Dove hunting in fields of sugarcane / am I going to get into a ton of trouble?

bluechip

So, way out off Okeechobee rd. in PBC, there's a huge expanse of sugar fields. We've gone out a few times to launch some clays for eachother, always being respectful leaving the area how we left it. Recently, we've been trying to figure out somewhere to go dove hunting without breaking the bank. We went out a few days ago to these same fields and saw a few birds but think we got out too late. The area looked pretty good, we were in an area backing up to corbett, next to an area of the fields that looks like it hasn't been used in years. I was planning on going back this week after a front comes through.

Do any of you guys know people that do this? Is this an ok thing to do? I seen some shotshells while walking around the fields (again, being respectful and not tromping the crops etc).... I just don't want to get into a bunch of trouble..


Thanks! :USA:USA

RexLan

Never hurts to get permission ... someone owns it right?
Easy to track it down .....

If_it_flies_it_dies

IMHO trespassing with a firearm (felony) is never a good idea..... on the other hand, if it's not posted, odds are they dont care. I would cross my T's and dot my I's before I went there. Ask permission.

DropTine797

Ask permission. A little dove isn't worth a felony charge.

FLherritage

Your breaking the law even shooting clays. If you don't own it you must have written permission to be legal.

ReelAffair23

Trust me, you will not be given permission. Unless you want to have a felony charge, don't do it.

bluechip

****... I'm sure the fields are a part of a Fl Crystals conglomerate and it would be impossible to get permission... I just figured because I see signs of people shooting and people fishing canals etc. it might be one of those things where technically it's illegal but you won't catch flack for it...

Hopefully one day i'll be able to hunt dove without risking a felony charge or paying a $500 hunt fee!

publichunter

You can't be charged with felony tresspass if it's not posted. You might get a cop who thinks he can but it won't hold up in court. Not saying you should do it but there are certain instances where I'd say go for it until someone tells you to beat it. Most of us grew up hunting places like this that were typically owned by investment groups and developers and those places are now shopping malls and subdivisions.

publichunter

There are still a few places like that on the outskirts of Orlando and the LEO's are passive about such places. Most turn into 4x4 courses for the most part but there are a few birds on some of them. On those types of properties law enforcement and the owners are much more concerned with illegal dumping.

fishknut

Doesnt necessarily have to be "posted":

810.09 Trespass on property other than structure or conveyance.—(1)(a) A person who, without being authorized, licensed, or invited, willfully enters upon or remains in any property other than a structure or conveyance:
1. As to which notice against entering or remaining is given, either by actual communication to the offender or by posting, fencing, or cultivation as described in s. 810.011; or

SWFL Hunter

posted, fenced, or CULTIVATED

mikejp

publichunter wrote: »

You can't be charged with felony tresspass if it's not posted. You might get a cop who thinks he can but it won't hold up in court. Not saying you should do it but there are certain instances where I'd say go for it until someone tells you to beat it. Most of us grew up hunting places like this that were typically owned by investment groups and developers and those places are now shopping malls and subdivisions.

I don't think this is true. My neighbors front yard isn't posted, but I think I would get in trouble if I shoot the birds feeding in his front yard.

Anyways, people use to go out there all the time and shoot birds, but I think they started cracking down on it.

FLDXT

publichunter wrote: »

You can't be charged with felony tresspass if it's not posted. You might get a cop who thinks he can but it won't hold up in court. Not saying you should do it but there are certain instances where I'd say go for it until someone tells you to beat it. Most of us grew up hunting places like this that were typically owned by investment groups and developers and those places are now shopping malls and subdivisions.

Not sure this is entirely true. In FL a fence line, ditch bank, etc... equates to private property. We have prosecuted poachers/mushroom pickers before for felony trespassing and never had a posted sign anywhere.
There are a few different owners of all those cane fields, odds are the answer will be no, and yes they will prosecute if they catch you out there doing what you said you were doing.

