Rancher charged for shooting copter bucket

[Moosenose]

"A Tonto Basin rancher who used a shotgun to defend his water supply from a firefighting helicopter last month now faces criminal charges."

"Clark Derrick, a Phoenix attorney assisting Conway's family, said the rancher had filed a claim with the U.S. Forest Service after firefighting aircraft used more than $2,000 worth of his water to battle a blaze last year. Derrick said the government never paid that claim, and Conway warned the Forest Service not to take more water from Greenback Ranch because he was concerned about the welfare of his cattle."


http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0703chopper03.html

[skyzics]

1. Sounds like a Bush supporter

Wonder how many acres of public land he grazes his cattle on at artificially low government rates?

Wonder how much the government has spent on any public allotments he may lease for range improvements, water development and predator control?

No telling how much wildlife has been killed and land poisoned by herbicides by such yahoos.

Oh, but he's a salt-o-the-earth, all-American cowboy defending his 'property rights 'and who provides us elitists with food, so he'll will no doubt just get a token little slap on the wrist. After all, cowboys will be cowboys..

[Lefty48197]

2. Mayba it was one them...

black hellycopters? Or maybe it was the Russians coming to take over?

[Moosenose]

3. or maybe...

it was somebody tired of people stealing his property and violating the Constitutional protections regarding compensation for taking property...

[solinvictus]

4. Imminent domain

comes to mind in this regard. Take a mortgage, buy a home, work for what you have, and let a government entity take it by fiat.

[Moosenose]

5. If they take your property...

they're constitutionally bound to compensate you for it. Apparently they refused to in this guy's case.

If they need the water for an emergency, fine. They should be able to take it. But at the same time, they should have a guy with a checkbook running around to pay for the seized property. Otherwise, it's just plain old theft.

[Muddleoftheroad]

6. I see your point

But by his actions over $2,000 he put lives in danger. He's a loon. There are courts to settle this matter.

[Moosenose]

7. whose life...

did he put in danger? He shot at (and hit) an unmanned bucket on the end of a long line. The article states that he didn't hit the helicopter.

and it's very possible that he couldn't afford a legal fight to get the government to do what they're supposed to.