Making us look bad!

[sccrrudy777]

I fished up on Echo(Fayetteville)on this past Sunday and what I saw was ignorant.

Let me set the scene...upon arriving I noticed no trespass signs in multiple locations along the road beside the lake. For me this is a hint, land owners have decided to stop allowing people to gain access for a reason, I will make sure I am not one of these reasons. I noticed the no fire signs on the islands which is pretty normal.

Around 9am we have the arrival of two males in the exact spot I saw the do not trespass signs. I am made aware of their arrival by the fireworks they set off 3 different times. I also notice them when they are yelling and swearing at each other to not touch each others traps. You can swear around me I have no problem with it but when you make everyone around you have to listen to it with potential kids around not my cup of tea. Annoyed me yes. Would it have been in our favor for me to approach them and give them a lecture on ethics and morals of land use. I have been in public service for over 12 years and I can say a fight would have done us no good.

I go to leave later in the day passing through the area these two morons had been for less then 2 hours. There was trash all over the ice from the firecrackers, trash along the side of the road, and to make us look like real high class land users these guys took a dump next to their truck and left it for the home owners to find.

I wish I had approached these two so we could have had them dealt with through the system. My mistake of not taking up my traps and walking over. This is why we are losing access and our way of recreation. This is why I don't like taking kids cause few think it needs to be a drunken event.

Wondering who else has had this experience and what others feel we need to start doing cause I for one am sick of it.

[fishbone]

its a real shame-----

[sccrrudy777]

Sorry it auto corrected to Fayetteville it was fayette

[Rackaholic]

Had a similar experience the other day,  a couple of guys show up and are swearing loudly. Just happened to be the only trip this year that I didn't have a bunch of kids with me,  otherwise I would have been compelled to say something,  still didn't want to listen to a couple drunks bicker loudly.  As far as the trash,  seems I always come back with a lot more than I make. A lot of ignorant slobs out there. Not sure what we can do,  other than pick up the trash we come across. If they don't know their behavior is wrong, there's no way you can tell them that would make a difference.  Just be a fist fight. I guess if the behavior is bad enough get the authorities involved.

[pegasus]

Some people don't have a clue. A ride of 1.7 miles has now turn into 13.5 miles to get on the lake. All because of a couple of idiots that ruin the road by dragging their shack up it when the road was soft.

[stickbait]

Had a similar experience the other day,  a couple of guys show up and are swearing loudly. Just happened to be the only trip this year that I didn't have a bunch of kids with me,  otherwise I would have been compelled to say something,  still didn't want to listen to a couple drunks bicker loudly.  As far as the trash,  seems I always come back with a lot more than I make. A lot of ignorant slobs out there. Not sure what we can do,  other than pick up the trash we come across. If they don't know their behavior is wrong, there's no way you can tell them that would make a difference.  Just be a fist fight. I guess if the behavior is bad enough get the authorities involved.

Unfortunately, you can't fix stupid!!!

[JMS42687]

It's always a few idiots that ruin it for the rest of us.

[sccrrudy777]

Can't fix stupid is right. I pick up as much trash as I can and try to smooth over relations with te land owners when possible it just sucks it's costing is the opportunity to fish in spots. Some places I grew up fishing are totally closed up because of this issue.

[pfeifferpower]

dont let the rude rule over.....bring the kids fishing

[MG39]

There will always be the slobs that leave trash around & use profanity regardless of who's in hearing range.  If you're young enough & tough enough, confront them. Most would say don't have a confrontation, that's an individual decision, right or wrong.

As for the "No Trespassing Signs", personally I exercise my rights under the "Great Ponds Act", only if it's "unimproved land" and I feel I'm not violating someone's privacy.

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17/title17sec3860.html

[mr.clean]

Sounds like two waste of human reproductive materials. Unfortunately some people just do not care about anything but themselves. Only suggestions I can give you is maybe have a local property owner set up a hidden trail camera and try to get a picture of these jerks and their vehicle if they should return to this lake. also as mentioned keep your cell phone handy and have fish and game's phone number on speed dial .
Steve

[moosehunter]

scumballs that call themselves fishermen. probably have their ebt cards to buy bait. thing is theres not a lot you can do about it.

