kimtae
Jun 28th, 2005, 03:06 AM
Sorry for the long quote but I couldn't find a link that had the whole letter so I had to copy and paste from asiafinest.com's Hmong forum.Chai Vang's account of shootings
June 10, 2005 VANG0610.LETTER
Editor's note: Chai Vang's account of his encounter with a group of hunters in the woods of northern Wisconsin was recorded in this handwritten letter sent to a Chicago Tribune reporter.
3-8-05
Hunt trip
On Saturday November 20, After I get out work about 1:30 A.M. I got home about 2:00 A.M. I wait my friends Xiong Her to pick me up and wait for Thai Thao, his son Kai Thao and Gorthas from MPLS to Arrive at my house. They all arrived about 2:30 A.M. then we left my house to go hunt near Baldwin, WI. at U-S. Hway 63 and U.S. Hwy 40 met together. We take I-94 to exit 19 on U-S Hwy. 63 N. go aprox. 10 miles to where we hunt that morning. We get there about 3:30 A.M. we seat in a car till 5:00 A.M. then go to our tree stand. We hunt there until 12:00 p.m., but we didn't see anything. So we decided to go hunt near Ladysmith where this incident occur. We left about 1:00 pm and get there around 2-2:30 pm. We take Hwy 40 N. to Hwy 8 East than Hwy 40 E. again to County Rd H N. to Reichael Rd East to taylor R. North to I-94 Trail Dirt Rd North to End of Road. We camp with a group of Hmong in WI. Including my son with them on N. side aprox. 200 yard to death end of I-94 trail Rd. When we go there about 2:00-2:30 pm Saturday. we went hunt about 2 hrs on N. Side of I-94 trail about 1/2 miles [Kodiak?], then we didn't see anythings so we came back to camp to stay with the Hmong Milwaukee Group. We decide to go to Ladysmith because there's more forest and public & more deer in that area. I have hunt there in 2000-2002. I hunt with semi automatic because its easy to shoot the deer when they start moving and quicker to shoot if you miss it first time. When we left my house I ride with Xiong Her and Thai Thao his son with Gorthas in Thai car and also to Ladysmith. We talk about if we don't get any deer this time then we will come back to hunt during the doe season and scope the place very well when we hunt this time. We spend Saturday night social with the Milwaukee Group and talk about where they hunt on Saturday so we can have a better idea to hunt on Sunday. I felt very tired on Saturday night, because I've not sleep all day on Saturday. So after they cook dinner about 9:00 p.m. I ate and drink one Beer that they have, then went to sleep about 10:30 p.m. in the car with Xiong Her. On Sunday morning just before that woke me up about 5:00 AM I have a dream: that we're soldier in the jungle of Laos and I encounter with several Vietnam soldier in the wood. We shot each others so -- I shot most of them and some escape to get help, then later I ran into a Lake, there I was surround by Vietnam soldier Tank and Armor so they take me as a prisoner. Then Thai woke me up. I almost didn't want to go hunt that day, because I never have that kind of dream in my life, but I thought that it's just Another bad dream. So we walk to the End of I-94 trail then Thai-Thoa his son and Xiong Her take the North ATV trail go down the hill so me and son Thao take the ATV Trail go N. East down the hill to the other side of the hill. When we get to the bottom half of the next hill, I left son Thao there and I continue to walk another 10 Minutes along the hill side on ATV Trail. I then walk to the wood west of ATV Trail about 300 yards looking down to the Ridge slop. We walk about 30 minutes to where me and son split up. I sat there until daylight come out, then I saw one doe standing down the slop about 150 yards away. So I shot one time and miss it so the deer start walking North So I shot another 4 times, but miss also then the deer continue to ran on hillside I follow the deer about 1 mile. The deer continue ran North to N. east to the next hill. When I caught up with the deer about 100 yards away on next hill but I'm unable to get a clear shot so the deer run downhill west to another flat lower level. I then caught up with the deer Again about 100 yrds away, but Aprox. 