HOA Karen Reported Me for Hunting on My Own Land — The Wildlife Officers Asked Her to Leave
Chapter 3
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"He will not cooperate," she said. "I already told him the board can make this very difficult." There was a pause, and then she added, "If the wildlife officers come out, they will believe me before they believe him."Patricia immediately stepped toward the phone in Officer Brooks's hand. "That is a private conversation," she said. "You cannot use that."Officer Carter calmly explained that the recording came from a camera installed on my own property and that the officers needed to determine whether it was relevant to the complaint.Patricia turned toward me with an angry expression. "You have been watching me?" she asked.I told her the cameras were pointed at the gate and fence line, not at her home. They activated whenever someone entered the property or approached the entrance. I had never searched for recordings of her before that morning; she was the one who had crossed the boundary and appeared in the footage.Officer Brooks continued playing the clip.Patricia told the person on the phone that I had refused to acknowledge the authority of the HOA. She said I was creating a dangerous example for other homeowners and that the board needed to send a message before more residents ignored the rules. Then she mentioned my property deed. "He keeps waving that paper around," she said. "He thinks a county document matters more than the community."The recording ended with Patricia walking past the private property sign and approaching me near the field. I remember that moment clearly. She had not asked whether I was following the law; she had simply told me to put my equipment away and leave the area.When I asked Officer Brooks whether the recording changed anything, he said it helped establish the sequence of events, but they still needed to verify every detail. That was exactly what I wanted. I had no interest in winning an argument through emotion; I wanted the facts checked properly.Officer Carter asked me to show her the location where I had been standing. We walked along the fence line while Officer Brooks remained with Patricia near the gate. I pointed out the marked boundary, the safe direction of the designated area, and the distance to the nearest home. The nearest residence was more than 400 yards away, beyond a wooded strip and a large open field.Officer Carter used a handheld device to confirm the distance and compare it with the state regulations. Everything matched. My license was valid. My property documents were valid. The activity was taking place during the legal season, and I had followed the required safety rules.When we returned to the gate, Patricia was speaking rapidly to Officer Brooks. She claimed the officers were misunderstanding the situation and that the HOA president would confirm her authority.Officer Brooks asked for the president's name. Patricia gave him the name of Mark Ellis, then immediately called him. Mark answered, listened for a few seconds, and said something that made Patricia's expression change. She ended the call and stared at the ground.Officer Carter noticed. "What did he tell you?" she asked.Patricia did not answer. Instead, she reached into her vehicle and pulled out another folder, one that contained a document she claimed proved the HOA controlled my land.