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Help Please

3K views 23 replies 15 participants last post by  Josh5 
#1 ·
can someone please lead me in the right direction. we are having problems with a company flying their helicopters very low over our breeding facilities. They are doing some sort of seismic exploration in the area. We have sent them a letter in the past telling them they are not to come onto our property. It is stressing our deer out and running them hard into the fences. I know there is something we can do. I am sending a letter but want to make sure i have it right. Isn't there some sort of wildlife harrassment law, i looked on TPWD to no avail. We are fully liscenced by the state and would hate to lose any deer. ANY HELP HELPS THANKS
 
#4 ·
Well the Sheriff's department has been contacted as well as the FAA. One of the ladies we have spoken to know even asked are you the place with that really big deer in the front pen and the ranch manager then replied to her "Yes and you should see the price tag on that <explitive>" She got it.
 
#7 ·
Don't be real surprised if nothing happens. You own the land, not the air over it. I imagine you will get further explaining the situation to the helo company asking them to avoid the deer pens. Cussing the office lady might not help your cause.
 
#8 ·
No I understand that and thats were my hang up is. I know its not a no fly zone and I know we have no right to the airspace above us but we do have a right to protect out livestock correct? and if there actions are causing extreme amoutns of stress and/or injury are they not liable? I am not sure if we have any ground to stand on but surely there is somethin that we can do to protect our animals
 
#9 ·
There may be some regulations about overflying your property and livestock and the company MIGHT be in violation. It's been a lot of years since I flew, and things have changed. It also could be that if a deer really is injured, you might prevail in a civil action against the company, even if they aren't technically violating any regulations. Documentation (letters describing the problem and asking their cooperation, complaints filed with authorities, etc.) would be a big help in that event, and so would showing you did everything YOU could do to mitigate the situation, like moving the animals if that is possible.

Good luck. If it's PHI or Air Log or one of the big companies, they want to be good neighbors most of the time. If it's Mom and Pop's Helo company, they might be less interested (or MORE interested).
 
#15 ·
bowed up said:
sit in the brush with an AR-15 and fire a few rounds toward them. that might make em quit it.
screw the legal or right way, it never works.
send em a price list and let them know what will happen if...
The ranch manager told the sheriffs dept that he would pepper there helicopters if it happened again the sheriff told him to hold off on that for a minute and he was gonna go down and talk to them
 
#18 ·
Fixed wing planes need to stay 500' above terrain in rural areas except for when they are taking off or landing. I don't think helicopters have that restriction so I'm not sure they are violating any FAA regs. Shoot at them with anything and you'll go to federal prison for a long long time.

Some counties have laws that require helicopter pilots to pay for any damage to livestock. I worked for a tower company in Missouri. We hired a helicopter to come in a move some big antennas on a tower. They were supposed to notify the ranchers within a mile at least 24 hours in advance so they could move / pen the cattle if they wanted too. They didn't do that and a bunch of cows broke out of pastures when they got spooked. The helicopter company bought a lot of cows that the ranchers couldn't find and I got to go help repair a lot of fences.

Sounds like you got it taken care of the right way. Good luck.

Gary
 
#19 ·
UPDATE: The lady overseeing the operations came out to our property that afternoon and brought a few of her superintendants out with her so that they could see where our property was. They have deemed our property a no fly zone while they are out there doing there surveys. She told us if we have any more problems not to hesitate to call her. We are very fortunate that this company was so willing to work with us.
 
#20 ·
Glad it worked out for you. I kinda figured it would if the ranch manager hadn't already screwed things up to the max. When he told the sherrif he'd shoot at aircraft he committed a couple of federal crimes and he's very lucky the sherrif did not take him into custody turn him over to the FBI. Sounds like that guy is dangerous. He also should know that a LOT of the guys flying helos are Viet vets, and many of them are armed. He doesn't know what fun is until he's being pursued by a P.O.ed ex-snake pilot shooting down on him.
 
#21 ·
Levelwind said:
Glad it worked out for you. I kinda figured it would if the ranch manager hadn't already screwed things up to the max. When he told the sherrif he'd shoot at aircraft he committed a couple of federal crimes and he's very lucky the sherrif did not take him into custody turn him over to the FBI. Sounds like that guy is dangerous. He also should know that a LOT of the guys flying helos are Viet vets, and many of them are armed. He doesn't know what fun is until he's being pursued by a P.O.ed ex-snake pilot shooting down on him.
Levelwind... you need to remember we're talking about deer here... I think it's been well established in south texas that a humans life is worth less than a trophy buck's well being and happiness......:) CLEARLY the sherrif realized what the greater of two evils were.... deer crashing into fences > people dying in helicopters.

Man, I'm starting to wonder what the heck is going on. Not to start an all out war about poachers, trespassers, or instances like this, but this is at least the fourth post where people are threatening or willing to cause bodily harm or kill someone, based on the possibility of their deer or deer hunting being disrupted.

Get a grip folks... it's a freaking deer.
 
#22 ·
His intentions were not to kill anyone. Talk about get a grip. Yes they are deer, and they are a source of income. I should have known that this was going to be taken to a whole different level by some. I am not try to stir **** but seriously, do u really think the guy would have taken down a helicopter full or people (i assume)? SERIOUSLY
 
#24 ·
Sounds like everything has worked out...That can get real frustrating real quick!!!

Like you and others have said. Registered letters to the company, file with the Sheriff's office. Letter from your attorney. Price list for deer included in letters, etc.

Then my thought was a flare gun rather than a 'real' gun. my$0.02
 
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