30 yards to the North I saw 2 orange hunter sleep and facing West so I didn't shoot the deer. So the deer ran west to a thick bush. At that time I wasn't sure where I'm at. I know I'm somewhere North of I-94 trail 1? miles from Camp. So I went to talk to that 2 hunters. They were white and get me some direction to go south west, because they weren't sure where we exactly camp at. I continue to walk south west about ? mile until I come to see a tree stand about 50 yards away to west where I standing. I'm facing south at this time. I sat there about one hrs, but didn't see anybody and there's no sign of private property anywhere or fences. So I thought that I'm still in public land, because in Minneosot, we can built tree stand in public land and if nobody there, you can climb to it and wait for deer. So I thought that maybe someone just built the tree stand in public land. That's why I decided to walk to the tree stand and climb on to the stand for a while. I think it was between 11:00-12 pm. I sat on the tree stand about 15 minutes than I saw a man with a Rifle coming from the East next to swamp on a ATV Trail about 125 yards south east of the tree stand. I saw him using a walkie talkie to someone, but I can't hear what he's saying. Then about five minutes later he continue to walk toward me. When he was about 10-15 yard away he ask me what group I belong to so I said my group where somewhere south of here. Then he told me I'm in private land and I shouldn't be in somebody else tree stand. I told him that I'm sorry and didn't know that this's are private property, because I didn't see any fence or sign post anywhere. I then climb down from the stand and walk south east toward public land where he was coming from. I also ask him where is the property line? He told me about 100 yards east here where he came from. When I start walk east I heard him call to someone, but can't hear exactly what he's saying. I can hear people start ATV west about 1/2 miles away, but I continue to walk south east to the ATV trail where they come to stop in front of me about 3 feet away. One ATV is on my right and the other is slightly on my left. There were 3 men on the ATV and 1 on the other. The people on the ATV on right get out from the ATV and two of them come in front of me about 2 feets away. One is in his 40 and the other is in his 20. The one in his 40s where yelling at me "were you on my son tree stand?!! I said yes, I'm sorry I didn't know that was your stand. Then he ask me again. Did you know you were on a 400 acres of private property dam g@@k? I said no. I didn't see any sign post anywhere. He said I don't care, I don't have to put a sign on you [expletive] chinese. He said, I want your [expletive] license. I said no, I don't have to get you anything. He said I'm sick of your [expletive] Asian coming to my land. If you all keep coming to my land, I will kick your [expletive] Asian @$$. I start to walk to my left and start walking south. The young man on his 20's walk in front me and tell me where the hell you think you're going dam g@@k? And 2 others men on the others ATV get out of the ATV in front of me stand behind the young man. I hear they said something with Asian behind him. But I could['nt] hear exactly because he was blocking me. I told him excuse me, I got to go so I go around him on his right to south. Than the man on his 40's tell me to follow the ATV trail and [several illegible words] and never come back again and said matter of fact writing his [expletive]license tag on his back down. I will turn in to the DNR so that that will teach him a lesson. He than came behind me and flip my license tag. At this time the man that confront me come to the ATV so he start write my license # down. As I continue to walk another 20 feet I turn around and the 20's yrs old man follow behind me to the back of the ATV and said to me that I saw you get me the finger. I said no I didn't said anything. I continue to walk another 10 feet. I turn around back and saw the first man that confront me walk in front of the ATV and pull his rifle off his shoulder to his hand and some of the group turn their ATV around face me while some still by the ATV look at me. I continue to walk another aprox 10 feet I look back and saw the man with the rifle that first confront me point his rifle to me so I drop down to a crouch and I hear a fire shot. Then I took off my rifle scope and fire two shot at him. He drop to his right side on the ground. The rest of the group scramble for something at the ATV. So I shot them at the ATV and ran toward them, because I thought that they will get something or gun to shoot me. Some felt to the ground and two take off runing north. When I get to the ATV I shot several time too than chasing those two runing. One take of east on ATV trail. I shot twice he felt to the ground. The other run west north to the cabin yielding help me. I shot several time behind him and chase him near than shot one more. He felt to the ground so I hear someone call to other at the original scense. So I ran back and reload my magazine. When I got close to them another ATV coming and each of