FloridaOD

bluechip wrote: »

So, way out off Okeechobee rd. in PBC, there's a huge expanse of sugar fields. .... The area looked pretty good, we were in an area backing up to corbett, next to an area of the fields that looks like it hasn't been used in years.

We should work on getting the area placed in public conservation & recreation lands- Corbett WMA Addition Lands.

Some years ago there was a curious state "Sector Plan" 'public visioning' process for the Corbett area- believe it was cancelled after one or two meetings-assumed new development saw some opposition.The Corbett FWCC manager seemed uncomfortable with the subject. But there was subsequent activity.
For all we know,the area is already legally slated for future development. Or perhaps conservation,mitigation parcel.
Anyone here on the forum know?

gator4ever

OK this area is where I grew up so I know quite a bit of what you are asking.

First of all no you cannot hunt there. They have limited hunting to employees and their children.
It is all private land and it is trespassing and with a gun it is worse for you.

Forget about asking for permission it wont happen.
WHY?
About 37 years ago the head guys son was hunting rabbit with his friends. One of them left a loaded shotgun pointing up they hit a bump the gun went off. And one his friends that was standing on the back of the truck, lost his leg. They sued and the gates came up.

A few years passed and we were able to start hunting again. Then some sob's decided to shoot a tractor and things tightened up again.

Then the Fangul family purchased the place and they loved to hunt. So we had to hunt when they wanted and to be honest it was never the same.

Today the rules are family only. And the poor guys that work out there, that all are good friends of mine from HS. Work so **** much they don't have the time to hunt it.

I was glad to see the STAs open up. Because before the STAs Okeelanta sugar held all the puddle ducks in the area. I am talking about in the millions. We hunted it hard from the mid 60s to the late 70s. But after the law suit and the tractor incident it stopped. When the Fangul family bought it we hunted with them but like I mentioned it wasn't the same. So it was basically down to a few hunters shooting the ducks on a limited basis.

I get upset when people complain about the STAs. I know 5 boys that started duck hunting because of the STAs and if they would not be open these boys would have never gotten the fever. Some call duck shooting not hunting. I say SO WHAT? As long as we are getting new hunters let the good times roll.

Marx Man

It's not your land and it's not public and it's not a lease so don't hunt it. I'm not trying to be a [email protected]&k but did you really have to ask? You know **** well it's illegal.

If_it_flies_it_dies

Just remember, felony conviction=no more guns. Unless you like shooting doves with a bow (it can be done, check youtube) it isn't worth it.

binellishtr

sad...I used to walk off the side of the road there for many yrs...even used to hunt the ole tin barn,or back side of the processing plant....times sure have changed

gator4ever

binellishtr wrote: »

sad...I used to walk off the side of the road there for many yrs...even used to hunt the ole tin barn,or back side of the processing plant....times sure have changed

When you consider that those of us that grew up in the Glades during the 60s, 70s and 80s literally had 100's of thousands of acres open to us to hunt and fish as if it were our own. it is very SAD. The saddest part is that those you that never had the chance to do it will never be able to.

Even many folks from the Coast used to come out and hunt doves at places like the willows, deads man curve, the dike that ran from dead mans curve to Hatton Hwy. In these areas the majority of the hunters were from the coast. Primarily because they were public right of ways. I remember one year on hwy 27 at a place once called Ousley Sod across 27 from Okeelanta Sugar. There was a couple hundred acres of field corn that was left in the field. There were so many birds and people so many people. Some folks came out in RVs and just stayed all weekend. No one checked licenses no one asked for a letter no one cared. Sure come on and shoot. Just dont shoot the low fliers.

Yes it is sad them days are gone.

Cant really blame the land owners. But yes it hurts.

