Fisherman/floaters Legal Rights

[Chief Grey Bear]

The one and only time I ever met Prater before this incident was in early Feb. of this year when Buzz and I were parked along the road looking at Shoal Creek. He came by and told us we were tresspassing and wanted to know my name. I refused to tell him so he took my plate numbers and called the sheriff, though we didn't know it at the time. We contiuded on our journey looking at different spots along the river. Later Prater gets in behind us and begins tailing us. Soon two deputies and a Hiway Patrolman pulls us over.

Prater told them we were on his property(we never got out of the truck and were parked on the county right of way)and eyeing his place to rob it. After explaining to them what we were doing, we were set on our way. The deputy told Prater my name and place of employment. He and his wife then started making phone calls trying to get me fired. He was laughed at.

In this latest incident, in the report, it was stated that I had been warned on numerous occasions to stay off of his property. And that the most recent incident was 2 weeks prior to this float. All of that was a fabricated lie. And I explained that to the sheriff.

So there you have it. Not all landowners are the salt of the earth. I am sure though he would appriciate your continued support.

BTW CWF, I never took one piece of paper with me when I spoke with the Sheriff in person.

[ColdWaterFshr]

Ah!! Chief, would you please approach the bench, place your left hand here on the good book and do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

[Chief Grey Bear]

I just did. If you weren't such a mouth breather, you would have known that.

[ness]

Ness, you think I am a smart butt for my actions in conversing with the deputy, I think you have a lack of testicular fortitude and an overall disregard or lack of care for stream access laws of Missouri for the way you would have presumably handled the situation. Call it even?

Fact is you were in a position to help get this matter worked out with the landowner and the deputy, but the issue remains unsolved. Maybe a little less 'testicular fortitude' on your part would have helped matters some. Don't try to tag me with responsibility or lack of caring.

[Trout Commander]

Fact is you were in a position to help get this matter worked out with the landowner and the deputy, but the issue remains unsolved. Maybe a little less 'testicular fortitude' on your part would have helped matters some. Don't try to tag me with responsibility or lack of caring.

The way I see it, the deputy was lying about talking to the agent. I bet he has since talked to one. There was no way of resolving the issue with the landowner on the stream. He had made that very clear.

I reviewed the "Your Voice Counts" thread and would like my comment about your lack of caring stricken from the record (by the judge CWF has been talking to?) and will edit my post. I had your comments confused with those from someone else.

[ColdWaterFshr]

BTW CWF, I never took one piece of paper with me when I spoke with the Sheriff in person.

Good for you. But if you were truly as innocent as you claim, then why did you leave his office agreeing to stay off a public waterway for what amounts to a whole summer? If that was my home-water, one that I fished all the time, and I had never done anything to nobody, you can bet I wouldn't have agreed to those terms.

[ness]

So there you have it. Not all landowners are the salt of the earth. I am sure though he would appriciate your continued support.

Thanks for the added color, Chief.

There are crazy folks out there, and they can be darn-near impossible to deal with. Being right doesn't matter, the law can't always do something about it, and it can make life miserable -- if you let it. I'm talking from first-hand experience right here. Sometimes you just gotta suck it up, shut your yap, take your lumps and keep to the high road in order to 'win' with these kinda folks.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Good for you. But if you were truly as innocent as you claim, then why did you leave his office agreeing to stay off a public waterway for what amounts to a whole summer? If that was my home-water, one that I fished all the time, and I had never done anything to nobody, you can bet I wouldn't have agreed to those terms.

Sometimes you have to respect those that you want to respect you.

[Trout Commander]

Again, I'm not assuming he IS a habitual trespasser.

Please point out the times when Chief has broke a law regarding trespassing as I have failed to see when he did. icket number or docket number from when he appeared in court should suffice if you lack first hand accounts.

[ColdWaterFshr]

Sometimes you have to respect those that you want to respect you.

Spoken like a Chief who has lost a few feathers in battle! Let me clarify, Chief . . . does this form of respect apply to dealing with landowners who are convinced they are in the right even though they may not be?

You are a piece of work, Chief.

The prosecution rests.