Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

This forum section is for the select few who believe in hard work and refuse to “Buy” success.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


trapper57
500 Club
Posts: 696
Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:55 pm
Location: Southern Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby trapper57 » Tue Jan 07, 2014 1:02 pm

When I was in my teens we used to hunt small game along railroad tracks all the time.
A friend of mine was hunting rabbits with his son on Saturday.
When he got back to his truck the sheriff was waiting and proceeded to write him a ticket for trespassing.
Those were some expensive rabbits!!

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image


User avatar
Crazinamatese
Posts: 5602
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2012 3:25 am
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby Crazinamatese » Tue Jan 07, 2014 1:12 pm

Trespassing indeed. I have a friend who is a photographer. He took some pics of a young lady walking down some rail road tracks for senior pictures. He then posted them to his website, then got an email from some Train/rail company warning him that he can be charged for trespassing if he is caught. I didn't know that at the time, neither did he, apparently it is true. I used to walk some train tracks to get to some awesome trout holes in the country. Not anymore.
The cave you fear hides the treasure you seek!!!
trapper57
500 Club
Posts: 696
Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:55 pm
Location: Southern Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby trapper57 » Tue Jan 07, 2014 1:18 pm

I was looking at some public hunting area that I could access from the back using railroad tracks.
Glad I didn't try that move!

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
Dor
500 Club
Posts: 2187
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 4:15 am
Facebook: Chris Dornack
Location: SE MN
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby Dor » Tue Jan 07, 2014 1:22 pm

I use to walk the tracks all the time in the early 90's when I hunted Central Wisconsin public. Liability and law suits are a bad thing. You use to be able to hunt all the timber ground back then too. Wonder if that is still legal (or if it ever was)?
Image

Call The Footed Shaft to order Kwik-Straps 507-288-7581 or order at the kwik-strap.com
User avatar
hunter_mike
Moderator
Posts: 8294
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 3:24 pm
Location: south central WI
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby hunter_mike » Tue Jan 07, 2014 1:28 pm

Be aware too that the railroad property is not just the tracks but the whole right of way which is sometimes fenced but sometimes it can be wider than u would guess. It is extremely tempting sometimes to use the tracks for access. Railroad employees will not hesitate to call the sheriff because they have a lot at stake by not reporting trespassers.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”
User avatar
Dewey
Moderator
Posts: 36727
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:57 pm
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby Dewey » Tue Jan 07, 2014 1:32 pm

Not only did I walk the tracks when I was a kid but also jumped on the ladder of the last car and rode it for awhile to save some walking. The trains went pretty slow and things were much different back then. The guys in the train would always just wave.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
BigHunt
Posts: 12159
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:50 am
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby BigHunt » Tue Jan 07, 2014 1:35 pm

Dewey wrote:Not only did I walk the tracks when I was a kid but also jumped on the ladder of the last car and rode it for awhile to save some walking. The trains went pretty slow and things were much different back then. The guys in the train would always just wave.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image

me too :shhh:
HUNT LIKE A BEAST
matt1336
500 Club
Posts: 3580
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2010 3:02 am
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby matt1336 » Tue Jan 07, 2014 4:11 pm

Now that they are cracking down on this law it's really cutting off a lot of public ground. It too bad cuz a lot of my hunting area is accessed via train tracks.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
Milk Weed Seed
500 Club
Posts: 1822
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2011 2:17 pm
Location: Northern NJ
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby Milk Weed Seed » Tue Jan 07, 2014 4:27 pm

I think most states it's a violation to be on railroad property. Thank the terrorists. I used to hang by the tracks as a kid, never see kids doing it anymore these days.

[ Post made via iPad ] Image
[glow=red]Happiness is only a gut pile away[/glow]
User avatar
Stanley
Honorary Moderator
Posts: 18734
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 4:18 am
Facebook: None
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby Stanley » Tue Jan 07, 2014 5:30 pm

Milk Weed Seed wrote:I think most states it's a violation to be on railroad property. Thank the terrorists. I used to hang by the tracks as a kid, never see kids doing it anymore these days.

