Problem with duck guide in Seadrift.

[TS Outdoors]

This problem has been going on for around 5 years now and getting real old. My dad has been fishing/ hunting in POC/ Seadrift for more than 20 years in the past 5 we have had a fellow Named Bruce that i believe is a guide out of Seadrift pick up our decoys before the morning hunt to set up a blind next to one of ours that has been there for 40 plus years. so last weekend i took my 13 year old brother, 3 friends, my girlfriend. We get down Friday to our camp and go set out decoys FRIDAY AFTERNOON, we get everything set up right and fish till dark. next morning we leave around 5:45ish in the morning to hunt and roll up on our blind 30MIN BEFORE LIGHT to find our decoys thrown in our blind and this guy named Bruce set up 100yards away from my blind.?????? what do you do. i have tried to exchange numbers to ask when he is hunting back in this area and he refuses.He says," that's how i roll." We have been there longer than he has and had decoys out already. there would be no problem with him setting up there if our decoys weren't out the pm before and he set up there the next morning before me that's how the marsh goes, Its first come first pick . Everything he is doing is legal and he cant get in trouble but a little common cert-icy would be nice when all im trying to do is introduce some young hunters into the outdoors. I was not happy with that at all. we didn't get to start hunting till 1hr after light due to having to go to another blind and re setting up our spread . sorry for the rant but the marsh is huge. why does this one guy want this lake. we where there first that's how it goes. i just wanted to notify others that might be using this guy named Bruce. and what he does. THANKS -MG

[Lungbustr]

You got a last name for Bruce. Or his guide sevice name. Or even what kind of rig he is running? Pm me if you would rather do that. I think he may be an idiot from around here that goes down there and hunts. Heard he has caused a whole lot of problems down that way. He has to go down there because he cant kill ducks up here, the duck hunting is so much easier, and we dont put up with idiots like him around here. You know the law though. Its public water, public blind, and abandoned decoys if you arent there. Good luck dealing with him.

[LarryP_1989]

What you do is go buy a megaphone and an air horn, maybe some flares as well. Go get in your blind whiles he's set up 100 yards from you in this area and have yourself a good ole time making some racket haha

[HandiKap Bowhunter]

Sky Bust every group of birds that comes through

[yanta61]

that sucks....I would have just thrown the decoys out and hunted the blind anyways.

[bigbad243]

You could make a case for hunter harassment.

[AgHntr10]

Im not saying that the guy isn't a jerk because it seems like you tried to come to an agreement with him with no luck. BUT you weren't there first because you left. I never have understood leaving decoys out to "hold" a spot, you want that spot get your *** up and get there early enough to beat everyone else and have enough time to set up your spread. I have left the house at midnight several times to make sure I got the spot I wanted, to me its just part of the game.

[bboswell]

Be the first one there.

[Todd-ty729]

I am not sure what I would do but I know I would be pizzed!

I would at least sit right in the middle of his decoy spread in the boat until he left!

That is a typical guide mentality! Since they do this for a living they think they can trump the weekend warriors!

I am sure I would try to ruin his clients hunt that morning!

[AgHntr10]

You could make a case for hunter harassment.

How could you possibly get hunter harassment out of that? Maybe Slander of the Guide who may be lacking a little in the ethics department but is doing nothing against the law.

[Rwc]

Not sure, but follow your same routine and just beat him to the spot a couple times?

Nothing in the rules that say all people hunting public waters have to have any common sense......just saying...

Sorry for your problem.

Rwc

[AgHntr10]

I am not sure what I would do but I know I would be pizzed!

I would at least sit right in the middle of his decoy spread in the boat until he left!

That is a typical guide mentality! Since they do this for a living they think they can trump the weekend warriors!

I am sure I would try to ruin his clients hunt that morning!

So its the clients fault and they deserve a ruined hunt?

[dhillis]

I see the frustration but how does he know you set them up the night before? Lots of guides will leave out decs throughout the whole season. He doesn't know if anyone is showing up that morning or not.

[justin156bc]

Moral of the story is set your dekes in the morning when you beat him to the spot. Have to beat him at his own game. Bet he won't pick them up while you are setting there.

[bigbad243]

How could you possibly get hunter harassment out of that? Maybe Slander of the Guide who may be lacking a little in the ethics department is doing nothing against the law.

Anything anyone does to impede a hunters right is hunters harassment.


Texas

Vernon's Texas Statutes and Codes Annotated. Parks and Wildlife Code. Title 5. Wildlife and Plant Conservation. Subtitle B. Hunting and Fishing. Chapter 62. Provisions Generally Applicable to Hunting. Subchapter A. General Provisions. § 62.0125. Harassment of Hunters, Trappers, and Fishermen

Statute Details
Printable Version
Citation: TX PARKS & WILD § 62.0125

Citation: V. T. C. A., Parks & Wildlife Code § 62.0125

Last Checked by Web Center Staff: 12/2012

Summary: This law represents Texas' hunter harassment law, also known as the Sportsman's Rights Act. Under the section, a person may not intentionally interfere with another person lawfully engaged in the process of hunting or catching wildlife, or intentionally harass, drive, or disturb any wildlife for the purpose of disrupting lawful hunting. Violation is a Class B misdemeanor. It is an affirmative defense to prosecution that the defendant's conduct is protected by the right to freedom of speech under the constitution of this state or the United States.


Statute in Full:


(a) This section may be cited as the Sportsman's Rights Act.

(b) In this section:

(1) “Wildlife” means all species of wild mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, or amphibians.

(2) “Process of hunting or catching” means any act directed at the lawful hunting or catching of wildlife, including camping or other acts preparatory to hunting or catching of wildlife that occur on land or water on which the affected person has the right or privilege of hunting or catching that wildlife.

(c) No person may intentionally interfere with another person lawfully engaged in the process of hunting or catching wildlife.

(d) No person may intentionally harass, drive, or disturb any wildlife for the purpose of disrupting a person lawfully engaged in the process of hunting or catching wildlife.

(e) No person may enter or remain on public land or enter or remain on private land without the landowner's or his agent's consent if the person intends to disrupt another person lawfully engaged in the process of hunting or catching wildlife.

(f) This section does not apply to a peace officer of this state, a law enforcement officer of the United States, a member of the armed forces of the United States or of this state, or employees of the department or other state or federal agencies having statutory responsibility to manage wildlife or land during the time that the officer, member, or employee is in the actual discharge of official duties.

(g) A person who violates this section commits an offense. An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.

(h) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution that the defendant's conduct is protected by the right to freedom of speech under the constitution of this state or the United States.

CREDIT(S)

Added by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 731, § 1, eff. Aug. 26, 1985. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 700, § 1, eff. Sept. 11, 1993.