them have gun on their should. I duct into a prome position about 10 feet from ATV trail. They went by me and less than a minutes, they come back to the cabin. I switch my orange coat to camaflag color and start run. Than another ATV coming past me and stop about 10 feet in front of me. HE than start take his rifle of from his left shoulder. So I shot several time. They felt to the ground. I ran back to the original scense and one one still sit on the ground next to the ATV. I said you're not dead yet? And shot one time in his diretion. I saw he grab a gun and hide behind a small pile of dirt but I [several illegible words] body on ground still moving. I then started joging away south of the ATV trail. I look back several before ran into the wood. The last time I look back his just got off from the ground look at me so I ran into the wood. Later I throw my bullet into the swamp and later that day turn my self in to DNR. After ran into wood. I though to myself and said sorry to my wife and family that I have done something to defend my self and my race, but I'm will disappoint them, that I may or maybe able to be with them again. Right now I feel that and wish I wouldn't going hunt at WI and go hunt at my property at north MN. I went to hunt in WI because I got a buck 9 pts during bow season. So I couldn't shoot anymore so I decide to go to WI.
My life in jail here is long days/nights. It since like live in a bad dream only, and worry about my wife and family all the time. I feel that this incident is happen because people are not able to treated others with respect like they want to be treated and hatred toward other people or race. [several illegible words] I'm proud of who I'm, my race and all the people live in this country. Some of us Hmong people get lost in the other property. Is not because we didn't respect their land. Some of us are new to the area or got lost. So into other property are everybody including Caucasion as well not just minority only. We didn't hunt anywhere we felt like it. The question is "Are you doing enough to protect your property or family"? For example if you don't put a fence in your front yard and your kids play outside with a ball and the ball run in the street. Your kids was run over by a car and you blame the drive for not careful or bad driver. It's your false that you need to do to protect your property or family, not to one that cause the incident.
June 10, 2005 VANG0610.LETTER
Editor's note: Chai Vang's account of his encounter with a group of hunters in the woods of northern Wisconsin was recorded in this handwritten letter sent to a Chicago Tribune reporter.
3-8-05
Hunt trip
On Saturday November 20, After I get out work about 1:30 A.M. I got home about 2:00 A.M. I wait my friends Xiong Her to pick me up and wait for Thai Thao, his son Kai Thao and Gorthas from MPLS to Arrive at my house. They all arrived about 2:30 A.M. then we left my house to go hunt near Baldwin, WI. at U-S. Hway 63 and U.S. Hwy 40 met together. We take I-94 to exit 19 on U-S Hwy. 63 N. go aprox. 10 miles to where we hunt that morning. We get there about 3:30 A.M. we seat in a car till 5:00 A.M. then go to our tree stand. We hunt there until 12:00 p.m., but we didn't see anything. So we decided to go hunt near Ladysmith where this incident occur. We left about 1:00 pm and get there around 2-2:30 pm. We take Hwy 40 N. to Hwy 8 East than Hwy 40 E. again to County Rd H N. to Reichael Rd East to taylor R. North to I-94 Trail Dirt Rd North to End of Road. We camp with a group of Hmong in WI. Including my son with them on N. side aprox. 200 yard to death end of I-94 trail Rd. When we go there about 2:00-2:30 pm Saturday. we went hunt about 2 hrs on N. Side of I-94 trail about 1/2 miles [Kodiak?], then we didn't see anythings so we came back to camp to stay with the Hmong Milwaukee Group. We decide to go to Ladysmith because there's more forest and public & more deer in that area. I have hunt there in 2000-2002. I hunt with semi automatic because its easy to shoot the deer when they start moving and quicker to shoot if you miss it first time. When we left my house I ride with Xiong Her and Thai Thao his son with Gorthas in Thai car and also to Ladysmith. We talk about if we don't get any deer this time then we will come back to hunt during the doe season and scope the place very well when we hunt this time. We spend Saturday night social with the Milwaukee Group and talk about where they hunt on Saturday so we can have a better idea to hunt on Sunday. I felt very tired on Saturday night, because I've not sleep all day on Saturday. So after they cook dinner about 