Holly: Has anyone contacted the guy's family or the Veteran's Administration to get him the help that he needs? In addition to being a menace to anyone, let alone birders, who happens to drive along the road in front of his property, the guy is a menace to himself. One of these day when that fellow does his confronting he may run into a non-birder or birder who may fight back and result in one or both people getting hurt. Other than birders not travelling on Stickney Rd, the simplest solution seems for folks who get threatened to file a complaint with the St. Louis County Sheriff's Department. Perhaps people who have had run-ins with the guy should go to http://www.stlouiscountymn.gov/GOVERNMENT/DepartmentsAgencies/Sheriff.aspx to express their concerns. If they do so, they should be as polite and courteous as possible when expressing their complaints or concerns about the guy.
Hope this helps. Steve Stevan Hawkins San Antonio TX -----Original Message----- From: Minnesota Birds [mailto:MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU] On Behalf Of Holly Peirson Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 11:57 AM To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU Subject: Re: [mou-net] Threats against birders in Sax-Zim Bog Hi Birders: I've been to the bog many times, know the area, and have seen this residence, but not lately. Can anyone say how much frontage this person has on the road? When are you "safe" to stop nearby? It may also be nice for those who have been there recently to write some landmarks to watch for (coming from each direction) while birding this immediate area, so people know when they are getting close and can coast on by. On the other hand, unless there is a staked-out boreal chickadee or the like, this land is just like ALL the rest of the bog, so there should BE NO reason to need to stop and aggravate this person... Right?! Holly Peirson Columbus, Anoka Co. -----Original Message----- From: Minnesota Birds [mailto:MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU] On Behalf Of Erika Sitz Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 5:17 PM To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU Subject: Re: [mou-net] Threats against birders in Sax-Zim Bog This is at the north end of Stickney, but I believe it's just south of the Sax Road/CR-28, not Arkola. Erika Sitz Ramsey, north Anoka County -----Original Message----- From: Minnesota Birds [mailto:MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU] On Behalf Of sparky stensaas Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 4:33 PM To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU Subject: [mou-net] Threats against birders in Sax-Zim Bog I just received a phone call from Hartley Nature Center in Duluth that a resident of the Sax-Zim Bog was quite irate that birders are stopping on the road in front of his place. He demanded to know who was in charge of birders going to Sax-Zim area. He was very threatening in his statements....And was very strange on the phone...and swearing. As most regular Sax-Zim birders know, this is the "Sniper of Stickney Road"...the man who lives in the house on the west side of Stickney (CR207) just south of CR52 (Arkola Rd). He has spray painted his garage with the words "Trespassers You will be Violated...U.S Marine Sniper Retired ...Danger Combat Marine" I URGE ALL BIRDERS NOT TO STOP ALONG THE NORTH END OF STICKNEY ROAD (CR207)....EVER. I know this is a public road, but this guy is trouble (and probably troubled). I am especially concerned because of the in-progress PHOTOTHON and this weekend's BRRRRDATHON. THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY SHERIFF HAS BEEN ALERTED. I've only had one experience with this gentleman. I was in my DNR truck and he stopped me to complain that someone was putting gypsy moth traps on his land. I said I would look into it and then he was fine...even chatting about owls for a minute. This leads me to believe that there is mental illness involved (paranoid schizophrenia?) Anyway the bottom line is to STAY CLEAR OF THE NORTH END OF STICKNEY...AND DON'T AGGRAVATE THE SITUATION BY STOPPING ALONG "HIS STRETCH OF ROAD" OR ARGUING WITH HIM. Thanks! Sparky Stensaas 2515 Garthus Road Wrenshall, MN 55797 218.341.3350 cell sparkystens...@hotmail.com www.SaxZim.org ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html