I'm curious to learn what many of you think about the DNR's practice of using a deer decoy placed along roadways to catch road and spotlight poachers.
I personally think it's a great idea as long as it's done in such a way that is safe for everyone. By that I mean the decoys shouldn't be placed anywhere that might put a house or other people using a recreational area in the line of fire.
Some people claim this is a form of entrapment and that cases brought to court should be dismissed. I find that defense quite ludicrous, as the DNR officers aren't forcing the poachers to do anything they normally wouldn't, they're simply upping their chances of being around when such a violation takes place.
Others will try and claim that since they actually shot a decoy and not a live deer, they didn't actually poach any deer.
In the 90's there was a county-level judge here in WI in Forest County, Verich was his name I believe, that refused to prosecute cases that the DNR brought to court that involved the decoy, and in following years the number of poaching from roads increased dramatically.
I am totally in favor of the DNR using decoys to catch poachers, and then prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law.
I had figured that most honest hunters would have shared my opinion, but in reading years and years of old (1990's) issues of D&DH magazine, I see that the opinions are pretty split. It will be interesting to see where the opinions are today.
If you have any first-hand experience or stories about these decoys, please feel free to share them.