[ Post made via iPad ] Image

I think it's more of kids getting killed on the tracks than anything. Two kids got killed by trains about 8 years ago close to here.
I used to do a lot of hunting on the tracks in the mid 60s. No big deal then.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
User avatar
Kodiakman
Forum Executive Chef
Posts: 949
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 2:43 am
Location: Wisconsin man by way of PA, IA, now NE
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby Kodiakman » Tue Jan 07, 2014 6:22 pm

Since when was this illegal? I pick mushrooms along them all the time. Fifty feet on each side was always public access, right of way I thought. I walk into one of my stands all the time this way. I have to in order to get there. Still do.
It's not a problem, it's a opportunity for a solution.
User avatar
backstraps
Moderator
Posts: 10110
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2012 4:44 pm
Location: Tennessee
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby backstraps » Tue Jan 07, 2014 11:29 pm

matt1336 wrote:Now that they are cracking down on this law it's really cutting off a lot of public ground. It too bad cuz a lot of my hunting area is accessed via train tracks.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image




I am not saying to go an break the law by using the tracks or the trains companies property.....but if more hunters realize the tracks are illegal to use the hunting property may get a lot better to hunt.

I would take into consideration the properties that may have access entrances blocked by not using the tracks. Possibly an adjoining land owner could give permission to cross his property. May locate some land without as much pressure there this way.

I have known for several years it was illegal trespass on the tracks. Found out with a stiff verbal warning. I was in an area where there was a very tall galvanized steel ladder with a platform right beside the tracks. I assume it was used by railroad workers to check or make repairs to a train in between destinations?? Anyway, the train engineer didn't find it amusing that I was rifle hunting from the platform! It was an awesome spot, several miles from the nearest house, and the tracks were basically in a rut funnel saddle. I didn't have any cover, but remained very still and passed several bucks there. The shot where the deer were crossing the tracks was 110 yards, easy pickings...hahaha.

I often think of that place, and how I would like to hunt there again. But being an energy filled kid then (25 years ago), I know I could still get there and back no problem now....but bringing a buck out would be an entirely different story.
trapper57
500 Club
Posts: 696
Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:55 pm
Location: Southern Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby trapper57 » Wed Jan 08, 2014 12:35 am

The fine was over $200!!
Not a good way to end a hunt.
The sheriff gave them a break.
He could of gave his son a ticket also.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
User avatar
hunter_mike
Moderator
Posts: 8294
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 3:24 pm
Location: south central WI
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby hunter_mike » Wed Jan 08, 2014 4:43 am

Kodiakman wrote:Since when was this illegal? I pick mushrooms along them all the time. Fifty feet on each side was always public access, right of way I thought. I walk into one of my stands all the time this way. I have to in order to get there. Still do.


Every railroad is going to be different so the best thing to do is contact the railroad and ask but most railroads are privately or semi/privately owned. It can be complicated because the actual land the railroad is on is often owned by a different entity than the people who are operating trains on it. I think most railroads will tell you to stay off the right of way for liability
“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”
seeds
Posts: 467
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 2:49 pm
Location: SE WI.
Status: Offline

Re: Do not hunt along railroad tracks in Wisconsin!!

Unread postby seeds » Wed Jan 08, 2014 5:32 am

I used to do RR track removal - the RR takes safety very seriously. We don't do RR track removal any longer - the 2 Canadian companies that own most US rail lines don't want to deal with small companies.

I just did a little googling. There were 442 pedestrian/train accidents/fatalities in 2012. Many were people walking down the tracks that didn't hear the train coming....In 1981 there were 728 train/auto deaths,it dropped steadily until 2012's 273 deaths....They're taking safety very seriously.

I doubt anyone will get permission to use RR tracks to access hunting land. Heck,just try to get ahold of anyone with CP or CN rail that'll talk to you about access.

Engineers are required to report trespassers.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Public Land Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests