Could he be trapping illegally?!
Could he be trapping illegally?
Okay to get this long question going we have some woods behind our house ( it is Surrounded by a neighborhood in the city limits ) we own half and the other owner owns half ( we do not know him ) and it is dived by a fence down the middle we also fed the animal ( raccoons opossums birds etc.) one day I heard a Gun Shot and It did not sink in on what its was then the next day I heard anther so slipped over the fence past the no trespassing sighs to see what it was, and then I smelt something by a tree stump it was something like slimy pop corn I think it was bait and then saw a metal trap and then I got a stick and poked it and it snapped shut with lots of forces ( so much it cracked the stick in two ) and with a chain it was connected to a metal plank all under a little pine straw so I continued and found many more 35 about and I snapped all I could Find shut so no animal could get trapped and then I saw one type that had two pieces of metal that when you tough it snapped on a animals neck ( very hard to explain ) and then I saw a hunting shack that was on top of a hill by a clearing mixed with corn and seeds so I had enough of that and Iam home now asking this question. What really concerns me is that a lot of dogs are free range here and that just about a year ago a pet owners dog came up missing and never found him again. Should I call the police about this I was trespassing and climb over the fence and I did mess up the traps but it is in the city limits. So pleases help me.
Answers:
Yes, it is possible that he could be trapping illegally (which is likely), but you can definitely take action on the gun shots. In MOST states, it is illegal to shoot a gun within city limits, so you can call the non-emergency hotline to your local police office and have them investigate what you saw and heard. Do not confront your neighbor about this, and don't go back over the fence to investigate again... Just leave it to the police.
1. STAY OUT of there. You've already seen the power of a trap. What do you think it would do if you stepped in one?
2. Call your state's Department of Fish and Game and explain what you saw and let them handle it. Keep your nose out of it, or you'll have someone trying to get revenge.
Yes it is possible the traps are illegal ...I live in Suffolk cty NY, the first county in US to ban all leg hold , and steel traps...many other counties in the US have adopted the same laws..you can call your county , your police department might know , or your town hall ....they will be able to answer and act if it is illegal.or suggest any other options you have .....as people have said you must be careful ..someone who can use traps on defenseless animals is quite capable of hurting you..Good luck to you and the animals ..you may also want to warn your neighbors if you are friendly with them..
i think you should stay on your side of the fence and dont worry about what your neighbor is doing on HIS OWN PRIVATE PROPERTY. you certainly have some nerve. if i was your neighbor i'd call the police on YOU for trespassing. what he does is his business, not your's. i think its very disrespectful of you to do what you did. just think, if you'd have stayed on your side of the fence you wouldn't see things you don't want to see. i think you're a nosey neighbor.