To report a poacher or not?
 

If you all knew of someone (i.e. family,friend,internet friend, it doesnt matter) the blatenly broke the law hunting. It doesnt matter for what illegal weapon,illegal kill, invalid tag.Would you all report them? Just looking for your input. Thanks.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

It would need to be a serious infraction.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

Depends on the seriousness.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

Very sticky situation.

I think first, I'd "talk" to said person, I say talk and not confront. If said activity continued, they wouldn't exactly be a friend and it would be easier to teach them a lesson.

If we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem.

Why is said person better than you? You conform to game laws, hunt under the guidelines of your laws and said person doesn't? Is that fair to you or any other sportsperson?

Sticky situation.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

had something like this come up here in july.
A nieghboor and is buddy was talking to me they both said they had hunted and we should all go on a hunt togather.
I said sure. I figured they knew more about the area seeing how they grow up around here.
The buddy starts telling me how he killed a buck with a .22 rifle. in oct. there is no gun season in oct here and it is illegal to hunt with a .22.
Then he said he went to a spot he had saw a turkey. and said he tried to shoot the turkey with a .22 when it was not even turkey season and you can not turkey hunt with a .22. Then he said he was on the road when this happen.
There is no way i will hunt with this guy.
If i had saw this happen i would have reported him. plus here you get a reward.

I would not turn in a friend or family member for something small but a out of season kill or a riflekillsince there illegal i would

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

I am not a complete rat, but if I know someone is doing something that really is causing damage, I would talk first and see if they will listen to reason. If after that they continue their ignorant behavior drop bombs. I totally quit hunting with someone recently due to ignorant behavior and being a hard head. When he called me to help dress a tom he shot off the road it was to much, but when he shot a young albino buck from the road by one of my properties I called the warden. It was that or me go to jail for murder.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

I know illegal is illegal, but for me there is a big difference between say spotlighting, shooting deer out of season and not buying an archery stamp. In most cases I would play it by ear and follow your heart. Good luck.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

TeeJay---my current hunting buddy and I have been hunting together off and on for 9 years now. About 3-4 years ago he ran into a guy at work and started hunting with him. The guy could put down some deer I tell you. He was also a big buck killer, no doubt about it. Well, my buddy started hunting with him alot more than me the next two years. No problem, I learned alot hunting on my own. Then my friend started telling me about this guy....he would hunt on Sundays(illegal in VA). He would take 50 yard pot shots at deer for fun. He would kill twice the legal limit of deer each year and not check in the bucks he killed. He stopped hunting with the guy altogether.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

But did he turn him in? I believe that one I would. That's blatant.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

Again, like most have said it can be a very sticky issue. I would talk with the said person and discuss the issue, trying to understand why they would do this act. I know, I would no longer concider that person a hunting partner nor would I want them hunting on the same property as I. As for turning them in, again it can be very touchy but I beleive I would. They need to understand their actions are breaking the law and it really puts a bad light on the hunting community. I know in my neck of the woods it's getting harder and harder to find willing land owners to let you hunt on their property.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

Ya, that is a no brainer IMO.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

In this case, if I heard about it after the fact, I would talk to them and let them know how I stand on poaching. I would let them know I report poaching. Then, if it happened again..................

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

i wouldnt report them unless he or she always does it..... but ask them to stop and if they dont report them

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

I would never report a family or friend, unless like mentioned, it's a pretty nasty situation.

If it is someone I did not know, I wouldn't hesitate to report that immediately though.

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RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

A stupid twist - We have probably all read stories about a waterfowl poaching.

Because of the whole federal thing, this type of poaching seems to be more offensive than state laws.
To me poaching is poaching, federal or state laws shouldn't make a difference, and the whammy should be put down on any poachers, period!
Let's bring it to the next level, instead of loss of license and a $500 fine. It should be more like, loss of license for 5 years, 30 days in jail and a $10,000 fine.
I think this would alleviate some poaching - don't you?

Although human murderers can be set free in a matter of a few years (we've all scratched our heads on this one), so what's a wild animal to do???

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

I would stay loyal to friends or family, but that would not stop me from scrutinizing them. WOuldn't hunt with them, listen to their stories or whatever. Would brag about how good it feels to do it right. In 1 case, the last few years a youngster has been with us for youth seasons and now he's on his own. Not just cause he's old enough but he told us that him and his new hunting buddies enjoy taking pop shots with a .22 at whatever they see (turkey, deer) at whatever distance. He has been warned to keep his mouth shut around us cause he's a brother-in-law and we thought we had taught him how to hunt correctly. Guess there are different influences. He will be caught cause I'm sure he thinks this is fun and he'll keep doing it. When he does I will just sit back and smile.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

while harsher consequences might help some if will not do alot in the grand scheme of things.
I know a guy that got caught poaching. ended up costing him $10,000 and 5 years without a liscense and losing all guns, bows and even mounts.
The next year I see him braggin and showing off pics of a deer he shot.
If they are willing to do something illeagal then they will do it no matter what.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

The guy lived in our area only 1 more year. He then moved to another part of the state. The sad thing is, my buddy found a dynamite spot for bucks 3 years ago. He proceeded to show this guy where it was.......the guy killed two nice bucks, one he did not check in at all. Who knows what else he killed out of there...the place hasn't been the same since that jerk started hunting in there....and he comes back every once in awhile just to hunt in that spot.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

Poachers will be poachers, as drug dealers will be drug dealers, can't stop them all.
Having a relaxed society when it comes to any kind of punishable laws certainly doesn't help deter??!!

