# Hunting Camps



## rrupe48 (Feb 10, 2008)

We are currently fighting with the county to keep our hunting camp.  They turned off (and locked) the water meter 4 days before the end of the season after telling us they would leave it on.  They have told us they want us gone.  This is in Quitman County.

One of the guys bought an acre four years ago and we put in septic service and ran electricity and county water to each trailer.  We drew permits from the county to do all the work.  We then put our trailers on the site and built roofs and decks for each one.  Since then they have passed a law in the county saying that hunting camps must be out of sight of the road (we are not) but will not grandfather us in.  When we put in the county water it was plainly marked on the permit that we would have one meter for the whole camp and now they are saying we need a meter for each trailer (at $800 per).  

I am wondering if others have had similar problems with their county and what they did about it.


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## hunter_58 (Feb 10, 2008)

You should be grandfathered in unless there was a law in place at the time prohibiting your camp. This is what happens when Govt. controls your water.


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## 60Grit (Feb 10, 2008)

Drill a well and tell the county to keep their meter.


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## bilgerat (Feb 10, 2008)

have a well drilled and dont worry about the county water


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## one_shot (Feb 10, 2008)

This is in Quitman County. I had a club there 20 years ago, then it was the poorest County in GA. Marion Co. is trying to do the same thing!


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## tharv (Feb 10, 2008)

Sounds like its starting.Ive heard that some countys were trying to pass a law were a camp would be taxed so much per camper in camp.Its just Sonnys way to get a little more from us.Its been 3to4 years since I heard this I tought it fell through.I bet the county is trying to find a way around it.If its your land you may have to put in a well.Man Im sorry to hear that.


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## rrupe48 (Feb 11, 2008)

We hired a lawyer and he has written some letters but I fear that he is part of the good ole boy network in the county that wants us gone.  Also we can't afford a bunch of litigation.  We were told it would cost about $800 to file an injunction against the county.  What they are trying to do is plainly illegal but that doesn't help us if we can't afford the legal fees to fight them.  I don't know if anyone in the club has researched what it would cost to drill a well yet.  We are still writing letters to the attorney general and the county officials.


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## gdaagent (Feb 11, 2008)

Ask around about the well. How many trailers would need a meter? At $800 per trailer, you may come out better pooling your money together and drilling one. Then you won't have to worry with paying a county water bill anymore. But be prepared for more issues from the county if they are trying to root you out. Next, it'll be a power meter for every trailer...if they haven't done that already.


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## Jake Allen (Feb 13, 2008)

Hypothetically speaking, would a pay by the night campground
be required to have a seperate water meter for each trailer hook-up?


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## rrupe48 (Feb 13, 2008)

Jake Allen said:


> Hypothetically speaking, would a pay by the night campground
> be required to have a seperate water meter for each trailer hook-up?



I don't know for sure.  There is an issue of whether we are a business or a residence.  Just found out today Pataula Electric is turning off the electricity this week due to pressure from the county commission.  However, Pataula is demanding a letter from the county with a list of whatever violations they are claiming.  I am sure it is to cover their butt when they turn us off.  The list is supposed to come in tomorrow.


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## Researcher31726 (Feb 15, 2008)

Rrupe,
Who have you talked with on the County Commission? Co Manager Larry Clark, or one of the Commissioners? Is it a local attorney that you're using?
Sue
researcher31726@yahoo.com


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## rrupe48 (Feb 15, 2008)

Researcher31726 said:


> Rrupe,
> Who have you talked with on the County Commission? Co Manager Larry Clark, or one of the Commissioners? Is it a local attorney that you're using?
> Sue
> researcher31726@yahoo.com



Our conversations have been with Larry Clark.  Tommy White, who I believe is with code enforcement has also been involved.  Yes, it is a local attorney, Henry Balcom.

One of the problems is that they keep telling us we are in violation of various laws but they won't put anything down on paper.  So we don't know what laws we are actually in violation of.