Longhaul

You can and will be charged signs or no signs. I would say you have already pushed your luck trespassing and leaving broken clays in the mans fields.

publichunter wrote: »

You can't be charged with felony tresspass if it's not posted. You might get a cop who thinks he can but it won't hold up in court. Not saying you should do it but there are certain instances where I'd say go for it until someone tells you to beat it. Most of us grew up hunting places like this that were typically owned by investment groups and developers and those places are now shopping malls and subdivisions.

monkeybusinessjr

I grew up on Pahokee. In the 70's and 80's we ran all over those fields dove hunting, target shooting, fishing, ATV riding whatever. Today it's a different game. As the population on the coast grew the theft and vandalism of farming equipment along with the liability from lawsuits shut all that down. All the farms have blanket no trespass orders in place. If you're an old black lady fishing a canal bank they're probably not going to say anything but a young man with a firearm is risking felony trespass.

NACl H2O Luvr

Just hate to see someone potentially given erroneous information....In Florida "cultivated land" is the equivalent of posted land.

There are no gray areas. End of discussion.


810.09 Trespass on property other than structure or conveyance.—
(1)(a) A person who, without being authorized, licensed, or invited, willfully enters upon or remains in any property other than a structure or conveyance:
1. As to which notice against entering or remaining is given, either by actual communication to the offender or by posting, fencing, or cultivation as described in s. 810.011;

http://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2011/810.09


810.011 Definitions.—As used in this chapter:
(6) “Cultivated land” is that land which has been cleared of its natural vegetation and is presently planted with a crop, orchard, grove, pasture, or trees or is fallow land as part of a crop rotation.

http://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2011/810.011

binellishtr

got me thinking about back in the day how trucks would be practically lined up from the bend to the iron bridge....no wonder why these new gen of kids are so into video games,they got nothing to do outside

gottheitch22

Spke to federal warden at lox last year he said people hunt the was around loxs all the time and they just check there license . I still would not do it .

bluechip

thanks for all the input guys, I'll have to find some other land. Risking felony charges, not for me haha.

duckmanJR

bluechip wrote: »

thanks for all the input guys, I'll have to find some other land. Risking felony charges, not for me haha.

Smart move...that felony with a firearm will F**k you over your whole life in ways you can't even think of.....

bluechip

If anyone has any pointers to a general are that is dove-huntable and not some guy at a mediocre field charging $300, private message me! Not asking for GPS coordinates but it's tough down here, all I want to do is get into hunting, but the red-tape and land development haven't left many opportunities down here I guess..

Shine

FLDXT wrote: »

We have prosecuted poachers/mushroom pickers before for felony trespassing and never had a posted sign anywhere.

I'll bet they were not using the mushrooms for a casserole.

I would think livestock, cattle fields would not have to be posted to have trespass protection as well.

mikejp

I've seen plenty of shroom pickers in Allapattah also...

bone

Funny how these laws are enforced and different depending on where you are at. In my 30 years of hunting private land we have caught about 10 people poaching/trespassing/with guns and never ever was any of them convicted of a crime. In fact once my buddy, who is a LEO, caught 2 guys on our Alabama lease and he took their guns and drivers lic. To the local sheriff and the sheriff wanted to prosecute him for stealing their guns. I would never do these things but no one is going to jail for a first offense. Except maybe in south Florida.

gator4ever

bluechip wrote: »

If anyone has any pointers to a general are that is dove-huntable and not some guy at a mediocre field charging $300, private message me! Not asking for GPS coordinates but it's tough down here, all I want to do is get into hunting, but the red-tape and land development haven't left many opportunities down here I guess..

Good luck.........unfortunately what you are asking is nearly impossible. A very limited resource with a lot of hunters looking for the same thing. The #1 reason doves have been so difficult to find is that modern Agricultural practices have all but eliminated seeds on the ground. Ragweed and other dove seeds that used to be very prevalent years ago are non existent today because of herbicides.

So no dont pay $300 but do expect to pay $100 or forget about shooting any birds. You can try the dove areas at the WMAs but good luck.