SuperKirby

Poaching, yes, I would turn someone in. Don't think I care who.

When it comes to splitting hairs, I don't know. Example - the law for shooting times is a half hour before sunrise and half hour after. I was always told that basically if you could see the sights well enough to know for sure what you were shooting at, then it was light enough. If there was question as to whether or not you could clearly see the sights or the target, it was too dark. I have found this to generally be a pretty accurate gauge of time. I passed on a deer last year because I decided it was just too dark.
On the other hand I know people that look up the posted time of sunrise/sunset for that day and figure 30 minutes from that and will not shoot a minute too early or a minute later.
I guess for me if it violates either a major safety rule I'm not ok with it. If it gives an unfair advantage I'm not ok with it.
Do you drive 3 or 5 mph over the speed limit? If you catch yourself doing it do you go ask for a ticket? Where's the line? Just something to think about.

cayugad

The surgery went fine. All clear. But I have to go back Monday for more tests and probably a little more probing in places I really don't like probed if you know what I mean. What makes me really mad is they have not cleared me to shoot. They better have answers soon.

flags

I'm pretty careful to make sure I know exactly what the law allows in whichever state I happen to be hunting in. To that end I haven't ever intentionally broken a law. However I did accidently once. Happened like this:

My Father and I were hunting on a ranch in eastern CO that belonged to an old family friend. This particular ranch had some really good whitetails on it and I was looking for a good buck. I passed an some small ones the first day and about 10 in the morning on the second day I saw what looked like a good buck bedded in the sagebrush at about 150 yards. I shot him in the middle of the throat patch.

When I walked up to him I was surprised to find he was just an average 7 pt because he looked bigger. I set my rifle against a sagebrush and that's when I saw the 2nd buck, a decent 6 pt. He was laying directly behind and a little below the first buck. He also had a bullet hole under his left eye. What I think happened was that the antlers on the bucks lined up close enough to look like one good rack.

We knew the local game warden and when I called him he asked how many tags we had and when I told him both dad and I had tags he said just tag the bucks and take them home. So even though I killed both bucks, which was a violation of CO law, it wasn't intentional, we had tags for both deer and the game warden was notified. I don't know that we could have done anything different but I still feel a little bad about it.

Josmund

+1 on what Muley said. It would the last time we were together in the Field or elsewhere. I probably would turn him in as an ex-friend if I learned of a repeat offense.

Rogo

6 Years ago my nephew took a shot with his bow at a large deer with very long thick antlers. After tracking the deer we found it and it turned out to be an old deer that could only grow main beams. This made it a spike horn which are illegal here in Vermont. Doing the right thing he called the Warden who promptly wrote him a citation. Warden was a real jerk. My nephew was fined, had to take a course and lost his hunting license for four years. So my answer is no, if it was accidental! On the other hand, if I see someone doing something really on purpose I would turn him in, in a heartbeat.

oldsmellhound

I have called the game warden on our neighbors for poaching and illegal dumping of carcasses. Years ago our neighbors used to poach large numbers of deer, would process the deer and then dump the carcasses/hides/bones down a highwall into a gulley that is within 50 yards of our land. It stunk up the place, pissed us off, and drew in legions of coyotes. We ended up having to call the game warden multiple times before the problems was taken care of. (these were people I did not know)

Our hunting land borders a large amount of leased hunting land. We have signs posted, and rarely have a problem with trespassers. One year though, I ran into a hunter that was hunting on our land (probably just 50 yards on our side). I talked with him and nicely explained that he was on private property and explained where the boundary lines were. He was very nice and apologetic- claimed that he was new to that lease and didn't see any posted signs (which based on where he was at the time, could easily have been true). He seemed like he was telling the truth, so I didn't make a big deal about it and just pointed him back in the direction of his hunting lease.

I have hunted with guys that may try and bend some hunting rules. The equivalent of going 60 mph in a 55 zone. For example, for years the hunting rules have stated that cell phones are okay for use during hunting, as long as they are not used to aid in taking a deer. Well, that leaves a lot up to interpretation- some of the guys I hunt with bend that rule pretty severely.

I would not turn in a friend who was hunting and broke a law. If he made an honest mistake, then I would let him decide how he feels he should handle the situation. None of the people I hunt with would out-and-out poach. If they would be the kind of person to blatantly poach, then they wouldn't be my friend or my hunting partner.

If I made an honest mistake while hunting that broke a rule/law, I'm not sure what I would do. It probably would depend on the situation. For example, if no harm was done and the mistake was an honest one and very minor, I probably wouldn't turn myself in, but I wouldn't try and hide it if I was caught- I would just explain what happened to the game warden, apologize for my mistake and hope they go easy on me.

DJfan

I have to agree with the majority here. Intent is everything. I was on a youth hunt a few years back, when one of the youngsters took a shot at a cow elk that had not seperated from the herd enough. He ended up hitting the spike bull behind her. His two front shoulders being shattered, his dad put a round through his head, then called the warden to report what had happened. The warden gave them a small fine ($100?) and two points on dad's license. They got to keep the bull.

I thought the dad did the right thing and the warden seemed to respect that.

jpbowhunter

Just this year a guy who I've been best mates with since I was a kid wanted to get into deer hunting. I took him to a couple of my spots (which he's since gone back to himself I've found out and taken more of his freinds) and even helped him get his first fallow buck. He offered to take me hunting with himself, his brother and another mate of his one weekend so I did. We hunted some public land without seeing anything and it was a great hunt. Afterwards though they decided to drive in National Park and see if they could find something which is illegal here. I said "Get effed" but seeing as I was in the middle of the bush with them and no way out I was stuck. I packed my gun and ammo away as the law required and said "I'm having nothing to do with this" and just sat in the back saying and doing nothing just wanting it to be over. They drove along and eventually saw two young stags, my "friends" brother shot one and he dropped on the spot while the other took off. They managed to intercept the other young one and as I was in the best position he threw the gun into my lap and said "Shoot it". I unloaded the gun, said "there is no effing way I'm doing any such thing" and watched the poor young stag finally make a getaway.

Because they were family friends and our old mans are mates I was at a big moral crossroads. In the end I decided not to report them but decided never to hunt with them again. In fact the first brother that I was good friends with just yesterday asked well actually more stated that he "can't wait to go back to MY good spot" that I'd taken him to previously. Just like the spoilt bugger to invite himself to my good hunting grounds I was nice enough to introduce him to. I said no chance buddy!

Muley Hunter

There's one reason why I hunt alone. I have a lot more, but that's a good one.

jpbowhunter

Very true, I hunt mostly either by myself or with my brother. We just thought we'd venture out and help some budding hunters. It's a shame it turned out the way it did but it's definitely a lesson learnt