a deer blind is a HUGE issue in my world. I can't even imagine doing something like that. The guy who did it is a darned fool.

I'll end this post by saying---> Hope Everyone Has a Safe and Great Hunting Season!!!

narcissist wrote:

I expected him to do his job? Pretty sure the bullet casings had prints on them, I doubt they wiped them down like a real criminal would. The deer blind is elevated so whoever shot it up shot in the air, thought that was a felony? I know celebratory gun fire is a felony, whoever did it had fun I'm guessing.

I think you just don't understand how impossible it would be for law enforcement to make anything of this incident. Not that they don't want to....it's just that from a practical standpoint...it was not worth pursuing (beyond making contact with the land owner and making him aware).

I don't know how familiar you are with forensics...but trying to I.D. a person from a 'partial print' left on a .22 shell casing would be quite a trick. Even IF a print were lifted...if the person (or persons) prints are not already in the data base (criminal history) you are going to come up empty. The Warden knew that. Perhaps he could have taken the time to explain that to you and maybe you would have been placated, but I have my doubts...since years later, you still haven't let go of it.

Short of having an eyewitness to the incident...there was little more the Warden could have done. The incident...involved vandalism (destruction of property) and shooting across a property line. NOT celebratory gun fire (which also has elements that must be met in order for it to felonious). Maybe....you'd get a Judge/JP to agree that your deer stand was worth $2500.00 (at the time of the shooting), but you're more likely to be hit by a meteor sometime this week. ;)

I'm with you concerning the idiotic and unnecessary nature of the event. And from what you've told us...I have little doubt the new Land Owner is a real piece of work. But that isn't the fault of the Game Warden. You feel as if he could have done more. From his perspective (and experience) it would have been a waste of time and effort (at that juncture) to have put more effort and resources into it. He has to work within the confines of the law, not hearsay, hunches, feelings, etc.

Wardens (unfortunately) often have to prioritize enforcing the laws and infractions. They typically have to cover a large area and like it or not...have to spend most of their time dealing with cases where there are bigger fish to fry. I know that doesn't help you any...but I would ask that you try to understand their (Wardens) situation and then do what YOU can to collect/produce actionable evidence should anything like that happen again.

narcissist wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 2:10 pm I'll end this post by saying---> Hope Everyone Has a Safe and Great Hunting Season!!!

No less for you Sir.

Most of the fingerprints lifted from shell casings occurs on TV and the movies.

This in the world of crimes is a small potato crime not worth spending money or time on. I really sympathize with the author too as a blind is hard enough to make and maintain. Fingerprints though are not the way, new DNA testing is. Note I said new. My DNA is not in a database but my stupid brother did one of those DNA tests so essentially my DNA is in a database. Unless one is looking for a big time crime though don't expect any law enforcement agency to spend the money or time on this case. Now setting up remote control deer on a road and putting game wardens out all night to catch bubba is a different matter.

Now deer leases, I let a friend hunt my property for deer and hogs, he moved and left a nice blind but a storm blew it over. Anyone in Wichita Falls area that wants a deer lease, I don't charge anything and will take one person, but you must maintain the blind, bring the feeder corn and not shoot quail. You let me know before hand when you will go out so I don't shoot you by mistake. I have 89 acres. I don't charge anything. I don't make any money off of this. The State of Texas officially owns the game. I am not a deer hunter but will go for the hogs. PM if you are interested. Someone who respects the land only.

rotor wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:39 pm This in the world of crimes is a small potato crime not worth spending money or time on. I really sympathize with the author too as a blind is hard enough to make and maintain. Fingerprints though are not the way, new DNA testing is. Note I said new. My DNA is not in a database but my stupid brother did one of those DNA tests so essentially my DNA is in a database. Unless one is looking for a big time crime though don't expect any law enforcement agency to spend the money or time on this case. Now setting up remote control deer on a road and putting game wardens out all night to catch bubba is a different matter.

Now deer leases, I let a friend hunt my property for deer and hogs, he moved and left a nice blind but a storm blew it over. Anyone in Wichita Falls area that wants a deer lease, I don't charge anything and will take one person, but you must maintain the blind, bring the feeder corn and not shoot quail. You let me know before hand when you will go out so I don't shoot you by mistake. I have 89 acres. I don't charge anything. I don't make any money off of this. The State of Texas officially owns the game. I am not a deer hunter but will go for the hogs. PM if you are interested. Someone who respects the land only.

That is tempting. SOMEbody please take him up on this!

I wish I lived closer. That's very generous of you, rotor.

