Law on accessing a watershed lake.

[bigbeeducker]

Here is the deal. There is a watershed lake outside Tupelo city limits, we often put my boat in it just to run the mud motor. Noone has ever said anything to us about it. We went today and an old man came up and said we were running on his water and that he owned the water so we couldnt get on it. We were not on his land and he admitted that. He believes that he actually owns the water in the creek that leads down to the lake. I talked to several people who own houses on the lake and they said that it was most definately a public lake. Whos right? Does anyone know what the law says, and where i can find that law.

[Dutch Dog]

I am not sure where, but somewhere if it is a public lake there will be records of exactly where their boundaries are. You should be able to tell where you are running your motor vs where the lakes boundaries are on the map. A good place to start would be the local tax office. They should have aerial photos with landowners boundaries superimposed on it.

[Got Chocolate?]

we appreciate it dutch dog, me and the bigbeeducker will get on that today.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

Assuming it is a "watershed lake", then it is likely public, but access to the lake would have to be with the permission of a landowner owning land adjacent to the lake.

Question: Were you in the lake? Or in the feeder creek? The creek may not be public.

Like suggested above, a good place to start would be the tax assessor's office and the maps they have of the lake and surrounding landowners.

[Don Miller]

Don't worry bout it. Tell the old man to kiss your ass. A tresspass ticket is cheap.

[iron grip]

Don't worry bout it. Tell the old man to kiss your !@#. A tresspass ticket is cheap.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

Todd, if you plan to enter any type of profession after school, etc., then DO NOT listen to Don Miller. While perhaps "cheap" from a pocket book standpoint, a trespass ticket could hurt your future career ---although a misdemeanor, it is considered an intentional, wilful criminal act that can be a barrier toward entering a profession.

Now, if you have no future plans of the sort mentioned above, then there is a certain amount of truth and wisdom in the comments of ol Don .

[bigbeeducker]

Monkey, you know I try not to be gettin into no trouble. It turns out the old man is just a set in his ways dick. Just have to find somewhere else to run the thing.

[RedEyed Duck]

So we found out the old man is set in his ways. Did we find out that you were on his land or not? Just curious.

[Got Chocolate?]

we werent on his land. we were on county property.

[Don Miller]

Dynamite his mail box, that'll teach the old "illegitimate child" not to mess you boys!

[bigwater]

save me a stick of that there dynamite.. gotta hole over in the hills that the duk professor says.. "all i need is a stick of dynamotie"..


don,, isn't that the first rule of the ms duk hunters almanac..

rule #1 always carry at least one stick of dynamite with ya..
rule # 2 always carry $1,000 in cash on your being..

[cajun squealer]

---although a misdemeanor, it is considered an intentional, wilful criminal act that can be a barrier toward entering a profession.

...Unless you want to go to law school! Then you could list "courtroom experience" on your resume!

Max, you just gotta look at both sides of the coin!

[Po Monkey Lounger]

Cajun, thats pretty darn funny. But, for some reason, I don't think the State Bar would find the humor in it.

I have to be very careful for this reason. That is why I hunt with a bunch of outlaws ---I live vicariously wild and reckless through them.

[cajun squealer]

I have to be very careful for this reason. That is why I hunt with a bunch of outlaws ---I live vicariously wild and reckless through them.

You and me both, brother. You and me both.

The way I see it: At least when you're part of the "y'all" in "Hey, y'all. Watch this!", you've got a marginal chance of living to tell the story.