Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Firewood theft

Between Christmas and New Years I was doing a neighbor's farm chores while he and his wife were on vacation and one evening at dusk, I was backing his tractor into a shed and I noticed headlights that looked to be out in one of my pastures down the valley.

The next day I investigated and found tire tracks in the snow that lead down to a pile of firewood. Someone had came in an out of the pasture at least twice. Clearly, a bunch of firewood was missing from the pile and there was an old, red handkerchief tacked to a stick of wood with a note inside.

"I will pay you back when I can." WTF.

Talked the situation over with my wife and we decided not to contact LE and just let some of the neighbors know what happened and ask that they be on the look out.

A young guy showed up at the place this morning wanting to work off what I thought was fair for the two pickup loads of firewood he took. WTF.

At least he owned up to it and offered. Must have been desperate. You are luckier than most. He should have asked first but.......

At least he wants to make it right - would have been better to ask FIRST, though!

Mark

I'm thinking that it might have been cheaper if he had asked first and that you are fully justified in working his tail off. If he makes good on his promise, tell him next time to come during the summer and you will talk with him about what he can do to earn some firewood. Might have a chance to make a difference in this young guys life and keep someone from shooting him later on.

I admire him for coming forward, and think he needs to be commended for doing so. He should do some of the chores that need to be done for the pay back and told to come an ask the next time he finds himself in such a predicament, because stealing will not be tolerated again.

Tim

I would keep the law out of it, and yes he would work it off in spades. Did he offer up why he did it?

Can u post a map to that firewood pile?

I need some.

A fair price would be to cut and split three truck loads of firewood.

When your hungry enough or cold enough I guess you'll do what you have to do to survive. At least he was man enough to come back....

Still not a very wise thing to do.

He gave an explanation to what motivated him to steal the firewood. If it is true, I could see why he was desperate. His young wife died in a car accident just three weeks after he got out of the army, leaving him with two kids under the age of five. Couldn't find a job, medical bills took all their savings, forced air furnace broke down and could not afford a replacement, but someone gave him an old wood stove. He needed firewood immediately, but no money to buy any.

This guy was in a streak of bad luck. My wife wanted to adopt the whole bunch.

For me what saved his arse was he addressed me as "Sir" and my wife "Maam." Was X military and had a Bush/Cheney bumper sticker on his old pickup.

I am not going take his dignity... I am putting him to work tomorrow and let him decide what his time is worth to work off two pickup loads of firewood.

If his story is true, and he shows up tomorrow, id say you;ve got a man of quite solid character on your hands.

No map, there Moses, but you could try Google Earth. Hint - Wisconsin

Good man Roundoak!

Maybe take him and his kids under your wing and soon enough you will find out if the story is true or not....If true you just might have found a friend that will have your back anytime.

Thats worth a couple of truck loads of wood anyday.

I would put him to work too. Dumb move to steal it in the first place but it shows his true character to show up and own it

Hopefully there are brighter days ahead for him and his kids

Also, what is the dollar value of the wood he took? Any way to confirm his story?

Yeah, tough to fault a guy in that kinda position trying to take care of his family... Tough position to be in, and can't imagine anyone thinking that the owner of firewood would have given him the firewood up front (nothing against you sir) - so I'm sure he did what he thought was his only option.

If true, I'd probably be ready to adopt 'em myself. He could very easily have not left the note or showed his face to own up to it. I'd take him up on helping out to work it off, but I wouldn't take more than a fair amount of labor.

might be a new hunting buddy. sure seems like a good dude, even if he made a bad choice.

I just hope he didn't move it more than 50 miles.

Spy.

Value? Depends on how much of a load he put on his F-150 with standard 8' box. I always figure a 8' box stacked up right at the top of the box sides is 5/8 of a cord. Oak, hickory or elm would be worth about 75-$80 if picked up. Delivery is more.

My wife is networking to check his story out.