9:00 p.m. I ate and drink one Beer that they have, then went to sleep about 10:30 p.m. in the car with Xiong Her. On Sunday morning just before that woke me up about 5:00 AM I have a dream: that we're soldier in the jungle of Laos and I encounter with several Vietnam soldier in the wood. We shot each others so -- I shot most of them and some escape to get help, then later I ran into a Lake, there I was surround by Vietnam soldier Tank and Armor so they take me as a prisoner. Then Thai woke me up. I almost didn't want to go hunt that day, because I never have that kind of dream in my life, but I thought that it's just Another bad dream. So we walk to the End of I-94 trail then Thai-Thoa his son and Xiong Her take the North ATV trail go down the hill so me and son Thao take the ATV Trail go N. East down the hill to the other side of the hill. When we get to the bottom half of the next hill, I left son Thao there and I continue to walk another 10 Minutes along the hill side on ATV Trail. I then walk to the wood west of ATV Trail about 300 yards looking down to the Ridge slop. We walk about 30 minutes to where me and son split up. I sat there until daylight come out, then I saw one doe standing down the slop about 150 yards away. So I shot one time and miss it so the deer start walking North So I shot another 4 times, but miss also then the deer continue to ran on hillside I follow the deer about 1 mile. The deer continue ran North to N. east to the next hill. When I caught up with the deer about 100 yards away on next hill but I'm unable to get a clear shot so the deer run downhill west to another flat lower level. I then caught up with the deer Again about 100 yrds away, but Aprox. 30 yards to the North I saw 2 orange hunter sleep and facing West so I didn't shoot the deer. So the deer ran west to a thick bush. At that time I wasn't sure where I'm at. I know I'm somewhere North of I-94 trail 1? miles from Camp. So I went to talk to that 2 hunters. They were white and get me some direction to go south west, because they weren't sure where we exactly camp at. I continue to walk south west about ? mile until I come to see a tree stand about 50 yards away to west where I standing. I'm facing south at this time. I sat there about one hrs, but didn't see anybody and there's no sign of private property anywhere or fences. So I thought that I'm still in public land, because in Minneosot, we can built tree stand in public land and if nobody there, you can climb to it and wait for deer. So I thought that maybe someone just built the tree stand in public land. That's why I decided to walk to the tree stand and climb on to the stand for a while. I think it was between 11:00-12 pm. I sat on the tree stand about 15 minutes than I saw a man with a Rifle coming from the East next to swamp on a ATV Trail about 125 yards south east of the tree stand. I saw him using a walkie talkie to someone, but I can't hear what he's saying. Then about five minutes later he continue to walk toward me. When he was about 10-15 yard away he ask me what group I belong to so I said my group where somewhere south of here. Then he told me I'm in private land and I shouldn't be in somebody else tree stand. I told him that I'm sorry and didn't know that this's are private property, because I didn't see any fence or sign post anywhere. I then climb down from the stand and walk south east toward public land where he was coming from. I also ask him where is the property line? He told me about 100 yards east here where he came from. When I start walk east I heard him call to someone, but can't hear exactly what he's saying. I can hear people start ATV west about 1/2 miles away, but I continue to walk south east to the ATV trail where they come to stop in front of me about 3 feet away. One ATV is on my right and the other is slightly on my left. There were 3 men on the ATV and 1 on the other. The people on the ATV on right get out from the ATV and two of them come in front of me about 2 feets away. One is in his 40 and the other is in his 20. The one in his 40s where yelling at me "were you on my son tree stand?!! I said yes, I'm sorry I didn't know that was your stand. Then he ask me again. Did you know you were on a 400 acres of private property dam g@@k? I said no. I didn't see any sign post anywhere. He said I don't care, I don't have to put a sign on you [expletive] chinese. He said, I want your [expletive] license. I said no, I don't have to get you anything. He said I'm sick of your [expletive] Asian coming to my land. If you all keep coming to my land, I will kick your [expletive] Asian @$$. I start to