tHigh-powered rifles and wounded animals are some of the abuses reported in Tomihi & Buck Mt.

Whether you like hunting or not, there are laws that protect the public safety and among most hunters, a code of conduct to honor the sport and respect the animal. Residents in at least two Orcas Island neighborhoods say they have witnessed violations of both during this hunting season.

Neighbors have reported hunters trespassing on private land, firing close to and in the direction of homes, and leaving wounded animals to die.

“These incidents endangered our lives in and out of our homes,” said Dubi Izakson of Tomihi. “A high-powered rifle bullet can travel up to five miles. It can go through the walls of most houses.”

Izakson heard loud rifle shots on Nov. 16 and encountered three hunters with high-powered rifles within a few hundred yards of his home. A week later, he saw a 2 year-old doe from a herd that had visited his home daily with a high-powered rifle shot through her front leg. Descriptions of the men and their vehicle were given to the Sheriff’s Department.

Izakson also found the decaying remains of a large buck on his property and identified the animal by its antlers as a deer that had visited the area daily.

“These poachers did not do what any responsible hunter would do and follow the injured animal to put it out of its misery,” he said. “The buck found on my neighbor’s property probably died an agonizing death. The young doe may not survive infection.”

Buck Mountain resident Rudy Szabados has also had encounters with a hunter firing a gun within sight of his home on private property this year.

“When I heard the shots I ran out and saw a deer run off. I was furious,” Szabados said. “He knew he was on private property as he was standing on my drain field. He started to run away but I followed and confronted him about him being on private property and firing toward my home. He said ‘well, they call it Buck Mountain don’t they?” I said, ‘if you injured that deer you need to go put it out of its misery.’ We searched but could not find a blood trail.”

Szabados says he was too angry to notice the type of gun the hunter was carrying but suspects it may have been a high powered rifle. He has since posted “no trespassing” and “private property” signs on his land.

He says it is something that he has been reluctant to do in the past because it is not his idea of the spirit of Orcas.

“We are following up leads and believe we will be able to contact some of the hunters,” Sheriff Bill Cumming said. “It is an active and ongoing investigation.”

According to Cumming, Washington State Department of Fish and Game is also patrolling the area but the Sheriff’s Department is responsible for upholding both the State laws and County Ordinances.

“We do not recommend that people confront the hunters. They should take down as much identifying information as they can about the people, their vehicle and the type of gun being used and call our office,” Cumming said.

Hunting season runs from Sept. 1 and continues on specific dates, determined by type of weapon used, until Dec. 31.

State law prohibits hunters from trespassing on private property without the prior written permission of the owner of the property, which they must have on them while on the property.

Hunting with high-powered rifles has been illegal since 2006 in San Juan County due to increased density and that more and more people are using public land for recreation.