Melissa and I live at and co-manage SHO Farm -- a 1300 acre wildlife preserve and duck sanctuary.  

It's also a regenerative vegan agroforestry farm, researching and demontrating ethical land stewardship practices.  Intentional killing of any animal on SHO Farm - wild or domestic - is forbidden.  Life is revered and protected on the landscape.

Yesterday, a lost bear hound found its way onto SHO Farm, and into the farmstead where the duck flock was enjoying time in the orchard.  Met with trespass by the dog's owner, a bear hunter who uses hounds to chase and tree the animals, including cubs, and his lost dog, we spent over 3 hours dealing with the issue.  A game warden was called in to remove the dog from the property, and address our concerns and issues with the dog owner.

This is not the first time this has happened at SHO.  We're certain it isn't the last.

What are we to do? What are our rights?  We know this happens throughout Vermont, all year long -- hunters and trappers trespassing on private land, running hounds, setting traps, terrorizing wildlife, violating the rights of other landowners, in some instances threatening and frightening landowners, damaging private property.  

How do we put an end to this?  Click on the article below to learn more.