Twenty something years ago...

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Like the title states, throughout my twenties this was one of my favorite spots. Serene is not easy to access anymore. Dad took his little girl to see a special place...I think I want a canoe

http://i1020.photobucket.com/albums/af330/COWBOYSURVIVAL/IMG_2354.jpg (http://s1020.photobucket.com/user/COWBOYSURVIVAL/media/IMG_2354.jpg.html)

I was real proud of my little girl she gave the mountain bike everything she had and kept smiling!

[Ken]

I'm sure that pic brings back lots of great memories.

[The DC]

My best rides (mtn biking) are when my son go with,you're doing it right,Dad :D

[DSJohnson]

I love canoes. Some of the best "adventures" I have ever had have been on canoe trips. I HATE portaging!! LOL I agree with DC about getting to spend time with your children while they are still kids. Glad you are taking the girl out to the woods/swamps/wilderness. PRICELESS!!

[flywheel]

If you had some good times to remember ... cool to show it your kids.
My first survival lessons in a small forest with old empty Houses are gone.

Today is there a big Highway. A bit sad that i cant show it my kids. But the world is big and full of wonderfull places.
You only have to open the door and go out often you can.

[finallyME]

The "wilderness" that I grew up in is now a subdivision. It was a farm field then.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Thanks everyone for the kind replies! It is called Pocalla Swamp, the exact spot is the "Old Ford Trestle". I caught many a Crappy and Bullhead Catfish in that water. Shot my first Duck there, even saw my first Carolina Puma there. It holds lots of memories.

[hunter63]

Thanks for sharing your secret place........I know what you mean.

Favorite duck hunting spot has stayed the same for 50 years..........and again hasn't if that makes any sense.
It is building up around the water, but does have 500 ft easement so we can still hunt there.

This year was the first year I have missed hunting that spot in maybe 20 years......but also lost the New dog this year.
Most everyone of my hunting partners has been the with me, hunting, camping, canoeing, fishing at some point over those years.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

I hear you Hunter, perhaps it is me that has changed. The place was always a bear to get to. Over the years the access just got further and further away due to being "built up".

[DSJohnson]

Cowboy,
Did you mean trussel or trestle? Just curious. I am well aware of unigue local names but I was not sure if that was the case here or not.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Sorry, (Sp) Trestle would be correct.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

http://i1020.photobucket.com/albums/af330/COWBOYSURVIVAL/IMG_2383.jpg (http://s1020.photobucket.com/user/COWBOYSURVIVAL/media/IMG_2383.jpg.html)

Well I hiked in the 2 miles before sun up this morning! Had an awesome time this morning. I knocked down two but, only picked up one Woody. The birds flew good and it was just really fine to be in the woods alone. Yeah, Swamper didn't wake up on time, I called for him and he didn't make it to the truck or we'd have two birds! Going to try and convince my little girl to go next weekend....

[diddap]

I hate portgaging too. give me a (small) inflatable! I"m already carrying too heavy a pack, hate adding anything to its weight or bulk, basically.

[Tokwan]

I have just one word.....AWESOME!

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

I have just one word.....AWESOME!

Thanks Tokwan! I actually did get my little girl to go after this post last year. It was a good time!

[hunter63]

Thanks for sharing your secret place........I know what you mean.

Favorite duck hunting spot has stayed the same for 50 years..........and again hasn't if that makes any sense.
It is building up around the water, but does have 500 ft easement so we can still hunt there.

This year was the first year I have missed hunting that spot in maybe 20 years......but also lost the New dog this year.
Most everyone of my hunting partners has been the with me, hunting, camping, canoeing, fishing at some point over those years.

This was taken about 10 years ago...maybe more...... of my favorite duck hunting spot...and my best (so far) duck dog....Monty...

See your pic was a great memory and couldn't let it pass with out posting this......
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/hunter63/Monty.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/hunter63/media/Monty.jpg.html)

Damn was he fun to hunt with.........

Thanks for the memories......

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Monty does look like a mighty fine Hunter!

[Tokwan]

Am I missing something..Monty? Hunter?

[hunter63]

Pic was of my duck hunting dog, Monty....who has passed on......Really miss that boy....anyway.

The pic was taken in a spot that I have hunted since I was very young, and is one of those "most favorite spots in the world".....as Cowboy was relating.
A place that just seems right, and make you feel right, like being Home.....A place to be.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Well I guess I should of never been there to start with. Gonna be a hard lesson for sure. Hind sight is 20/20 and all that, I know I messed up bigtime.

Letter I wrote to CSX below...