walk to my left and start walking south. The young man on his 20's walk in front me and tell me where the hell you think you're going dam g@@k? And 2 others men on the others ATV get out of the ATV in front of me stand behind the young man. I hear they said something with Asian behind him. But I could['nt] hear exactly because he was blocking me. I told him excuse me, I got to go so I go around him on his right to south. Than the man on his 40's tell me to follow the ATV trail and [several illegible words] and never come back again and said matter of fact writing his [expletive]license tag on his back down. I will turn in to the DNR so that that will teach him a lesson. He than came behind me and flip my license tag. At this time the man that confront me come to the ATV so he start write my license # down. As I continue to walk another 20 feet I turn around and the 20's yrs old man follow behind me to the back of the ATV and said to me that I saw you get me the finger. I said no I didn't said anything. I continue to walk another 10 feet. I turn around back and saw the first man that confront me walk in front of the ATV and pull his rifle off his shoulder to his hand and some of the group turn their ATV around face me while some still by the ATV look at me. I continue to walk another aprox 10 feet I look back and saw the man with the rifle that first confront me point his rifle to me so I drop down to a crouch and I hear a fire shot. Then I took off my rifle scope and fire two shot at him. He drop to his right side on the ground. The rest of the group scramble for something at the ATV. So I shot them at the ATV and ran toward them, because I thought that they will get something or gun to shoot me. Some felt to the ground and two take off runing north. When I get to the ATV I shot several time too than chasing those two runing. One take of east on ATV trail. I shot twice he felt to the ground. The other run west north to the cabin yielding help me. I shot several time behind him and chase him near than shot one more. He felt to the ground so I hear someone call to other at the original scense. So I ran back and reload my magazine. When I got close to them another ATV coming and each of them have gun on their should. I duct into a prome position about 10 feet from ATV trail. They went by me and less than a minutes, they come back to the cabin. I switch my orange coat to camaflag color and start run. Than another ATV coming past me and stop about 10 feet in front of me. HE than start take his rifle of from his left shoulder. So I shot several time. They felt to the ground. I ran back to the original scense and one one still sit on the ground next to the ATV. I said you're not dead yet? And shot one time in his diretion. I saw he grab a gun and hide behind a small pile of dirt but I [several illegible words] body on ground still moving. I then started joging away south of the ATV trail. I look back several before ran into the wood. The last time I look back his just got off from the ground look at me so I ran into the wood. Later I throw my bullet into the swamp and later that day turn my self in to DNR. After ran into wood. I though to myself and said sorry to my wife and family that I have done something to defend my self and my race, but I'm will disappoint them, that I may or maybe able to be with them again. Right now I feel that and wish I wouldn't going hunt at WI and go hunt at my property at north MN. I went to hunt in WI because I got a buck 9 pts during bow season. So I couldn't shoot anymore so I decide to go to WI.
My life in jail here is long days/nights. It since like live in a bad dream only, and worry about my wife and family all the time. I feel that this incident is happen because people are not able to treated others with respect like they want to be treated and hatred toward other people or race. [several illegible words] I'm proud of who I'm, my race and all the people live in this country. Some of us Hmong people get lost in the other property. Is not because we didn't respect their land. Some of us are new to the area or got lost. So into other property are everybody including Caucasion as well not just minority only. We didn't hunt anywhere we felt like it. The question is "Are you doing enough to protect your property or family"? For example if you don't put a fence in your front yard and your kids play outside with a ball and the ball run in the street. Your kids was run over by a car and you blame the drive for not careful or bad driver. It's your false that you need to do to protect your property or family, not to one that cause the incident.