ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 10, 1996 TAG: 9612100122
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: What's On Your Mind?
SOURCE: RAY REED
Q: I'm curious about hunting and trespassing laws. I do not allow hunting on my property, but a hunter told me that if he were to shoot a deer and it came onto my property, it's OK under the law for him to come and get it. Also, if a hunter's dogs come onto my property, is the dog owner allowed to come and get them? M.S., Vinton
A: The law is clear. A hunter is obliged to make a reasonable effort to retrieve game that's been shot.
Reasonable effort must stop short of trespassing, however.
That explanation was provided by Lt. Karl Martin of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Martin said trespassing cases have gone to court in similar situations.
A hunter "will be trespassing if he goes on a neighbor's property without permission. That's the law, statewide," Martin said.
"The only time a hunter can go on posted property without permission is to retrieve dogs that have strayed, and then only on foot without a weapon or vehicle."
Martin said that if a wounded deer manages to reach posted property, the simplest solution is to ask the owner's permission to recover the deer.
Star timing
Q: What time is the Mill Mountain star supposed to be turned on each night? It seems to have been late a couple of times recently. N.C., Roanoke
A: The star's automatic timer is supposed to light up the mountaintop at 5:30 p.m. in December's early twilight, according to Nelson Jackson, Roanoke's building maintenance manager.
The timer, though, isn't exactly high-tech. A power outage can knock it off schedule.
The star's human managers may not learn about the outage problems until darkness arrives and the light doesn't come on, or it comes on late.
Got a question about something that might affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Call us at 981-3118. Or, e-mail RayR@Roanoke.Infi.Net. Maybe we can find the answer.
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