Shooting By War Eagle Marina Employee

[1969Larson]

Seriously, if you returned fire how could you possibly argue self-defense? This isn't a home invasion. You're in a boat on the water shooting at someone on land and this is self-defense? The truth is, you didn't have to defend yourself to begin with. In the time it took to get your weapon out, you could have cranked the motor and been out of there. All you did was escalate things.

Surely I'm not the only one here who has been minding my own business walking up a creek fishing for smallmouth when some simple-minded landowner on a power trip runs you off. Ever had someone show you the gun on their hip or nod at the .45 in their lap while sitting there on a four-wheeler? River access and water rights is a whole subject for debate, but the bottom line is like Daddy always said, "You can be right... but you can also be dead right."

There's plenty of idiots out there, but there's also plenty of water.

[Quillback]

I don't think anyone is advocating shooting back.

[FishinCricket]

I don't think anyone is advocating shooting back.

Some folks just like to argue...

(mainly me, though)

I can't say how calm I would stay if someone opened fire on me, even if their aim was off... I certainly wouldn't think I'd chose to make myself a sitting target, but I certainly can't say I wouldnt fear for my life...

I'm sure one of the forum lawyers will see it differently.. As I said, some find fault in a discussion/idea as if it were treasure.

[FishinCricket]

Surely I'm not the only one here who has been minding my own business walking up a creek fishing for smallmouth when some simple-minded landowner on a power trip runs you off. Ever had someone show you the gun on their hip or nod at the .45 in their lap while sitting there on a four-wheeler?

Agreed, however if that landowner decided to actually open fire on me I just don't see how my first move would be to reach for my paddle...

But I'm dying to know how someone differentiates between someone shooting at you and someone shooting at your bobber/boat/etc...

I'm sure there's a way to test this...

[gotmuddy]

I feel that if someone opens fire in your general direction you have every right to fire back at them. I never carry a gun but if I did I would have to be prepared to use it.

The no fishing around marinas laws piss me off. We arent hurting anything fishing around marinas. I grew up in TX and marinas were one of the best places to fish.

[Wayne SW/MO]

The bottom line is that the employee had no reason to feel that he was threatened or the property was threatened.

He should be in deep you know what over it.

[emjay]

In most states its illegal to use deadly force to protect property. Some people have too much ego. I hope this marina learns a lesson from this type of BS. Could of just thrown a few pebbles and I'm sure MOST of us fishermen would get the message.

However, I'm curious to know. Are there people out there that continuously pursue fishing areas of water where they've been told off before?

landowner - "hey sir, you're in private land now and no fishing is allowed. i'll appreciate if you go back the other way."

fisherman - "ok, sorry about that"

*next day fisherman returns*

[Stump bumper]

There is no reason for this to have resulted in deadly force and when deadly force is required it should be that DEADLY, 3 rounds center mass. Guns are made to KILL not SCARE and with that said I feel the reason for so many disagreements is the number of laws made by so many different agencies on something as simple as fishing.

If you win a bass tournament that requires a lie dector one of the questions is "did you obey all state and federal laws on the lake" and I was told by one of the men giving the test no one passed that question. Not because everyone cheats it's because NO ONE knows all the laws.

There is a dock by Beaver Shores that is posted and I have never caught a good fish off of, but if I see the owner sunning and reading I will fish that dock just to hear her rant on how I am breaking the law because she copied the sign from the marinia she thinks the law covers her dock. Sadly she doesn't even relize the land the dock sits on belongs to the Corps and she just has the responsiblty of maintaing that land.

But 99% of the time I go out of my way to stay out of people's way and enjoy the peace and quite(just have to aruge once in a while) and 99% of the fisherman will obey the laws they know about and understand. But if you gave a federal law test to a state game warden and a state law test to a Corps officer I would bet both would score low so how is the weekend fisherman to keep up? Is there a college course on Bass Fishing?

But with that said I will stear wide of War Eagle Marinia not that I ever stopped there before, will never stop there now. Last time I checked the Marinias were leasing public land for their business not buying the land so WE are still their LANDLORDS and when you you have a tenanent that causes this kind of trouble what does the LANDLORD do?

[Bill Anderson]

One thing is for certain, and that is that the moron who was doing the shooting is now facing aggrivated assault with a firearm, and that is a felony. He could do five years or more in the state pen and it would serve him right.

[Martin]

Fishing is supposed to be fun.

I have a CC permit and in that situation, you just fire up your motor and get the heck out of there. This guy that did the "alledged" shooting, is in deep doo-doo.. Makes you wonder if he could pass a drug test.