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How good is state laws enforced???
How good is your state at enforceing its hunting laws?
I know here in WV, especially sence gun season comes in next week, poaching is on a rampage. In many cases, you can report it and no one will even show up to check it out. There was a time when plain clothesofficers was in the woods hunting with the rest of the hunters. Kinda kept every body on the up and up. It is aggrivating that I hunt a particularbuck all bow season, just to have some idiot whith a shotgun slug or riffle to come in and shoot him out of season!!!! |
RE: How good is state laws enforced???
I know here in Iowa that the laws are enforced quite heavily. But I also know about a outfitter here in Iowa that got caught shooting some really nice bucks with a highpower for some clients and got caught, they tried him but didn't sentence him very harshly. 4 years of no hunting license, the next year he was back out hunting. I guess it isn't who you know it's who you blow. Just pisses me off that he would get away with it while someone else would get the book thrown at him.
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RE: How good is state laws enforced???
well in the urban areas there all over the place but on the public land they never show. the further south the fewer you see. poaching is rampant in southern ohio.
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RE: How good is state laws enforced???
Here in Virginia the Game Wardens are so underpaid (I think they start at the low $20,000's) they are having a retention/ high turnover problem. I know for a fact that, in the county I hunt in, we have ONE Game Warden for the four surrounding counties. You do the math, one Warden that has a jurisdiction of four counties. In turn,what that means is...... well, let's say you find someone tresspassing, poaching, etc. He may not even return your call or come out toinvestigate if he deems it unimportant. My question is "What do I do if I do find a poacher on my property?"........Citizen's arrest or call the cops I imagine.But then again, we're talking about RURAL Virginia here and theSheriff's response time?....well...I just don't know about that and I'm not trying to get into an AaronBurr vs. Alexander Hamilton situationin the woods.Sorry about the vent, but, I feel in my area, something needs to be done aboutitbefore something happens that makes the papers. (i.e. give the Game Wardens a pay raise and try to keep a few on board until they get some seniority). Yeah, it's pretty bad here in VA too.
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RE: How good is state laws enforced???
Well, it's really hard anywhere you go to control what's going on out in the woods, but there doesn't seem to be a big problem here. Poaching usually amounts to someone spotlighting a doe at night for meat, and that is usually out of season. I have called the game warden a couple of times on different issues and he responded pretty quickly. I left a message and he called me right back, so I can't complain. It's just so much area for one guy to cover. I live in farm country, so having all the farmer keeping an eye on things I think helps more than anything else.
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RE: How good is state laws enforced???
I know in MI when someone gets caught, the penalties (IMO) are not harsh enough. I feel that any poaching/overharvest needs to be severely punished to prevent further incidents, but also to show other non-hunters/antis that we are able to more or less police ourselves. One of the problems, at least in the UP, is that the officers are now covering massive territories so getting a CO to come out is pretty tough. Also, all the COs that have met while hunting have been total pricks, so I guess calling them has never been high on my priority, but I've also never witnessed a major violation.
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RE: How good is state laws enforced???
They somewhat enforced in Kansas. But the problem with Kansas is that there are very very few to enforce. 1 Game Warden to cover 1 or even 2 whole counties(30 X 60 Miles), is not nearly enough. I've been checked only once in my life. Kansas is way understaffed, and that's the main reason there are so many poachers.
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RE: How good is state laws enforced???
ORIGINAL: VA5326 Here in Virginia the Game Wardens are so underpaid (I think they start at the low $20,000's) they are having a retention/ high turnover problem. I know for a fact that, in the county I hunt in, we have ONE Game Warden for the four surrounding counties. You do the math, one Warden that has a jurisdiction of four counties. In turn,what that means is...... well, let's say you find someone tresspassing, poaching, etc. He may not even return your call or come out toinvestigate if he deems it unimportant. My question is "What do I do if I do find a poacher on my property?"........Citizen's arrest or call the cops I imagine.But then again, we're talking about RURAL Virginia here and theSheriff's response time?....well...I just don't know about that and I'm not trying to get into an AaronBurr vs. Alexander Hamilton situationin the woods.Sorry about the vent, but, I feel in my area, something needs to be done aboutitbefore something happens that makes the papers. (i.e. give the Game Wardens a pay raise and try to keep a few on board until they get some seniority). Yeah, it's pretty bad here in VA too. VA Their area of jurisdiction is HUGE too. I mean, good God, if you had to call a Game Warden to come help, it might take him 2-3 hours to get there! [&:] I'll say this... {knocking on wood} I have YET to get hit up by a Game Warden. I mean, heck, I could road hunt, hunt without a license, hunt from my truck window, EVEN HUNT ON A SUNDAY! (which I'm always tempted to do ;))and I donot see a Game Warden at all - EVER! But you all know me... I am straight up honest and law abiding. Sure, I could poach and not get caught, but would I? NO... NEVER... [:'(] Butch A. |
RE: How good is state laws enforced???
ktbears...too many bad guyz and not enuf good guyz....individuals doing the right thing is the only way.....fortunately many of us hunters represent the good guyz
Stiffer penalties...prison...felony record..no plea bargaining..is a great start...getting caught today doesnt scare folk...we have to get tuff..animals are property of the states...so its a crime agin the states and should be dealt with severely to send the message |
RE: How good is state laws enforced???
I'm sending this back to the top. I'd like to hear some more about people in different States........or the same ones from different people. It sounds like an issue in most of the posts I've read so far.
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