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How to Deal with Anti-Hunters and Harassment

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jpekarek:
I have never had any luck "educating" anti hunters.  They are self righteous and refuse to listen to our logic 100% of the time.  I don't waste my time anymore.  I simply and politely walk away.

singleshot12:
Anti-hunter animal rights folks sure seem to be targeting pheasant release sites lately for some reason. They must think it's easy pickings or something :dunno: Hunters really do need to report them if they in ANY WAY interfere with their hunt. Enforcement needs to side with the hunter in cases like this. you would certainly hope .

snowpack:
I'm mostly quiet and just nod at what they say.  They try to get into it with me, but not worth it.  A few days ago a couple were yelling/swearing and saying I needed to be shot because I shot a doe in my yard.  They trespassed into my yard to come yell.  Then as one was wandering off he yelled, "how do you sleep at night?"  I said, "usually on my side".  Then he started screaming all kinds of obscenities and left.  Came back later yelling and trying to provoke me, but I just ignored him.

bigtex:
There is a little known federal law known as the Recreational Safety Hunting Act which was enacted in 1994. The offense 16 USC 5201 "obstruction of a lawful hunt" states "It is a violation of this section intentionally to engage in any physical conduct that significantly hinders a lawful hunt."

Now there are some restrictions to this law.

1- The offense MUST occur on federal lands
2- The offense is civil, not criminal meaning the offender cannot go to jail. Per 16 USC 5202(b) The penalty shall be—(1) not more than $10,000, if the violation involved the use of force or violence, or the threatened use of force or violence, against the person or property of another person; and (2) not more than $5,000 for any other violation.

Since it is civil it is not something that somebody can be cited for, but rather it takes civil action from the local US Attorney's Office.

Washington's law is as follows in RCW 77.15.210
(1) A person is guilty of obstructing the taking of fish[, shellfish,] or wildlife if the person:
(a) Harasses, drives, or disturbs fish, shellfish, or wildlife with the intent of disrupting lawful pursuit or taking thereof; or
(b) Harasses, intimidates, or interferes with an individual engaged in the lawful taking of fish, shellfish, or wildlife or lawful predator control with the intent of disrupting lawful pursuit or taking thereof.
(2) Obstructing the taking of fish, shellfish, or wildlife is a gross misdemeanor.

Unfortunately it is starting to become easier to get prosecution out of federal courts then it is local courts in WA for some of these mid-level natural resource cases. So if you think you were harassed and are on federal lands there are two routes to go; federal and state. With the reluctance to file fish and wildlife charges in some of the more populous counties in WA, the federal route may be the way to go. However the federal offense must be handled by a federal officer.

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