By Katy Savage, Standard Staff
Lucia Stapleton and her caregiver were watching television when they heard a loud gunshot last Friday.
A stranger had just shot a bear in Stapleton’s backyard, within 60 feet of her house at 898 Barnard Rd. in Woodstock, the caregiver said.
The stranger knocked on her door and said he was taking the bear with him. Then he pulled up with his pickup truck and scooped the animal up. He was gone by the time police arrived.
“It was so loud,” said the caregiver, who asked to not be identified.
The caregiver has been taking care of Stapleton, 90, for the past two years.
“They were shocked, confused, a little bit scared,” said Windsor County Game Warden Steve Majeski.
Hunters in this state can shoot as close to someone’s home as they want — and they can go after wildlife on any private land that isn’t posted.
“You don’t need to request permission in Vermont, it’s not required by law,” said Vermont Fish and Wildlife Lieutenant Curtis Smiley.
If Stapleton tried to interfere with the stranger trying to hunt on her property by harassing the bear, she would have been fined.
Hunters have few restrictions. They can’t drive or camp on private land without permission. They can’t block someone’s driveway and if the property owner requests the hunter leave, he or she must do so immediately.
Smiley gets complaints every year from people who see hunters in their backyards.
“We explain what the law is. We certainly don’t encourage hunters to hunt near residences. If they’re going to, it’s best to get permission first, but it’s not required by law,” he said.
To protect themselves, property owners can establish 500-foot safety zones around barns, houses and other buildings on their land. Signs must be placed at every corner of the safety zone, no more than 200 feet apart.
Stapleton’s 31.4-acre property had posted signs she thought would prevent hunters from shooting there. But the signs were invalid because they weren’t registered with the town, Majeski said.
For posted signs to be valid, they must be dated each year and placed at the boundaries of the property and at every corner. The signs have to be at least 8.5 by 11 inches and should be no more than 400 feet apart.
Stapleton is taking steps to legally post her land since the incident, Majeski said.
“If you see signs that say posted no hunting, you just don’t go on the property,” the caregiver said.
Landowners can also post “hunt by permission only” signs to ward off hunters.
Majeski is investigating the bear hunting case and anticipates a charge of failure to tag big game for a West Windsor resident at the end of this week. Majeski declined to name the suspect until he completes his investigation.
By law, hunters can take one black bear per year. They can’t be trapped or baited or near a bird feeder. The bear must be taken to a big game reporting station within 48 hours.
Black bear season started Sept. 1 and goes until Nov. 29. Turkey season starts Oct. 3 and goes until Oct. 23. Rifle deer season starts Dec. 5 and goes until Dec. 13.
This article first appeared in the October 1, 2015 edition of the Vermont Standard.