The Annoyed Man wrote: Thu Sep 26, 2019 10:30 am

rotor wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:39 pm This in the world of crimes is a small potato crime not worth spending money or time on. I really sympathize with the author too as a blind is hard enough to make and maintain. Fingerprints though are not the way, new DNA testing is. Note I said new. My DNA is not in a database but my stupid brother did one of those DNA tests so essentially my DNA is in a database. Unless one is looking for a big time crime though don't expect any law enforcement agency to spend the money or time on this case. Now setting up remote control deer on a road and putting game wardens out all night to catch bubba is a different matter.

Now deer leases, I let a friend hunt my property for deer and hogs, he moved and left a nice blind but a storm blew it over. Anyone in Wichita Falls area that wants a deer lease, I don't charge anything and will take one person, but you must maintain the blind, bring the feeder corn and not shoot quail. You let me know before hand when you will go out so I don't shoot you by mistake. I have 89 acres. I don't charge anything. I don't make any money off of this. The State of Texas officially owns the game. I am not a deer hunter but will go for the hogs. PM if you are interested. Someone who respects the land only.

That is tempting. SOMEbody please take him up on this!

One other person and myself has sent him a PM. I'm second on the list.

Grayling813 wrote: Thu Sep 26, 2019 12:57 pm
One other person and myself has sent him a PM. I'm second on the list.

You are first on the list now.

rotor wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:39 pm This in the world of crimes is a small potato crime not worth spending money or time on. I really sympathize with the author too as a blind is hard enough to make and maintain. Fingerprints though are not the way, new DNA testing is. Note I said new. My DNA is not in a database but my stupid brother did one of those DNA tests so essentially my DNA is in a database. Unless one is looking for a big time crime though don't expect any law enforcement agency to spend the money or time on this case. Now setting up remote control deer on a road and putting game wardens out all night to catch bubba is a different matter.

Now deer leases, I let a friend hunt my property for deer and hogs, he moved and left a nice blind but a storm blew it over. Anyone in Wichita Falls area that wants a deer lease, I don't charge anything and will take one person, but you must maintain the blind, bring the feeder corn and not shoot quail. You let me know before hand when you will go out so I don't shoot you by mistake. I have 89 acres. I don't charge anything. I don't make any money off of this. The State of Texas officially owns the game. I am not a deer hunter but will go for the hogs. PM if you are interested. Someone who respects the land only.

Rotor, please be careful I had a "friend" that I worked with over 10 years that I finally let hunt. He had his own spot free of charge years later it turned out bad even with a new "liability release" signed every year he sued us for over $300,000 dollars. Sincs he "hurt" his back while hunting, if you decide to let someone hunt be sure to get a "attorney" to go over everything and draw up the release.[ luckily liability ins.coverd the cost ]

narcissist wrote: Thu Sep 26, 2019 5:45 pm

rotor wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:39 pm This in the world of crimes is a small potato crime not worth spending money or time on. I really sympathize with the author too as a blind is hard enough to make and maintain. Fingerprints though are not the way, new DNA testing is. Note I said new. My DNA is not in a database but my stupid brother did one of those DNA tests so essentially my DNA is in a database. Unless one is looking for a big time crime though don't expect any law enforcement agency to spend the money or time on this case. Now setting up remote control deer on a road and putting game wardens out all night to catch bubba is a different matter.

Now deer leases, I let a friend hunt my property for deer and hogs, he moved and left a nice blind but a storm blew it over. Anyone in Wichita Falls area that wants a deer lease, I don't charge anything and will take one person, but you must maintain the blind, bring the feeder corn and not shoot quail. You let me know before hand when you will go out so I don't shoot you by mistake. I have 89 acres. I don't charge anything. I don't make any money off of this. The State of Texas officially owns the game. I am not a deer hunter but will go for the hogs. PM if you are interested. Someone who respects the land only.

Rotor, please be careful I had a "friend" that I worked with over 10 years that I finally let hunt. He had his own spot free of charge years later it turned out bad even with a new "liability release" signed every year he sued us for over $300,000 dollars. Sincs he "hurt" his back while hunting, if you decide to let someone hunt be sure to get a "attorney" to go over everything and draw up the release.[ luckily liability ins.coverd the cost ]

This is very discouraging. No good deed goes unpunished. I really don't see anyway that I would pay an attorney so that I could provide a free service. I am old fashioned and perhaps stupid but I still like a handshake agreement. And I use Roundup and wouldn't sue. Thanks for the comment though.