On 12/21/2014 I took my little girl 11 yrs. of age on her very first duck hunt. I have been charged with trespassing to hunt waterfowl as we were along a CSX railroad track.
I have been using the track as an access to swamp land to duck hunt for 20 yrs.
I have been greeted by many CSX employees over the years. There had never been an issue. I had also been checked by the department of Natural Resources several times without issue.

Unfortunately apparently there has been some changes and some hunters have given cause for CSX to enforce no trespassing laws upon the tracks. If I am convicted the result will be a $250 dollar fine and the suspension of my Hunting and Fishing privileges for 1 yr. I didn't intend any harm by trespassing on CSX property.

I actually believed the Railroad Track to be a right of way. I was told by the DNR officer that a Mr. Morris from CSX had asked for the enforcement of the no trespass law. I am asking for CSX to forgive my mistake and assure it will never happen again. If you could please provide a written pardon for my trespass or put me in contact with Mr. Morris. I would sincerely appreciate it.

I received a response from CSX today, not sure if it is a canned response...as follows.

Dear Mr.:

Thank you for contacting us regarding accessing CSX's property.

The CSX right-of-way, which includes the railroad tracks and the land on either side, is private property. In accordance with our company's priority on safety, CSX rarely permits non-railroad personnel on our property unless there is a specific, business-related reason for them to be there. This is based on concern for the safety of those accessing and working on our railroad, security considerations, and our commitment to ensuring on-schedule train operations for the customers we serve.

Our first priority is safety. CSX strives to be a good neighbor in the communities in which we operate. We hope you understand our position, and apologize that we are unable to accommodate your request.

Very truly yours,

TellCSX Team

JKS

Ref: 816675

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lbxh_rQtLvs

[hunter63]

Legalese for "Tough ship, Bud.....stay out".

The spot that I posted with Monty is a Naqvagical water way with lake boat launch access....land was owned by the power company as flowage.
They sold the land and have been developing it as lake front property (high buck Chicago customers)......
BUT

There is a 500 foot easement from the water inland,,, so we can still hunt there....and I have the documents for the power company.

So some funny stuff happens....like the real estate guy trying to impress buyers will walking with martinis along the lake path....and a flock of duck came in,... we jump up and start shooting.....scaring the carp out of the buyers.

Or the guy having his coffee on the dock....easement property and hollering at us...........LOL.

Sadly though, the old days are going away.....everyone is worried about lawsuits, safety(?)whose(?) and so forth....so when the run away and live off the land guys decide they are just gonna "do it"....it will be for a cell after they are arrested.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Yeah, I gotta try to do what i can to get my butt out of this sling though! Seems like I'll need one of them NY lawyers, probably get me off on some technicality or just draw it out until it no longer matters. I guess it comes down to what is a year with a hunting and fishing license worth to a Dad.

By the way for those that don't know...I now know "Right of Way" means rights to the owner of the "Right of Way". There is no "Right of Way" for dumb Dad's. I had been told my whole life a man could use a "Right of Way" for hunting, so long as it was accessed from a public roadway or private property. I have done just that for over 20 yrs. Laws change, I guess they did sometime in my lifetime and I missed the memo.

I also did some tax research, I pay more taxes on my place than CSX pays in the whole county.
"Right of Way" is not taxed at all at the county level anyway. Not even on the tax map.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Having kicked this down the road for several days. I just want to say that the responsibility for this falls squarely on my shoulders. It is not CSX's fault. It isn't the DNR's fault. It was me that didn't do my homework and I messed up.

[randyt]

It happens and is a good example on why I wouldn't make a good law enforcement officer. On simple stuff like that I would have issued a warning.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

It happens and is a good example on why I wouldn't make a good law enforcement officer. On simple stuff like that I would have issued a warning.

Yeah me neither, but hinging on that it took me several days to swallow what I'd done wrong. He did the right thing.

[hunter63]

This discussion has been over a railroad right of way....correct?....and is considered private property?

So for all of those think about using a RR ROW as a BO route....may want to re-think that....at least in normal times when people are paying attention.
"I'll just use the Right of way to by-pass the zombies".....may not be a good idea.

My run in wasn't a bad, just a warning,......but rabbit hunting on the right of way is a trespassing event, at least next time.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Well, I had my day in court today, the charge was reduced to unintentional trespass to hunt..I was guilty of that at the very least. It means I still get to hunt and fish. This won't ever happen to me again! I can assure you of that!

[DSJohnson]

I am glad that the court saw fit to reduce the charges. Shame it came to a day in court at all. Glad it did not cost you your hunting privileges.