[JDK]

I saw that on one of the AWW lakes I fished last year.  A group obviously set up on a point and had a fire.  Beer cans, paper plates, wrappers, candy wrappers, etc.  A general mess.  Come on.

[tkmoney_99]

There will always be the slobs that leave trash around & use profanity regardless of who's in hearing range.  If you're young enough & tough enough, confront them. Most would say don't have a confrontation, that's an individual decision, right or wrong.

As for the "No Trespassing Signs", personally I exercise my rights under the "Great Ponds Act", only if it's "unimproved land" and I feel I'm not violating someone's privacy.

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17/title17sec3860.html

What is considered "Unimproved land"?

[Downeaster]

I don't like it whether I am hunting or fishing when I see trash.  I will generally pick it up if it is within reason,
just maintain my access to a hunting spot, or ice fishing pond.  It would be nice if everyone had the same
ethics.  I have a dump only 2 miles from my home, and will find trash on some of the back roads, that some
slob didn't have the time to drive to the dump and get rid of it.  Confrontation with landowners, will never
work because they see the pond as part of their property whether it is or not.  I wouldn't want someone
throwing out trash right beside my home either.  We will lose access to a lot of activities if we aren't more
responsible as a whole.

[fishingsurveyor]

What is considered "Unimproved land"?

That's a good question and I think its a very gray area and will be interpreted many different ways and you may be at the mercy of the officer who shows up to answer the complaint. . I don't think the act is intended to let you walk across somebodies front lawn to get to a water body. The intent is to allow access to the water body over raw land. I suggest you keep a copy of the act on your phone or in your pocket to make reference to when needed. Many officers are not aware of this act

[tkmoney_99]

I have fished 9 different lakes so far this year. I have picked up at least on can or bottle on each body of water that was not mine. I also found a nice new knife(That I am keeping because I had to clean up the dip$crap$ beer cans and trash after they left). Nice work fellow "Sportsmen", stay classy! Sad part is 95% of the dubs that do that crap are not on Shanty and are oblivious to the fact that they are morons ruining hunting and fishing for future generations.

[lobsterman]

There will always be the slobs that leave trash around & use profanity regardless of who's in hearing range.  If you're young enough & tough enough, confront them. Most would say don't have a confrontation, that's an individual decision, right or wrong.

As for the "No Trespassing Signs", personally I exercise my rights under the "Great Ponds Act", only if it's "unimproved land" and I feel I'm not violating someone's privacy.

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17/title17sec3860.html

      im with mg on this one kick their but

[BlackDogAlpha]

$500 fine for littering if you can get a warden on them.

[jacksmelt71]

$500 fine for littering if you can get a warden on them.

x2! got them on my cell favorites list for just such occasions! 

[fishlessman]

until you live on a lake you really have no idea how bad it really is.  i find drunks on my docks, beercans and empty shotgun shells in the lean-to attached to the garage. stolen trolling motor and battery off the dub tub, paddleboat dragged off the beach and on the other side of the lake. even people who are just outside for a walk i find walking around the house, they will walk right by you without even acknowledging that your there. have come home to cruisers in the yard with a couple in cuffs for shooting out windows on the neighbors camps. then theres the cell phones, sometimes its funny, one guy trying to find a place to live in a different county because he didnt like his parole officer, another talking about getting her boyfriend into counseling for heroine   i dont have as much problem in the winter, but the spring summer and fall.... if someone doesnt knock on my door and tell me who they are and what they intend to do, i get pretty upset finding them on my patio or in my lean-to, or on my dock now, i really just dont get it

[sccrrudy777]

I agree that thumping them would be a nice option but what will that do for relations with the land owner who doesn't want to see that? I am old enough to know better.

I have full understanding of the law allowing public access to private land. Be careful to over step the intention of that law, that's how we get things changed. Good relations and a silver tongue will carry us further.