By Roger Lanse

On Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, at about 11:11 a.m., in reference to an aggravated assault call, Grant County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to 317 Shrine Mine Road in the Oak Grove Subdivision. The caller advised that people were cutting wood illegally and shooting guns on forest property next to his property.

According to an offense report, deputies made contact with two males cutting firewood on forest land; a 30-year-old from Wibaux, Montana and a 42-year-old from Ruidoso, New Mexico, who advised they were cutting wood "just minding their own business." The report stated the two males said they heard some gunshots but didn't think too much about it until they heard more shots and could see bullets hitting around them, as close as three-four feet away from them.

The report said the two males stated they fired one shot into the ground and yelled at the house up the hill where the shots seemed to be coming from so the shooting would stop.

Deputies made contact with a 73-year-old male at the house who seemed "very aggravated" that deputies were at his house and not down with the two who were cutting wood. According to the report, the deputies could smell the odor of alcohol from the person of the 73-year-old. This person advised that the two woodcutters were cutting close to his house just to harass him. When asked if he had been shooting today, the 73-year-old only looked at the deputy and refused to answer. He was told it was a simple "yes" or "no" question, but he still refused to answer. He was advised he could be facing criminal charges if he did shoot at the people cutting firewood. Deputies cleared the residence and returned to the woodcutters.

The two woodcutters stated they did not want to file any charges on anybody at this time.

A U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer contacted by deputies advised that "everything seemed okay with the woodcutting." Deputies cleared the area.