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

your exactly right. I agree some parts of the country are to relaxed. but i know the main problem we had around here wasn't a laxed law but laxed law enforcement.
I wish that everything was perfect and if someone got caught doin something then they would learn their lesson and stop.but some dont.
Like you said though if we do nothing at all we are not helping matters any.

I have actually lost alot of what i use to think was friends to me cause i have turned alot of them in.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

Son, put em in the clink...

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

no not a friend or family member but i would have a good talk with him about it

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

Depends... maybe /maybe not..

Last year I saw a man netting bass..I stopped by and told him it was illegal..He cussed me out..I got on my cell and called the game warden..it's on my speed dial..

I would most likely call but not on every situation..We have a 5 inch atler rule..If someone shot a 3 inch spike,,nah..

If someone shot a hog from thier car from a WMA..nah..

If someone tresspassed on my property and killed something..yes sir...he's busted.

so each situationwill vary..

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

ABSOLUTLEY!!!!!! those laws are set in place for a reason. Who are we to decide the important ones. I am not directing this to you TeeJay so please do not get offended but I keep seeing post like this and do not understand them. On one hand, hunters complain about people breaking the law but then when you ask them if they would tell on a friend they say ummm......ummmm....... maybe? If we are not responsible enough to obey the laws that WE as hunters set then maybe the anti's are right, maybe we should not be hunting because we cannot follow our own rules. This is just me venting. sorry

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

i can understand if your sitting on the edge of your property and u see a pope and young buck walk by on the other side of the property line i wouldnrt report

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

This guy that lives around my area shot a turkey out of season. It ends up that this turkey was tagged by the NYSDEC. I guess he put the whole turkey in the freezer and never saw the tag thing. Well when the NYSDEC found out about this, They took all his guns, bows, mounts, anything hunting related. I believe that they also took his brand new four wheeler. Just goes to show what happens when you get caught.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

I ask because it may be happening amongst us!

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

Dunno, its kind of like whetheryou would stop hanging out with a friend or report thembecause they consistently drive well over the speed limit, drink one beer more than they should at happy hour, or occasionally fire up a joint. Somefolks might, most folks likely wouldn't. However, if that same person was operating a meth lab in their basement, it would likely be much more clear cut.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

I'd report em. I tolda family memberthat I would turn him in and whoop his rear if I found out that he was poaching deer of the family land. I had heard through one of his friends that he had shot 7 bucks the season before and only found one, the bag limit is 2 bucks. It had been 7 months since season, I told other family members to pressure him not to do that kind of crap.

When it comes to poaching, I dont care if it was my own parent, brother,whatever, I'd report em without hesitation.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

depends if they are killing it to eat and feed the family of course not but if the killing it just because they can and road hunting,spotlighting,I have no problem dropping a dime.I follow the laws and so can everyone else

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

I know a guy or two that have taken deer out of season. I told them to stop. The thing is he is 18 and on his own and doesn't have much money. He eats what he kills. I feel that if you poach you will get caught or some how it will come back to you.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

Yes.....and maybe....no.

I had a person close to me who shot a fox out of season, last year. It was against the law.....but I know he'll never do it again. Case closed.

I turned in a guy last year for killing WAY too many bucks. I'd do that agin in a heartbeat.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

Isn't this the same situation? The guy I am talking about has never and will never do this again either.Do you understand my situation?I understand why he did what he did. That is true. Agree it was the wrong thing to do. that is true. Hang a friend formaking a bad decision? That is ridiculous. If it was a second or third offense,this would not even bein question.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

If someone is poaching because they are HUNGRY, under no circumstances should they be turned in. Otherwise, stick it to em.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

I disagree with the hungry arguement. At your worst hour, there is help you can get somewhere - both from the government and private sources like food shelves.

I have known people who poached - took deer without tagging them or bought tags for their wives, mothers, etc. because the tags they could legally obtain were limited. I have yet to turn someone in, though, mainly because of the families we know tied to them that would be humiliated/suffer, etc. I probably should have, but like I said, I'm thinking more about their wives, children, etc.

On a sidenote, since Minnesota severely limited the tags you can get, one period in much of the state, the DNR has been stepping up enforcement. They've been known to make a visit to a guy's house to talk to his wife and see if she can draw back on "her" bow. No offense, btw, to all you female bowhunters, its just that a lot of guys are buying tags again for their wives and mothers and so the DNR is profiling for this.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

It would depend but correct law would definitely be addressed in conversation...

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

whomever chooses, Flame away, I wholehearted feel the same way....

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

I'm sorry but i gotta go with minnesotadeer on this one. i'm not buying the hungry arguement. how you gonna poach a deer with a 400 dollar rifle or bow and say your doingbecause you cant affordfood. if you need food that bad. sell the bow.

RE: To report a poacher or not?
 

I'm sorry....but it isn't. Your friend knew he was doing something wrong. Mine didn't. Your friend told you about his decision (beforehand????)....AND you AGREED with it. Your friend is in his THIRTIES.

My friend didn't know he'd done anything wrong. He's also a minor. I talked to him and his father about it.