With the help of GON we sent them a demand letter (registered) on the 8th.  This gives them 10 days to respond with a written list of actual violations.  In response they contacted Pataula Electric on the 11th to get our electricity turned off.  A representative from Pataula Electric checked our camp and didn't find anything wrong.  They (PE) demanded a written list of code violations from the county before they would act.  The only violations I know of that are on the list are some external wiring on one of the units is not all in conduit and not external wire and they are claiming that our main box is overloaded.  We have a 200 amp service box but they are saying because we have 8 30 amp breakers (total of 240 amps) on it that we need to add another box.  Of course the fact that every home in the country (including Larry Clarks') would also need another box if one used this reasoning is immaterial I guess.


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## SHMELTON (Feb 15, 2008)

Down size the breakers in the panel, I am sure that you don't have an amp draw that high. Amperage on a panel is not figured the way you are doing it anyway, if all you are running is a few lighting circuts all you need is 20amp breakers.


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## Rich Kaminski (Feb 15, 2008)

*Yoy will win if you take them to court!*

You are grandfathered in...
The problem is that it is going to cost you money to win and you cannot obtain any damages from a government agency, and they know that. They are just hoping you don't fight it and go away.
Your best bet is to get a lot of hunters to attend a hearing by the mayor and councilmen of that town. Let everyone be very roudy and scare the crap out of them.
If that doesn't work and it should, think about just how far you want to take it and do ot let anyone know what you plan to do.
I am not a lawyer, but I have fought a corrupt group of city politicians before regarding a grandfather clause and won. They all know they will lose and they understand the law, but they are doing this for someone nearby who doesn't want to look at those campers.
Another option depending on the wording of the new ordinance would be to put up a 6 foot or 10 foot fence along the road, so they cannot see the campers and tell them to E?T S+*T.
I am not a lawyer and am not practicing law here. I am only relating what would more than likely work based on my past experience in winning a case like this.


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## rrupe48 (Feb 17, 2008)

Rich Kaminski said:


> You are grandfathered in...
> 
> .....but they are doing this for someone nearby who doesn't want to look at those campers.
> 
> Another option depending on the wording of the new ordinance would be to put up a 6 foot or 10 foot fence along the road, so they cannot see the campers and tell them to E?T S+*T.



That is what we suspect.  We have tried to be good neighbors to avoid this problem and most of our neighbors are friendly and don't seem to have a problem with us.

A fence is not an option due to the way the land lays.  They don't make fences that tall.


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## bucktrucker (Feb 17, 2008)

A well would not solve the problem of being seen from the road either. It would be a waste of money,you dig a well and they make you move you are out of all that money as well. And it seems to me if you fix what ever problems they say you have theres not a lot they can do.


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## NGaHunter (Feb 17, 2008)

What about Leyland Cypress trees alond the road?  They sure would make your camp not visable from the road


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## buckmanmike (Feb 19, 2008)

I can't understand why Quitman Co. is doing this. We hunt in Randolph Co. and there deer season adds a huge economic boost for the area. Maybe you could contact the BBB in area or some other economic organization that represents the local business community. If you get the businesses supporting you the commisioners will have a change of mind  Good luck.


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## epox (Feb 20, 2008)

I hunt in Quitman as well.  Businesses there may not be much help though as the bulk of their sales during deer season go for beer, cigarettes, gas and ice.  Most people either drive to Cuthbert or go across the river to Eufaula for groceries or hunting supplies or big ticket spend.


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## Russ Toole (Feb 20, 2008)

Drill a well and tell them to go buck themselves.


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## rrupe48 (Feb 21, 2008)

*Status Report*

Thought I would let all know the latest in our adventures with Quitman county.  The good folks at Georgia Outdoor Network are helping us.  We have sent registered demand letters to the county and to Pataula Electric asking about what specific laws we are breaking.  They are required by law to answer in 10 business days.  We have been told by the folks at GON that as soon as the case in Marion County is resolved (hopefully in May) they will file against Quitman County.  As one poster mentioned, I am sure they are aware they will lose in court but are hoping we will not fight it and just leave.  Another poster mentioned the BBB and using local businesses to support our cause.  As epox noted, there is very little except convenience stores and a restaurant in Quitman county.  While we do stop at those stores most of our money is probably spent in Eufaula or Cuthbert.  From the sounds of things I will be turkey hunting from my tent.  Which is better than not turkey hunting at all.


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