[mou] Informal Survey

Pastor Al Schirmacher PastorAl@PrincetonFreeChurch.net
Fri, 30 Mar 2007 11:37:20 -0500


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My thanks to each of you who responded, and to those who shared =
particular stories or incidents.  For brevity, have only included the =
final data and selected quotes - this could be a 10+ page email.

Good birding to all!

Al Schirmacher
Princeton, MN
Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties

---------------------------------------------

INFORMAL SURVEY

(57 respondents, US & abroad):

1) In clearly posted areas, have you gone off trail or onto private =
property chasing a rare or unusual bird?

Yes - 31%, No -69%


2) Would you do so again?

Yes - 28%, No - 72%


Selected (and greatly summarized) commentary:

Many, many said they would not due to private property laws, or the =
Golden Rule, or similar ethics. =20

"Let him who is without sin cast the first stone."

...only at sewage ponds...consider it 'no harm done'"

"Woody Guthrie got it right, 'As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there.  =
And that sign said - no tress passin'.  But on the other side...it =
didn't say nothin!  Now that side was made for you and me."

" ...most No Trespassing signs are to keep out vandals, nuisances, etc =
and they don't care about birders who do not destroy property or make =
noise."

"No bird seen while trespassing counts."

"I may have occasionally 'crept' onto a property if well away from =
possible observation...but always with some trepidation."

"Up at the cabin...many properties, especially the posted ones tend to =
have dogs that don't care for strangers.  We carry walking sticks but =
fighting off roaming Rots just is not a happy day of birding."

"sings signs everywhere are signs messing up the scenery breakin' my =
mind."

"One couple in Oregon got taken to court for trespassing when they =
birded down a private lane."

"Just in our county, we have lost access to two key areas recently =
because of abuse."

"I think that I would be able to talk my way out of trouble if the owner =
caught me."

"I have admittedly gone on private property when it seemed the farmhouse =
was a long way from my special subject or the stand of trees would =
shield me from and I was in camo with less chance of being observed."

"I take enough abuse from non-birders as it is, without risking arrest =
or bodily harm."




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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>My thanks to each of you who responded, =
and to=20
those who shared particular stories or incidents.&nbsp; For brevity, =
have only=20
included the final data and selected quotes - this could be a 10+ page=20
email.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2>Good birding to =
all!</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2></FONT></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2>Al =
Schirmacher</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2>Princeton, MN</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2>Mille Lacs &amp; Sherburne=20
Counties</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>---------------------------------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2></FONT></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2>INFORMAL =
SURVEY</FONT></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>(57 respondents, US &amp; =
abroad):</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>1) In clearly posted areas, have you =
gone off trail=20
or onto private property chasing a rare or unusual bird?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Yes - 31%, No -69%</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>2) Would you do so again?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Yes - 28%, No - 72%</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Selected (and greatly summarized)=20
commentary:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Many, many&nbsp;said they would not due =
to private=20
property laws, or the Golden Rule, or similar ethics.&nbsp; =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"Let him who is without sin cast the =
first=20
stone."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>...only at sewage ponds...consider it =
'no harm=20
done'"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"Woody Guthrie got it right, 'As I was =
walkin' - I=20
saw a sign there.&nbsp; And that sign said - no tress passin'.&nbsp; But =
on the=20
other side...it didn't say nothin!&nbsp; Now that side was made for you =
and=20
me."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>" ...most No Trespassing signs are to =
keep out=20
vandals, nuisances, etc and they don't care about birders who do not =
destroy=20
property or make noise."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"No bird seen while trespassing=20
counts."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"I may have occasionally 'crept' onto a =
property if=20
well away from possible observation...but always with some=20
trepidation."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"Up at the cabin...many properties, =
especially the=20
posted ones tend to have dogs that don't care for strangers.&nbsp; We =
carry=20
walking sticks but fighting off roaming Rots just is not a happy day of=20
birding."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"sings signs everywhere are signs =
messing up the=20
scenery breakin' my mind."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"One couple in Oregon got taken to =
court for=20
trespassing when they birded down a private lane."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"Just in our county, we have lost =
access to two key=20
areas recently because of abuse."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"I think that I would be able to talk =
my way out of=20
trouble if the owner caught me."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"I have admittedly gone on private =
property when it=20
seemed the farmhouse was a long way from my special subject or the stand =
of=20
trees would shield me from and I was in camo with less chance of being=20
observed."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"I take enough abuse from non-birders =
as it is,=20
without risking arrest or bodily harm."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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