'Tis hunting season in Minnesota. Right now it is deer season and we can hear gunshots now and then. I hope they were all on federal land to the south of us.
Technically, we are supposed to post "No Hunting" signs all around our property, but it is a real pain to post signs around 80 acres (half-mile along the road and a quarter-mile deep). Besides, there always seem to be some jerks that will go right by a "No hunting/no trespassing sign.
Given that in St. Louis County, one can access the Online Land Explorer to find out ownership of every parcel of land, and so there is no excuse for trespassing. In some other counties one can buy land maps. Given all the other costs of hunting, I would think the maps are small change.
Now the conundrum, if a gun owner in a residential area is entitled to shoot and kill a "trespasser", should not a rural resident be entitled to shoot a trespassing hunter?
Case in point, several years ago a bird hunter shot down our driveway with a red pickup clearly visible in the driveway. Would I have been entitled to shoot and kill that hunter in self-defense?
This particular hunter had a "right" to have a shot gun, but I have a right to my property without worrying about an irresponsible gun owner.
I have many friends who are responsible hunters, but shouldn't there be some restrictions on irresponsible people even owning guns.
